Zero 2: A Revision
by Ultra Sonic 007
Summary: Season 02. You thought you knew it. But not this one. This is a revision. A restart. A whole new look at the series...and one that will change everything... [COMPLETE]
1. The Fire of Courage

Standard Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon (even though I'm redoing the entire season of 02 and potentially making it better. :P ).

Author's Note: It's here! I am actually going to redo the other episodes ('and there was much cheering and drinking of soda')!

The number of episodes may be shorter than the original list I revealed (and it most likely will). Nevertheless, I will try my best to make sure these episodes go in cohesion with the New DigiEpisodes.

Good grief...how does George Lucas keep the Star Wars movies in proper consistency!

Note to Anthony1: Nope. I will have to say no. Reason #1: I don't have e-mail. Reason #2: I check daily (and your stories and profile are on my favorites list), so that's not an issue.

Note to Ali: Just you wait until the Crest of Light finds that out (and I'll admit I didn't know that beforehand; thanks for the Japanese vocabulary lesson. :P ).

With that said...let it begin!

-

_**Zero 2: A Revision**_

-

"This is Kari Kamiya. It's been four years since we've last been to the Digiworld. We haven't seen our Digimon either, but we've had to move on...Tai, Matt, Sora, Mimi, Joe, and Izzy have moved on into high school, but for TK, myself, and a few others, the adventure's just begun!"

-

Episode 1: The Fire of Courage

-

It was a dark and stormy day in the Digital World. A twisting tropical forest sat underneath the slow moving storm system. It looked like it would rain later on.

However, within the jungle...a chase was taking place.

"Horn Blaster!"

An energy ball that was colored turquoise exploded nearby a Digimon that was scrambling for safety. That Digimon was the prey. The one chasing her was the predator.

The cat Digimon scrambled away as fast as she could. Her white fur was ruffled and sweaty, and the purple tips of hair on her ears and tail were frayed. Her claws needed sharpening, and her blue eyes revealed fear.

The Digimon was the one known as Gatomon. She was the partner of Kari Kamiya the Child of Light, whom she had not seen in four years.

And right now, Gatomon could really use her help.

"Horn Blaster!"

Gatomon yelped as the turquoise energy ball exploded right behind her. The cat cursed her rotten luck. Her tail ring – an old item she had gotten long ago – had been lost in a confrontation with the same Digimon pursuing her. Without it, she might as well have been called a Rookie: her strength had declined as a result.

Gatomon leapt over a knobby tree branch and started to run again when she was suddenly yanked into the bushes. "HEY-"

"SHH!" Gatomon's mouth was shut by two hands. One was a large clawed hand colored orange. The other was a tiny black paw that was as big as a dime...in other words, it wasn't very big.

Gatomon's eyes widened when she saw the two who had shushed her. It was Agumon and Patamon, old friends of hers.

Agumon silently mouthed the words 'Keep quiet'. Gatomon nodded in response.

Suddenly, a large black hoof could be seen in front of the bush. If they were out in the open, they would've seen a large winged unicorn with a red facemask. It was Unimon, Gatomon's pursuer.

However, there were two new additions. The first was that his normally blue-green visor was now colored a glowing blood red. The second was that a large ring colored black encircled his neck.

Unimon sniffed the area, growled, and took off into the sky. Gatomon could not breath for a whole minute. When she finally resumed breathing Patamon asked, "What happened Gatomon? Why was Unimon chasing you?"

Gatomon shot them a look they knew all too well. Agumon gasped. "You mean?"

"Yes," replied Gatomon, a grim look on her face. "It's him."

Over the past few months, a human had appeared in the Digital World. The human had been dressed in dark blue garments and he carried a whip with him. Whoever he was, he had begun a takeover bid of the Digiworld. And he had been succeeding a lot. The human had been enslaving Digimon with black rings that acted much like the Black Gears of Devimon.

Some Digimon called him a devil. Others proclaimed him as a former Dark Master incarnated as a human. But whoever he was, he always made sure his title was spoken before he enslaved you.

For he was known as the Digimon Emperor.

-

"Hm hm hm hm...my conquest is going right on schedule."

The one known as the Digimon Emperor sat within a large, dark room. He surrounded himself with monitors so that he would have a constant eye over his entire domain. He sat on a chair made of stone and metal, watching the progress of his invasion.

The Emperor , whom all Digimon feared...was a boy.

He wore blue pants with white on the sides. Black stripes stretched horizontally across the white on his pants. The upper part of his consisted of a blue and white vest with gray around the abdomen. A white shirt lay under the vest. A brown belt with a circle-shaped golden buckle was fastened on his waist. He wore matching dark blue-gray gloves and boots, which were fastened onto him by thick, silver buckles. The buckle on his left hand was actually a large metal gauntlet that stretched to halfway up his forearm. The gauntlet was a piece of technology that allowed him to issue commands to his invasion force. Fastened onto his suit was a dark blue cape with yellow trimming. He also wore metallic shoulder pads that were colored yellow.

To finish the attire, he wore shades. The lenses were colored purple, and they prevented anyone from seeing his eyes. His hair was puffed out and fuzzy, colored a dark blue.

The Emperor smiled as he watched his army of controlled Tuskmon take over a village of Tsunomon. "Well, that's another area down." He spoke in a cocky and self-assured voice. All of a sudden, a holographic screen showed up to reveal Unimon.

"Ah, Unimon. I take it you've captured the Gatomon?"

Unimon gulped as he shook his head. "No, great Emperor. The Gatomon got away."

The Emperor growled in frustration. "WHAT!" His face contorted to that of a scowl, and his features indicated anger. "Listen to me Unimon, I need that Gatomon under my control! She's one of the three remaining Digimon of the Digidestined. If all of the Digidestined's Digimon are captured, then I will have no one left that can threaten my empire! Capture the Gatomon, or I'll delete you personally!"

Unimon bowed his head. "Yes, Emperor." The monitor disappeared.

The Emperor scoffed. He hated when his minions failed. When they failed, his objectives were not accomplished. And if his objectives were not accomplished, he got mad.

"Oh well." The Emperor chuckled as he pulled out a digivice. But it was not like those of the other Digidestined. Instead, it was shaped like a fist, with the screen on the top half and a large button on the bottom half. Two small arrow-shaped buttons could be seen on the right side of the screen. A miniature antenna jutted upward from the digivice. Another difference was that the digivice...was colored black and gray.

The Emperor smirked with glee. "As long as I have the Dark Digivice, none of my opponents can digivolve."

-

"We're almost there TK."

"I know mom."

The boy known as TK Takaishi stared out the car window as the got ever closer to Odaiba.

He had grown a lot in the four years that had passed since his adventures in the Digital World. Instead of the large green hat he had as a youth, he now wore a simple white hat with a rim as low as his forehead. He wore a simple green and yellow T-shirt with brown pants. His shoes were white with blue designs.

"Mom? Do you think any of my friends are still there?"

Ms. Takaishi nodded. "Of course TK. I'm sure they're still there."

TK hoped that his best friend was still there.

The one known as Kari Kamiya.

-

The next day was a Monday. It was the first day of the school week at Odaiba Middle School.

TK Takaishi smiled as he walked towards the front doors. He was now 12, and in 7th grade. Later on, after school, he would take a bus to his father's apartment...and hopefully see his big brother, Matt Ishida.

The instant he stepped inside, the chatter of students filled his ears. The first period was set to begin in fifteen minutes, and he was looking for his homeroom.

Although this was his first day there, he had already gotten his classroom information yesterday over the phone. He was looking for room 7-2.

As he walked down the hallway, his eyes caught the sight of someone. The strange thing was, at a glance, the person's hair was puffed up, and brown...and he wore goggles.

TK did a double take. He rubbed his eyes and looked again. It was no illusion. The person walking down the hall was heading for the seventh grader's section of the building.

_No way...is that Tai?_

-

The boy that TK did a double take at walked calmly into room 7-2, carrying a math book, a notebook, and some pencils.

The boy _did_ bear a striking resemblance to Tai...except he wasn't Tai. His hair was spiked up, but it didn't go every which-way like Tai's did. Instead, his brown-maroon colored hair was puffed up in a spiky sphere. He wore a long-sleeved blue shirt with white stripes going across it. The stripes had yellow trimming, and they also adorned his sleeves. He wore a light blue vest over his shirt, and he wore dark blue shorts. His shoes were white with black streaks going along the sides. To complete the outfit, he had large goggles over his head, with a white strap and square-shaped lenses.

His name...was Davis Motomiya.

The boy's brown eyes looked around the classroom until he finally found the person he was looking for.

A girl that was about an inch shorter than he was sat near the room's windows. She wore a pink and white shirt with short sleeves. The bottom half was white, whilst the top was pink. She wore yellow shorts with a brown belt holding them to her body, and she also wore pink shoes with white shoelaces. A small digital camera hung around her neck on a string. On her hands were finger-less pink gloves that hugged her skin, stretching all the way up to just below her shoulders.

The girl had brown hair that went down to the side of her face. She had a pink headband on and her eyes were amber.

Davis grinned as he walked over to the girl and sat down in a vacant desk to her left. "Hey Kari!"

The girl – Kari Kamiya, the Child of Light – turned her head to see her best friend...well, of the male gender anyway. "Hi Davis." She grinned and poked at him teasingly. "Ready for another 'fun' day of Mrs. Hakashi's Math class?"

"Ha ha, very funny Kari." Even though Davis and Kari were best friends, they would occasionally tease each other out of good humor. For Davis, math was not his favorite subject. He either doodled or slept during Mrs. Hakashi's class.

"Attention class." Everyone turned around to face Mrs. Hakashi. She was a brown-haired woman who wore a simple dress. "We have a new student today."

A blonde-haired boy with a white hat stepped into the class. Kari looked at the boy with a strange look in her eyes. _Where have I seen him before?_

"Class, I'd like to introduce you to TK Takaishi."

Kari's eyes nearly popped out of her head. TK? Her old friend TK was here? That meant...that TK had moved back to Odaiba! _Alright! He's moved back!  
_  
Hakashi turned to TK and calmly said, "I'm going to get some books for TK. I will be back in a minute. TK, have a seat over there by Kari Kamiya."

TK's eyes went over to where she was pointing, and gasped. The brown-haired girl that was staring at him...was Kari. _Wow! It's Kari! She's grown a few feet in these last four years!_

As Mrs. Hakashi left the room, the students took this opportunity to get in a few words to their fellow students. TK eagerly sat down in the desk to the right of Kari. "Kari...nice to see you again."

Kari read the shock in TK's face. "Yeah...it's good to see you here too TK."

Davis, who had no clue as to Kari and TK's past relationship, paled in the face. Here was a total stranger, and he was talking to Kari as if he'd know her for years. He nearly burst as he saw the two converse while the teacher was gone. If he had been a spectator to the event, he would've surmised that the two...were a couple.

That thought made Davis' blood boil.

_He's making a move on my girl!  
_

Now, Davis and Kari weren't an item...but he sometimes thought of themselves as girlfriend and boyfriend, considering how they were best friends. Davis narrowed his eyes as one chilling thought came to mind.

Kari was a popular girl at school, but she had always politely declined all the boys who asked her out on a date. Davis himself had never asked her out – out of shyness, if anything else – but judging from how well the two were getting along...

_I've got some competition._

Suddenly, a hand waving in front of his face got his attention. It was Kari's. "Davis, you awake?"

Davis suddenly snapped to it. "Uh, yeah." Davis mentally kicked himself.

TK smiled as he leaned over to see Davis from two seats away. "So, your name's Davis Motomiya huh? Don't take this personally, but you look a lot like Kari's brother Tai."

Davis grinned. "Aw, really? You think?" Tai Kamiya was an expert at soccer. Davis was pretty good at soccer himself, but he admired Tai's skill and personality. He was his idol. That's when he suddenly realized something. "Hold on, you know Tai?"

TK nodded. "Yeah, I first met him and Kari about four years ago."

The statement brought an unsettling realization to Davis. _This guy's an old friend of Kari's! He's already got an advantage!_

Now, if one were to peek into Davis' mind right now, some would call him silly for thinking like this.

But Davis had his reasons.

"Class." Everyone stopped talking and turned Mrs. Hakashi, who handed a math book to TK. "Now, turn to page 37 and we'll get started on the area of a triangle."

Davis mentally groaned. _Oh man...I hate geometry!_

-

The time was 2:30 PM.

The red-haired teenager groaned as he typed away at the computer.

He wore the standard uniform –green collared jacket, gray pants, white collared shirt, and a blue tie – of a high school student, but one might mistake him for a seventh grader at first glance.

It's probably because he was about as tall as the average 7th grader...which was about 5'3.

For his lack of height, he was a genius at computers. His black eyes stared at the screen as he worked on a special project that he had been working on for over three years.

His name...was Izzy Izumi.

About three months after the Digital World was sealed off from the Real World, Izzy had been working non-stop to open a Digiport. So far, he had been able to write a program that actually showed an existing Digiport...but no matter how many times he tried, he couldn't open the gate. Every single time he felt he was getting close to a breakthrough, all of his data would disappear, and he'd have to start from scratch. Even during school hours, when he didn't have access to his old laptop (yes, the same laptop he used four years ago), he'd use the computers in the computer lab at Junction M-H (Middle School – High School; the junction connected the middle school facilities with the high school facilities).

Izzy hadn't given up yet...one way or another, he'd get into the Digital World and see Tentomon again...

"Hey Izzy!"

Izzy suddenly snapped back to reality as he turned his head to the female standing in the door to the computer lab.

The girl was about as tall as he was, but she was only a 13-year old in 8th grade. She wore a long-sleeved pink shirt and a long red skirt to match. She had a slim figure, but she wasn't skinny. She had long, lavender hair that went down to her lower back, and tied to the top of her head was a blue bandana. She also wore large eyeglasses with black rims. Her shoes were white sneakers with green designs on them. She looked at Izzy with her orange eyes and asked, "Izzy, you said you'd come to Cody's house later on and help me fix his computer!"

Izzy blinked. Yolei was a technical whiz with computers and math. If she had a problem with it...then it must be serious. "I'll be over in about an hour, okay?"

Yolei glared daggers at the redheaded teen. "You'd better!" With that, she huffed out. Izzy gulped as the girl left. Izzy was the computer class president for the entire school...and his assistant was Yolei. He had chosen her because of her knowledge with computers. Plus, she reminded him of his two old friends Sora and Mimi. Yolei showed a lot of love and care to her friends, and she didn't hesitate to speak her mind.

Unfortunately for him and many others, Yolei had something that neither Sora nor Mimi had.

Yolei's temper had a very short fuse.

-

As Yolei walked down the hall, she heard a stern voice. "You know, you didn't have to bite his head off."

The girl turned to see a young boy that was about half her height. He wore a long-sleeved purple shirt with no collar. He also wore green denim jeans. His shoes were white with blue designs on them, and his chocolate-brown hair was in the shape of a dome that covered his head. His green eyes were stern and focused, and they were fixed upon Yolei.

Yolei waved her hand dismissively. "Oh Cody, I'm only joking around."

The young boy – Cody Hida, a nine-year old in the 4th grade – replied, "Still, it doesn't give you the right to jump on him like that. Honestly Yolei, you're quick to jump the gun at times."

Yolei grunted in disapproval. Cody always spoke with reason and sternness...in other words, like an adult. She never understood why the little boy acted like that. Suddenly, another thought leapt to Yolei's head. "Wait a second Cody, did you remember my bag?"

Cody pulled his green backpack off and unzipped it. He pulled out a large brown bag and handed it to Yolei. The girl checked inside the bag to make sure the contents were safe. She took a whiff and nodded with content. Her fudge brownies were safe. "Thanks for hiding them in your locker for the day Cody."

"No problem. But why couldn't you just leave them in your locker?"

Yolei shifted her eyes from side to side to make sure no one was around. She then leaned over and quietly whispered into the boy's ear. "Believe it or not, there are some weird people at the Middle School facility who like to pick the locks on people's lockers and loot them. So I asked you to keep my brownies safe in your locker."

Cody blinked and nodded. He understood Yolei's plight now. People who stole stuff sickened him...it just wasn't right to steal.

-

The time was 2:45.

Davis followed TK and Kari down the hall of Junction M-H. Kari had told TK about Izzy Izumi the Computer Class President, and the blonde boy immediately wanted to see him.

Davis, for some reason that only he knew, was slowly starting to dislike the boy. He understood he was an old friend of Kari's, but he didn't really like Kari and TK being so 'chummy'.

_Just keep your cool, man. Just because Kari's talking with an old friend doesn't mean she's gonna dump you._ Davis mentally laughed to himself. What was he so worried about? Kari was only reintroducing herself to an old friend. He was still her best friend. 

"Hey Kari. Hey Davis."

Davis suddenly snapped to it. They were now in the computer lab. TK smiled as he looked at Izzy. "Hey Izzy, remember me?"

Izzy looked at him for a moment, then his eyes widened. "TK? Is that you! When did you move back?" The red-haired teen quickly got out of his chair.

The blonde nodded. "Yep. I see you still have a thing for computers."

Izzy nodded. "Sure do. Man...you've grown a lot. Have you seen Matt yet?"

TK shook his head. "Not yet. But I will later on today."

Davis' nose suddenly started to twitch. With all the computers in this room, that meant there was an abundance of one thing...dust.

And the dust was getting into Davis' nose.

"A...ah...ah...**ACHOO!**"

The sudden sneeze caused everyone to back away in surprise. Unfortunately for Izzy, this caused him to tumble over his chair and land on his back.

This also caused something to fall out of his pocket. That something was a small square object that TK, Kari, and Izzy knew all too well.

It was Izzy's Digivice.

And Davis was the first one to pick it up.

"Sorry about that Izzy. The dust got into my nose." Davis had met Izzy before...but only because Kari introduced him to the computer whiz. Davis didn't really mix well with computers. "Hey, this looks like Tai's."

However, the instant he picked it up, a signal was activated...a signal that was picked up by only one source.

-

A computer monitor glowed brightly in the darkness of the room. The one sitting in the chair in front of the computer had no choice; it was nighttime in this portion of the Digital World, and the room had no light source...save for the monitor.

The shadowed figure raised an eyebrow as the computer picked up the signal. The one known as Davis Motomiya had touched the digivice.

It was time.

"Hello?" An elderly voice called out to him. The figure turned around to see a man standing in the doorway. He was an elderly man...shorter than the figure was. He wore a black and red suit with wires sticking out of his body around the shoulders. His white mustache drooped, and what little hair he had was wrapped in a ponytail. The man's eyes were narrowed. "You've been at that thing for hours. Your Digimon's already digging into dinner!"

The figure did not say anything. The light from the hallway illuminated the old man's body, but the figure's face was still obscured by the darkness. Finally, the figure spoke. Judging from the tone, pitch, and sternness in it...it was male human. "Gennai...it's time."

The old man – now identified as the old man Gennai – blinked. "You sure? It is?"

The figure nodded. "I'm certain. The signal just reached my computer. You need to send out the new digivices to the new Digidestined."

Gennai blinked rapidly and started running. "Gah! I can't believe I forgot! Gotta get to it!"

As the figure watched Gennai rush back into the hall, he laughed to himself. He wondered how Gennai would've remembered to do this. "He'd probably figure it out on accident..."

However, this meant that he was getting closer to the end of his mission.

"It's time to see if the New Digidestined can handle the Digimon Emperor."

-

Gennai placed the three digivices into a metal box and began pressing some buttons and keys. Finally, he entered the coordinates...and pressed the 'Enter' button.

Suddenly, the three digivices flashed. One was flashing blue, the second red, and the other yellow. After hovering in the air for a few moments, they rocketed upward. The digivices phased through the roof and the water of the lake above his house.

The digivices exited the lake, and they went for the nearest Digiport.

-

A sudden energy reading was detected on the Emperor's scopes. As he pulled up the map to identify it, it had already disappeared.

"Hm..."

-

After Davis handed the digivice back to Izzy, the computer Izzy had been working on suddenly started flashing.

The others looked at in awe. Izzy gaped at the screen and shouted, "What's happening!"

Suddenly, three colored streaks of light zoomed out of the computer. The blue streak settled in Davis' hands. The red and yellow streaks zoomed out of the room.

TK, Kari, and Izzy stared at the object that had materialized in Davis' hands. Motomiya stared at it oddly as he replied, "Uh...is this like Izzy's little digivice thing? Cause...it looks different."

Izzy noted that it DID look different from his. Davis' digivice was shaped like a fist. It had three buttons – one large on the bottom half, two arrow-shaped ones on the side of the small screen – and it had sides colored blue.

TK could tell where this was going. "Kari, go get your brother."

Kari nodded. She knew were Tai would be after school ended. TK told her to get him because they both knew something big was happening.

One thought ran through Kari's head as she ran out the door and towards the soccer fields.

_The Digital World...are we actually going back?_

-

Davis blinked as Izzy examined his blue digivice. "So you're saying that my digivice is a newer model of your own?"

Izzy nodded as he looked at the digivice with a magnifying glass. "Exactly."

TK turned his head toward Davis and tapped his shoulder. "Pardon my asking, but how do you know about the digivices?"

Davis turned towards TK, who held his own digivice in his hand. "Well, Tai showed his own to me about a year ago. Ever since then, he'd sometimes tell me about a place called the Digital World.

The blonde boy paled in the face. Tai actually told someone else about the Digidestined? Had the older Kamiya brother lost his marbles! TK looked at Izzy who simply said, "I told him not to tell Davis, but he wouldn't listen."

Motomiya huffed in response. "Hey, I can keep a secret! Besides, it's not like you can forget watching someone get sucked into the sky by a rainbow."

TK thought back to that moment. It was four years ago, and they were returning to the Digital World after VenomMyotismon was deleted. They had been returned to the Digiworld in the plain sight of everyone in the city...so there was no doubt some people saw them. "Well...that's true."

Suddenly, two voices could be heard from the junction.

"Come on Kari, what's this all about?"

"I'll tell you when we get to the computer lab."

"Is Izzy showing off some kind of gizmo again? The last one caused my hair to stand up like a cat's!" Izzy sighed as he remembered an embarrassing gadget he had tinkered at in his spare time. The gadget in question was a battery-powered toaster – why he made it, no one knew...not even Izzy himself , but when it activated, a charge of static-E caused Tai's hair to stick straight up for a week.

"No."

"Is this about how I kicked you in the face with the soccer ball?"

"No. And you should've watched where you kicked that thing! I nearly lost a tooth!"

"I said I was sorry!" That's when Kari walked in, pulling Tai in as well. He wore his soccer uniform – red shirt, white shorts – and his black cleats. His hair was still as puffed out and crazy as ever, and he had his old goggles fastened upon his head.

That's when Davis noticed a large bump on Kari's head. Judging from the conversation in the hall, Tai had accidentally kicked a soccer ball at his sister when she got to the soccer field. For some reason, Davis couldn't help but snicker.

Tai took a breath of air and asked, "So what's this all about Izzy?"

Izzy held up the blue digivice. "This digivice came out of the computer and ended up in Davis' hands."

Tai blinked and gasped. A new digivice? "Unreal...is it yours Davis?"

Davis quickly swiped it away from Izzy and casually replied, "Yeah, it is."

Before Tai could reply, the blue digivice started vibrating. Everyone looked at it to see that the digivice's screen was glowing. Davis blinked as it vibrated. "Boy...this is freaky."

Davis pointed it toward the computer Izzy had been working on...and it started vibrating even more. Deciding to see what the deal was, Davis walked closer to the computer. As he did, the blue digivice rumbled more and more. When he finally got to the computer, it was vibrating so hard that one could actually hear the buzzing sound it made. Davis' hand was beginning to numb.

Motomiya stared at the screen to see a strange black figure on the screen. It looked like a black welcome mat with bits of it going off in every direction. A red screen could be seen in the middle of the black pad, and to the left of it was a glowing red dot.

Davis held his digivice up to the screen, and the red dot...turned green. "Hm?"

Izzy gasped in shock. For some otherworldly reason, Davis had been able to open the Digiport on his own. Was it because Davis' digivice was a newer model? In any case...the Digital World was open for travel. "Unreal...Davis, do you realize what you've done!"

Davis froze. When someone said that to him, it usually meant he had goofed up. "Uh...I didn't mess up anything, did I?"

"Mess up?" Izzy grinned. "More like made our lives happier! You just reopened the gateway to the Digiworld!" Thankfully, Tai, TK, Kari, and Davis were the only ones in the computer lab that could hear that. Tai, TK, and Kari gasped in shock and surprise. The Digiworld was now open again...which meant...they could see their Digimon partners again.

Tai thrust his fist into the air and shouted, "Alright!"

Davis nervously scratched the back of his head. Although he didn't want to admit it...Davis enjoyed praise whenever he got it. "No need to thank me ladies – well, lady - and gentlemen."

TK chuckled as he sarcastically replied, "How modest of you Davis."

Davis frowned and retorted, "Oh be quiet TP."

TK blinked in confusion. "TP?"

For some reason, TK, Kari, Tai, and Izzy couldn't help but laugh at Davis' mispronouncing of TK's name. Perhaps it was because TK's name consisted of only two letters.

Davis steamed as he turned back towards the computer. He looked down at his digivice to see some words on its screen. "Hm...Digiport Open?"

The red-colored gate suddenly spewed out a bluish-white light that enveloped Davis, TK, Kari, and Tai. Izzy was out of the path of the light, so he could only watch as the four of them were sucked into the computer. When the light disappeared, the four of them were gone.

"Gack!" Izzy pulled out his digivice and pointed it at the computer. The Digiport was still open, so he could travel into it, even without the new digivice.

However, a familiar voice got his attention.

"Izzy!"

Izzy quickly stopped and pocketed his digivice as he turned towards the door. Sure enough, Yolei Inoue and Cody Hida were standing there. "Um...yes? Do you two need something?" Izzy tried his best not to sound nervous.

That's when the two of them reached into their pockets and pulled out something that made Izzy's eyes bug out of his head. They both had digivices that looked exactly like Davis', save for color changes. Yolei's was red, and Cody's was yellow. U_nreal! That's what those other two streaks of light were! The other digivices!  
_  
Cody calmly asked, "These things suddenly appeared in our hands out of nowhere, and Yolei figured you might know where they're from."

Izzy sighed. This would take some explaining. However, his nose picked up something. "Um...do I smell fudge brownies?"

Yolei quickly opened her brown bag and pulled out a fudge brownie. "Want one?"

-

Davis had a fleeting sense of vertigo as he was pulled through the Digiport. He felt like he was going through a tunnel in zero gravity at 200 miles per hour.

Then, as soon as it started, it ended. Davis' eyes saw only the grass. He had landed face-first on the ground. He was about to get up when he felt three other bodies fall on him. Davis winced and groaned. "Ow! Get off!"

The Digiport's exit...was a small TV. Davis had tumbled out of it first, followed by Kari, TK, and Tai. Unfortunately for Davis...he was on the bottom.

Tai, TK, and Kari pulled themselves off Davis, taking a glimpse of their surroundings. They were in a lush forest with a large cliff to the west. It had apparently just rained a while ago, considering how many water droplets had collected on the foliage.

Davis looked around in shock. A moment ago, he had been at school. Now he was in what he presumed to be the Digital World. "So this is the Digital World eh? Doesn't look like what I thought it would be like..."

Tai then looked at Davis and blinked. "Wow...you've gotta a new look Davis!"

Davis suddenly looked down at himself to realize he DID have a new outfit. His school clothes were gone. Instead, he wore tan shorts with a white shirt. Over that shirt was a leather jacket with a furry collar colored white. The leather was colored blue, and fire designs adorned the bottom half of it. The flames were a mixture of red, orange, and yellow. Instead of shoes, he wore orange boots with a white stripe on them. He also wore big, yellow gloves.

However, his goggles were still there – something for which he was thankful for – and smiled. "Well look at me!" Davis then noticed that the others had the same outfits they had from the Real World. "Hey, how come you guys have the same clothes?"

The only response he elicited from them was an honest shrug.

That's when something leapt out of the bushes at him and playfully tackled him to the ground. It was...an orange dinosaur.

"Tai! You're actually back! You've actually come back!" cheered the little dinosaur.

"Gah! Wait!" Davis tried to push the creature off. "I'm not Tai! He's over there!" He frantically pointed towards his idol, who looked speechless at the sight of the dinosaur.

The Digimon paused and sniffed Davis. "You're right...you're not Tai!" Agumon quickly ran over to Tai and sniffed him. "Yeah...YOU'RE Tai!"

"Agumon!" Agumon leapt into Tai's arms, hugging him tightly. This caused the high school student to fall to his back, but he didn't care. He hadn't seen his partner in four years...FOUR YEARS! Arguably his best friend ever...and now, he was there again to see him.

That's when two new creatures came out of the bushes. One was a cat, and the other was...a flying pig.

"Kari!" The cat ran over to the girl.

"TK!" The flying pig flew over to the blonde boy.

Kari and TK couldn't believe their eyes. They hadn't seen their partners face-to-face for four years. And now they were here...Gatomon and Patamon.

"Gatomon!"

"Patamon!"

Kari and TK grasped onto their respective partners and refused to let go. Tears of joy began to stream down their face. After four years, they had reunited with their friends.

As for Davis...he was dumbfounded. He had heard Tai tell about the Digimon...but he never expected them to be like this.

_So these are Digimon...cool!_

-

"What's this?"

A new monitor sprang up, revealing Gatomon, a Patamon, an Agumon, and...four humans.

The very fact that other humans were here meant that the Digidestined had somehow been to open the Digiports again. This was an unexpected occurrence. He never thought that the Digidestined would return.

"No matter. They can't do a thing anyway." With the power of his Dark Digivice being broadcast all over the regions he had conquered, the Digidestined's Digimon couldn't digivolve.

Now only one question was left. Who would have the honor of carrying out his mission?

"I know just who to send." He opened a small compartment in his gauntlet and pressed a several numbers. The screen suddenly switched, revealing Unimon. "How may I serve you, Emperor?"

"Listen Unimon. The Digidestined have somehow gotten into the Digital World. They're at coordinates 01-001-GAMMA. I want you to capture the Digidestined's Digimon, seize their digivices, and last but not least, I want you to destroy the humans." Then his tone became hard. "If you fail me this time Unimon...I'll delete you piece by piece! Do we have an understanding?"

Unimon cringed in fear. This was his last chance at life. "Yes my Emperor." The screen turned dark, leaving the Emperor alone to his thoughts.

He chuckled as he thought of the Digidestined being destroyed. He would not stop until his iron fist gripped the entire Digital World.

-

"A Digimon Emperor!" gasped Tai, TK, and Kari.

The three little Digimon nodded. Agumon said, "That's right Tai. For the last few months, a humans' been coming to the Digital World and enslaving Digimon."

TK had an unpleasant flashback to Devimon. "Is it like the Black Gears?"

Patamon shook his head. "Nope. He enslaves Digimon using things called Dark Rings. One of them gets on you, and poof! You're his slave!"

Kari angrily said, "That's terrible!"

"And that's not the worst part," said Gatomon, her face grim. "We're the only ones left! Gabumon, Biyomon, Tentomon, Palmon, and Gomamon have all been enslaved by him!"

The three of them shouted, "WHAT!"

"And another thing too! The Digimon Emperor has the power to prevent Digimon from digivolving!"

Tai, TK, and Kari silently absorbed Agumon's words. For some reason, none of their Digimon could digivolve.

Now where was Davis, you might ask? Since it was now clear he was a Digidestined (being the one who received the blue digivice after all), you might think he would be just as involved in the conversation as the other three Digidestined. 

Instead, Davis...was getting a soda.

For some reason that he wasn't aware of, someone had put a vending machine out in the middle of the rainforest. For that, Davis was thankful. Because he was getting thirsty.

He pulled out a quarter, slipped it into the vending machine, and selected a cherry-flavored soda.

But nothing came out.

Davis groaned in disgust as he kicked the machine and started walking away. "Stupid machine."

That's when a bunch of green slug-like creatures erupted out of the slot and began crawling away from the machine in a steady stream of green goop.

Unfortunately for Davis, that 'steady stream of green goop' crawled right over him. "Ah!" The green creatures had purple spots on them, and their eyes were situated on little stalks of green. Eventually, all of the goopy beings – the Numemon – had left the vending machine for another place to live.

This left Davis on the ground, the back of his jacket covered in goop.

"Eew...that's gross," muttered Davis as he pulled himself up. He walked back over to the vending machine to see that his drink had actually come out. "Alright!" Davis grabbed it, opened it, and started chugging down the carbonated goodness.

That's when something suddenly appeared from the forest. It looked like...a unicorn.

Davis finished drinking his soda and glanced at the Digimon. "Huh...you a Digimon?"

The unicorn growled. "Digidestined! I am Unimon, and by the order of the emperor, I must destroy you! Horn Blaster!"

Davis gulped as Unimon charged up an orb of green electricity in his mouth. "Uh oh." Davis leapt out of the way of the attack, letting the vending machine take the hit. It was destroyed by the blast, causing an eruption of soda.

"Horn Blaster!"

Unimon prepared to fire again, but some of the soda splashed on his visor. This caused his aim to veer off slightly, causing his Horn Blaster to hit the ground right _behind_ Davis.

As a result...the young boy was sent flying...straight towards Unimon.

"Ah!" Davis grabbed Unimon's horn as he flew by, which caused him to swing around and land on the unicorn's back. Unimon neighed and started to buck around in an attempt to shake the boy off. Davis, however, held on for his life...and had fun at the same time. 

"Yeehah! Yahoo! So this is what it's like to be a cowboy!" Davis smiled as he loosened his grip a bit on impulse...and that was just enough to do it. Unimon bucked with all his force, sending Davis off his back and into the air.

Unimon snorted as he gave chase.

-

"Ahhhh! OOF!"

Davis landed face-first against the ground, his goggles and head rubbing against the dirt and grass. Coincidentally, he landed right in behind the other Digidestined.

TK blinked as Davis pulled himself to his feet. "What happened to you?"

Davis turned around to face where he had come. Unimon came thrashing through the trees. He gulped and nervously said, "Um...any of you know how to stop a giant unicorn?"

Tai, TK, Kari, and their Digimon simultaneously shouted, "RUN!"

"Horn Blaster!"

They immediately started running westward, towards the cliff. As they neared it, they noticed that the entrance to a cave was carved out of the cliff rock. Tai quickly shouted, "Into the cave!"

"Horn Blaster!"

The green orb collided with the top of the cave mouth. The rock cracked and started to fall. The Digidestined looked on in horror. Unimon was trying to block their escape route! They poured on the speed and dove into the cave as several large boulders blocked the entrance.

They were in the cave...but they were trapped.

Gatomon scratched her ears and groaned. "Man, talk about a close call."

Davis went to move his goggles back into place on his forehead...when he noticed something horrible, even in the dim light of the cave. The lenses were shattered, and the rims were cracked. Apparently, his little fall earlier had broken his goggles.

"Oh man...my goggles are trashed!" whined Davis. Another thing that he and Tai had in common...they liked their goggles.

Tai winced. "Dang. You'll have to get some new ones."

Patamon started flying further into the cave. "Hey guys! I see a light up ahead!"

The seven of them walked further into the cave, eventually reaching a large rocky chamber with a hole in the ceiling. Sunlight came through the hole and shined upon a stone pedestal...where something stood.

The others blinked as they looked at it. TK asked, "What...is that?"

-

Unimon growled as he looked at the blockaded entrance. The Digidestined had escaped him.

The Emperor will not be pleased. Unimon gulped at the thought of what the Emperor would do to him. He had to find another way in.

He took to the air and started searching for another way in.

-

A small oval-shaped object sat on the pedestal. It looked like a digiegg with a sharp, curved knife sticking out of the top. Flame designs were embroidered all over it, and to top it all off...the Crest of Courage was pasted on it.

Tai blinked as he moved closer to it. "What is this thing?"

Agumon took a closer peek at it and crossed his arms in thought. "Well, it has the Crest of Courage on it. It looks like a Digiegg...maybe there's a special Digimon for you Tai!"

Tai thought about it. Truthfully, the thing DID look like a digiegg...and the thought of a new Digimon to help against the Digimon Emperor sounded tantalizing. "Okay, let's haul this thing out of here." Tai bent down to pick it up...and pulled.

But it didn't move. No matter how hard Tai tried, he couldn't budge it. "Gah...no use."

TK walked over and calmly said, "Let me try." Patamon set down on TK's white hat and cheered, "Come on TK!"

Same result.

"Man, that thing must be super glued to the ground!"

"Looks like this needs a woman's touch." TK moved out of Kari's way as she bent down to pick it up. Once again, it didn't budge. "On second thought, maybe it could use a weightlifter's touch."

Davis' ears perked up. "Well, I sometimes lift weights! Let me give it a shot!" Davis scrambled over towards the digiegg and grasped with both hands. _Okay pal, here goes._ He took a deep breath. _1...2...3!_

Davis pulled back with all his might, and to everyone else's surprise...it came up without the slightest resistance. Everyone stared at Davis oddly as he grinned. "That was easy. It doesn't even weigh as much as a math book. You guys need to work out."

Tai just stared at the Digiegg oddly. _What's the big deal? It has the Crest of Courage, and I'm the Child of Courage! But how come I couldn't lift it and Davis could?_

His self-questioning was halted when an orange light erupted from a hole in the ground. Davis gasped as something began to materialize in the ray of orange light.

Gatomon blinked as the mass began to take shape. "What...is that?"

Finally, the light faded...and no one expected to see what they saw.

-

Unimon growled as he flew over the cliffs. He had searched the entire cluster of cliffs, and he hadn't found a single entry way!

"The Emperor's going to have my head..." muttered Unimon.

He suddenly noticed an orange light erupting from a hole on top of the cliff. Unimon suddenly started smiling. The hole was small...but a Horn Blaster would open it up.

Grinning, Unimon flapped his wings and made his way toward the hole.

-

The being that emerged from the light was a Digimon.

The Digimon was curled into a fetal position as it hovered in midair. It was a biped, and his skin was colored blue. Its underbelly and chest was covered white, as well as the skin around its mouth. It had a foot-long tail that bent upward at about halfway. Its feet were large and had three claws. Its hands had five fingers, each with a sharpened nail about a few centimeters long. The ears looked like miniature versions of the tail, and a yellow dot adorned the cheek under each eye. A small horn jutted outward from its nose, and a yellow 'V' adorned the forehead.

Finally, the Digimon opened its eyelids to reveal red eyes...that looked at Davis happily.

A smile tugged at the Digimon's lips as it cheered and leapt down, prancing around Davis. Judging from the voice, it was now clear the Digimon was a male. "Wahoo! Free at last! Free at last!" The little blue Digimon stopped in front of Davis and held out his hand. "My name's Veemon! But you can call me Veemon!"

Davis stared at Veemon with a dumbfounded look in his eyes. All he could manage to say in reply was "Um...hi."

Everyone else just stared in awe at the little Digimon. Agumon's eyes suddenly snapped open, as he had been deep in thought. "Veemon! I can't believe! Veemon is an ancient mythical Dramon-type Digimon who's supposed to bring you good luck!"

Veemon nodded and hopped into Davis' lap, sending the boy's – who was already on his butt – back to the ground. "It's been so long! I've been waiting for you!"

Davis just laid there, looking as shocked and slack-jawed as ever. "Um...you have?"

"You bet! But you were able to lift the Digiegg of Courage! You lifted it and freed me! So I'm your partner Davish!" Veemon didn't lose his grin the entire time. He had a strange lisp with the letter 's' in certain words...causing it to sound a 'sh'.

The other Digidestined just stared at Davis and Veemon in awe. Davis had received a blue digivice of a more advanced model, opened up the Digiport after it had been closed for four years, and now he had lifted a Digiegg of Courage to receive a Digimon partner...when Tai couldn't budge it all, and he was the Child of Courage.

TK thought to himself in stunned silence. _Something tells me that this is going to be a long year..._

"Horn Blaster!"

Everyone suddenly looked up to see the small hole in the ceiling blow open. Unimon was hovering downward as the dust cleared; he had made the hole five times wider. "It's time to finish this Digidestined!"

Everyone gasped as Unimon set down on the ground. The Digidestined were all gathered in one cave...and they had nowhere to run.

Unimon grinned. It was all in the bag. The four humans would fall, as well as the four Digimon.

_Wait...four Digimon?_ Unimon looked at the fourth Digimon in suspicion. He was not with them when they entered the cave. _Oh well. It doesn't matter_! "Horn Blaster!"

"Scatter!" Everyone followed Tai's command post-haste. The green orb of electricity crashed against the ground, chucking rock and rubble into the air.

Veemon ran alongside Davis and shouted, "Davish! You need to unlock the Digiegg so I can digivolve!"

Davis blinked as he looked down at the digiegg in his hands. "One question...how do I do that!"

Veemon quickly shouted, "Use your courage!"

"Horn Blaster!"

Another green orb exploded on the rock wall above Davis and Veemon. They dove to the side as Davis shouted in exasperation, "HOW DO I DO THAT!"

Veemon innocently shrugged. "That part I don't know."

Davis groaned as Unimon fired another orb of energy. This time, it barely missed Kari and Gatomon...but some of the orb's electrical energy snagged Kari's left leg as the orb exploded on the ground. The girl immediately fell to the ground.

Gatomon stopped and gasped. "Kari! What's wrong!"

Kari tried to move her leg...but it wouldn't respond. The electrical surge had paralyzed her leg. "My leg...I can't move it!"

Unimon grinned as he stomped over towards Kari. "This is the end little girl!"

Davis' eyes suddenly hardened. Unimon was going to kill Kari! "Kari!" Davis ran over towards her...and defiantly stepped between her and Unimon. "Hey! Big, tall, and ugly!"

Unimon snorted as he leered at Davis. "Pathetic human! So you want to die first, do you!"

Kari gasped. Davis was going to get himself killed! "Davis! Don't! You're gonna get yourself killed!"

"If you want to die first then so be it!" Unimon opened up his mouth and started charging up his attack.

"Go ahead and give me your best shot!" Davis stood still as Unimon prepared to attack. One would say that he was either boldly protective...or stupidly foolish.

However, Davis was too concentrated on protecting Kari...to notice that the Digiegg of Courage was glowing orange.

"Horn Blaster!"

At that precise moment, Veemon started glowing in that orange light as well.

Veemon armor-digivolve to...Flamedramon: The Fire of Courage!

Davis blinked as the green orb – which was about to annihilate him – was kicked away by a large biped.

Veemon had become something...else. He was now ten feet tall, and it seemed as if though the Digiegg of Courage had covered his body. His feet, thighs, hands, chest, and head were covered by armor that was colored in a similar fashion to the Digiegg of Courage. Three sharp claws stretched outward from his armored feet, and three sharp talons jutted outward from the armor on his hands. Black bands made of leather wrapped around his arms. On his forehead, a giant metal spike curved upward from the yellow 'V' on his head's armor. His red eyes were now serious and determined...as if he was ready to pick a fight.

And he had kicked away the orb as if it were a soccer ball.

Everyone gasped and looked at the new Digimon in awe. Agumon gulped and managed to stutter, "B-but you digivolved! H-how did you do it!"

The new Digimon turned and spoke in a deeper and more serious voice than Veemon's. "I am Flamedramon! Davis' willingness to protect his best friend unlocked the Digiegg of Courage and allowed me to armor-digivolve! My Fire Rocket and Flaming Fist attacks will barbeque you into oblivion!"

Unimon gasped at the Digimon that stood before him. "But...how!"

"Everyone, move away from the entrance!" Everyone did what Flamedramon told them to do as he leapt over and behind Unimon. A fiery aura started to cover him as he shouted, "Fire Rocket!"

All of a sudden, Flamedramon zoomed forward like a fiery rocket, crashing into Unimon. Surprisingly, he kept on going. Flamedramon zoomed through the cave and towards the blockaded entrance.

BOOM!

The boulders exploded. Unimon was sent flying into the air before crashing on the forest floor. Flamedramon leapt out of the rubble as the Digidestined and the other Digimon ran out of the cave.

TK looked as Flamedramon dodged Unimon's charges. "Man, look at him go!"

Davis allowed a little bit of pride to beam through. "Yeah...and he's MY partner!" Davis grinned as Unimon fired another Horn Blaster, which Flamedramon easily dodged.

Flamedramon pulled back his fist as flames started to cover it. "It's time to end this! Flaming Fist!" The Armor Digimon charged forward and sent his fiery fist into Unimon's neck...hitting the Dark Ring that adorned him.

Unimon wailed in agony as the power of the Dark Ring left him. His visor turned blue-green again, and he started shaking his head. "Oh...what a horrible nightmare."

Flamedramon turned orange and shrunk. When the glow subsided, Flamedramon was Veemon again.

Davis suddenly felt something materialize in his pocket. He pulled it out to see something that looked a little like...a wider, shorter version of a PDA. It was about eight inches wide and had a black handle on the lower left side of it. Two arrow-shaped buttons were right above it, colored a crimson red. A small red button also sat further upward. Two gray buttons shaped like half-circles were even further above that. In the middle was a flip-open lid that revealed a screen inside. On that screen was a digitized version of the Digiegg of Courage.

Tai stepped over to Davis and smiled. He seemed genuinely happy. "Davis, it seems to me that you have what it takes to be a leader of the new Digidestined."

Davis blinked as he turned towards his idol. "What do you mean by leader of the new Digidestined?"

TK walked over to Davis' side and said, "Well think about it. The blue streak of light turned into your blue digivice. That meant that the red and yellow streaks we saw were also digivices. That means we'll have two new Digidestined joining us soon."

Tai continued on before Davis could interject. "And since your digivice is the only one that can open a Digiport, you'll sometimes have to take the initiative...because unlike you, the Digidestined that are in high school can't come at whenever they please."

Davis thought over the situation. The Digimon Emperor sounded like bad news...and with his blue digivice and his Digimon partner Veemon, he had no choice in the matter. Plus, since he was going to be the leader...he'd have plenty of chances to impress Kari. After all, he had competition in TK...or at least, that's what he told himself. Finally, Davis clenched his fist and eagerly shouted, "Alright, count me in!"

Tai then reached up for his head and grabbed his goggles. "However, if you're going to be the leader of the Digidestined...you'll NEED some goggles."

TK, Kari, Patamon, and Gatomon sweatdropped.

"So take mine." Davis' jaw dropped as Tai took off his goggles and placed them on his head. Unlike Davis' broken goggles, these goggles had circular lenses.

Kari looked at Davis and teasingly remarked, "They look good on you."

However, Davis just nervously laughed in response. He thought it was an actual compliment...and it was. But not the kind he was thinking about. _I've still got a chance!_

Tai put his hands in his pocket and started heading towards the TV they came out of. "Well, let's head back to the Digiport!"

Unimon, who had finally regained his bearings, solemnly replied, "I will accompany you to the Digiport...it's the least I can do for the wrongs I caused you."

- 

"Hmm...this has been a very interesting day."

The Digimon Emperor watched the monitor as the now-freed Unimon accompanied the Digidestined to the Digiport. Unimon had not only failed all three of his objectives...his Dark Ring had been destroyed.

However, he was most intrigued with the new Digidestined child known as Davis. In one day, Davis had broken the seal on the Digiport, gotten a new Digimon partner, and – via the newly discovered 'Armor Digivolution' – bypassed his Dark Digivice's digivolution-dampening power.

Now he had a lost a servant in Unimon, and he had new obstacles to deal with. Fortunately, they had not discovered the amplifier for his Dark Digivice's power. It had been less than a mile away from the cliffs...but thankfully, it was situated in the middle of a canyon that obscured it from view.

"It doesn't matter." The Emperor seemed...pleased. "After all, what good is a tyrant if he doesn't have any worthwhile opponents to crush? And there's two more Digidestined yet to actually arrive here..."

The Emperor laughed as he stood up. The light of the monitors reflected off of his shades as he called out, "Wormmon!"

A few moments passed in silence. Finally, a tiny little worm-like Digimon crawled out of the darkness towards the light of the monitors. The tiny, light-green worm had seven segmented sections. The rear section had two lavender barbs on the end, with a black stripe going all around it. The next five sections each were identical in form, with two feet on each. The ends of each foot were colored violet. Finally, the last section – the head – had two long antennae that were bent twice. They hung to the side in an angular style like the '' figure. A lavender-colored 'Y' with two dots below the branches was embroidered on its head. Calm, soulful blue eyes looked at the Emperor with compassion. Finally, the purple-colored mouth opened as the Digimon spoke. "Yes, master?"

The tone indicated that the Digimon was a 'he'. His voice was deep and classy, as if he were a butler (like Alfred). The Emperor smiled as he calmly replied, "Alert our forces that we have new foes to deal with. The Digidestined have finally returned...and I want them to be on the alert."

Wormmon nodded. "Yes master, but one question...what's a foe?"

The Emperor sweatdropped. "That's what dictionaries are for Wormmon."

-

Izzy sighed blissfully. He was on his third brownie now. The brainy boy had to admit...Yolei's fudge brownies were good. "These are delicious!"

Yolei grinned as Cody sat beside her, eating brownies as well. "Thanks Izzy! By the way, what's with the blinking light on the computer?"

Izzy had been so put off by the brownies he had forgotten about the reopening of the Digiport. "What light?"

Yolei pointed to the computer screen and said, "That little light on the thing there." She turned her head to see the light again, but her eyes bugged out of her head. "EH!"

On the screen was a picture of Kari – a friend of hers through Izzy , her older brother Tai, and the blonde boy Izzy called TK. Then, Davis Motomiya's – another friend Kari had introduced her to – face suddenly popped out from the side of the screen.

"**Hey Yolei! Open up! It's me, Davis!"  
**

-

By the time they had gotten to the TV that represented the Digiport, they discovered that it was still open. And because of that, they could see right through the port to see Izzy...eating Yolei's brownies.

Tai grumbled. "Izzy...save some for me!"

That's when Davis knelt down to shout, "Hey Yolei! Open up! It's me, Davis!"

Davis' blue digivice suddenly activated...and the four of them were sucked in by the TV.

Agumon, Gatomon, Patamon, Veemon, and Unimon watched in shock as the humans disappeared in a bluish-white light. Agumon could only comment on the shocking display.

"You don't see that everyday!"

-

Davis felt that rushing feeling of vertigo again. He tumbled head-over-heels as he crossed the plane between the Digital World and the Real World.

When he and the other three finally emerged from the screen...they crashed onto Yolei, Cody, and Izzy in a tumble.

Thankfully, no one was using the junction at the moment. Otherwise they would've peeked in to see a hilarious-looking jumble of students.

Izzy gasped as Tai landed on his left hand...that held his third brownie. "Gah! You're crushing my brownie!"

-

The shadowed figure sighed as he turned off the computer. He had watched the whole trip taken by the Digidestined. And to be blunt...he was almost disappointed.

"So how do you think they did?" Gennai's elderly voice reached his ears. The figure grunted and replied, "I'm a little disappointed. But it's expected. This is their first trip to the Digital World in four years. Heck, this is Davis' first trip EVER. And they don't have data on the Digimon Emperor like we have. So if you consider those factors...I'd have to say they did satisfactorily."

Gennai sighed as he turned towards the door. "You're just overcritical. After all, what they've been through today is nothing compared to what you've been through."

Silence. "...I know." The figure sighed as he leaned back in his chair. It was getting closer and closer to the date he had been waiting for. The reason he had spent years in the Digital World...was coming soon.

_But in order to face that threat...they have to get through the Emperor first and foremost._

-

To be continued

Next time...

Episode 2: Love and Knowledge

-

Author's Note: Whew. Over 10,000 words...my longest chapter yet. Was it satisfactory? Let me know! Read and review!

(UPDATE: 8/17/2004): Fixed a little inconsistency with Tai and the mention of the Internet and Diaboromon. Inconsistency was brought to light by Digikaiser3605.


	2. Love and Knowledge

Standard Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon. If I said so, I'd be sued faster than you can say 'Martha Stewart!'

Author's Note: One episode is down. Over a dozen more to go. If you haven't read the New Digi-Episodes yet…DON'T READ THEM. It'd be much better if you stick with Zero 2: A Revision before hopping over to NDE.

I'm sorry this took longer than usual to get out, but everyone gets writer's block at one point or another (Halo PC, Metroid Prime, and BobCat's _Ballad of the Physics Police_ didn't help matters much either. ;P ).

----

"This is Davis. A lot of stuff happened today. Kari's old friend TK moved back to Odaiba, and the computer Izzy was working spewed three digivices out! Turns out I had a newer model, and my digivice was able to open up the Digiports! After Tai, Kari, and TK reunited themselves with their Digimon, I got my own partner…Veemon!"

----

Episode 2: Love and Knowledge

----

The dial tone was heard five times. Then a message kicked in.

_'Hello, you've reached the Hida residence. Please leave a message, and I'll call you back if possible.'_

The little beep sounded, and the boy began to speak. "Hello Mom. I'm calling from the school. I'm going to stay a little longer to learn some computer tips from Yolei and the computer class president. Goodbye."

Cody put the phone back down in its place and did a 180. He started walking back down the hallway toward the computer room.

Truthfully, he had no idea why Yolei had told him to call his mom to say what he had just said. His mother was rather strict, and she was a stickler for curfew. But a tingling feeling in the back of his head told him Yolei had another purpose in mind for making him stay after school.

----

"Okay, I want some answers!"

Davis, Tai, Kari, TK, and Izzy remained silent as Yolei glared at them. She was not too happy about being on the bottom of a dog-pile. She wanted answers…specifically concerning the fact that four students suddenly fell on Izzy, Cody, and herself after being spewed out from a computer.

"First of all," Yolei accusingly held a finger up to Davis' face. "What the heck happened to your face?!"

Davis usually had some kind of a snide or sarcastic remark to cover up something he didn't want to reveal. "I accidentally ran into the gym teacher and he was in a bad mood."

Now wasn't a time for a snide and/or sarcastic remark.

POW!

"OW!!!" Davis rubbed the spot on his head where Yolei punched him. "What was that for?!" he whined.

Yolei gave a glare that would have made Devimon wet himself. "BECAUSE YOU LIED, THAT'S WHY!!!" She turned toward the others. "Next question!" She then held up her red digivice and took on a calmer tone. "What is this thing?"

"I believe I can answer that." Izzy slowly pulled the digivice he had hastily tried to hide from Yolei less than a half-hour ago. It was at that moment that Cody reached the doorway. "A digivice is a tool for the Digidestined. Your's is a newer model like Davis' blue digivice. However, our digivices are of an older model unlike yours, Davis', and Cody's."

Cody remained silent as he pulled the yellow digivice out of his pocket. He stared at it with a mixture of bewilderment and curiosity. For some reason, he couldn't help but feel that this 'digivice' would cause something extraordinary to happen.

"That constitutes my next question." Cody's train of thought was suddenly interrupted by Yolei. "What exactly are 'Digidestined'?"

"The Digidestined are children destined to help protect the Digital World." This time, Tai had been the one to answer. "Since you received a digivice, that means you're a Digidestined. Which means you have to take responsibility for going to the Digital World and helping out against foes like the Digimon Emperor."

Yolei paused as she absorbed the information. That's when yet another question popped up in her mind. "Just who is the Digimon Emperor?"

Before anyone else could speak, a completely foreign voice interrupted their conversation. "What's going on in here?"

Everyone suddenly froze. Was it a student who had overheard their conversation? Or worse…a teacher?

But when they turned around, Tai, Izzy, Kari, and TK sighed with relief. It was only Sora, who was standing in the doorway with a green bag strapped around her shoulder. She wore a white shirt and a white skirt that went down to her lower thighs. Both pieces of clothing had blue trimming. Her amber-red hair went down the side of her head to her jaw, and her amber eyes looked at the group with confusion.

It was Sora Takenouchi, who was also one of the older Digidestined. Her body was sweating: an after-affect of having just gotten out of tennis practice.

Tai's eyes brightened up upon seeing her. "Oh, hi Sora!"

Sora smiled as she walked into the computer lab. "I was walking down the junction when I heard some familiar voices." She looked at the seven people gathered in the room and paused upon looking at the blonde boy with the white hat. Tai and Kari had introduced her to Davis and Yolei, whilst Yolei herself had introduced Cody to her. However, she had not seen this boy before…at least, she thought she didn't.

"Um…do I know you from somewhere?"

TK smiled at Sora's bewildered look on her face. "It's me Sora…TK."

Sora gasped as she suddenly found the connection. It was indeed TK Takaishi, whom she had not seen in four years…just like Tai, Kari, and Izzy. "Wow! TK…oh my gosh! You've grown!"

TK smiled as Sora gave him a reunion hug. "It's great to see you again Sora."

Davis couldn't help but slightly glower at TK. _Darn it! He knows another one of Kari's friends!!_! For Davis, the situation wasn't good. For everyone who's reading this, they should be shaking their heads in worry for the boy (A/N: shameless attempt at reader/writer interaction while IC.).

Yolei cleared her throat to get their attention again. "Um…I hate to interrupt, but does anyone mind telling me who the Digimon Emperor is?"

Sora's ears twitched at the word 'Digimon'. She looked down to suddenly see Izzy's digivice in his hand, while Davis, Yolei, and Cody were holding what she thought looked like…digivices? "Um…guys, what's going on?"

Tai stepped up motioned for Sora to follow him to another section of the lab. "Sora, I think you might need to have a small recap…and buckle up, it's a doozy."

As Tai retold everything that had happened that day to Sora, Izzy suddenly had an idea. "I know Yolei…why don't we go and see for ourselves?"

Everyone (save Tai and Sora) looked at Izzy oddly. Kari arched an eyebrow and curiously asked, "Um…what do you mean Izzy?"

Izzy grinned as he pulled out his digivice. "Seeing as to how you guys will have to fight him eventually, it would be a good idea to make a small pre-emptive strike at one of his weaker areas…perhaps the area where Davis and the others just went. If you guys are going to have to fight him, it would be a good idea to get a glimpse of his weapons and tools." Izzy suddenly started to look nostalgic as he remembered his travels through the Digital World. "Plus, I'd like to see Tentomon again."

"NO WAY!" Everyone suddenly turned their heads towards Sora and Tai. Sora had exclaimed; most likely because she just found out the Digiports were open again. "You've got to be kidding me!!!"

Tai goofily grinned as he replied, "Nope. I've been there, and Davis has the bruises to prove it."

"Hey!"

Sora leaned against the wall, her mind reeling from the shock. Rarely did a day pass by when she hadn't thought back to her adventures in the Digital World. She had never forgotten everything that had happened four years ago…and she had never forgotten her Digimon partner, Biyomon. _So I'll be able to see Biyomon again…after all these years…_ Sora looked up excitedly and said, "Let's go! I want to see Biyomon again!"

Izzy chuckled. "Anyone favor the notion?"

Yolei looked at the device in her hand and pondered over the whole 'Digidestined' bit. She had not forgotten four years ago, when the Digimon came during the Odaiba Fog Incident. However, the thought of going to a completely new world appealed to her. Like Davis, she too had seen the eight Digidestined soar into the sky via a rainbow. For a long time, she had harbored a bit of jealousy towards how lucky those children were. Finally, she stated, "I second the notion!"

Cody knew that the tingling feeling in the back of his head didn't lie. He weighed the options. On one hand, he was going into a completely foreign world. He had no idea what existed there, or whether or not it was possible to come back. On the other hand, he would be going there with good friends…and people he trusted. Finally, he nodded in agreement. "I agree. Let's go."

TK and Kari simultaneously nodded. Even though they had already gone to the Digital World a little over 30 minutes ago, they still wanted to go back.

Davis rubbed one of the several bruises on his face and finally said, "I'll go…as long as we don't have to face Unimon again."

Yolei arched an eyebrow as everyone pulled out their digivices. "Uh…what's a Unimon?"

Izzy turned towards the computer and opened up the Digiport program. The light that indicated whether or not the Digiport was open was colored red.

Which meant it was closed.

_No problem. Since Davis completely unlocked the portal, it should only require my own digivice to open it_. "Alright then! Digiport open!" Izzy held out his digivice towards the Digiport.

However, nothing happened.

Izzy sweatdropped. "Eh…" The Child of Knowledge nervously turned his head towards Davis, Yolei, and Cody. "Anyone of you three mind opening the Digiport?"

Yolei stepped towards the computer and held out her red digivice. "I'll do the honors if you don't mind! Digiport open!"

A blue light erupted from the computer monitor, and it sucked in the eight children like a vacuum would suck in dust. When the light faded, they were gone.

----

The time was 4:05 PM.

"Thanks for the lift Unimon!"

The unicorn Digimon nodded in response. "Think nothing of it Agumon. Just be careful…the Emperor is watching!" With that, Unimon flapped his wings and flew off into the horizon.

After Tai, Kari, TK, and Davis had returned to the Real World, Unimon had immediately ferried Agumon, Patamon, Gatomon, and Veemon away from the forest. Unimon (whom had been a slave for the Emperor already) knew that it wouldn't be long before that sector of the Digital World was reinforced by more of the Emperor's minions. So Unimon carried them about five miles away to the east, setting down in a lush jungle. Ancient ruins dotted the jungle, the most notable being a large pyramid.

Veemon sighed as he looked around the jungle. He was glad to be free…although he was already missing Davis. "So, is this 'Digimon Emperor' really that bad?"

Gatomon smacked her forehead with her paw. "Of course he is! After all, he HAS enslaved all of the other Digidestined's Digimon!"

Veemon lightly yelped at Gatomon's outburst. "Okay."

Agumon blinked as a small box came into view. "Look guys!" It was a TV. "A Digiport!"

Patamon flapped his wings and scratched his chin. "Wow, I never knew there'd be another Digiport so close by."

Suddenly, the TV screen flared a brilliant white. And when the light faded, the four Digimon suddenly saw eight humans…who were all in a dog-pile.

----

Gennai wiped the sweat from his brow as he sighed. "Well, that takes care of that."

The shadowed figure grinned as Gennai walked into the darkened room. "I see that you managed to change the Digiport's coordinates before they entered."

Gennai exhaled another load of air as he leaned against the wall. "Yes, but it was really close. You need to give me a time that's a little less vague."

The figure arched an eyebrow at Gennai. "If you're calling 4:09:53 in the afternoon of August 23rd vague, then you need your memory checked."

Gennai sweatdropped. "Er…" He didn't have a decent comeback for that.

The figure turned back around, facing the computer. He sighed as he saw the eight children pull themselves off the ground. However, two of those children were very important to him… "I'm going to make sure they follow everything to the letter."

Gennai knew where this was going. "You want to take your partner?"

The male shook his head. "No. He's sleeping. I'll be back before he wakes up." With that, the male opened up the Digiport program on his computer and set it to take him to the Digiport closest to the children…namely the one Tai, TK, Kari, and Davis had used not too long ago.

He held out a digivice that was obscured by the shadows, and he shouted, "Digiport open!" With a blue flash of light, the figure disappeared into the computer.

Gennai sighed as he walked away. "I need to take a look at my calendar."

----

"Well well well…what have we here?"

The Emperor watched in silence as eight children tumbled out of the Digiport in sector 01-010-GAMMA. There were four more children this time. He recognized all but the two new ones. "Hmm…computer, bring up profiles on the four Digidestined that came this time."

Four miniature monitors suddenly appeared in front of him. On each one were pictures of Sora, Izzy, Yolei, and Cody, respectively.

Monitor 1

Name: Sora Takenouchi

Digidestined Profile: Child of Love; wielder of the Crest of Love

Digimon Partner: Biyomon

Monitor 2

Name: Izzy Izumi

Digidestined Profile: Child of Knowledge; wielder of the Crest of Knowledge

Digimon Partner: Tentomon

Monitor 3

Name: Unknown

Digidestined Profile: Unknown

Digimon Partner: Unknown

Monitor 4

Name: Unknown

Digidestined Profile: Unknown

Digimon Partner: Unknown

The Emperor chuckled. "Well, it seems that two more of the older Digidestined have returned. And now we have two new ones…" The Emperor thought to himself. He had twice the Digidestined to deal with now. So it would be better to send two Digimon.

"But who to send?" The Emperor pondered the situation for the moment, then he chuckled with delight. He had the perfect idea. He opened up a small compartment in his gauntlet and executed a command for two Champion Digimon to head to 01-010-GAMMA.

Those two Digimon…were Birdramon and Kabuterimon.

"Let's see how they deal with this!"

----

"Ow…" Davis groaned as he pulled himself to his feet. "Do we always have to land like that?!"

Izzy grumbled as he rubbed his rear. "I hope not."

Yolei looked around the jungle. To put it bluntly, she was currently thrilled. Never in her life had Yolei thought she would travel outside of Japan; much less travel to another world. But now, she was in a completely foreign world, but she was already liking this place.

One reason would be because of her new wardrobe.

Her clothes from the Real World were gone. Instead, she now wore a form-fitting, long-sleeved blue shirt that was covered by a tan vest (zipper included). Instead of a skirt, she now wore red pants that hugged her legs – save for the area around her thighs – and went all the way down into her boots. The boots she wore were colored white around the toes and the soles of her feet, whilst the rest of it was pale green. The boots went up to her shins. She wore white gloves, as well as a green backpack with a green strap going across her body. To complete the outfit, an orange leather helmet adorned her head.

"Wow!" She tilted her head and twisted her arms around so she could look at every part of her new outfit. "Check out the new wardrobe!"

As for Cody, he too had received a new outfit.

His pants were still largely the same as before, except they were colored purple. He wore a pale gray undershirt, but it couldn't be seen due to the large jacket he wore. It was colored a pale tan-gray, with purple stripes going around the wrists and the collar of the jacket. Only one gray button attached the halves of the jacket together, but it was securely tightened. The jacket was very loose, but it tightened around the shoulders and the chest. He wore brown shoes with gray designs on them. Finally, the black socks he wore complete the ensemble.

"Interesting." Cody wondered why his outfit changed. The thing that puzzled him more was that besides Davis, Yolei, and himself, none of the others received any outfit changes.

Tai moaned; he seemed displeased as he saw Yolei and Cody's new outfits. "No fair! How come you guys get new outfits?"

Cody shrugged. "I'm not sure. These outfits came to us automatically. We have no control over them, so it's rather pointless to argue."

Tai hadn't expected that kind of response from that was six years younger than him. "Uh…okay."

Yolei sighed as she casually said, "Oh, don't worry about it. Cody always acts like that!"

"Um…have you even noticed us yet?" Everyone suddenly stopped talking. They turned towards the voice…to see four Digimon.

Tai, Kari, TK, and Davis ran to their partners. Yolei yelped and leapt back in shock. After a few nightmares about Digimon – after all, she was around during the Odaiba Fog Incident, and she was held captive so that she would be scanned by Myotismon (until Kari was found) –, there were four of them standing right in front of her.

Cody, on the other hand, kept his shock contained. Needless to say, he was astonished at seeing foreign creatures talking with three people he knew (Tai, Kari, and Davis), and one he had just acquainted himself with during lunch break (TK). _So these are Digimon…_

Veemon grinned as Davis gave him a noogie. "It sure didn't take you long to come back. Missing me already Davish?"

Davis chuckled as he replied, "Well, it certainly wasn't as hectic!"

Sora giggled as Tai and Agumon gave each other a bear hug. It had been a long time since she had seen a familiar digital face. However, she was curious about Davis' partner…more particularly about how well they seemed to get along. _He's getting along well with his partner…unlike when the rest of us first got our partners.  
_  
That brought another important thought to mind. She walked over to Gatomon (who was nuzzling Kari) and tapped the cat Digimon's shoulder. "Um…Gatomon? Do you know where Biyomon is?"

Before the cat could reply, Izzy chipped in as well. "Good question. As a matter of fact, have you seen Tentomon?"

Gatomon glanced at the two of them, pity in her eyes. _Looks like the others didn't tell them about the Emperor…or about what happened to them._ "Well…you see-"

However, she wouldn't get the chance to explain.

"Meteor Wing!"

"Electro Shocker!"

A rain of fire and a giant electric ball suddenly bombarded the jungle around them. Everyone dove for cover as a large chunk of the dense foliage burned away. When the smoke from the attacks cleared, everyone looked up to see something they did not expect to see.

A blue insectoid creature and fiery bird hovered above them. Sora and Izzy recognized them immediately.

"Birdramon!"

"Kabuterimon!"

Sora and Izzy were thrilled. After four years…their partners were within their grasp. They wanted to be with them after so long. But upon further inspection, they realized that something was wrong with them.

For one, their eyes were glowing an unearthly red. Secondly, black rings covered their necks. Third and last of all, the two attacks that had torched the jungle…were those of Birdramon and Kabuterimon.

For some reason Sora and Izzy weren't aware of, their Digimon had attacked them. The question was…why?  
Sora called out, "Birdramon! It's me, Sora!" The Champion phoenix did not reply. Sora's call was in vain.

"Kabuterimon! Don't you recognize me?" Izzy's plea also fell on deaf ears. The Champion insectoid did not respond.

Gatomon hissed as she saw the Dark Rings. "Like I said…we're the only Digimon out of the original group that hasn't been enslaved!"

Sora and Izzy froze. It was like a literal bomb had been dropped on them. Their partners…were slaves? "But," they said in unison. "How?!"

**"Perhaps I can answer that!"**

Everyone looked up at the source of the voice. Two small compartments opened up on the side of the Dark Rings and spewed forth a light that merged into a semi-transparent hologram. The image was that of the Emperor's face. And now, he was chuckling like a madman.

Yolei raised an eyebrow as she looked at the purple shades. "Uh…who are you?"

**"You don't know me?"** said the Emperor, with sarcasm and fake animosity in his voice. Suddenly, he grinned. **"Oh, I remember now. You're new. None of you have seen me face-to-face…but I'm more well known as the Digimon Emperor!"**

Tai, TK, Kari, Davis, and their partners gasped. None of them had ever seen the Emperor face-to-face; that much was certain.

As for Sora, Izzy, Yolei, and Cody…they were clueless. "Um…who's he?" asked Sora.

Agumon looked over to Sora and pleadingly yelled, "He's the one who's been enslaving Digimon for the past few months now! We were the only ones who had escaped his Dark Rings!"

Sora gasped as she felt sorrow creep into her veins. Her partner…was enslaved to an evil Emperor. Then, anger took sorrow's place. She was angry…because she had not been told about the Emperor. She glared at Tai and shouted, "Why didn't you tell me about this?!"

Tai gulped as he pleadingly replied, "But…you kind of left before I could finish." Whenever that look came his way, it wasn't good. _I'm going to be in trouble later on._

The Emperor giggled with glee. **"Such fun! Disunity in the group is such a fine treat to watch!"** Everyone gasped in shock; the Emperor was actually enjoying this! **"I would continue watching, but I have a schedule to maintain. Kabuterimon! Birdramon! Destroy them!"** The compartments closed, and the hologram disappeared. The two Champions immediately went into attack mode.

"Electro Shocker!"

"Meteor Wing!"

"RUN!!!" Cody managed to shout this out – he knew life-threatening situations when he saw them – but everyone had already started scattering. Fire and electricity collided with the ground where the Digidestined once stood. Tai, TK, Kari, Davis, and their partners ran one way, while the rest of them ran another.

Davis pulled his blue digivice out and called out for his partner. "Veemon! Ready?!"

The little blue dragon pumped his fists and eagerly replied, "You bet!"

"Here goes! Armor-Digivolve!"

Veemon armor-digivolve to……Flamedramon: The Fire of Courage!

Tai grimaced as Flamedramon stood defiantly between them and the two Champions. _Not even Flamedramon can hold out for long against two Champions, and the others have no Digimon to protect themselves!_ Tai had gotten better at thinking under pressure, and he immediately started looking for a safe haven.

Then he saw it. The stone pyramid to the north was only several hundred yards away. If the others were quick enough… "Sora! Izzy!"

The Children of Love and Knowledge stopped and glanced at Tai as he shouted, "Head for the pyramid! We'll cover you!"

Sora and Izzy digested the information before nodding. Izzy hastily turned towards Yolei and Cody. "Yolei! Cody! Follow us!!!"

Yolei, who was feeling more than a little frightened by the whole situation (wouldn't you freeze up if giant monsters started blasting at you?), only moved when coaxed on by Cody. The nine-year-old shouted, "Come on Yolei! We have to get to shelter!!!"

Yolei snapped out of her fear and silently nodded. She then followed Cody, Sora, and Izzy towards the stone pyramid. So far, she had gotten more than what she bargained for on this trip. Visiting an exotic world was one thing…being attacked by giant monsters was something else entirely. Right now, she wanted to go home.

As the four Digidestined left the clearing, Davis gave the thumbs-up to Flamedramon. "Come on Flamedramon! Let's do this!"  
Flamedramon quickly dodged the incoming electric ball like an agile acrobat. "My pleasure! Fire Rocket!"

Three fireballs erupted from his fist, grazing Kabuterimon's side. The insectoid growled and prepared to charge when Birdramon interfered. "Wait! The others are escaping!"

Kabuterimon turned around to see that the other four Digidestined were fleeing. He growled and nodded. "I will pursue them. Flamedramon will have a harder time with you."

Birdramon nodded. Since he was an insectoid Digimon, Kabuterimon was naturally weakened by fire-based Digimon attacks. However, Birdramon was a fire-based Digimon herself. Flamedramon's attacks would do much less damage to her than they would to him. Also, as much as he didn't want to admit it, the fiery bird was much more agile at flying than he was.

Kabuterimon roared as he flew off in pursuit of the others. Tai gasped as he realized their plan had been discovered. "Oh no! He's after them!"

"Not if I can help it!" shouted Flamedramon as he leapt high above the treetops and charged up an aura of flames. "Fire-"

"Not so fast!" screeched Birdramon as she barreled into Flamedramon from the side. The Armor Digimon suddenly found himself eating dirt. Flamedramon growled as he got to his feet and glared into Birdramon's red eyes. The fiery bird chuckled as she yelled, "You think you're hot stuff? Let's see how you fare against me!"

Flamedramon grinned as the tips of his left hand's claws began to glow red.. "Let's! Fire Rocket!"

"Meteor Wing!"

----

Kabuterimon rubbed his sides with one of his hands. He still felt a bit numb from the Fire Rocket, but he would manage. Right now, he was more concerned with the Digidestined children fleeing towards the pyramid.

As he neared the pyramid, he noticed that they were halfway up the steps. The surrounding area around the pyramid was completely clear of any vegetation save for an inch-high level of grass. _Perfect! They have nowhere else to run!_ "Electro Shocker!"

The electric orb exploded on the staircase, but it missed its mark. The Digidestined continued to scale upward, and by the time Kabuterimon had charged up another electric orb, they were near the entrance.

"Fine then! You'll be buried alive! Electro Shocker!" The children barely managed to get inside before the orb collided with the doorway. This caused the ancient stone door to collapse upon itself. Soon, a pile of rocky rubble seven-feet high and nine-feet thick blocked the door.

The enslaved Kabuterimon bellowed. "Ha! By the time they manage to dig their way out, the others will be long gone!" With that, Kabuterimon flew southward.

----

"Flaming Fist!"

Flamedramon's fiery fist crashed into Birdramon's side. It sent her reeling, but she was back in the game in no time flat. "Meteor Wing!"

Flamedramon dodged the specks of fire that bombarded the ground, but he was beginning to tire out. He had to get that Dark Ring off Birdramon soon.

But before he could begin thinking of a way to get it off, another complication arose.

"Electro Shocker!"

Flamedramon barely got away in time before the electric sphere crashed into the ground where he stood. The Armored Champion grumbled as Kabuterimon flew into view. "Just great. I have enough trouble as it is!"

Birdramon's blood-red eyes glared at Kabuterimon. "Did you dispose of them?"

Kabuterimon grinned as he kept his attention on Flamedramon. "Easily."

The Digidestined children gasped. Was it true? Were the others really…dead? TK shook his head. "No…it can't be!"

Tai growled as he clenched his fists. "It's not! They aren't dead!"

"Either way, they have to go down!" Davis managed to say this before running away from a hail of fireballs. Truth to tell, he tried his hardest to stay on the move. That way, he wouldn't be able to ponder on whether or not the others were dead.

Flamedramon quickly leapt up and shouted, "Fire Rocket!"

Birdramon and Kabuterimon quickly countered.

"Meteor Wing!"

"Electro Shocker!"

----

On top of a nearby hill was a row of collapsed columns. The jungle trees stretched high above, shading the ancient ruins.

And that was where he stood.

The figure stood in the shade, watching Flamedramon battle Kabuterimon and Birdramon from afar. He remained silent as Kabuterimon sealed Sora, Izzy, Yolei, and Cody into the pyramid.

However, he knew something that no one else did.

"Let's see how they deal with two more Digimon."

----

Yolei Inoue had a temper that could be likened to a ferocious beast. She could bite anyone's head off (figuratively speaking of course) and do so without mercy (living in a family with three competitive siblings makes one tougher than most). She always stood up for those she cared for, and she would not flinch or shed a tear from pain.

And yet, here she was…crying.

"Wha!!! I wanna go home!!!"

However, toughness only goes so far. Yolei's emotional barriers had finally broken after being transported to another world, being attacked by two giant creatures, and being blocked inside a pyramid with what seemed like no hope of escape.

Izzy reassuringly held up his hands and said, "Calm down Yolei! It'll be okay!"

Sora chipped in as well. "Yeah! We'll find a way out!"

The tears kept coming. Right now, more than anything, Yolei wanted to be at her home.

However, a question from someone else managed to stop her from sobbing long enough to stand up. Yolei stood up to see Cody pointing towards the end of the long hallway. "Hey! Look at that!"

All three of them looked down the ancient hallway to see two pedestals rising from the ground. The stone pedestals looked old and dusty, with moss and lichen growing from cracks within them. However, the two objects that lay on top of the pedestals was what Cody had seen.

On the top of the left pedestal was a small, silver-ish object about a foot high. It was in the shape of a circular cone, with the bottom edge fashioned into small spikes. Two wing-shaped plates stretched upward from the sides. Finally, the Crest of Love – colored blue – was embroidered on it.

On the top of the right pedestal was another foot-tall object, this time colored yellow. It was shaped like round cylinder with a top that curved forward. Also, the front of the object jutted outward a bit, like the belly of a fat man (bear with me, it's the best I could think of to describe it.). Thin black lines stretched across it, with purple markings around the front, sides, and back. The curved top was hollow, with what looked like a small metal drill sticking out. Finally, the Crest of Knowledge – colored purple – was embroidered on the front.

Sora and Izzy looked at the objects curiously as the moved closer to the pedestals. If they didn't know any better, they'd say the objects looked like…Digieggs.

Sora suddenly gasped. "Tai told me about how Davis lifted the Digiegg of Courage…do you think these are like them?"

Izzy nodded as he contemplated over the thought for a few seconds. "You might be right about that…these must be the Digieggs of Love and Knowledge!"

Sora looked back at Yolei and Cody. She thought about how Tai had said he couldn't lift it…but Davis did. Would the same thing apply here? _Are these Digieggs…for Yolei and Cody?_

Izzy walked over to the right pedestal and looked over to Sora. "Let's see if we can lift them." Sora nodded as she walked over to the left pedestal and placed her hands on the Digiegg of Love. Izzy did the same with the Digiegg of Knowledge.

After counting to three…they pulled.

And they didn't budge.

Sora and Izzy groaned. They both walked over to Yolei and Cody, who were standing a few meters behind them. Sora looked at Yolei in the eyes and calmly said, "You try."

Yolei blinked and looked at Sora oddly. "What? Me?"

Sora only nodded. Izzy looked down at Cody and said, "You too Cody."

The two younger children silently walked over towards the pedestals. Questions flowed through both of their minds. Cody was thinking about what this would mean for him, and whether or not it would change his life. Yolei was thinking about home.

The two of them stopped in front of the pedestals (they were both the same height, which was about three feet), placed their hands upon the Digieggs, and pulled.

They came off easily.

Sora and Izzy gasped. Cody looked at the Digiegg of Knowledge with an intense gaze in his eyes. Yolei looked at the Digiegg of Love and – out of confusion – asked, "What is this thing?"

Before the question was answered, two streaks of light erupted from where the Digieggs once stood. Where the Digiegg of Love laid, a red streak of light came forth. From where the Digiegg of Knowledge laid, a purple streak of light came forth. It wasn't long before a figure began materializing in each streak of light.

When the red streak of light disappeared, the figure became visible. It was a bird with red and white feathers, curled into a fetal position. The body, the tail feathers, and the wings were all colored a dull red. The tips of the wings were colored black. It was a biped, which meant it could walk on its two legs, which were covered with tight, yellow skin. The talons on the feet were a dull gray color. The feathers that made up the head were colored white, with red markings under its light blue eyes. It had a small yellow beak, which protruded outward for about five inches. The last feature was a black headband on its head, with a red feather tipped with yellow sticking out of the back of it.

The little Digimon looked at Yolei, and leapt forward into her arms. "It's you! You've finally freed me!"

Yolei sweatdropped as the little bird spoke to her in what seemed to be a French accent. "Um…who are you?"

The bird stood up and said, "I am Hawkmon! A Rookie level Digimon who is calm, composed, and polite." The bird – the pitch of the voice indicating that Hawkmon was a 'he' – smiled as he looked happily at Yolei. "And I'm your partner. You've freed me!"

Now what about the other one?

The purple light faded to reveal another figure. This time, it was curled up in a ball. The hardened armor-like hide was colored a yellow-gold color, with white lines of thick skin separating the sections of the shell. The creature unfurled to reveal its purple underbelly. A yellow tail stretched for about eight inches back, with small little spikes sticking out of its base. Unlike Hawkmon, this creature walked on all fours, and both of the arms and legs were covered with the same yellow armor that covered its back. Sharp claws protruded from its hands and feet. The head of the little creature was covered by another plate of the armor that had red markings on it. Two pairs of red stripes with a red diamond were the shapes of the markings. Yellow, frilly ears pointed upward, and its emerald eyes looked cheerfully at Cody. Its black noise twitched as it leapt at Cody.

The creature spoke – indicating that it was a male – in a Texan accent. He cheerfully landed by Cody and shouted, "Well it's about time! It was getting boring after all this time!"

Cody looked surprised at the sudden emergence of this strange creature. If he didn't know any better, it looked like…a talking armadillo. "Uh…mind telling me who you are?"

"Why sure!" The little armadillo grinned as he said, "The name's Armadillomon! I may be a Rookie, but I'm as lively as they come!"

Cody glanced over at Yolei, who was talking with Hawkmon…and getting along quite well. He remembered seeing how Tai, TK, Kari, and Davis had partners of their own…was Armadillomon his own? _Is he my own partner?_ "Are…you my partner?" Cody unknowingly had a tone of hesitance in his voice.

Armadillomon looked happily at Cody and nodded. "You betcha!" Cody remained silent. He seemed thankful…yet a little regretful at the same time.

Finally, the little boy grasped Armadillomon's head. "Alright then…Armadillomon."

The little Rookie grinned.

As for Sora and Izzy, they were staring at the scene, slack-jawed. Like Tai before them, they had been unable to lift the Digieggs of their respective traits…yet others had.

Izzy looked over to Sora, a content look in his eyes. "You know what Sora? I think the New Digidestined are becoming stronger already."

The Child of Love nodded in agreement. "I think so too."

Yolei got to her feet and sighed as she looked around the hallway (which was big enough to fit Garurumon). "But how do we get out of here?"

Hawkmon held up one wing and calmly answered, "If you can get us to digivolve with the Digieggs, then we'll be able to break out."

Armadillomon yelled, "Yeah! Just you watch!"

Izzy arched an eyebrow. He looked…suspicious. "Not to be suspicious or anything, but how do you know that?"

The two Rookies shrugged. "We don't know…we just do." answered both of them in unison.

Yolei looked down at the Digiegg of Love in her hand and asked, "But how do we do that?"

"Use the powers of the Digieggs' respective traits to unlock them!" said Armadillomon.

"Um," mumbled Cody, who was not entirely sure about what that meant. "How do we do that?"

The two Rookies shrugged again. "Uh…we don't know."

Everyone face-faulted. As Izzy pulled himself up, he pondered over the fact that Hawkmon and Armadillomon could digivolve with the Digieggs. The question was…how would the Digieggs be unlocked?

He looked at the symbols on the Digieggs. Love and Knowledge. Did that mean that Yolei and Cody would have to use their love and knowledge to unlock the Digieggs? _How are they going to do that?_

As Izzy pondered over how they would unlock the Digieggs, Cody looked at the rocks blocking their way out. He pushed on the rocks, and to his surprise, it pushed in a bit. Armadillomon's eyes brightened. "Well how bout' that?"

Cody grinned. "This wouldn't take much to dig through. Not too much at all." He had another purpose for getting out. They had to get out to help the others…they had to help out in any way they could! As his brain unconsciously began thinking of ways to dig out, his yellow digivice began to glow.

Yolei sighed as she thought about how to unlock her Digiegg. She didn't care whatever it took. She wanted out now. She wanted to be home…with her loving family. Then, at that moment, her red digivice reacted.

At that precise point in time, the Digieggs of Love and Knowledge glowed, and Hawkmon and Armadillomon merged with them.

Hawkmon Armor-Digivolve to……Halsemon: The Wings of Love!

Armadillomon Armor-Digivolve to……Digmon: The Drill of Knowledge!

Everyone leapt back as the Digimon finished Armor-Digivolving. Izzy gasped as the light from the digivices faded. "No way! They managed to digivolve!"

Halsemon was almost as large as a Garurumon. He was longer a biped, as he now had four legs. The three talons on his front legs were silver-ish, while the ones on his back legs (two on front, one on back) were blood red. His body from the knees up was covered with red feathers, with his tail now over two feet long. His face was covered by what looked like half of the Digiegg of Love enlarged several times over. The two metallic 'wings' stretched outward for over three feet, with what looked like Hawkmon's wings (black wingtips and all) sticking out from under them. Halsemon's bright blue eyes stared out through eyeholes in the facemask, and the Crest of Love (colored blue) adorned the forehead.

Halsemon, in a deep and majestic voice, spoke. "I am Halsemon! Yolei's love for her family allowed me to Armor-Digivolve with the Digiegg of Love! My Tempest Wing and Eagle Eye will blow through my foes!"

As for Digmon, he looked more like an insect now. Now he was a biped, with his legs covered in shimmering yellow armor with black trimming. He had two large, armored toes sticking forward, with one sticking out backward. He had two arms that split at the elbow into two different appendages. The top appendage (on both arms) ended in two sharpened metal drills covered by a yellow armor plate with purple markings on it. The bottom appendage (on both arms…but you knew that) was little more than a hand fashioned into a shovel-like shape…obviously for shoveling gravel and loose rubble. His face was covered with a yellow facemask, the only part of his face showing being his emerald eyes. A large metal drill jutted out of the facemask…and it was at least a foot-and-a-half long. Two yellow sticks with red tips jutted upward from his head…most likely his ears. Two insectoid wings jutted out from his hunched back, which was covered by a large plate of yellow armor. Embroidered on the armor was the Crest of Knowledge.

He spoke, in a spunky and rowdy voice, at Cody. "I am Digmon! As Cody thought about how to get out of here to help the others, the Digiegg of Knowledge was unlocked! I'm a digger at heart, as you'll see by my Gold Rush and Rock Cracking!"

Cody had the answer now. "Digmon…can you drill through the wall?"

Digimon's drills began to spin as he stepped towards the barrier. "Of course I can! Just you watch! Rock Cracking!" Digmon stuck his drills into the blockade, and within moments, the wall burst. They were now free again.

Yolei cheered as she ran out of the pyramid. "Woohoo! We're free!"

Sora smiled as she walked outside. However, now that they were free, they had to get back to the others. Looking over towards the sight of the battlefield, she saw no signs of battle. A chill rose in the pit of her stomach…had the others…

"Guys!" shouted Sora. "We need to get to the others!"

Halsemon walked out of the pyramid and looked at Yolei. "Yolei. Sora. Climb on my back."

Yolei slowly got onto Halsemon's back, while Sora didn't take so long. In moments, Halsemon was air-bound. He flew flawlessly through the sky, and Yolei loved the wind rushing past her face. It was heaven compared to the claustrophobic atmosphere of the pyramid.

Digmon turned toward Cody and Izzy. "Get on my back boys!" Digmon lowered himself so Cody and Izzy could climb. He stood up…then jumped off the pyramid. "Hang on tight!" His drills began spinning, and without stopping, began digging through the soft soil of the jungle with ease. Cody and Izzy closed their eyes so dirt wouldn't get in their eyes…but Digmon had no such problem.

----

Flamedramon growled as he reverted to Veemon. He had managed to inflict a good deal of damage to Kabuterimon, not to mention a few bruises to Birdramon. But in the end, the 2-on-1 versus battle drained him. Davis ran by Veemon's side as Birdramon and Kabuterimon set down in front of them, grins adorning their face.

Birdramon chuckled as she gazed at the Digidestined. "Too easy."

Tai stood protectively in front of Kari, while Agumon, Gatomon, and Patamon stood in front of Tai. They were ready to fight to the death.

Kabuterimon was amused by this. "Weaklings! You think you stand a chance?!"

Davis clenched his fists and stood defiantly in front of Kabuterimon. "I think we do!"

"You'll pay for your arrogance boy!" Kabuterimon began charging up his electric orb. "This is the end! Electro-"

However, he would not get the chance.

Suddenly, the ground upturned. A yellow blur rushed past Kabuterimon and Birdramon, knocking them off balance.

Everyone looked at the yellow blur as it stopped in front of them. If they were awe-struck before, they were even more so when Izzy and Cody hopped off of its back.

"Cody! Izzy! You're alive!" cheered Kari. Cody smiled as he looked over at Digmon. "We're fine…and meet my partner, Digmon."

Tai smiled as Digmon glared at Kabuterimon and Birdramon. "Alright! You've got a Digimon too!" That's when he noticed that Sora and Yolei were not with them. "Hey! Where's Sora? And Yolei?"

"You mean us?"

Everyone looked up to see Yolei waving happily at them. Sora was hanging onto the creature that carried both of them. The Digimon set down so that Sora and Yolei could jump off.

TK looked at the Digimon and thought he had an answer to a question in his mind. "Let me guess…you're Yolei's partner?"

The bird nodded. "I am Halsemon. And I have a fight to finish!"

As Halsemon went air-borne again, Veemon shouted, "Kick their butts!"

Birdramon growled as the two Armor Digimon prepared to attack them. Her mind was confused to no end. The four other Digidestined had returned, and they had brought two new Digimon with them. She tilted her head and glared at Kabuterimon. "I thought you said they were taken of!"

Kabuterimon winced under Birdramon's stone-cold gaze. "I trapped them within the pyramid. I did not know they would find Digimon there!"

"It matters not!" Birdramon scowled as she looked at the two Armor Digimon with a small hint of fear in her eyes. "If we do not destroy them, the Emperor will not be pleased."

Kabuterimon nodded. He did not want to face the wrath of the Emperor. "Then let us attack! Electro Shocker!" The electric orb went on a collision course with Digmon…or rather where he was. The digger quickly drilled his way underground, escaping the wrath of Kabuterimon's attack.

"Meteor Wing!" Birdramon's attack roared towards Halsemon, but the Armored Champion gracefully flew out of the way.

"My turn Birdramon!" Halsemon began spinning like a cyclone, causing a tornado to form around his body. "Tempest Wing!" Halsemon zoomed towards Birdramon, the tip of his tornado sharpening. Halsemon grazed Birdramon's side, causing her to flail around.

Kabuterimon growled as he tried to force Digmon out with multiple Electro Shockers. But it wasn't working. "Come on out you coward!"

"Kabuterimon!" The insectoid turned to see Halsemon…who was coming for him. The Champion's eyes widened as he saw Halsemon's eyes glow red. "No…stay back!"

"Eagle Eye!" Two beams of red energy burst from Halsemon's eyes and collided with the Dark Ring on Kabuterimon's neck. The red energy splashed over the Dark Ring, causing cracks to dance upon its surface. Finally, it burst and scattered into nothingness. Kabuterimon howled as the Emperor's dark influence waned away.

However, Birdramon had recovered control, and she was now preparing to strike Halsemon while his back was turned. "You should not have turned your back to your opponent fool! Meteor-"

Suddenly, the earth burst open to reveal…Digmon. And he had emerged right between Birdramon and Halsemon. The fiery phoenix was dumbfounded. _I've fallen into a trap!!!_

"It's over Birdramon!" All five of Digmon's drills began to spin. "Gold Rush!"

Before Birdramon could even think about evading, the five drills rocketed towards her. The target: her Dark Ring. All five collided with the ring, and the resulting explosion completely annihilated the Dark Ring.

Moments later, Birdramon and Kabuterimon crashed into the ground before dedigivolving into Biyomon and Tentomon. Halsemon set down right next to Digmon, and both of them reverted to their Rookie Levels.

The Digieggs of Love and Knowledge returned to their respective owner's digivice. Yolei and Cody suddenly felt something materialize in their pockets. They pulled them out to see what looked like PDAs.

Davis blinked as he walked over to Yolei and Cody. "I've got one of those too!"

Sora and Izzy rushed to their partner's sides, urging them to wake up. Suddenly…they opened their eyes.

"Oh…where am I?" Biyomon woozily opened her eyes…then gasped upon seeing Sora. "Sora! You're back!" The little bird leapt into Sora's arms, hugging her tightly. "You've come back!!!"

Sora began to cry as her partner hugged her. After four years…she had her partner back. And this time, she had all of her back. "I'm glad to see you too Biyomon."

Tentomon shook his head to clear the cobwebs out. "Boy, I sure feel pooped!" He suddenly turned his head to see the Child of Knowledge. "Izzy!!! You've returned!"

Izzy smiled as he hugged his insectoid partner. "Yeah Tentomon…and now that the Digiports are open again, we can come back at any time."

"Really?! That's swell!!!" He looked over at the group to see some familiar faces (Tai, Kari, TK, and their Digimon) and some not-so-familiar faces (Davis, Yolei, Cody, and their Digimon). "Um, forgive me if I sound naïve, but who are they?"

Tai stepped forward to introduce the three new Digidestined. "This is Davis, Yolei and Cody. Their partners are Veemon…"

The little blue dragon stuck two fingers up. "V for Victory pal!"

"Hawkmon…"

The bird politely bowed. "The pleasure is mine."

"And Armadillomon."

The little Armadillomon grinned. "Yup! That's my name!"

Yolei looked at her 'PDA' and opened it up. To her surprise, the time was listed in a corner. "4:45…" A sly grin suddenly crept onto her face.

_Uh oh_, thought Izzy. _That can't be good_.

"Oh Davis…" said Yolei, a mock tone of curiosity in her voice. "Isn't it almost time for you to get home? It's about 5 o'clock."

Davis let the time sink in, and he suddenly yelped. "AAAAH!!! I've gotta get home! My parents are gonna think I got detention again!!!" He burst off towards the nearest Digiport. Veemon quickly followed him. "Wait for me Davish!"

Tentomon sweatdropped at the scene. "HE's a new Digidestined?"

Izzy slightly chuckled. "I'm afraid so."

"Something tells me things are gonna get more interesting around here." mused Tentomon as he watched Davis run off.

----

The Emperor frowned with disgust. Two of his most powerful minions had been freed from his control. Worse yet, they were Digimon that were partners to the Digidestined…and they were now back with his enemies again.

Worst of all, the two new Digidestined – now identified as Yolei Inoue and Cody Hida – had two new Digimon that were able to digivolve.

"They're becoming a thorn in my side…" The Emperor had to neutralize Davis, Yolei, and Cody quickly. Otherwise, they might find a way to get the other Digimon to digivolve.

"Master?"

The Emperor turned to Wormmon and frowned. "What is it?!"

Wormmon meekly answered. "It's almost 5 o'clock."

The Emperor paused. It was almost time for him to go. "I see…Wormmon, I will be leaving now. Activate the defense parameters and put all of my minions on high alert. If the Digidestined happen to come near one of my sectors, I want them annihilated. Understood?"

Wormmon nodded as the Emperor left the Monitor Room. "Yes Master."

----

The figure sighed as he watched the eight Digidestined exit the Digital World through the Digiport. When Birdramon and Kabuterimon were freed, he had left to return back to Gennai's house.

He sighed as he sat in front of his computer. "So Halsemon and Digmon have been unleashed…that's good…" But something puzzled him. If he recalled correctly, Yolei and Cody weren't supposed to get their partners until the day after Davis got his. Also, Birdramon and Kabuterimon weren't supposed to be enslaved at all. And for that matter…Davis was supposed to have gotten the Digiegg of Courage on August 22nd.

_If I'm correct…then things have begun changing. _

The figure contemplated over this. If things were starting to change…then events he had planned for might turn out differently…or may never occur at all. Something completely different might arise.

"Hopefully, things won't change too much." With that, the figure turned off the computer, and left the room.

After all, like all living things, he needed sleep.

To be continued…

Next time…

Episode 3: Light and Hope

Author's Note: 14 days ago, I posted Zero 2: A Revision. 14 DAYS. It usually only takes me about five days to write another chapter! I must be getting lazy.

But maybe the fact that these chapters are several pages longer might have something to do with it…

thinks about this for a few moments

…NAH! hums a tune as he walks away

See ya next time.


	3. Light and Hope

Standard Disclaimer: You think I don't own Digimon. You know I don't own Digimon. But can you imagine me owning Digimon?

(waits for a response; none comes)

Thought so. -.-

Author's Note: It's obvious that the people who've read NDE know who the shadowed figure is, but for those just now reading this…DON'T TELL THEM! Or I'll knock your blocks off with my Keyboard of Grammatical Correctness! :P

Onward!

----

"This is Yolei. You won't believe all the neat stuff that's happened! In just one day, I've gone to another world, gotten a new outfit, been chased by giant monsters, gotten my own Digimon partner, and kicked some butt! But something puzzles me…who exactly is the Digimon Emperor?"

----

Episode 3: Light and Hope

----

"OOF!!!"

This time, everyone returned from the Digital World…in a heap. Now Tai, Davis, TK, Sora, Kari, Izzy, Yolei, and Cody were in a dog-pile. And once again, Davis…was on the bottom.

"HEY! GET OFF!!!" Davis growled as everyone got off of him one at a time. Davis', Yolei's, and Cody's clothes had reverted to normal, but the time was still the same. It was now 5 PM…the time when people get off from detention. Detention was something Davis had a problem with – be it for getting into a fight with a bully, inadvertently causing a big mess, etc. –, and he had gotten used to getting in trouble about it.

However, he wasn't prepared to get in trouble for a detention he didn't do time for. Without saying a word, Davis ran off.

Yolei giggled as Davis ran off, thinking about how he was completely oblivious to one important fact. TK arched an eyebrow as Davis ran out. He knew some kids that had reacted negatively to detention in past schools…but he hadn't seen a reaction quite like Davis'. "What's so funny?"

Yolei glanced at TK, a look of mischievous humor in her eyes. "Well…in his rush to get home, he forgot one detail…if you go to detention, you get a detention slip. Davis doesn't have one."

TK finally got it. He then chuckled at the awkwardness David would face upon getting home. "You know, that was a little cruel of you."

Yolei shrugged it off with a wave of her hand. "Aw come on. It's too easy to pick at him!"

"Um…excuse me Yolei?"

Yolei turned around to see Izzy. "Yeah?"

Izzy pointed at the red digivice in Yolei's hand. "I'd like to borrow your red digivice and your 'PDA' for the night so I can see what they do. If you don't mind that is."

Yolei didn't really know much about her digivice. As a matter of fact, she didn't know much about her little 'PDA' either. Heck, she didn't know much about being a Digidestined period. "Alright Izzy, you can borrow my stuff for the night." She pulled out her red digivice and 'PDA' and handed them to Izzy.

"Thanks Yolei." He then put the two items into his backpack. He closed the Digiport program on the computer before heading towards the door. "Well, see you all tomorrow." he said casually. He waved goodbye before leaving the room.

"Bye Izzy!" shouted Tai.

Kari looked over at TK, who seemed preoccupied with something. "Hey TK? Are you going to go see Matt?"

TK suddenly snapped out of his trance. He glanced over at his best friend and gave a faint smile. "Yeah. I'm fine. I'm just a little upset that I won't be able to see Matt tonight." The nearest bus stop was about three blocks away from the school, and it was now Rush Hour in Odaiba. He wouldn't be able to get to the other side of Odaiba where Matt's apartment was. He'd have to go tomorrow.

Sora picked up her tennis bag – which she had set down on a desk before entering the Digiworld – and headed for the door. "Well, I'll be seeing you guys later."

Tai looked over his shoulder at his sister. "Come on Kari."

Kari nodded and turned toward the others. "Bye everyone." She waved goodbye before following her brother out. Yolei and Cody waved goodbye to TK before leaving themselves.

TK was by himself now. This gave him ample time to think. As he boarded the bus, TK thought about the events that had occurred that afternoon. After four years, the Digital World had been opened to them again. Unfortunately, they had returned only to encounter a new threat in the form of the Digimon Emperor.

As TK stared out the bus window, his thoughts wandered to some reservations he had about the whole situation. The first problem was that their skills in the Digital World were rusty. TK didn't know if he could handle adventuring in the Digital World after so long. The second issue was school; unlike before, he had school to deal with. School would definitely hamper trips to the Digital World.

TK got off the bus as the last issue came to light. The Digimon Emperor was the third problem. Unlike Devimon, Etemon, Myotismon, and the Dark Masters, the Emperor was a human. This meant that they would have to alter many of their strategies. For one, his life was not forfeit. To TK, all human life was sacred. He also had the power to prevent Digimon from digivolving…a power that did not apply to Armor-Digivolution. The final problem was the missing Digimon. Palmon, Gabumon, and Gomamon were still under the Emperor's control.

As TK neared the apartment, these thoughts bounded around in his head like a pinball. _Well, I'll have enough time to think about them tonight._ He walked up the stairs before pulling out the key his mom had given him that morning.

TK opened the door and walked into his apartment. The air was refreshingly cool in comparison with the August heat. He walked past the living room/kitchen hybrid, taking a glance at the green couch, black TV, and a slew of unpacked boxes. _Looks like mom hasn't unpacked everything yet._

He continued walking down the hallway before stopping in front of an open door. His mother's bedroom had been put together completely, and she was currently working on her laptop. "I'm home mom."

Nancy Takaishi continued typing as she nonchalantly said, "Okay TK. How was school?" She asked this without even looking up from her computer.

TK sweatdropped as his mom continued her work. She had a habit of getting absorbed into her work. "Uh…yeah. It was." TK continued walking toward his room, which was at the back of the apartment.

He had a simple bed with white sheets, with green pillows. A brown desk made of chestnut sat near his window, where his old computer sat. A wooden bookcase colored as white as the clouds sat near his closet, filled with a lot of old books.

It was almost like home again. He just had to finish unpacking the rest of his clothes. "Well, I'd better begin," said TK, a tone of exasperation in his voice.

----

Sweat was pouring down Davis' face as sweat poured from his brow. Davis had run as fast as a jet plane in his attempt to get home by 5 PM.

When he got home, the time was 5:25.

"Aw crud." Davis was grateful that his parents worked late. Unfortunately, he had to deal with someone that was potentially far worse. Someone who was not afraid to blackmail him, and someone who had done so in the past.

That someone…was his older sister.

Davis trudged to the front door of his apartment (on the first floor) and pressed the doorbell button. It buzzed for a few seconds before a feminine voice could be heard. "Hello? Is someone home from detention?"

Davis seethed under his collar as he irritably shouted, "Just open the door Jun!!"

The door slowly opened to reveal Davis' older sister. She had a slim and shapely figure (not that Davis would agree), and her hair was colored a dull cherry-pink. However, unlike Davis, it stuck out in a fashion much like Tai's, except there wasn't as much hair to stick out. She wore her school uniform still (which comprised of a red skirt that went to her thighs and a form fitting, button-on, green-colored shirt), but she also wore two items that weren't part of the uniform. She wore a black tie, as well as black boots that went up to her shins. Davis had once commented to her that she looked like a tramp in that outfit (and he consequently got pummeled to oblivion), and he had learned (read: been forced) to accept it over time.

Her name…was Jun Motomiya. She was 18-years-old, and her amber eyes stared at Davis. Davis couldn't help but moan at the exasperated look in her eyes.

"So, how'd you get into detention this time? Fighting? Breaking a window with a soccer ball? What?" Jun continued on, listing example after example until Davis finally burst. "Shut up Jun! I didn't get into detention!!!"

That statement caused Jun to arch an eyebrow in disbelief. "Really? What makes you think I shouldn't say you did?"

Davis growled. On his way home, he had realized he didn't have the detention slip that proved his trip to detention, but he figured that Jun wouldn't care anyway. As he finally settled on a course of action, a somewhat cruel smirk crossed his lips. _Time to use my trump card._

Jun looked at her brother as if he was a mental case. "Um…what are you smiling about?"

Davis chuckled as he crossed his arms. It was time to play his trump card. "Jun…remember the last time you went to Matt's concert?"

Matt Ishida, TK's older brother, had become the head of a rock band called 'The Teenage Wolves' in the four years since Apocalymon's defeat. As a result, he had become Odaiba's local 'hunk'. Jun was one of his many fan girls. Jun thought back to the concert one week ago and nodded. "Yeah. So?"

Davis chuckled evilly as he prepared his line. "Well Jun, Matt told Tai…who told me…that he knows that you were the one who threw that pair of panties on his head."

Jun suddenly blushed with embarrassment. "He k-knew it was me? Oh my…" That's when she suddenly caught on. "No…you wouldn't!"

Davis grinned. Jun was on the defensive. Now _he_ could set the terms. "Agree not to tell mom and dad that I had detention…which I didn't…and I won't spread the word about this."

Jun growled as she weighed her options. Getting Davis in troubleand suffering a boatload of embarrassment at school? Or letting him walk? Finally, she wisely decided to go with the latter. "Fine then…you win."

Davis smiled as if he'd just won a million dollars. He waltzed inside as he made one last crack at his sister. "Besides…I might do it in the future for that time you blabbed about my thumb-sucking."

Jun couldn't help but snicker at that little memory. Davis had a little problem up till a few months ago with sucking his thumb. So Jun (being the annoying older sister she is) decided to spread the word. Davis still had a bad time remembering all of the people who taunted and picked on him about it (and the subsequent detentions from fighting them), and he wanted to make sure Jun remembered that.

As Davis walked into the kitchen, he looked around for something to eat.

----

"See you later Cody!"

Yolei waved goodbye to her younger friend as she continued walking to the far right side (the building's right, or the left side if you were looking at the complex from the front) of the apartment complex.

The apartment complex Yolei and Cody lived in was about seven blocks away from Odaiba Middle School. Cody lived further up, while Yolei lived on the first and second floors.

Two floors? Yes, for the bottom right corner of the apartment complex encompassed a section of the bottom two floors. After all, Yolei's family owned a convenience store.

You heard me. A convenience store. Since the apartment complex was situated at the corner of an intersection, a corner store was needed. Thus, the Inoue family had arranged an agreement with the company that owned the complex to have two rooms on the first and second floors. The second floor would be the living quarters, and the bottom would be the convenience store.

The convenience store had proved to be a blessing for the Inoue family. It provided them their income, and the net gain was larger than the costs of running the store. Plus, it meant that Yolei had 24/7 access to what was virtually a snack emporium.

Unfortunately, there was still one little con…a con that she was about to be reminded of.

"Hi mom! Hi dad!" Yolei walked through the glass door only to find her older brother, Mantarou, there.

Mantarou was Yolei's senior by four years. He had a dark orange flattop – a sharp contrast to Yolei's violet locks. He wore small, thin-rimmed glasses with red eyes behind them. He also wore the white apron that their parents wore while working.

"Wait a sec! Where's mom and dad?!"

Mantarou glanced at Yolei before speaking in a mild, spunky voice (in other words, a voice like your typical Miami beach dude). "For once, mom and dad had to go to a different store. They went to get a new vacuum to replace the old one."

Yolei huffed as she remembered how the thing busted while she was vacuuming her room…to be more precise, the thing exploded. The resulting mess resulted in a coat of dust and dirt blanketing her room (you should've seen her frustration upon cleaning it manually). _Oh well…hopefully that won't happen again_. "Oh well. I'm gonna take a bottle of orange juice up to my room." Yolei walked over to the freezers lined across the right wall and pulled out a bottle of orange juice.

She was heading toward the door that said 'Authorized Personnel Only' (which led to the store's back door and the stairs that led to the living quarters) when that certain 'con' revealed itself.

"Hold on sis."

Yolei still had to pay.

"You need to pay me…" Mantarou checked the cash register again. "A dollar and 17 cents."

Yolei face-faulted. She had forgotten; even though they owned the store, family members still needed to pay. Struggling to find an answer to her dilemma, she finally choked out, "Um…can you put it on my tab?"

Mantarou's expression was priceless. He snickered as he said, "You don't have a tab little sis! Pay up!"

Yolei glowered at her older brother. She had no money on her, and her allowance total was zero at the moment. She had only one option. "Tell you what. I'll give you an I.O.U., and when I get my allowance, I'll pay it." Mantarou's look of exasperation indicated a 'no'. "Okay, I'll sweeten the deal. I'll give you a dollar and seventeen cents, plus 5 interest compounded daily. Sound fair?" Still a 'no'. "…15?"

Mantarou turned around and calculated the cost Yolei would owe when she got her allowance. After the final figure appeared on the register screen, Mantarou grinned. It was a grin that made Yolei shiver. _That grin is not good news_. Finally, Mantarou turned toward his little sister and told her the total. "With the interest, you'll owe the store three dollars and sixty-nine cents when you get your allowance in…" Mantarou mentally counted in his head. "14 days."

Yolei's jaw was as low as the floor. She thought her allowance would be renewed in a few days…not two weeks. Unfortunately, upon rechecking her dates, she discovered her brother was correct. "Rats…alright then…"

Dejected and defeated, Yolei dragged herself upstairs, orange juice in hand. Meanwhile, Mantarou was smiling.

"Score!"

----

Cody slowly walked up the stairs, his backpack weighing upon his tired body. Unlike Yolei, his home was on the fifth floor. His feet trudged up the stone stairs as his mind reflected over what had happened that afternoon.

His world had taken a definite spin when four students had fallen from a computer on top of him. His world had done flips when he went to digital world. His world had stood on its head when Armadillomon became his partner.

Cody didn't know what to think about Armadillomon. Cody was reserved, quiet, and patient with others (no matter how much they may grate his nerves). He heavily respected his elders, and he always obeyed their wishes and orders. Armadillomon, on the other hand, seemed to be his antithesis at first glance. The little Digimon was rowdy, lively, and had a somewhat loud voice. He didn't know how he would be able to deal with someone like that.

He would have to reflect on that later. Now he had to deal with his mother. Cody pulled the door key out of his left pocket and opened the front door. Sighing as the cool air radiated from within the apartment, Cody stepped inside.

"I'm home Mom!" called out Cody.

That's when a middle-aged woman walked out of the apartment kitchen. Her dark brown hair stretched down to her collarbone, ruffled like a wrinkled dress. She wore blue sweatpants and a gray shirt, but a white apron that had several stains on it covered her clothes. Apparently, she was making dinner.

Her name was Anna Hida (I'm not sure if Cody's mom was given a name, so I'll give her one myself), and she was Cody's mother. Her light green eyes softly glared at Cody, filled with the maternal concern she was known for having. "Did you just get back from school?"

Cody nodded as he pulled off his shoes and placed them square against the wall. Organized and tidy. That's how Cody's life used to be. With his becoming a Digidestined, it seemed that might change.

That's when his mother asked the question he didn't want to answer.

"So, what did you learn?"

Cody inwardly winced as he remembered his earlier phone call. Ever since he left school, he was hoping and hoping with all his might that his mom wouldn't ask what Yolei and Izzy taught him. Thankfully, Yolei covered for him. Cody answered his mother calmly. "They taught me about how more RAM in the computer can increase its performance."

Anna nodded. "That's nice Cody." She then went back into the kitchen. "Dinner will be ready in 30." Cody walked toward his room and sighed. She had bought the story Yolei told him to tell her.

Cody grimaced as he went into the bathroom to do his business. He hated the thought about deceiving his mother, but he doubted she would understand – let alone comprehend – the truth. If the Digital World was to remain secret from the world of man, he would have to do his part.

"Oh well…I'll have to make up for it later."

----

"Get back here Kari!!!"

Kari ducked as a pillow soared her way. She cursed her bad timing. Of all the times for her to do it, she did it. "No way Tai!"

"For the last time Kari, give me the remote!!!"

Upon arriving home, Tai had immediately started watching TV. It was time for Tai's afternoon cartoons, but it was also time for Kari's afternoon soaps. Tai had refused to relinquish his control of the TV, but Kari insisted. Tai had still refused. So finally, Kari had resorted to drastic measures.

She had snatched…the remote.

Now some (if not most) would think it would be awfully silly if someone got their feathers ruffled by something so trivial. However, the cartoon (Dragonball, in case any of you were wondering) was reaching its climax when Kari changed the channel.

Thus, chaos ensued.

"Gimme the remote!!!"

Kari dove for the floor as another pillow went flying over her. "I don't think so!"

Tai grumbled as grabbed Kari by the waist and attempted to grab the remote from there. "Come on! I want to see how Goku beats Piccolo!!!"

Kari, who did not appreciate being grabbed, turned around and yanked Tai's bush-like hair. The older Kamiya sibling yelped as his hair was being pulled by Kari's free hand. "Well unlike cartoons, my soaps don't have reruns every week!"

"Ahh!!! Let go of my hair!!!" Tai used both of his hands to wrench Kari's hand off of his hair, causing the younger Kamiya to lose balance and stumble backwards. Seeing his window of opportunity, Tai pulled Kari towards him and grabbed her by the waist once more…except this time, with a devastating leg-lock. Tai smirked as his sister desperately tried to wiggle her way out of the leg-lock. "Give up the remote Kari!"

Kari struggled as hard as she could, but to no avail. Her brother's leg-lock was strong! _I guess all of that running in soccer practice has something to do with it. _Kari had run out of ideas.

However, she was left with one option.

Kari quickly moved her hands to the bottom of Tai's feet and start tickling them. Almost immediately afterwards, Tai's leg-lock began to loosen. His eyes began to water as a grin started to creep across his face.

"No, stop!" Tai clenched his teeth to suppress the laughter. He failed. "Please…stop…ha ha!" Tai's leg-lock finally ceased, and his defenses broke. "Hahahahaha!!! Please-ha! Kari! Stop, hahaha!!!" Kari grinned as she continued tickling Tai's feet mercilessly. He was at her mercy.

"Say you give up!"

Tai grimaced and laughed at the same time (is that even possible?) as he raised both of his arms. "Alright-hee hee! Alright! Alright! Hahahaha!"

Kari immediately stopped her onslaught. Tai took a few moments to catch his breath as Kari started watching her soaps. Her smile was one of victory. However, Tai quickly snatched the remote away from her and quickly changed the channel.

Kari stared open-mouthed at Tai as he watched his cartoon. "But…you said you gave up!"

Tai snickered as he shook his head. "No I didn't. I just said 'alright'. I never did say the words 'I give up'. Nice little loophole, isn't it?"

Kari sighed as she face-faulted. Her energy had been depleted from the scuffle with Tai, so she simply let herself succumb to defeat. She groaned as she fell upon the couch as Tai continued watching his cartoon.

Meanwhile, the light-haired woman that was Tai and Kari's mom shook her head in exasperation. Mrs. Kamiya looked at Miko, who was sitting in her lap, and said, "What am I going to do with those two?"

"Meow."

Mrs. Kamiya giggled as Miko simply started cleaning himself.

----

It was now well into the night, and Izzy had spent the last half hour analyzing Yolei's 'PDA'. He had already studied and tinkered with Yolei's red digivice, and he had found a few interesting things.

For one, the arrow-shaped buttons flipped through three settings. When he had pressed the lower arrow, the word 'Detect' flashed on the screen. He pressed it again, and the word 'Discover' flashed on it. He then pressed the upper arrow, and it flashed the word 'Detect'. Thus, he concluded that the arrows scrolled through the different operations of the digivice.

After scrolling through the list a few times, Izzy identified three operations. They were 'Digital', 'Detect', and 'Discover'.

Upon pressing the large button near the bottom of the digivice, the operation that was currently featured would activate. When the 'Digital' operation had been activated, it flashed the words 'Unable to Activate Digivolution; Respective Digimon and Digidestined Not Present'. Izzy had assumed this was the feature that was needed to manually activate the digivolution of a Digimon.

The 'Detect' feature, once activated, had revealed the locations of nearby digivices. Since Izzy lived relatively close to Davis and the Kamiya residence, he could see Tai and Kari's digivice. His own digivice could do the same thing, but he had compared the two to see any difference between them. Sure enough, there were some differences. Yolei's red digivice could differentiate between digivices (Tai's digivice signal had the Crest of Courage on it, Kari's had the Crest of Light, and Davis' was simply colored blue), while his only showed them as white dots.

Finally, he had activated the 'Discover' feature. Without warning, a strange mote of light had come from his computer and descended into Yolei's red digivice. Upon further inspection, Izzy had realized that the 'Discover' feature could analyze and bookmark different Digimon. Even Digimon that had never been seen before could be analyzed and uploaded to the main database in Izzy's computer instantly.

The three features were all a part of what the red digivice was composed. Izzy had assumed Davis' and Cody's digivices had the same features. After spending two hours on Yolei's red digivice, he had finally come up with a suitable name for the new digivices.

"The D-3…for Digital, Detect, and Discover."

Now, Izzy was hard at work on the 'PDA'. Suprisingly, Izzy found a list of four options. They were 'User Info', 'E-Mail', 'Digieggs', and 'Digimon List'.

He used the two semi-circle-shaped buttons to select 'User Info', and he pressed the small red button. He squinted his eyes as the information scrolled across the screen.

D-Terminal Information

User: Yolei Inoue

Digieggs Obtained: Love

Partner: Hawkmon

"D-Terminal…so that's what this thing is called?" Izzy thought in silence as he selected 'E-Mail'. A miniature keyboard appeared on the screen, and he (in a painstakingly long process) wrote 'Test Letter #1'. He thought of an e-mail recipient, so he decided to look through the E-Mail Recipient List on the D-Terminal. To his surprise, Davis' and Cody's D-Terminals had their own e-mail addresses. After a few moments of thought, Izzy chose Davis' D-Terminal for the test.

"Sending now…to DavisD-Terminal. Sending…now!" He sent the e-mail, and didn't bother waiting for a response. Izzy got to work on analyzing the 'Digieggs' and 'Digimon List' icons.

----

Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.

Davis groaned as he tossed and turned in his bed. It was past 10 PM, and he was trying to get some sleep.

That's when his 'PDA' started beeping.

And it continued beeping.

"Rrr…shut up." Davis grabbed his D-Terminal and tossed it, causing it to bash against the wall and fall into a pile of dirty clothes. The beeping finally died out, so Davis went back to sleep.

"ZZZ…zzz…"

Although, with his snoring, it's a wonder anyone _else_ could sleep.

----

(NEXT DAY!)

It was 3 o'clock sharp. School had just ended, and Izzy had told Kari, TK, Davis, Yolei, and Cody to meet him in the computer lab after school.

Now, he was waiting for them to come.

Izzy rubbed his eyes and yawned, his mind a figurative whirlwind of thoughts. He had discovered a lot of things about Yolei's D-3 and her D-Terminal, and he was eager to share them with the others.

That's when he heard their voices echoing across the hallway.

"Davis," That was Kari's voice. "Did you have to fall asleep in Mrs. Hakashi's math class again?"

He then heard a boy – he presumed it was Davis – yawn and reply, "Sorry Kari! But my little…'PDA' thingy kept me up most of the night!" Izzy sweatdropped. He had sent Davis a few more test mails last night, and he had not bothered to think of the consequences.

A sigh – from TK – could be heard. "Does he always do this?"

Izzy immediately recognized the next response as Yolei's. "Oh yeah. You should see him when he gets REALLY bored."

That's when they finally entered the computer lab. Davis and Yolei were bickering, Cody and Kari were just shaking their heads, and TK was just wondering if the bickering was considered 'normal'. Yolei was also carrying a large green bag full of stuff. What that stuff was, Izzy did not know.

Cody was the first to speak. "Well, what did you want to talk to us about Izzy?"

Izzy eagerly replied, "I thought you'd never ask." Izzy pulled out Yolei's D-3 and D-Terminal from his pockets and placed them on a nearby desk. He spent a few moments thinking about how to word his explanation, and then began speaking. "Well, it involves the new digivices and your D-Terminals."

They followed on the 'new digivices', but they were lost on the 'D-Terminal' part.

Izzy sweatdropped. "Um…your little 'PDAs'. They're called D-Terminals. They function as a Digimon Encyclopedia, an E-Mail program, and a holding place for your Digieggs."

Yolei squealed in delight as he snatched her D-Terminal from Izzy. "Alright! Now I won't have to wait to get on the computer anymore!"

Izzy cleared his throat to get Yolei's attention. "May I continue?" Silence. "Thank you. Now as for the new digivices, they have three primary functions." He held Yolei's red D-3 out so everyone could see the screen. He pressed the lower arrow button, and the word 'Digital' flashed on the screen. "Operation number one is 'Digital'. If there's a time when you need to have your Digimon digivolve outside of battle, this is the function you'll need to use. However, if your partner doesn't have a full stomach, digivolution won't work."

Yolei smiled as she boasted, "No worries for Hawkmon! My family owns a convenience store!"

Cody thought he heard Davis mutter something about Yolei being a 'lucky devil', but he simply shrugged it off. He then asked, "What about the next function?"

Izzy complied by pushing the button again. This time, 'Digital' was replaced by 'Detect'. "Operation number two is 'Detect'. This allows you to locate and pinpoint other digivices. The improvement for this model, however, is that it can differentiate between digivices."

He pressed the arrow once more, and this time around, the word 'Discover' was displayed. "The last function, 'Discover', is used to analyze and upload information to your D-Terminal…and my laptop. For instance, if you find a Digimon that no one's encountered before, use the 'Discover' function to obtain information about it. It's name, type, attacks, general characteristics, etcetera, etcetera…"

TK thought about the 'Discover' function. The thought of getting information on previously unknown Digimon on the fly tantalized him. It could give them a head start in the future.

"Plus, I've given the new digivices a name." Izzy handed Yolei her red D-3 before continuing. "I've named them the D-3s, for 'Digital', 'Detect', and 'Discover'."

Davis blinked as he pulled out his blue D-3 and reflected on its abilities. It was a newer model, which logically meant the Digidestined child it was meant for was, essentially, a newer model himself (not that Davis usually followed conventional logic anyway). Was he a newer, more advanced model of the older Digidestined? _Me? An advanced model of Tai?_ Davis weighed the possibilities…then shrugged them off. _Nah!_

Suddenly, Izzy's laptop (which was sitting on a desk near the back of the computer lab) flashed an open envelope over and over again as a 'You've got Mail!' jingle played. Izzy sighed as he nervously smiled at the others. "Um…hold on a second guys." The redhead opened up his E-Mail program, read the mail…and gasped. "No way!" Izzy stumbled backwards as his breath got caught in his throat. "H-how'd he get my E-Mail address?!"

Yolei pocketed her D-3 and D-Terminal as she walked towards Izzy, curiosity coursing through her like a flood. "Who sent the letter Izzy?"

Izzy could only choke out a response. "T-th-the…the…the Digimon Emperor!"

The five other Digidestiend gasped in shock. "THE DIGIMON EMPEROR?!" Out of impulse, they gathered around Izzy's laptop and began reading the letter.

----

_Dear Digidestined,_

_I'm sure you can still remember the battle with Birdramon and Kabuterimon yesterday. After all, how could you not remember? But that's beside my point. I have another deadly surprise for your Digimon, and I'm close to locating them. I must admit, they're rather good at avoiding my minions. If you wish to help them…be here at 01-110-GAMMA. I'll see you soon._

_Signed, the Digimon Emperor_

----

Cody scoffed in disgust. "How egotistical can someone get?"

Kari just shook her head…partly out of scorn for the Emperor, and partly out of worry. If the Emperor really _was_ that close to finding their Digimon…then they would need help. "But still, we have to go."

TK blinked twice as he digested Kari's words. "But," he said, in hopes of trying to convince Kari not to rush into the situation. "It might be a trap."

Davis pulled out his D-3 and stomped over to the computer they had used to enter the Digiworld yesterday. "Ah, stuff it TS! If Kari wants to go, then let her go! Besides, our partners might be in trouble!" Davis turned towards Izzy and shouted, "Hey Izzy! Can you get the Digiport ready?"

As Izzy set to work on getting the Digiport ready, TK scratched his head in confusion. He was confused about Davis' sudden willingness to go…not to mention the fact Davis got his name wrong again.

"It's done." Izzy stepped away from the computer and looked at the others. He was worried as well…or at least, that's what TK assumed from the look in his eyes.

Davis grinned as he aimed his D-3 at the computer. "Digiport open!"

Izzy watched as the five younger children were enveloped in a bluish-white light. When it faded, it was as if they were never there.

The Child of Knowledge sighed as he walked out of the computer lab. He would've gone to help them out…but he had a private tutoring session to attend.

----

"Are they gone?"

Veemon gasped for air as he asked his question. Patamon was the one to answer. "Yeah…I think we've lost them for now."

Ever since the Digidestined had departed the previous day, the Digimon had been on the move. Tentomon and Biyomon had bid farewell to them before heading off to parts unknown, so that left Veemon, Gatomon, Agumon, Hawkmon, Armadillomon, and Patamon on their own again.

Unfortunately, they had had the great misfortune of stumbling upon two more of the Emperor's minions the previous night. Thus, the chase had ensued.

Fortunately, they had managed to find a 'hiding tree' to sleep in for the night (it was rather cramped)…but to their misfortune, the two hunters were right outside the tree when the six decided to emerge. Thus, the chase had ensued…again.

The six had run across a large area full of barren hills and sparse vegetation all day, avoiding the two hunters as best as they could. They had not eaten all day, and they were starting to tire. Fortunately, they had recently reached an area laced with caves. The caves provided a good hiding spot…for the moment.

Armadillomon groaned as he laid down on the sandy cave ground, his back as sore as an old lady. "Man, my shell feels like it's about to crack like a cracker!"

Hawkmon preened his wings before saying, "Is this how life is for you?"

Gatomon begrudgingly nodded. "Ever since the Emperor came around, we've been on the run." The look in her eyes was downcast and full of emptiness. Apparently, being on the run for a few months negatively affected her psyche.

Suddenly, a small light was glowing from further inside the cave. The six Digimon, curious about what was causing it, nervously shuffled over to it. It turned out to be…

"Another Digiport?" Agumon's observation was right on the button. The small TV was indeed another Digiport…and some people were about to come out.

----

The Emperor grinned as sector 01-110-GAMMA showed activity. A Digiport was being opened there. He smirked as if he had won a million dollars. "They're falling right into my trap."

He pressed the Com-Link button on his gauntlet and spoke into it. "They've emerged at sector 01-110-GAMMA like I predicted. Spring the trap."

"**Yes sir.**" responded a gruff voice before the link was cut. The Emperor grinned at the thought of his two minions engaging in combat with two Armor Champions.

Two? There were three Armor Champions at the moment. However, his trap would take away one of them…and when that occurred, his victory would be secured.

----

"HOW MANY TIMES ARE WE GOING TO HAVE TO DO THIS?!?!?!"

Davis had a good reason to be upset. Upon exiting the Digiport, the five Digidestined had landed in a dog-pile…and once again, Davis was on the bottom.

The Digidestined got off the floor…only to find their respective Digimon partners leap into their arms. Veemon gave his partner a gigantic hug. "Back again Davish?"

Davis struggled to breathe under Veemon's crushing hug. _For a little guy, he's pretty strong! _"Crushing…lungs…can't…breathe…"

Veemon immediately let go. "Sorry."

Hawkmon bowed to Yolei out of courtesy. "I see that you have decided to aide us, my friend?"

Yolei smiled at Hawkmon's mannerisms. His personality was a welcome change from the perverted (in her mind, anyways) boys at school. "Yes, we have!"

Armadillomon tried his best to ignore his fatigue, and he waddled over to Cody. "Welcome back Cody! Ya here to help us?"

Cody finally noticed Armadillomon's Texan accent. The little Rookie would DEFINITELY take some getting used to. "Um…yes we are."

Patamon, who had perched himself on top of TK's head, suddenly noticed Yolei's large green bag. "Hey Yolei! What's in the bag?"

Yolei grinned as she set the bag on the ground. From within, one could hear the sound of…crinkling plastic? "I had a hunch you guys might be hungry…so I bought some stuff from my family's convenience store!" She opened the bag, revealing a slew of sugary sweets (Twinkies, donuts, brownies, etc.), salty snacks (potato chips, pretzels, Pringles, etc.), and packaged juice.

The six Digimon looked at the food as if it was pure gold…and they leapt into the bag, gobbling as much as they could. The Digidestined sweatdropped at the scene…even Davis, who was somewhat of a glutton himself.

Yesterday (sometime after Yolei's incident with Mantarou), Yolei had remembered that she always set aside part of her allowance to keep in her savings account. Where was that account? Her sock drawer. Thus, Yolei got out enough to buy some snacks (and get some stuff for free from the family pantry in the living quarters) from the store (and of course, she paid off Mantarou to prevent the fee on the orange juice from rising). The hunch paid off; the Digimon looked happier than she had ever seen them (well, she's only known about them for a day, so it's not that surprising).

Hawkmon eagerly bit off the end of his Twinkie. "This food is delicious! What is it?"

Agumon ate a part of his rice ball before replying, "Human food! And I haven't had any in years!!!"

Gatomon and Patamon eagerly nodded as they ate their brownies. "You said it!"

Davis gazed upon the Digimon in shock…after all, it wasn't everyday you saw such gluttons (but does he count himself? Perhaps.). "Dang…they sure like their food."

Yolei took the opportunity to make another crack at Davis. "They might even be as gluttonous as you!"

Davis glared at her, a sly grin adorning the girl's face. "Ha ha, very funny."

Before anyone could say anything else, two holes on the wall suddenly emerged. Metallic claws emerged from the holes and grabbed Davis and Veemon. The two were pulled into the inky darkness of the holes…and the holes closed before anyone could save them.

"Davis!" Everyone tried to open the holes again, but it was if they did not exist. Unfortunately, they did not have the chance to search any longer.

"The trap has been sprung! Now we've got you where we want you!"

The Digidestined and Digimon turned around to face two Digimon. To be more specific, they were the hunters that had been chasing the six Digimon for the better part of the day.

The one on the left was over thirty feet high, and it could best be described as…a giant yellow teddy bear. A bandage covered the belly button on its white tummy, and its white muzzle was contorted into a fierce scowl. Its normally red eyes were glowing a brighter shade of red.

The one on the right was about as half as tall as the teddy bear, but it looked more intimidating. The body structure was similar to that of a centaur, but orange skin stretched all over the body. Oval-shaped purple armor covered numerous spots its body, providing a decent measure of protection. Its tail swished back in forth as the large gun on its right arm started to charge up. Several metal rods stuck out of the back, and a metal helmet with a fin and a T-shaped visor adorned the head. However, the entirety of the blackness within the visor was colored blood red.

The blood-red eyes indicated being under the Emperor's control. Dark Rings adorned their necks.

TK recognized them instantly. "Monzaemon! Centarumon!"

Yolei was a little bewildered by the sight of the giant teddy bear. "Uh…who are they again?"

Agumon decided to give the information. "Centarumon is a Beast Man Digimon of the Champion variety! Watch out for his Solar Ray attack!" He then glanced at Monzaemon, and then gulped. "As for Monzaemon, he may seem cute and cuddly, but he's tough for a teddy bear! And since he's an Ultimate, he can hold his own against a Champion easily!"

Cody knew when to ask questions, and when not to. Now was not the time. He turned to Armadillomon and asked, "Ready to Armor-Digivolve?"

Armadillomon leapt forward, his energy replenished by the snacks Yolei brought. "You betcha!"

"You ready Hawkmon?"

Hawkmon opened his wings and replied, "Of course Yolei!"

The two children simultaneously shouted, "ARMOR DIGIVOLVE!"

Hawkmon armor-digivolve to……Halsemon: The Wings of Love!

Armadillomon armor-digivolve to……Digmon: The Drill of Knowledge!

The two armored Champions stood defensively in front of the children. However, the cave provided little space for them…and Centarumon's gun was preparing to fire.

"Solar Ray!"

Halsemon hurryingly shouted, "Move away!" The two Armor Champions moved as far away as they could to dodge the incoming ball of yellow-orange energy. The other Digidestined and Digimon moved away as well, letting the Solar Ray collide with the back of the cave. The rocky wall exploded, creating an exit to the outside. Everyone quickly ran out of the cave, getting into the open air again.

Halsemon and Digmon were content now. Halsemon could fly now, and Digmon could dig without worry of causing a cave-in. Now they could fight to their full potential.

"Eagle Eye!"

"Gold Rush!"

Twin lances of red energy and five metal drills crashed into the cave, in hopes of trapping the two in the cave. It would've worked…had the two Digimon not gotten out by the time the cave-in occurred.

Centarumon chuckled as he charged up his Solar Ray again. "You'll have to try harder than that! Solar Ray!" Halsemon swiftly evaded the incoming attack, but he was hit by the next one that came two seconds later.

As for Monzaemon…

"Hearts Attack!"

A slew of transparent blue hearts floated towards Digmon, who popped as many as he could with his Gold Rush. However, one of the hearts absorbed him…and Digmon suddenly looked downcast. His eyes became filled with sorrow and unhappiness…a stark contrast to his former look. It was a look that bothered Cody. _It…doesn't fit him…_ "Digmon! What's wrong?"

Digmon answered with a dejected tone. "I'm fine…just feeling my normal, boring, unhappy self." Cody watched in shock as Digmon spoke with sorrow. _This DEFINITELY isn't right! I have to get him out of there!_

TK simply stepped back in an attempt to get away from the battle scene. Right now, the odds were not very good for the Digidestined. Halsemon and Digmon had been able to best Birdramon and Kabuterimon, but only because Flamedramon had already weakened them. Now Davis and Veemon had been taken away to parts unknown, and they were facing a Champion and an Ultimate…and an Ultimate was on a different plane of power than a Champion.

He suddenly felt his digivice vibrate. He pulled it out and blinked when he saw the crests of Hope and Light sitting next to each other. _What…what does this mean?_

Whatever it was, it was worth checking out. TK (with Patamon perched on his head) burst off, heading southeast in the direction of the two strange signals.

This did not go unnoticed by Kari. "Hey TK! Wait up!" She burst off in pursuit of TK, wondering why he was leaving Yolei and Cody to fend for themselves. Gatomon was wondering the same thing, so she turned to Agumon and said, "Offer what support you can! I'm going after Kari!" With that, Gatomon bounded away after her partner.

Agumon blinked as he was suddenly left alone to aid Cody and Yolei. As he glanced at Halsemon go one-on-two with Centarumon and Monzaemon (and blink as Cody tried to pull Digmon out of his slump), one thing was echoing through his head.

_But…what can I do?_

----

"Zzz…zzz…"

The figure smiled as he watched Gennai sleep in well-lit workshop. The old man had been analyzing the broken remains of a Dark Ring ever since the previous day, and his work had finally taken its toll.

"Well…time to get to busy." He had just discovered that things were going differently again. Centarumon and Monzaemon were not supposed to be the Digimon to attack the Digidestined…and the area they were fighting in was completely different. "I'll have to play the advisory role again…"

"You'll bring me along, won't you?" The male turned around to look at his friend…his partner. The male sighed as he smiled. "You know what Agumon? I just might."

(Author's Note: To differentiate between Tai's Agumon and the anonymous figure's Agumon, this one shall have parentheses around his name.)

The (Agumon) smiled as he stood by his partner's side. "Well? We going?"

The male nodded. He pulled out a D-3 with orange sides and set the coordinates for the computer. "We're heading to 01-110-GAMMA…but we'll drop ourselves off at 01-111-GAMMA. Ready?" (Agumon) nodded. "Good. Digiport open!" The portal opened, and the two were teleported from their current location to 01-111-GAMMA.

----

"Hey TK!"

The Child of Hope turned around to see Kari and Gatomon. "What's up Kari?"

Kari leaned on her knees, her lungs desperate for air. After regaining her breath, Kari asked, "What's with you? You just ran off!"

TK held his digivice forward and showed it to Kari. "This is why. Is your digivice doing the same thing?" Kari, in her attempt to catch up with TK, had not paid attention to the slight rumble in her shorts. She pulled out her digivice…only to find out it was doing the same thing as TK's. "Hey, you're right!"

TK nodded. "That's why I left. I'm trying to find out what these signals mean." TK turned his head to the left to a rather large cave. "And they're coming from inside that cave."

Gatomon stepped forward, her sharp eyes trying to discern what was inside the cave. Whatever was in there…it was at the very back. "Well whatever's in there, we might as well face it."

Patamon hovered above TK's head, pulled off his white hat, and then set back down on the boy's head, taking refuge under the hat. "I just hope whatever's in there isn't scary."

The two Digidestined (with Digimon by their side) ventured into the dark cave, hoping whatever was in there would be of some help. After several minutes of walking through the cave, they found the end. A hole in the ceiling let the sunlight in, illuminating two objects sitting beside each other on a table made of rock.

Judging by the looks, both of the objects were digieggs. The one on the left was a perfect oval shape, save for the slight bulge on the front. Gold metal covered the whole digiegg, save for the top. The top was colored orange, with appendages that looked like Patamon's wings sticking out of it. A furry mane of white hair stuck out of the top, going down the back of the egg. There was a circular rim on each side of the egg, and on the very front was an upside-down Crest of Hope.

The digiegg on the right was made of a completely white metal. It was as if wings were folded around the egg. Two feet stuck out of the bottom, each with three purple talons. Two gold ridges jutted upward from the top of the digiegg. Emblazoned on the front of the digiegg was the Crest of Light.

TK and Kari looked at the Digieggs in shock. "Digieggs…"

Patamon came out from under TK's hat and looked at the Digieggs of Hope and Light. "Wow. More Digieggs."

Gatomon hopped on the table and looked at the Digiegg of Light, an intense glare on her face. "…I wonder what's under these Digieggs…" Her gaze turned to TK and Kari. "Try lifting them."

TK and Kari were a bit hesitant. So far, the Digieggs had only been lifted by new Digidestined. However, they were a bit pressed for time. After all, if there were two new Digidestined, wouldn't they have shown up by now? Nonetheless, there was no time for questions. The two children stepped over to the table and placed their hands upon their respective Digieggs (Kari on the Digiegg of Light, and TK on the Digiegg of Hope).

Then…they pulled.

To their surprise, the Digieggs came up without a problem. Kari and TK stumbled backwards, regaining their balance after nearly tripping over themselves.

TK blinked, out of disbelief if more than anything. "We…lifted them."

Before Kari could respond, three motes of light came out of each hole. The lights that came out of the Digiegg of Hope's hole were green, while the Digiegg of Light's motes were pink.

The left motes collided with Kari and TK's digivices, turning them into D-3s. The D-3 that belonged to TK had sides that were colored green, while Kari's sides were colored pink.

The motes on the right materialized into D-Terminals. The Digiegg of Light melded into the right D-Terminal, while the Digiegg of Hope melded into the one on the left. The D-Terminals then set down into their respective owner's hands.

As for the center motes…they collided with Gatomon and Patamon.

Patamon Armor-Digivolve to……Pegasusmon: Flying Hope!

Gatomon Armor-Digivolve to……Nefertimon: The Angel of Light!

TK and Kari stared at their partners in awe. They had just armor-digivolved right in front of them.

Pegasusmon looked exactly like the Pegasus of Roman mythology…except Pegasumon's fur was orange. Golden gauntlets with wing and diamond-shaped designs on them covered his hooves, and each of them had blue sapphires on them. His tail was a furry waterfall of light blonde hair, flowing gracefully (and without knots!). A golden muzzle coated his face with a light-blue triangle emblazoned on the forehead. There were tiny slits in the helmet where his blue eyes could see. A mane of light blonde hair (no knots!) flowed down his face and neck, giving him a majestic look. His ears looked like miniature versions of Patamon's wings…but the real wings were angelic wings with light-orange feathers. Finally, a breastplate with the Chest of Hope adorned on it covered his chest.

Nefertimon was like a sphinx: body of a lion, head of a human. The face, however, was covered by a silver facemask with a golden eagle sticking outward from the top of the mask. She wore a brestplate made of silver with gray markings on it. Silver shoulder pads with gold lining covered her shoulders, and a golden necklace adorned her neck. On her front arms were large gauntlets adorned with gold trim and red rubies. Her talons were dark gray, and skin-tight yellow leather covered her front claws. Her fur was pure white, while her back legs had pink talons. Her tail was long and thin, with fuzzy purple fur on the end. Sticking out of her back were large angelic wings with white feathers. Light blonde hair stuck down the side of her head, with large cat ears. Embroidered on the center of her breastplate was the Crest of Light.

TK and Kari looked at their partners with shock. "Guys…"

Pegasusmon, in a deep and graceful voice (think Angemon), said, "I am Pegasusmon! I'm an angelic horse Digimon with heavenly powers! My Star Shower and Equis Beam will defeat my foes!"

Nefertimon, in a refined and rather high-pitched voice, said, "I am Nefertimon! I am an angelic sphinx Digimon with the powers of light on my side! I will purify and defeat my foes with my Rosetta Stone and Cat's Eye Beam!"

Pegasusmon neighed as he said, "Get on TK! We need to get back with Cody and Yolei!"

TK slapped his forehead; he had almost forgotten about them. "Let's go!" TK jumped onto Pegasusmon's back, while Kari got onto Nefertimon's back. Thankfully, the hole was large enough for them to fly upward. As Pegasusmon and Nefertimon lifted upward, Kari had another concern on her mind.

I wonder if Davis is okay…

----

Davis struggled against his bonds as hard as he could. He was restrained against the side of a cliff, as was Veemon. The two had been struggling against their bonds as hard as they could…but to no avail.

"Go ahead. Keep on. It's nice to watch you struggle."

And the Emperor was enjoying every moment of it. The madman was leaning against the wall of the ledge he was on, grinning as his prisoners struggled. They were all currently in a deep chasm…very deep.

Davis growled and shouted, "Let us go you jerk! Afraid to fight me like a man?!"

The Emperor sighed as he calmly replied, "Honestly, you think I'm stupid? I'm not your standard cliché villain. I actually have a purpose to capturing you…I'm just torturing you for a little bit." The sadistic grin on his face was enough to drive one mad.

In Davis' case, he literally went mad. He roared and yelled at the Emperor, trying to insult him as bad as he could. The Emperor, however, simply shrugged it all off. "Oh well, enough for now. Time to finish my plan."

The Emperor held a Dark Ring in his hands, his eyes staring cruelly at Veemon. Of course, his purple shades prevent Davis from seeing them. "I'll take control of Veemon…then I'll take you D-Terminal and digivice."

Davis growled…then blinked as he digested the second part of the sentence. "Why do you want my D-Terminal?"

"I've determined that it is where your digieggs go once the battle ends. I'm intrigued by your digieggs…after all, when this 'Armor-Digivolution' can bypass the digivolution dampening powers of my Dark Digivice, it's a cause for concern." The Emperor chuckled as he prepared to throw the Dark Ring at Veemon. "And it's a concern I plan to eliminate."

Before the Emperor could toss the ring, a huge gust of wind burst by. The wind knocked the Emperor off-balance…and it broke the metal restraints. Davis blinked as he started to fall. Did he just see a blur of blue light?

Davis shook his head before taking out his blue D-3. He quickly shouted, "Digivolve!"

Veemon armor-digivolve to……Flamedramon: The Fire of Courage!

The Armor Champion grabbed Davis and bounded from side-to-side on the chasm walls, going upward towards the light above. Soon, they were out of the Emperor's sight.

The Emperor dusted himself and looked upward. The two had escaped…but in the end, it wouldn't matter. He would get his victory.

He pressed a button on his gauntlet…and was immediately teleported back to his base.

----

Flamedramon leapt out of the gorge, letting Davis down on the ground. The boy rubbed his wrists and ankles, as they were feeling sore from the restraints. However, one thing bugged his mind. What was that blue blur I saw?

"Davis." The boy looked up at Flamedramon, who was looking toward the northwest. "We need to get back to the others."

Davis nodded and hopped onto Flamedramon's back, who immediately took off. He jumped high into the air to gain distance, eventually disappearing into the horizon.

Meanwhile, two figures watched from a nearby forest, which managed to somehow grow on top of the chasm walls (it was the Digital World, what do you expect?).

The male figure grinned. "Nice one."

A taller, more muscular being nodded. "It saved Davis. That's good enough for me."

The smaller male nodded in agreement as well. "Well, let's go." The smaller male hopped onto the larger being's back…then it took off in a blur of blue light, causing a sonic boom to erupt.

----

Halsemon mused inside the blue heart. "Why do we fight? There is no purpose for it…right?" Yolei pounded against the side of the heart, trying to rouse Halsemon out of his funk. "Come on Halsemon! Get out!"

Monzaemon chuckled as he stomped over to Yolei and Cody. "Don't bother! They cannot break out at all. Now…you will die!"

Centarumon stepped forward and charged up his gun-arm again. "Now you shall die! You fought valiantly, but it ends now! Solar Ray!"

"Not so fast! Star Shower!"

Blue stars suddenly bombarded Centarumon and Monzaemon. The stars not only forced them to dodge in reverse…but it also popped the hearts. Digmon and Halsemon shook their heads, wondering what the heck just happened.

Cody and Yolei looked on in confusion, and then looked up to see…a pegasus and a sphinx hovering above them.

TK and Kari waved down on them with a look of happiness on their faces. "We're back!"

Yolei squealed in joy as TK and Kari were set down beside them. "Alright! You got some reinforcements!"

Kari smiled; Yolei looked rather happy to see them. "We found the Digieggs of Hope and Light…and the result was Pegasusmon and Nefertimon!"

Monzaemon and Centarumon grumbled as the two Armored Champions joined Halsemon's and Digmon's side. They had been able to hold out before…but they started to doubt that.

"Hey! Did you start the party without me?!"

Everyone looked up to see Davis and Flamedramon suddenly descend from above. Flamedramon flexed his fists and glared at the two possessed Digimon. "I need to get a workout too, ya know?"

"Davis!" Everyone ran towards him, glad to see him. TK asked, "What happened to you?"

Davis, taking this opportunity to impress Kari, boasted, "The Emperor tried to kill me and take control of Veemon, but no chance!"

Yolei slapped Davis upside the head. "You can flaunt your ego later!!"

Davis seethed as he gave a death glare at Yolei. After that, he turned his attention towards Monzaemon and Centarumon. "Flamedramon!"

"Take this! Fire Rocket!"

"Eagle Eye!"

"Gold Rush!"

Monzaemon and Centarumon tried their best to shield themselves from the suppression fire of the three Armored Champions…but they didn't notice Pegasusmon and Nefertimon flying behind them.

"Equis Beam!" The triange on his forehead glowed a bright green before a triangular beam of the same color erupted from his forehead…then clashed with Monzaemon's Dark Ring.

"Rosetta Stone!" A wave of pink light emerged from Nefertimon's back, and out of it came a slab of rock that looked like…the Rosetta Stone (how come archaeologist's haven't sued Toei for that yet?). It crashed into Centarumon's Dark Ring.

Both of them cracked and burst into data. Centarumon and Monzaemon rubbed their eyes, and they groggily asked, "What…what happened?"

The five Armor Digimon dedigivolved to their previous forms as TK explained what happened to the two former minions. "So Monzaemon…shouldn't you get back to Toy Town?"

The giant teddy bear yelped and ran off. "Thanks for saving me!" He then went out of sight.

TK then turned to Centarumon. "What about you?"

The centaur shook his head. "No. I'll wander around Server for a bit." The centaur started walking away…then looked back at the Digidestined, his eye revealing gratitude. "Thank you for freeing me." He then galloped away.

Davis grinned as he waltzed over to the Digiport-TV. "Well, so much for the Emperor's trap! Let's head home!"

Veemon moaned as he rubbed his tummy. "I think I ate too much." The group shared a collective laugh as Kari took the honors of opening the Digiport. The light enveloped the Digidestined and returned them to the Digiworld…but little did they know, the Digimon were taken with them as well.

----

The Emperor grumbled as he watched the Digidestined – and Digimon – exit the Digiworld through the Digiport. His trap had failed, and now he had lost not only another Champion…but an Ultimate as well.

At the rate things were going, the towers that served as the amplifiers of his Dark Digivice's power would be discovered…and if they were discovered, his plans would unravel very quickly.

"I'll have to accelerate my plans."

To be continued…

Next time…

Episode 4-Introducing the Control Spires

Author's Note: 15 DAYS?! GAH!!! GETTING LAZIER!!! curses _Halo PC _and_ the Wind Waker_ and hurries to upload his next chapter


	4. Introducing the Control Spires

Standard Disclaimer: Do I really need to tell you this?  
  
Author's Note: Gah. 15 days to update my last chapter? I must be getting lazy! Oh well. Meanwhile, I will start a little prologue section of commenting on reviews…starting this episode!  
  
Anthony1: Don't think I didn't notice the quotations you put around 'mystery figures'. Don't leak the info, or else I'll…I'll…*thinks for a moment, then gets his phonebook* Hmm…Myotismon…Apocalymon…Milleniummon…Ganondorf…Kefka…Sephiroth…Ansem…well, you get the idea. :P  
  
Begin!  
  


  
----

"This is TK. Yesterday I spent my first afternoon after school wondering about how we'll deal with the Digital World, school, and the Emperor all at the same time! When we went to the Digiworld the next day, Davis and Veemon were separated from us while Centarumon and Monzaemon ambushed us! Luckily, Kari and I found two more digieggs that helped Patamon and Gatomon become Pegasusmon and Nefertimon! Davis and Veemon managed to escape the Emperor, and we saved Centarumon and Monzaemon!"

----

Episode 4: Introducing the Control Spires

----

"……um…do you guys mind?"  
  


Now, 60-89% (not an accurate figure) of you probably know what the previous phrase means. Fortunately, for the 11-40% (same deal) of you who don't know what it means, I'll explain it to you.

Davis was once again…on the bottom of the dog-pile.   
  
As the rest of the Digidestined got of him, Davis looked at the clock situated above the door. "3:47. Not bad."  
  


Yolei playfully stuck his tongue out, taking another chance to tease Davis. "Looks like you won't get in trouble _this_ time!" 

Davis gave Yolei a death glare and growled menacingly at her. "Put a sock in it!"  
  
"You two sure do like to pick on each other."  
  
All five children suddenly froze. Whoever just spoke…was not one of them. Had they just been caught? Did someone ELSE just witness their return from the Digiworld?  
  
All five of them nervously turned around as the consequences of their sudden predicament swirled through their heads. What was going to happen?

When they fully turned around…they saw six faces they did not expect to see. 

"WHAT?!?!"  
  


The six faces were those of Digimon. Gatomon, Patamon, Koromon, and the three dedigivolved forms of Veemon, Hawkmon, and Armadillomon stood before them. Everyone gasped…then Davis blinked out of confusion. "Hey. Who are the four little guys?"  
  


Veemon's dedigivolved form was much smaller – about a foot tall – but he bore many characteristics of his Rookie form. Gone were the horn, the yellow markings, claws, and nose (okay, so they're NOT so similar). The skin on his face and belly was still the same shade of white as before, but his mouth was now tinier. His arms were replaced by little blue 'stubs', which were basically arms without elbows. His feet didn't have any claws, and his ears were bent flaps of skin. "You silly! I'm DemiVeemon, the In-Training form of Veemon!" His red eyes gazed happily at the group.

Armadillomon's In-Training form was _completely_ different. Gone were the legs, the shell, and the green eyes.  He was now basically a ball of thin, light-yellow fur. His ears spread out like fans, with three fur tips sticking out of each. His eyes were now like little black marbles…and he had an EXTREMELY cute smile. "I'm Upamon! And I used to be Armadillomon!"  
  


Hawkmon's dedigivolved form had gone under a color-change to say the least. The red and white feathers of Hawkmon were now…pink. The little bird had no legs, but the wings were still there, albeit they were smaller. Everything about the Digimon was smaller, wings, body, eyes (which were still light-blue), and all. The headband was gone, but the red-colored, yellow-tipped feather remained. "The name's Poromon! I'm Hawkmon's In-Training form!"

And of course, there was Koromon. The 'pink soccer ball', as Tai so affectionately put it once. "And you know me as Koromon!"  
  


Another thing that Davis, Yolei, and Cody noted about the Digimon's In-Training forms…their voices had become chibified. In other words…EXTREMELY cute. 

TK, however, was a little more distressed with the situation. They couldn't have Digimon waltzing around in the Real World. The question, however, was why they followed them. "Mind telling us why you guys followed us?"  
  


The look in Gatomon's eyes indicated her astonishment at the question. Her astonishment stemmed from the obviousness of her answer. "Isn't it obvious? We came here to escape from the Emperor."

Everyone nodded in agreement (while TK slapped himself in the forehead for missing the obvious). The Digimon had been chased by the Emperor for quite a while (the same couldn't be said for DemiVeemon, Upamon, and Poromon, but they too were chased by the Emperor for the previous part of the day), and it was very easy to see that they longed for some _true_ rest for once. 

  
Unfortunately, there was one problem.

"One question. How will we sneak them into our houses?" 

Cody's question silenced them all. Parental and family matters would put a definite damper on their attempt to shelter their partners. To their surprise, Davis answered it with a simple action. He grabbed his backpack, unzipped the top, and showed the opening to DemiVeemon. "Go ahead! Hop in!"

DemiVeemon looked inside, then eagerly hopped in. Davis zipped it downward until only a two-inch-long hole (for air of course) remained. Davis grinned as he slipped the backpack over his shoulders. "Well, that solves that problem!"

Within moments, all of the Digimon were in their respective partner's backpacks (Gatomon was too large, but she was confident in her ability to follow Kari without being seen.). Kari looked casually at TK and asked, "So, you going to see Matt tonight?"  
  


TK nodded. "Yeah. He sent me a backstage pass for tonight's concert in the auditorium."

Davis suddenly seemed to freeze at those words. Could it be? Was it possible that… "Um, TF…" Davis finally decided to ask, although he was a little scared of what the answer would possibly be. "By Matt, do you mean the Matt Ishida that's the lead vocalist and guitarist of the Teenage Wolves?"  
  


TK stared at Davis oddly – considering he had gotten his name wrong AGAIN – before nodding. "Yeah, that's the same Matt that's my brother."  
  


Davis froze. Not only was TK a former buddy of Kari and Tai…his big brother just happened to be the lead on Odaiba's biggest teen band! _GAH!!! This can't be!!!_ Let us shake our heads in worry for the boy (and start planning a memorial for his sanity; he'll crack at this rate).

TK was a little put off by the expression of shock that appeared on Davis' face, but it disappeared in less than a moment. Shrugging it off, TK waved goodbye to everyone before leaving. 

Kari pondered on how to get Gatomon out of the school. After all, there were still lots of students walking around the hallways. Suddenly, Gatomon answered the question for her. 

By opening the window.

Gatomon turned around and said, "I'll follow you once you leave." With that said, Gatomon jumped out of the window, sprinted toward the nearest gutter pipe, and zipped up to the roof. Kari sighed; her partner was certainly not afraid to take risks.

Yolei and Cody waved goodbye to Davis and Kari before leaving (with Poromon and Upamon hidden in their backpacks), and Davis found himself alone with Kari. 

_Perfect!_  
  
But before he could extend his offer of walking Kari home…

His backpack rumbled as DemiVeemon stuck his head out. "It stinks in here! And your books are hurting my back!"  
  


Davis mentally cursed. He'd have to give his partner some payback later on. "Well you'll have to deal with it! Until we get home, you're stuck in there!"  
  


"Aw poopie!" DemiVeemon grimaced as he bravely went back inside the backpack. When Davis turned back around, Kari had already gone. Davis moped and muttered, "Nothing ever goes right for me…" Davis, his shoulders slouched, dragged his body out of the computer lab.

----

It was 5:05 PM.

Cody glared at the man opposite him, his face obscured by the plastic-mesh mask – otherwise known as the 'men' – that covered it. Cody gripped the tsuka of his shinai tightly as his opponent waited for him to move. Sweat soaked the chest area of Cody's white-and-gray bogu, his body beginning to ache after 30 minutes of continuous kendo practice.  

Finally, Cody launched his attack. He raised his shinai and swung downward at his opponent, who promptly evaded it by moving backwards. Cody quickly responded with a thrust toward the Do that protected his opponent's torso. 

Unfortunately for Cody, his opponent parried the blow and moved to the side before doing a quick strike to Cody's unprotected hands. For this match, Cody and his opponent had agreed to not use their Kote – fencing gloves – in this match. This made both of their hands prime targets. 

Cody should know. After all, he had tried to attack them repeatedly throughout the match.

His opponent had either dodged, parried, or blocked all attempts at doing so.

And now, his opponent struck his hand immediately, causing a shock to erupt through his hand. This caused him to drop his shinai to the floor. Cody gulped as it fell to the floor.

His opponent immediately shouted, "Hansoku-shinair hanashi!" A Hansoku in kendo was an illegal act…and dropping one's shinai (shinair hanashi) was one of them. 

Cody's opponent pulled his men off…revealing the face of an elderly man. His face was tanned and wrinkled, and his eyes were narrow and seemed full of wisdom. A thin, wiry white mustache lined his nose, and he was…smiling.

His name was Daniel Hida. And he was Cody's grandfather…and kendo teacher. 

The old man sternly, yet calmly said, "I asked for us to not use our Kote so that I could teach you a very important lesson. Since the hands were no longer protected, they were easy targets. However, it is very easy to predict your opponent if you know where they will strike. For example, out of all the times you attacked me, only three strikes did not go to my hands. Remember…if your opponent knows your attack plan, you can do nothing. Keep him guessing. Strike where he will least expect it."  
  
Cody bowed to his grandfather, his body aching from the battle. He mentally scolded himself for not recognizing the reason behind the match. _I should've known better_. His eyes hardened a bit as he mentally chastised himself.

His grandfather noticed this. He gently put his wrinkled, yet toughened hand upon the boy's shoulder. "Do not scold yourself grandson. Being humbled and taught is all a part of learning and growing up. You should only scold yourself if you fail to learn the lessons you've been taught."  

Cody nodded, repeating his grandfather's words over and over inside his head until they were permanently etched into his memory. He always respected the words of his elders, and he always did his best to obey their orders, rules, and wishes.

Daniel Hida finally put away his shinai and slid open the wood-panel door, revealing the kitchen where Anna Hida was making dinner. "Daughter, how is dinner coming along?"  
  


Even though Daniel was Cody's grandfather on his father's side, he still considered his son's wife his daughter. It was a term of endearment, and Anna enjoyed that.   
  
She looked at Cody's sweaty face before another thought crossed her mind. "Oh, by the way Cody…when I went into your room earlier to dust, I found a strange yellow doll of yours. Where'd you get it?"  
  


Cody answered without missing a beat. "It was a gift from Yolei. A gift of friendship."  
  


Anna smiled as she went back to cooking ramen soup. "That's nice Cody."  
  


Cody hated lying. Unfortunately, he was left with no choice. He was just glad that Upamon kept up his guise as a doll.

He just hoped it would last.

(Anyone else confused by my use of official kendo words? Go to www.rain.org/~galvan/glossary.txt and read the Kendo dictionary! :P )

----

Yolei sighed as she flopped onto her bed. Her body was tired from her previous adventure into the Digital World – so tired that she forgot one important thing.

"Hey! Let me out of here!"  
  


Yolei blinked as her backpack rumbled. _D'oh! How could I have forgotten about Poromon?! _She unzipped her backpack and watched as Poromon flew out. He came to a stop atop Yolei's pillow, preening his wings with his beak. "About time! It was incredibly cramped in there!"  
  


Yolei rubbed the back of her head nervously. In all her life, she never thought she would be scolded by a creature that looked like a pink bird. "Sorry about that. I sort of…forgot."  
  
A vein bulged in the little bird's forehead. "YOU FORGOT?!"  
  
Yolei gulped. She shakily put her hands up in defense. "D-don't be mad! Everyone makes mistakes!"  
  


Poromon sighed as he folded his wings against his sides. "I suppose."  
  


Yolei, however, was not content to leave it at that. She had to win the little Digimon back over…and she knew how. She ran out of the room in a flash.

Poromon looked confusingly at the door. "Hm?"  
  
Yolei returned a few minutes later, holding a plastic packet in her hands. She hastily ripped it open and showed the contents to Poromon. "Two Twinkies. Want em'?"

Poromon's eyes glowed at the sight of the two sweets. "YAY!" Poromon flew into Yolei's hand and began wolfing down the Twinkies. Yolei giggled as Poromon ate. _The way to a Digimon's heart is through its stomach!_  
  


  
----

"Um…why did you blindfold me Kari?"  
  


Tai asked this question for a third time as Kari led him to her room. Kari had come home 15 minutes ago, and she had told Tai that she was preparing a surprise. Tai, being the inquisitive guy he was, continued to egg Kari on with his questions and begging. 

Now, Kari had blindfolded her brother, and she was now leading him to the surprise that was in her room.

"Kari! When can I look?!"  
  


Kari chuckled at her brother's begging. "You'll see." She opened her door and gently shoved him in. She closed the door behind him…and yanked the blindfold off.

Tai rubbed his eyes to clear his vision. When the blurriness finally faded…he gaped at what was on the bed.

"Surprise!" 

That was what Koromon said before leaping onto Tai and knocking him to the floor. Kari giggled as she watched a creature no bigger than a soccer ball tackle her older brother (the soccer ball attacking the soccer player…how ironic.). "Hope you like it."  
  


Tai stared at Koromon in shock. Then at Kari in shock. Koromon. Kari. Koromon. Kari. "Um…what's Koromon doing here?"

----

"This is your room?"  
  
DemiVeemon looked at his partner's room in confusion. Dirty clothes of all kinds (save for bras, pantyhose, and other female apparel.) were littered across the floor. Several action figures of various kinds (Gundams, Dragonball, and insert-here-whatever-else-you-think-would-be-there.) were strewn across the room. A plethora of books were hastily (or lazily, if you prefer) piled into one corner of the room.   
  
In other words, it was a mess.

Davis grinned as if he held some pride in the mess. "Yup! This is my room!"

DemiVeemon crawled out of Davis' backpack and sat on his partner's bed, looking at the mess in confusion. Davis couldn't help but notice the look. "Yeah, I know it's a bit messy, but I know where everything is." Davis calmly flopped down on his bed and pulled a CD player out from under a pile of clothes. He slipped the headphones onto his head and began humming a tune.

DemiVeemon, who had never seen a CD player before, tapped Davis on the side of the head. "What's that Davish?"

Davis groaned as he paused the song and replied to his inquisitive partner's question. "It's a CD player, and I'm currently listening to a song. It's called 'Otherworld'." Davis pressed the Play button again and to sing along…softly, however. "Go. Now. If you want it…an otherworld awaits you…"  
  


DemiVeemon silently sat beside his partner as he sang the tune. Soon, he was singing along as well.

(Can anyone guess where the song they're singing comes from?)

----

"**_The path may be lost…"_**  
  


Four high school boys were on the stage. All of them wore their standard high school uniforms. One played the drums. One played a conventional guitar. The last two played the electric guitar. The one playing the old-fashioned guitar happened to be the lead singer.

"**_The way is not known…_**"  
  


The lead had golden-blonde hair, and its general spikiness indicated the use of hair gel…and lots of it. Sweat trickled down his neck as he continued playing and singing in front of the large crowd. The microphone amplified his rich voice so that all those inside the auditorium could hear him. The ones playing the electric guitar provided secondary voices for the song.

"**_But one thing's for sure…_**"  
  


Speaking of the crowd, it consisted of a large number of high school students and some middle school students. Even a few elementary school children had turned up to see the band play. And the band's name was…

"**_I'LL FIND MY OWN WAY!!!_**"

The Teenage Wolves.

And the lead singer happened to be Matt Ishida.

The crowd went crazy as the song closed off on a high note. The Teenage Wolves bowed to the audience as the curtain closed, signaling the end of the afternoon concert. As Matt put his guitar into its case, he grinned at the sound of the applause.

After all, the Teenage Wolves were Odaiba's hottest teen band.

"I hear that you've become quite the teen sensation bro."  
  


Matt's ears twitched as the familiar voice reached his ears. _That voice…is it him?_ Matt turned around to see a familiar boy in a white hat. The look was familiar…but not quite the same. _Is that him?! Man! He's grown!_   
  
TK smiled at Matt's shocked expression. "Nice to see you again big bro."  
  


----

"So, you've become a teen sensation eh? You've done quite well for yourself."  
  


TK conversed with Matt as they walked along the sidewalk, walking towards the apartment complex Matt and Hiroaki Ishida lived in. TK enjoyed spending some time with his brother…especially after seeing him for the first time in four years.

Matt grinned as he replied to his little brother. "Yup. I've gotten a lot of fans in the past couple of years. A lot of them…"  
  
A thought popped into the younger Takaishi's head, and he quickly blurted out, "Do you have any," He paused to think of the right word. "Obsessive fans?"  
  


Before the older Ishida could answer…

"Oh Maaaaaaatt!!!!"  
  


Matt suddenly froze at the sound of the feminine voice that reached his ears. Sweat suddenly seemed to sprout from his forehead as he muttered, "Oh no…" Matt quickly grabbed TK by the wrist and ran around the corner before ducking into the closest diner. Before the admittedly confused TK could ask anything, Matt told him to be quiet and shoved his head down below the window.

A few moments later, a teenage girl with spiky dull-cherry hair stopped at the corner. She looked in several different directions before continuing on. Matt dared to peek over the window and sighed in relief. The two stepped out of the diner and gladly said, "That was close."  
  


TK blinked in confusion as they continued walking along. "Who was she?"  
  


Matt groaned as the thought of the girl came into his head again. "Oh, her name's Jun Motomiya. Probably my most obsessive fan in the city."  
  


"Jun Motomiya…" TK pondered over the name for a moment before getting a connection. "Must be Davis' sister."  
  


"Davis?" said Matt as TK made his connection. "You must mean Tai's friend. I've only met a few times, but he's basically a mini-Tai."  
  


TK chuckled at Matt's comparison. That's when his backpack began to rumble. TK unzipped it and pulled out his partner, who was gagging for air. "Jeez TK! Do you have to keep me cramped in here?!"  
  


"Sorry Patamon," apologized TK. "But I had no other way to get you out of the school."  
  
"Uh…TK…?"  
  


TK and Patamon turned their heads and looked at Matt, whose face was completely filled with shock, surprise, and absolute astonishment. "Please tell me that's an incredibly realistic doll…"  
  


TK smiled as he gently cradled Patamon. "Nope. He's the real deal. I forgot to mention…the Digiports are open again."  
  
Matt stared at TK in alarm. The Digital World was open again? "You're…you're joking!" TK shook his head. Matt just reflected over this while his face went from alarm, to shock, to a realization of joy. _That means…Gabumon…_

  
Matt suddenly smiled as he grabbed TK by the shoulders. "Next time you decide to go to the Digiworld…I'm going! I need to see Gabumon!"  
  


TK chuckled as a bead of sweat went down his head. _Looks like he still remembers. _"There's a few little things you need to know first…"  
  


Matt's face now was one of confusion. "Huh? Like what?"  
  


As Matt's apartment came into view, TK started explaining to him about the Digimon Emperor and the new Digidestined…

----

Izzy yawned as he finished putting the final touches on his program. It had taken him over several hours, but he was finally on the verge of finishing it.

The program in question was a map of the Digital World.

"Hey!" yelled Izzy to no one in particular. "It's not just a map! It's a grid-by-grid field chart that allows us to choose a digiport from which to emerge from!"

(Uh…Izzy? Do you mind not breaking the fourth wall?)

"You mean talking out-of-context while still in-character?"  
  


(Same thing! Now get back to the story!)  
  
"Alright already!" grumbled Izzy as he turned back around to continue working on his laptop_. I take offense at the insinuation that this is just a simple map._

(I heard that!)  
  
Izzy decided to just keep quiet from there on out.

----

(NEXT DAY!)  
  
DemiVeemon winced as he watched a soccer ball bean a young boy in the head, sending him into a daze. "Ow, that's gotta hurt."

"You said it!" chirped Poromon.

That morning, when Davis, Yolei, Cody, TK, and Kari had arrived at school, they were in a fix about what to do with their Digimon. Keeping them in their backpacks the whole day was out of the question; the little guys would suffocate and cause a commotion. It would be the same deal with putting them in their lockers. Besides, lock-pickers and locker thieves were common in the middle school (Yolei can testify to this.).

So they had decided to do something else. 

Gatomon and Patamon had carried DemiVeemon and Upamon to the roof of the school, while Poromon simply flew up there. They spent the day up there, watching as the students of all three facilities used the fields. Sadly, Koromon had been forced to stay home (Tai was not willing to let Koromon use his hair as a hiding place.)When the fields were empty, they had been forced to converse and play games amongst themselves (Gatomon whipped all of them at 20 Questions, but was sadly lacking any kind of similar luck with Truth or Dare.). 

Unfortunately for them, they had been unable to partake in lunch with their partners. Fortunately for them, Gatomon had managed to swipe some conveniently leftover snacks (she also noticed that Davis, Yolei, Cody, TK, and Kari left a note near the snack pile) for them to feed on.

Then, the clock had struck at 3.

A swarm of children, teenagers, and young adults had cascaded from the doors, coming onto the fields to do their after-school activities. Bands played their instruments, children traversed the playgrounds, and numerous members of all three facilities played on the large soccer field.

Now, it was nearly time for the Digidestined to get them (coming out of past perfect tense; buckle your seatbelts!).

"When are they going to come out?" asked Upamon, his curiosity about all of the activity getting to him. 

Patamon leered over the edge of the roof to see the familiar white hat of his partner. "I see mine!" That's when everyone else came out. "And everyone else too!"

All five of the children stopped, seemingly waiting for something. Their backpacks were open, and only a couple of books were inside each. It seemed they were waiting to put in something larger…

When no one was in immediate view, TK gave a thumbs-up. 

The five Digimon quickly jumped down, aiming for their respective partner's backpacks. Upamon landed softly in Cody's backpack. Poromon did it much the same way. Patamon used his wings to help direct himself into TK's pack. Gatomon, despite her larger size, was able to fit in Kari's backpack now that most of her books were out.

DemiVeemon and Davis were another story.

DemiVeemon mistimed his jump. As a result, he didn't land in Davis' backpack…

Instead, it was on his head.

Davis, who had prepared for a jolt to originate from his backpack, was caught completely off guard by the sudden movement that pushed him forward. As a result…he fell on his face.

"Ow."  
  


DemiVeemon bashfully rubbed the back of his head. "Sorry Davish."

Davis grumbled as his partner jumped into his backpack. The boy dusted himself off as he forced himself to repress his impulse to shout in annoyance._ Keep your cool…keep your cool. _"Okay, so who got a message from Izzy?"  
  


Everyone raised their hands.

TK immediately said, "Well, let's head to the computer lab and see what he wants to show us then."  
  


Davis seethed as everyone followed TK inside. "No fair TC! I was gonna say that!"  
  


His mispronunciation of TK's name only solicited a round of laughs and giggles from the others. Davis seethed as he quietly followed them inside the school building.

----

The Emperor was not pleased.

His amplifiers were in danger of being discovered. 

In their three previous trips to the Digital World, the Digidestined had narrowly missed stumbling upon his amplifiers. Narrowly.

If things were going at this current rate, the Digidestined would be visiting the Digiworld once more on this Wednesday afternoon. 

  
And he had an awful feeling in his gut about this afternoon. 

He opened up a part of his gauntlet and issued a command to mobilize. He wanted to send a reinforcement regiment wherever the Digidestined popped up.

"Let's just hope my luck holds out."

----

"Matt? What are you doing here?"

The Ishida teenager chuckled at Kari's question. He stood beside Izzy as the Child of Knowledge worked on uploading the Digital Grid program to the computer he usually worked on in the lab. 

He casually smirked and replied, "I heard form TK that the Digital World's open for travel again. So I decided to come along this time to see if I can find Gabumon." His cool demeanor couldn't hide the eagerness in his voice.

"So Izzy," asked Yolei as she watched the Digimon feed on some of her leftover brownies from Monday. "What'd you call us about?"

Izzy motioned for all of them to come over to the computer. As the others gathered around him, he pointed at a large grid that was displayed on the monitor. The grid of white squares was arranged like a rectangle, with 832 squares on it. The squares were arranged in a 32-by-26 fashion. However…some squares were colored black.

"This grid is a representation of all the land mass of the Digital World," explained Izzy. "Much like Earth, three-fourths of the Digital World is made up of water, so the grid only represents the land. There's roughly one Digiport for each sector, so you can easily choose where you want to go."

TK couldn't help but notice that a rather large portion of squares on the left side of the map was a night-black color. "Pardon me if I sound naïve, but how come some of the squares are black?"  
  


"The reason is because dark energy is radiating from those sectors." Izzy tried to sound matter-of-factly about this, but he couldn't help but reveal the chill in his voice. "I assume it's because of the Emperor, but we need to find out what's causing the negative energy."  
  


Davis pulled out his D-3 as a cocky smirk came to his face. "Well what are we waiting for? Let's go then!"  
  


Matt teasingly joked, "Hold on there cowboy. Let's choose a sector first."

"I suggest here." Izzy pointed to a black square that sat at least two sectors away from any other black square. "01-111-BETA. It's all alone and away from any other black square. Sound good?"

"Sounds good!" said everyone in unison. The Digimon hopped on the shoulders of their respective partners as Davis held his D-3 toward the computer. "Digiport open!"  
  


With a flash of blue light, everyone sans Izzy was sucked into the Digital World.

----

Beep!  
  
"Hmm?" The Emperor looked at the map, noticing that a Digiport had just been opened in 01-111-BETA. "So…they've finally come."

He spoke into his gauntlet's COM-link. "Reinforcement regiment #1 and #2! Advance to sector 01-111-BETA immediately!"

The Emperor cut the link and grinned. He prepared to open a Digiport to sector 01-111-BETA as a happy thought soared through his head.

The Digidestined were going to fall this time…he was sure of it.

----

"Davis! Get off!"

Davis was glad about one thing. For once, he had come out on top of the dog-pile.   
  


However, that also meant he was on top of everyone else…and unlike the others, Matt Ishida was unaccustomed to being in such a disheveled jumble. 

Davis quickly got off of the pile and readjusted his goggles. "So, anyone know where we are?" Davis looked down to see Veemon…

Wait. Veemon? "Hey! Weren't you DemiVeemon just a moment ago?"

Veemon stood up and grinned. "You see Davish, we Digimon are naturally stronger in the Digital World. That's why we digivolved instantly upon entering the digiport!" Davis noticed that Poromon and Upamon had become Hawkmon and Armadillomon as well…which meant Veemon was correct. "Neat-o!"  
  


After everyone got to their feet and dusted themselves off, Cody took in his surroundings at a glance. They were at the base of a rather large plateau, made of yellow-colored rock. It was arranged in steps, and upon those steps were buildings carved out of the same rock the plateau was made of. A small forest surrounded the whole plateau, but that was not the most striking feature.

The feature that was most prominent…was a black obelisk that stood on the very top of the plateau. Gatomon suddenly gasped in shock at the sight of it. "Unreal…so they are real!"  
  


Kari glanced at her partner with a measure of confusion in her eyes. "What do you mean by 'they are real'?"  
  


Gatomon suddenly had trouble controlling the shivers going down her spine. "I've heard rumors…about obelisks as black as midnight dotting the areas controlled by the Emperor. They signify his power…and I don't know what else they do."  
  


TK gasped as he made a connection. "That obelisk…it must be the object causing the negative energy Izzy was talking about!" 

"_Very_ perceptive!"  
  


Everyone suddenly turned around to see the boy in the purple shades…the Digimon Emperor. "What's the matter? Surprised to see me?"  
  


Gatomon hissed at the Emperor. Davis and Veemon growled, the memory of being held against their wills still fresh in their minds. Matt just chuckled. "So this is the Emperor? You're nothing but a big-mouth kid who's too big for his pants to fit!"

The Emperor chuckled good-naturedly at Matt's insult. It seemed as if he were expecting Ishida to respond that way. "Always so cool and calm Matt Ishida. However," He held up an arm and pointed behind them. "You might want to reconsider upon looking behind you."  
  


Patamon laughed. "Ha! Like we'd fall for that one!"  
  


TK and the others had already turned around…and were immediately regretting it. Takaishi nudged his partner and nervously choked out, "Um, Patamon…I don't think he's fooling us."  
  


Patamon finally decided to turn around…and immediately saw what he was talking about. The red-eyed, blue-haired, yellow-bellied (literally) Veggiemon were situated behind them…and there 30 of them...all controlled by Dark Rings. However, the real danger was the two standing right behind the main body of Veggiemon.

The one on the left was the smaller of the two. Unlike the other Veggiemon, his body was red colored, and the ends of his whip-like arms were covered in bulging spikes. Also, his leaf-like hair was green. Also, a Dark Ring surrounded his gut. "The name's RedVeggiemon! I may look like a rotten vegetable, and I'm proud to say that I am one! My Stink Gas attack will leave you nauseous, and my Red Thorn shall knock you senseless!"  
  


The one on the right was one the Digidestined were familiar with…especially Matt. The giant wolf of white fur and blue stripes. However…the normally red-orange eyes were entirely blood red. And…a Dark Ring encircled his furry neck. "I am Garurumon! My fangs are so sharp that I'll cut through you instantly! Beware of my Howling Blaster!"  
  


Matt froze. He could just tell it was him. He didn't know how…he just knew. That Garurumon…was his dear friend and partner. "Ga…Garurumon…"  
  


"Ah, reunited after so long." The Emperor mockingly said, his grin bigger than before. "But I'm afraid the reunion will have to be cut short. Seize them!" The Veggiemon swarmed them en masse, overwhelming them before they could even have their Digimon armor-digivolve. In less than a minute, the Digidestined were in chains, and the Digimon's arms (or wings, in Hawkmon's case) and legs were bound by ropes. 

The Emperor chuckled as the Veggiemon led the Digidestined away with their Digimon. "Put them in the prison cells! Once I take care of the remaining Gazimon, I will join you. Garurumon. RedVeggiemon. Come!"  
  


The Emperor jumped onto Garurumon and rode him further up the plateau, with RedVeggiemon hanging on to Garurumon's back. Matt seethed with anger as the Emperor rode off. _How dare he ride him as if her were his own personal horse?!?!_

Matt suddenly groaned as a Veggiemon prodded him forward toward the prison cells. Vengeance would come later.

----

"The Veggiemon are still the same…but Garurumon is something new entirely."

The figure nodded in response to (Agumon). The little Rookie's observation was indeed correct; after all, Garurumon had not been controlled by the Dark Ring last time around. "Indeed. We may have to give a little indirect help this time around."  
  


He looked once more at the Digital grid on his computer (a program developed by Gennai, so it's far more advanced than Izzy's) and suddenly noticed six Champion Digimon in 01-101-BETA…and they were advancing towards 01-111-BETA. "Interesting…I'd better pull up a camera view."  
  


He accessed one of the several cameras the Order had installed long ago in 01-101-BETA…and he was intrigued with the picture he was getting. Three Airdramon and three Tyrannomon were rushing southeast toward 01-111-BETA.

"Well that's new as well…the Emperor isn't taking many chances." The figure smirked as he glanced at (Agumon). "Ready to go?"  
  


(Agumon) nodded. The male held out his orange D-3 and pointed it at the computer monitor. "Digiport open!" With a flash, the two were teleported to sector 01-101-BETA.

----

The Digidestined groaned as thick metal shackles were slapped onto their wrists and ankles. The Digimon were also thrown against the wall, groaning as they slid to the sandy floor. The Veggiemon closed the cell doors and shouted, "You stay put until the Emperor returns!" With that, the Veggiemon left the prison. 

Yolei moaned as she struggled against her chains to no avail. "Let us out of here!"  
  


Hawkmon shook his head in disagreement. "I don't think they'll be inclined to let us out Yolei."  
  


Matt sighed as he leaned against the wall, reflecting over his partner's predicament. His old partner and friend had been brought under the control of the Emperor…a cocky, arrogant kid who he thought was too big for his britches. He was cocky, arrogant, and downright annoying…heck, he was almost as annoying as Jun Motomiya!

Wait…Motomiya. Matt glanced over at Davis, who was busy trying to rip his chains off (and not succeeding). Davis' last name was Motomiya…TK had told him that the previous day. If Davis was related to Jun… "Hey Davis."  
  


Davis stopped his struggling momentarily to reply, "What?" 

"You related to Jun?"

  
Davis growled in response to the mentioning of his sister's name. At the very moment, he was considering telling everyone about her 'bra-throw' if she blabbed to Matt Ishida of all people about his 'problems'. "Yeah, what about her?"  
  
Matt mentally leapt for joy. _Finally! A way to get her off my back!_ "If you don't mind Davis, is there any possible way for you to get her off my back? She's always hounding me, and I don't even want to know if she'll go farther in future concerts…so could you please tell her when we get back home to stop following me around?"  
  


Davis couldn't agree. He just couldn't. Getting Jun to not follow Matt was like asking for FOX to make new episodes of Futurama…in other words, it was nigh impossible. "Sorry Matt. "Whatever my sister does is her own business. If she wants to act like a jerk and hound you all the time, that's her own business."  
  


Matt didn't show it, but he winced. _Boy, talk about an unforgiving response. _

"Davis, that's harsh." Davis gulped as he looked at Kari's scowling expression, which caused him to figuratively wither away under its glare. "Even if she may get on your nerves, it's still not right for you to talk about her."  
  


Davis froze and dejectedly slumped against the wall. His mind started to mentally pull of the petals of a flower. _She loves me…she hates me…she loves me…she…HATES ME!!!_ Davis sighed as he silently moped. 

"Dang…I didn't think people like you would actually be the Digidestined."

Everyone turned to a darkened corner of the cell to see a purple-gray rabbit with long ears sitting there, staring at them with curiosity and wary skepticism. However, this Gazimon had a long scar running down the left side of his face…and it looked fresh.   
  
Yolei looked at the rabbit Digimon in confusion. "Uh, who are you?"

Armadillomon stated, "He's Gazimon, a rabbit-type critter of the Rookie level. He's a feisty kind of guy, and watch for his Electric Stun Blast attack!" 

Gazimon scoffed. "A Unimon that passed through this town two days ago described the guy with the goggles…but he didn't mention a girl with an orange helmet or a little midget-boy!"  
  


Cody tried his best to hide it, but Yolei could see that the little boy took insult at the Gazimon's remark. "Hey, watch your mouth! Don't be so cruel!"  
  


Gazimon sighed as he leaned against the corner, his skeptical eyes suddenly showing a little remorse. "My apologies. My home's been under siege ever since that Unimon left town. A whole legion of Veggiemon came and scared away the tourists. However, we Gazimon wouldn't give up without a fight."  
  


TK was wondering if the Unimon Gazimon was speaking of was the same Unimon he met on Monday as he asked, "What's been happening?"

"About a hundred Veggiemon came and besieged the town," said Gazimon as he remembered the battle's that had been taking place around the plateau. "There are only about 40 Gazimon here in this town, but we're tough." A sudden aura of anger flashed thorough the scarred Digimon's eyes. "We built this town a long time ago…and we aren't going to give it up to the Emperor."  
  


Patamon replied, "Doesn't look like things are going too well for you though."  
  


Gazimon sneered. "Much as I hate to admit it, you're right. We held our own against the Veggiemon, but then the Emperor came to town with that RedVeggiemon and Garurumon…those two completely tipped the tables against us. In only two days, over half of the Gazimon have been captured, and a Control Spire's been built to increase the enemies' power!" He feebly touched the scar on his face – it seemed to be not just a physical wound, but a blow to his fighter's pride as well.   
  
"Control Spires?!" That was the cry that echoed through the cell. Gatomon remained silent as she continued trying to reach her feet. _Control Spires…is that what they call those obelisks? _

Gazimon nodded. "This town is quite a tourist attraction due to the view the plateau offers. Recently, we've gotten visitors describing dark towers known as Control Spires…they're the mark of the Emperor…and they apparently give Digimon that wear Dark Rings a little power boost."

Everyone nodded in response. Izzy was going to have a field day with all the new info they had gotten so far that day. 

"Rrr…gah, grr…"  
  
The sound of Gatomon grunting suddenly got their attention. They turned to see that the cat Digimon's feet were free…and she was desperately trying to bite off the ropes binding her wrists together. "Stupid things…if only I could get free!"

*Snikt*

Gatomon blinked as the ropes around her wrists fell to the ground. Gazimon – who was the closest to Gatomon – had reached over with his feet (seeing as to how his neck and wrists were bound to the wall by chains.) and sliced through the ropes with his foot's razor sharp claws. 

Gatomon grinned. "Alright…thanks a bunch!"  
  


Gazimon snorted. "Won't do you much good…your neck's chained, not tied by flimsy ropes."  
  


Gatomon smirked in response. "That wasn't my intention." She looked to her right at Cody, who was a mere three feet away. Gatomon strained herself as far as she could to reach into the little boy's pocket. She felt his D-3, but her hand wasn't far enough yet. 

So she stretched herself out further.

She actually felt a few tendons in her arms and legs snap as she grasped the yellow D-3. Gatomon pulled it out and tossed into Cody's hand, which was chained to the wall. Her task complete, she slumped to the ground – her body was exhausted, and her arms and legs now refused to move.

Cody winced at Gatomon's pain. She had almost stretched herself out…literally. "Don't worry Gatomon…your efforts will be repaid." Cody put his thumb on the arrows, switched  Armadillomon? Armor-Digivolve!"  
  


Armadillomon armor-digivolve to……Digmon: The Drill of Knowledge!  
  


Armadillomon's armor-digivolution to Digmon caused his chains to break. After all, he HAD grown over ten-fold in size. The chains were unable to hold him anymore. Digmon grinned as said, "Alright! Let's cut loose! Rock Cracking!" 

Digmon's drills began to spin, but he did not stick them into the ground.

Instead, he used them to drill through the chains binding the Digidestined and the Digimon. The children stretched their bodies in relief, and Gazimon grinned as he flexed his aching arms. The rabbit looked at the Digidestined and shouted, "Come you kids! We need some extra firepower if we're going to destroy the Control Spire and reclaim the town!"  
  


"Right!" Davis, Yolei, and TK pulled out their D-3s. Kari, however, was unwilling to have Gatomon stress herself further. The cat Digimon was already over-stretched like a used rubber band; she didn't want to cause any breaking of the bones.

Veemon armor-digivolve to……Flamedramon: The Armor of Courage!

Hawkmon armor-digivolve to……Halsemon: The Wings of Love!  
  
Patamon armor-digivolve to……Pegasusmon: Flying Hope!  
  


----

Two minutes later, the front doors of the prison exploded. A cloud of brown and gray dust rose into the air, and out of the rubble stepped four large figures, six medium-small figures, and over twenty small figures. Flamedramon, Digmon, Halsemon, and Pegasusmon stepped forward to protect the Digidestined as the emerged from the prison. 

Matt quickly looked near the top of the plateau. A stream of blue fire could be seen near one of the buildings near the Control Spire. Garurumon's up there… "Okay. Yolei, Cody. You guys stay down here with Kari and fend off the Veggiemon. TK, Davis. You guys come up with me to take down the Control Spire!"   
  
Yolei and Cody nodded as Digmon and Halsemon steeled themselves for battle. As Flamedramon and Pegasusmon carried Davis, TK, and Matt away towards the top, all of the Veggiemon swarmed at their position. The 20+ small figures, the Gazimon, quickly attacked in retaliation.

The Gazimon's fur crackled a pale green as bolts of static-E leapt at the vegetables. "Electric Stun Blast!" 

Digmon and Halsemon were quick to fight as well.

"Gold Rush!"  
 

"Eagle Eye!"  
  


----

Davis wondered why Matt had taken command of the situation so quickly. He briefly recalled Tai telling him about how Matt (in their past adventures in the Digiworld) would sometimes seem to take command of the group (something that sort of ticked Tai off back then). Perhaps this was his chance to assume the mantle of leader, even if for just one afternoon? _Oh well, no time for that now!_

  
Indeed, as Garurumon and RedVeggiemon had already turned their attention to the two Armored Champions.   
  


"Red Thorn!" RedVeggiemon stretched his spiky limbs at Pegasusmon. The pegasus quickly descended to the top of the plateau as the attack sailed over him. 

"Howling Blaster!" A stream of deadly blue-white fire erupted from Garurumon's mouth, threatening to burn Davis and Flamedramon alive. Whilst in midair, Flamedramon twisted to gracefully dodge the incoming attack before landing on his feet by Pegasusmon. 

Davis hopped off of Flamedramon, while Matt and TK jumped down from Pegasusmon's back. Matt calmly yelled, "Hey! Emperor!"  
  


----

The Emperor had been enjoying himself until now. 

He had gleefully watched as Garurumon and RedVeggiemon besieged the dozen Gazimon that were left to resist. He always enjoyed watching weaker beings struggle in the face of certain doom. There was a certain quality about the whole scenario that held a certain…aura of pleasure to him. 

But as the two Champions had been preparing to launch a final assault, an explosion had caught his attention. 

The Digidestined had broken out of the prison. 

_Oh well_, the Emperor had thought. _I'll have to take care of them myself._

The Emperor grinned as Matt called him. "What is it you want Ishida? I'm a little busy putting down a resistance movement, so if you don't mind, just let yourself die already."

Matt scoffed. He couldn't believe this kid's attitude! "Man, you've got the most rotten attitude I've ever seen!"  
  


The Emperor laughed at Matt's reply. "You may perceive me as rotten, but I'm currently busy trying to establish order in the Digital World. Now die already!"  
  


Davis growled. "You nutcase!"  
  


"Perception, dear boy." quipped the Emperor as he pointed at Flamedramon and Pegasusmon. "Attack!"  
  


Garurumon leapt at Flamedramon. "Howling Blaster!" 

Flamedramon leapt over the stream of flame and cocked his burning left fist. "Weak sauce! Fire Rocket!" Flamedramon launched three balls of fire at Garurumon, who expertly dodged them. 

RedVeggiemon squared off with Pegasusmon. "Let's see you deal with this! Stink Gas!" The vegetable exhaled a pale yellow cloud of poisonous fumes that surrounded Pegasusmon, causing him to gag.   
  
"Gah! It smells!" Pegasusmon quickly beat his wings to disperse the cloud, which it did.

However, the cloud was a cover.

A cover for the two spike-covered appendages that came at him like bulls seeing red. "Red Thorn!" 

Pegasusmon groaned as the two spiky bludgeons knocked him senseless.                                            

"Howling Blaster!"  
  


Flamedramon growled as the stream of blue flames singed his chest. That stuff was hotter than it looked…

"Don't give up Flamedramon!" cheered Davis. His eyes were a blaze of confidence…and it was contagious. 

"You got it Davis!" Flamedramon's body suddenly was covered in red flames as he zoomed towards the wolf. "Fire Rocket!" Flamedramon slammed into Garurumon, sending him hurtling into the Control Spire. The base cracked where he hit, but it was only a bit.

Only a bit.

Garurumon roared as he leapt onto Flamedramon and began to wrestle with him.

The Emperor mentally sighed in relief. If the Control Spire cracked now, all of his forces in the sector would regain control of their bodies. Without the spire to amplify his Dark D-3's power, the Dark Rings were useless. 

_Speaking of forces, where in the world are those reinforcement regiments anyway?!  
  
_

----

The six Champions lay on the ground, moaning, and bruised. They were unconscious, but they would survive. The Dark Rings had been torn off of the necks of both the Airdramon and the Tyrannomon. When they awoke, they would return home.

The figure grinned as he watched the six Digimon begin to stir. He was under the shade of a tree…and right next to a Digiport. "I think the Digidestined can handle themselves now. Let's go."

His partner – who had digivolved to a humanoid figure obscured by the shade – nodded as the male shouted, "Digiport open!"  
  


In a flash of light, the two disappeared.

----

"Star Shower!"  
  


A flurry of blue stars fell from Pegasusmon's wings, crashing into the ground around RedVeggiemon in a multitude of tiny explosions. RedVeggiemon was still raring to go.

The Emperor scratched the back of his neck; his hair had suddenly stood on its end.

"Electric…"  
  


The sound made him pale with fear. It was as though Death was ringing its bell. He turned around…

"Stun…"  
  
…to see the twelve Gazimon gathered behind the Control Spire. He couldn't believe it! The Gazimon had come out of hiding to regroup and take out the Control Spire! And the base was already weakened… "No! DON'T!!!"  
  


"BLAST!!!"  
  


A large ball of static-E shot forth and collided with the Control Spire. The tweleve Rookies had channeled their energy into one ball, giving it the relative strength of a Champion Digimon's attack.

And as a result…the black obelisk was sent tumbling. 

It collapsed upon itself, flinging rubble all over the top of the plateau. The blood-red glow suddenly disappeared from RedVeggiemon's and Garurumon's eyes. RedVeggiemon confusedly took off his Dark Ring as Garurumon reverted to Gabumon, the shy biped wolf with a horn (mouthful, isn't it?).

Gabumon dully shook his head; he suddenly felt as if he had just woken up from a deep sleep.

But standing there…was Matt Ishida.

"Matt?" Gabumon rubbed his eyes again. "Is that you?"  
  


The blonde Ishida nodded. "Yeah. Welcome back."  
  


That clinched it for Gabumon. Only Matt Ishida could so casually maintain his 'cool guy' appearance in the face of reuniting with an old friend. "Matt!" Gabumon's dull fuchsia eyes were brimmed with tears as he gave his partner a bear hug. "I thought I'd never see you again!!!! You've come back!"  
  


Matt smiled. "I have…" Even the oh-so-cool Matt Ishida couldn't stay cool ALL the time. A small tear trickled down his cheek as he returned the hug. "And this time, I won't leave."  
  


----

The Gazimon with the scar on his face smiled as the Veggiemon took off their Dark Rings in confusion. He then glanced to the top of the plateau to see that the Control Spire was nothing more than a pile of rubble. He turned to the closest Digidestined (who happened to be Kari) and said, "Thanks for helping us free the town."  
  


Kari smiled in response. Gatomon answered for her. "No problem. No problem at all."  
  


Gazimon looked back at the rejoicing Gazimon as he thought out loud. "Now if only we can catch the Emperor…"  
  


----

3:46 PM.

Izzy had been eating a cheese sandwich as the black square that represented sector 01-111-BETA turned white. It was a pleasant surprise – it meant that the Digidestined had succeeding in destroying whatever was causing the negative energy.

"Well, I hope they come back with some new info."  
  


----

3:52 PM.

Part of his wish was granted. 

The six Digidestined and Digimon who had left for suddenly tumbled out of the computer and onto him.

(Serves him right for breaking the fourth wall.)  
  


  
----

The Emperor suddenly appeared out of a computer in the Monitor Room. He looked down in his hand at the silver PDA in his hand; although it was not a conventional Digiport, it still had an Internet connection. Thus, it served as a means for a quick getaway.

He glanced over to a darkened corner to see Wormmon sleeping. _You won't be sleeping for long…I've got a plan for you to help me carry out_.

The Digidestined had discovered his Control Spires. A town with a determined resistance had beaten. Instead of being defeated by the Digidestined…the death blow to his occupation there was by a bunch of weakling Gazimon. He was downright humiliated.

And his humiliation would be the Digidestined's end.

He had to prepare a trap…a very deadly trap.

One that the Digidestined could not escape from…

A cruel grin suddenly came to his face. He had the perfect location in mind.

"Time to pay a visit to sector 01-000-ALPHA…the Valley of Death."  
  


To be continued…

Next Time…

Episode 5: Le Piege Est Tendu

Author's Note: Believe it or not, the next chapter's title has French words! Yes, I know they would've translated it all the way in the show, but this is my fic! So bleh!

I WILL give you the meaning in the next chapter…but a free cookie goes to one who can guess it before the next chapter! Two cookies if one can guess what inspired the title name? Hint: Matt Reilly.

See you next time!

  
 

  
  



	5. The Trap Is Set

Standard Disclaimer: You think I don't own Digimon? YOU THINK I DON'T OWN DIGIMON?!?! WELL YOU'RE RIGHT!!! Hmph...nerve of some people...(stomps off)

Author's Note: Although the episode title within the story will be told as it was last episode, I will put the translated version in the chapter list so people can see it.

Anthony1: I know. Just joking around with my reviewers. (wink, wink)

Silver Warrior: Thanks a bunch for the positive review. It's always good to see someone new review. If you turn out to REALLY like this, don't hesitate to spread the word:P

'Le Piege Est Tendu' is French for 'The Trap is Set'.

Inspiration for the title: Matt Reilly's _Ice Station_ novel. Quite violent, a tad heavy on swear words, and some adult situations (of course, any book about a Marine Reconnaissance Unit fighting French Commandoes, the SAS, and the SEALs with government conspiracies abound is bound to have this sort of stuff.), but a very good and suspenseful read. Traitors, killer whales, and radioactive seals are included (no seriously.).

Plus, an apology for last chapter's typo. I meant to say 'the Fire of Courage'...not the 'Armor of Courage'. But hey, it still fits, so whatever. We'll just blame the translators. :P

Buckle up everyone! This episode's going to be a doozy!

* * *

"This is Matt. You might know me as the Child of Friendship, but I've become a teen idol since then. But imagine my surprise when I found out the Digiworld was open for travel again! I went to the Digiworld with the New Digidestined, but we were imprisoned by the Digimon Emperor! We managed to escape, and we also managed to destroy a Control Spire!"

* * *

Episode 5: Le Piege Est Tendu

* * *

It was Thursday afternoon.

It was the day after the Control Spires were discovered.

And now...

"Watch out Nefertimon!"

Kari's cry was heard. The sphinx quickly looked to her left to see an incoming ball of orange fire. She flew out of the way and positioned herself so that she was facing her opponent. "Ruby Claw!"

The red rubies in her gauntlets glowed bright red-purple and shot energy shards at her opponent...which happened to be the red dinosaur Digimon known as Tyrannomon.

There were three of them. Dark Rings were on each of their right arms. They stood in a protective triangular formation around the Control Spire.

The Digidestined had come to sector 01-011-DELTA to find a group of three Tyrannomon guarding a Control Spire that sat in the middle of a shallow river.

Needless to say, the Digidestined had come to topple it.

Thus far, the Tyrannomon had proven to be challenging opponents. But it was time for this fight to end.

Flamedramon and Digmon had been forced to stick with long-distance attacks due to the river. Digmon and Cody had no problem with that, but Flamedramon and Davis were rather displeased. They preferred to fight up-close and personal.

That meant the three flyers of the group – Halsemon, Nefertimon, and Pegasusmon – were up against the three Tyrannomon.

But now, Flamedramon had devised a daring...but foolish plan. He quickly leapt upward into the air...and onto Halsemon's back.

Halsemon wavered in mid-air as the large Digimon balanced himself on his back. "Flamedramon! Get off...!"

Flamedramon grinned as he leapt into the air. "All I needed was a stepping stone!" He reached the arc of his jump, and he started falling. He landed on the top of the pointed tip of the obelisk and reared his left fist. "Flaming Fist!" He thrust his fiery hand into the Control Spire, causing flames to eat away at its insides. The Spire began to crack...and it soon began to fall apart.

Flamedramon quickly leapt backwards, dedigivolving into Veemon as he began to fall. Pegasusmon quickly caught him as the Spire exploded into nothing but bits and pieces. Veemon gratefully said, "Thanks for the lift Pegasusmon!"

"Don't mention it!" The winged horse slowly set down beside TK before dedigivolving to Patamon. Unfortunately, Veemon was unable to get off before this occurred...

So he was now sitting on top of Patamon.

Veemon sweatdropped as he quickly hopped off of Patamon. "Eh...heh heh...sorry."

By now, the Tyrannomon had taken off their Dark Rings and run off. Apparently, they were uncomfortable around other people that weren't of their own kind.

Davis gave the blue dragon Rookie a noogie, for his excitement was great. "Awesome Veemon! You kicked butt out there!"

Veemon rubbed his head bashfully, but Hawkmon (whom had just dedigivolved from Halsemon) quickly interjected. "You could have at least warned me before jumping on my back."

Veemon held his hands up in defense of himself. The last thing he wanted now was a debate. "But I wanted to finish the fight!"

"And you did!" exclaimed Davis. He was happy for a reason. If Kari weren't around, he'd be gloating at TK right now. That would show the hot-shot who was tops (who says TK's trying to be a hot-shot:P )!

Yolei playfully shoved Davis and said, "Come on Mr. Hot Shot, let's go already!" With that said, Yolei and Hawkmon started heading towards the Digiport. Davis started boiling as he charged after her. "Get back here! You'll pay for that!!!"

"Wait for me Davish!" Veemon leapt after his partner as the boy charged after Yolei.

Cody, TK, and Kari just shook their heads in worry as they walked to the Digiport.

* * *

Izzy smiled as the square that represented sector 01-011-DELTA turned white. "Mission accomplished!"

Then came a light.

Then came a bunch of bodies.

Izzy, however, had wised up to this routine by now. He calmly got out of his chair and stepped away from the computer as the monitor spewed the children out as though they were bad food.

"Nice to see you guys after a job well-done," chuckled Izzy as he helped pull some of the Digidestined up. "But I think you need some work on your landings."

"Very funny Izzy." grumbled Yolei as she straightened out her skirt. But all of a sudden, she was shoved forward toward the door. She didn't have to guess who it was. Yolei swiftly turned around and glared daggers at Davis. "You'll pay for that Davis!"

"That was payback for when you shoved me, and you know it!" retorted Davis as he got into Yolei's face.

Yolei seethed as she shot back at him with, "I'm still shocked that you would shove a lady like me!"

Davis scoffed at her with a laugh. "You actually call yourself a lady?!"

"Rrr!!!" Yolei growled as her eyes glared straight into Davis'.

"Rrr!!!" Davis did the same. Their eyes were engaged in a showdown of wills as lightning crackled between them.

That is, until they were pulled apart. Kari pulled Davis back by the shoulders, whilst Izzy pulled Yolei away by the arm. "That's enough you two!" said Kari with a strong tone in her voice.

As this occurred, TK and Cody just watched. TK was still having a little difficulty digesting this situation. "Um...does this happen a lot?"

Cody sighed and nodded. "Believe it or not, stuff like this is a usual occurrence."

TK just chuckled, shaking his head out of disbelief. Whatever was going to happen, TK Takaishi was going to have an interesting year.

He suddenly felt Patamon tap his shoulder. "Hey TK! What's going to be for dinner tonight?"

"TV dinners ring a bell?" replied TK, his voice ripe with a bored tone. Patamon immediately voiced his opinion by sticking his tongue out in disgust. The little Rookie had had his first taste of a TV dinner at Matt's apartment Tuesday night...and after his first bite, he immediately spit the pre-packaged food out. _Too bad the good TV dinners are too expensive._

Cody decided to take his leave. He put Upamon in his backpack and waved goodbye to everyone before walking out. Yolei, suddenly realizing her young neighbor just walked out, stuffed Poromon into her backpack and ran after him. "Wait for me Cody!"

DemiVeemon hopped onto Davis' shoulder and obliviously said, "You guys fight like an old married couple. Do you like each other or something?"

Davis twitched as Izzy chuckled at the In-Training's comment. Izzy calmly walked over and whispered into his ear. "DemiVeemon, you need to learn to hold your tongue, okay?"

DemiVeemon smiled and eagerly replied, "Okay!"

Davis groaned as DemiVeemon hopped into his backpack. It wasn't because of DemiVeemon adding extra weight to his backpack; it was because Kari had already left.

Come to think of it, TK was gone too. "Hey Izzy, where'd TK go?"

Izzy disconnected his laptop from the computer lab computer as he replied, "He left with Kari."

Davis froze on the spot. TK...was walking Kari home? _Nooo!!!_ Davis gloomily muttered, "See ya tomorrow Izzy." before leaving the computer lab.

Davis dejectedly walked out of the school and down the block as some thoughts ran through his head. TK had only been here for four days, and Kari seemed to be spending most of her time with TK.

As Davis walked across the crosswalk, his blood began to boil. He had known Kari for over four years. Heck, she had been his best friend ever since! However...it now seemed as if he was replaced by TK as Kari's best friend.

As they neared the apartment complex he lived in, DemiVeemon's head poke out of the backpack. "What's bugging you Davish?"

Davis tilted his head backward to look at his partner's curious expression. "Well..." Davis thought to himself if this was a good idea. He didn't want DemiVeemon accidentally letting out what he was about to tell. "Promise you won't tell anyone if I tell you?"

DemiVeemon looked a little confused by Davis' choice of words. "Well I don't know what a 'promise' is, but sure! I won't tell!"

Davis sweatdropped. He'd have to give his partner a dictionary one day. "Okay...well, you know Kari, right?"

DemiVeemon nodded. "I sure do!"

"Well...I really like her." Davis tried to prevent himself from blushing as he leaned against the complex's wall. "She's been my best friend for over four years...heck, she was practically my first friend EVER. If it weren't for her, I'd have never met Tai, Matt, Yolei, Cody. Don't know about TK yet, but he seems to be a pretty nice guy...anyhow, Kari means the world to me."

DemiVeemon nodded, understanding most of what his partner was saying. "Well, ya really like her eh? What's the problem then?"

Davis sighed. Now for the part he didn't want to reveal to anyone else. "Well...I feel like I'm on the sidelines. Ever since TK arrived...it's like she's paying more attention to him than me. I don't mean to sound selfish...but I don't want to be forgotten."

DemiVeemon nodded. Now he didn't understand matters concerning 'sidelines' and 'selfishness', but his partner did seem rather upset. _Looks like it's up to me to cheer Davish up!_ "Well Davish, TK's only been around for four days. Gatomon told me that he's an old friend of Kari's, and I think they're just getting to know each other! It'll turn out fine, just you wait!"

Davis smiled lightly...then it turned into a huge grin. He liked the little guy's optimism. "You know? You're right! Kari will start hanging out with me soon! I just know it!"

As Davis neared the front door of his apartment, he thought, _I just know it..._

* * *

"Hey Cody, wait up!" Yolei heaved and panted as she ran as fast as she could along the sidewalk. As luck would have it, Cody had managed to cross the crosswalk before her...and it turned red before she could get to it. Thus, she had fallen behind by a few minutes.

She smiled as she realized she had fallen caught up. Yolei sprinted over to Cody...until her heart felt like exploding. Finally, she had to stop to catch her breath.

Cody turned around to see Yolei parched for air, her breaths coming in short, ragged gasps. He sighed as he calmly explained, "You shouldn't overexert yourself Yolei."

Yolei stood up and wiped the warm, sticky sweat from her brow. She replied, "Well, it's not like I was going to let you get home without me."

"Sorry if I seemed in a hurry," apologized Cody. "It's just that I need to get to kendo practice."

Yolei nodded in acknowledgement. With her heart now beating at its normal pace once more, she continued walking alongside Cody as they neared the house.

Suddenly, the silence was broken by Cody. "Why do you and Davis pick on each other so much?"

Yolei laughed at the question, as if it amused her. "Oh Cody, you know how Davis is. He brags, has an ego that size of Mt. Fuji, and at times he's a complete jerk!"

Cody arched an eyebrow. He hadn't expected such a harsh response. As his mind began thinking of reasons as for why Yolei was so harsh in her reply. Finally, he remembered an incident from last Friday that put Davis and Yolei in quite an argument. "Does this have anything to do with the fact he hit you on the head with a soccer ball last week?"

Yolei growled at the mere mention of that incident. "I was sent to the ground, and he called it an accident! I saw him kick in my direction!!!"

Cody winced as Yolei yelled at him. One thing was for sure...Yolei was scarier than any other living thing on the planet when she got angry. "You were walking across the field when he kicked it. You were between him and the goal."

Yolei suddenly remembered. She sweatdropped out of embarrassment as she suddenly remembered the exact details. "Oh yeah...heh heh..." She then put on her irate front again. "But still! He's too easy to pick on. And who else will pick on him if I don't?"

Cody sighed – out of confusion as well as frustration. "It appears that the old adage has proven true. Men can't understand women...and I can't understand you."

"That's me!" said Yolei, a cheerful grin on her face.

* * *

"I'm going to tell you for the last time Patamon...we are going to be eating TV dinners." 

Patamon moaned in response. "But I don't want to eat those!"

TK sighed; his patience was beginning to wear thin. He was close to arriving home, and Patamon had suddenly gone into a tirade about not wanting TV dinners. Needless to say, it was beginning to drive TK mad.

"Now Patamon, please!" TK raised his voice, hoping to silence the young Digimon for at least a minute. "We might have something else at the house, but I doubt it. Food is food...no matter how yucky it may taste."

Patamon stuck a finger in his mouth – delivering his message quite clearly (for those who don't know, sticking a finger in one's mouth is the equivalent of showing you are about to puke). "It doesn't mean I have to like it."

TK sighed as he walked up the stairs to his apartment's front door. He started to reflect...which he thought was quite silly considering it resulted from a tirade about the putrid taste of TV dinners. His mother was always busy with work. TK did not know much about cooking, and his mother was too busy to make dinner. Thus, he had to resort to TV dinners.

_It's times like these I wish my mom had a different job..._

TK silently pulled out his key and opened the door to his apartment. All of the stuff had been unpacked by now, so everything was spruced up and laid out. TK walked into the living room, gazed into the kitchen...and blinked. Steam rose from a pot on the stove, and a yellow Sticky note was attached to the fridge.

Curious about the contents of the pot, TK took a look inside to see an assortment of vegetables, chicken meat, yellow-colored broth, and numerous seasonings: ramen. TK blinked in surprise. What was a pot of ramen doing here?

He glanced over at the note on the refrigerator and read it to himself.

* * *

_Dear TK,_

_If I'm gone when you get home, it means I'm still out shopping. Sorry that I haven't been around to be with you lately...work can be a major pain. I hope the ramen makes it up to you. Sorry I wasn't able to eat it with you._

_Love, your Mom_

* * *

TK smiled as he wiped away a tear forming in the brim of his eye. _I'll be darned_. All of the reflecting he had just done had proven itself to be null and void. He got out two bowls and unzipped his backpack. "Hey Patamon?"

"Yeah TK?"

"Looks like we're going to have something better than a TV dinner after all."

"Yippie!"

* * *

Meanwhile, at Kari's apartment...inside her room...

"Rock, paper, scissors!"

Kari's hand was a rock. Tai's hand was a pair of scissors.

Tai wailed, "Aw man! Not again!"

Kari sighed as she leaned back against the side of her bed. Ever since arriving home, she had been forced to play 'Rock, paper, scissors' with Tai. What was the reason?

"Matt and I made a bet that I would go up against Yuki Amiyama, the girl at high school who's the champion at 'Rock, paper, scissors', and either beat her or lose to her. Matt bet 20 dollars I would lose, and I accepted it. 20 bucks if I win!"

That's what Tai had said.

Now, Kari was beginning to get tired of 'Rock, paper, scissors'. Especially considering that out of the 253 matches she had with Tai, she had won all but 12 of them. As far as she was concerned, Tai was going to be 20 dollars poorer by tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Gatomon and Koromon were watching the two in confused curiosity. Gatomon was mostly curious, while Koromon was mostly confused.

Koromon blinked as Tai wailed with the agony of defeat. "I'm confused."

Gatomon nodded in acknowledgement. She didn't care. She was glad to be safe for once. The previous night, she had slept better than she had in the three months she was being chased. For once, Gatomon was in a place she could truly consider home.

"Yeah Koromon...but that doesn't matter now, does it?" With that, Gatomon on top of the computer monitor in Kari's room and curled up, falling into a deep, comfortable sleep.

* * *

_d1g1m0n3mp3r0r: Have the preparations been completed?_

The figure sat in a small chair as he typed out a message via a chat program...but it was a rather specialized one.

His computer speakers made a virtual 'beep' as the one he was communicating with responded.

_Wormmon: Yes master._

The figure chuckled as he typed his response.

_d1g1m0n3mp3r0r: Good._

The boy sitting in that chair was indeed the Digimon Emperor. However, the Emperor was a human. Logically, that meant he had a home in the Real World.

And that was where he was...his home.

But to him, it wasn't his home. It was just a place to temporarily hide out at until he returned to the Digital World...which he considered his true home.

There was timid knock on his door.

"Honey?"

The boy winced as he replied, "Yes mother?"

"Bed time's in 15 minutes!"

The Emperor put on a faux tone of happiness as he replied, "Okay Mom. I love you!"

He could tell from the slight pause that his mother was smiling in response to the comment. "I love you too honey." He could hear her footsteps as she walked away...then nothingness.

The Emperor mentally scoffed. His mother didn't truly love him. She only loved him for his brain and athletic achievements. There was no true maternal love. The same was for his father. The same was for everyone else on the God-forsaken planet. No one truly loved him.

_Fools_, the Emperor thought bitterly. _They're all fools. And I will make them pay once I take over the world._

A sudden beep sprung him out of his thought processes.

_Wormmon: Shall we start master?_

The Emperor grinned. It was time to put his plan into motion.

_d1g1m0n3mp3r0r: Yes. Do it now. Make sure the Control Spire is reconstructed by tomorrow afternoon...before 3 o'clock._

_Wormmon: Yes sir._

'Wormmon' logged off as the Emperor shut off his chat program. He turned off his computer monitor and walked over to his bed, a wide grin on his face.

He was going to have nice dreams tonight...and tomorrow, he would be rid of the Digidestined.

* * *

(NEXT DAY!)

"DAAAAAVIIIS!!!!"

Davis winced as he glanced at where his ball went after kicking. More precisely, the window that was now broken.

However, it was the window's owner that worried him most.

It was the window of principal Jonathon Motoyama's office.

That fact was made clear when the principal's head stuck itself out the window. "MOTOMIYA!!!!!! MY OFFICE!!! **NOW!!!**"

Davis winced as he trudged by Kari, Yolei, Cody, and TK. Yolei mockingly said, "Have fun!"

Davis stuck his tongue out at Yolei before walking into the school building.

At that precise moment, all of their D-Terminals went off.

Davis, who was too busy moping over his predicament, didn't hear the little beeping noise the device made. The others did.

Like usual, it was a message from Izzy.

* * *

_Dear Digidestined,_

_Come to the computer lab. Looks like we're becoming a bit 'contagious' in the Digiworld. Find out what I mean by coming to the lab ASAP._

_Sincerely, Izzy Izumi_

* * *

"What does he mean by 'contagious'?" asked Kari. Confusion was etched onto her features.

"Only one way to find out." said TK as he walked into the building. The others followed him inside as the principal's screams echoed through the air.

* * *

Izzy looked up from the computer monitor as the four children stepped into the lab. He could see a small hint of shock on their faces when their eyes rested upon the five Digimon sitting on the countertop.

"Uh," mumbled Yolei. "Izzy...?"

"Oh don't worry. I made sure no one was around before bringing them inside." replied Izzy as he maximized the Digital Grid on the computer. "I have something important to show you."

He pointed to a sector that was in the far northwestern corner of the grid. It was white. "Last night, when I checked up on the Digital Grid, this sector – known as 01-000-ALPHA – was white."

"Your point being?" asked Gatomon with a cynic tone.

Izzy leered at Gatomon before continuing. "Yesterday, after you guys returned, that sector was black." 

This silenced their tongues. If that sector was black AFTER they went home...that meant someone else was knocking down Control Spires.

"But who could be knocking down the spires?" asked Patamon, who was clearly anxious to find out. He had never, in all of his time being chased by the Emperor, heard of anyone else knocking down a Spire.

"My guess is that the Digimon are becoming confident," explained Izzy, his smile becoming wider with every passing moment. "Now that they know how to defeat the Emperor, and now that they have heard of our return, they've probably started getting bold."

The four children and the five Digimon nodded as they pondered over the newest piece of info. If Izzy was correct, it would only be a matter of time until the Digimon of the Digital World revolted against the Emperor. After all, it only took a spark to start a forest fire...and the Digidestined might be the spark to the Emperor's forest.

Suddenly, they heard Izzy gasping. "Whoa!" The sudden outburst caused everyone to gather around the monitor, which revealed one of the sectors flashing from white to black. However, the shocking part was the sector...

It was 01-000-ALPHA.

"Looks like the Emperor just reclaimed that piece of territory for himself," mused Cody.

"However, this means that the sector is probably still low on manpower," said Izzy as a plan began to formulate in his head. "We should strike it now while the defenses are still weak. We can't give them time to fortify it."

"Alright then." said TK as he pulled out his D-3. "Let's go then!"

Kari looked over at DemiVeemon and said, "But what about Davis?"

This suddenly jarred DemiVeemon to realize Davis' presence...or more precisely, the lack thereof. "Where's Davish?"

They suddenly heard the sound of an angry man echo through the halls outside the computer lab.

Yolei nonchalantly, but with a small hint of exasperation, answered, "Principal's office."

"What's a prince-ee-pool?" asked DemiVeemon.

"We'll explain to you later DemiVeemon," replied Cody as he turned toward Izzy. "If Davis comes, tell him we've gone to the Digiworld." Cody pulled out his yellow D-3 and held it towards the computer. "Digiport, open!"

A flash of light, and the Digidestined were gone...save for DemiVeemon and Izzy.

* * *

With a flash, the four Digidestined and four Digimon found themselves landing on the sandy ground on their feet, surprisingly.

"Hey!" exclaimed Yolei. "We landed normally for once!"

TK decided to crack a joke. "Perhaps the lack of Davis is the reason why."

This aroused a general chuckle from the group as they took in their surroundings. The place they were in could be considered a wasteland. Grainy sand colored a pale red and tan covered the entire area, with the wind tossing it around with the strength of a whirlwind. Thankfully, the sandstorm was to the southeast...which wasn't in the direction of the Control Spire.

Rocky cliffs could be seen to the North...and amongst those cliffs was a Control Spire.

"There is the Spire," said Hawkmon, his light-blue eyes staring intently on the black obelisk. "All that is left is for us to obliterate it."

"You said it Hawkmon!" exclaimed Armadillomon. He then pounded his front right leg into the ground and started squishing the sand. "When we're done with it, it'll be nothing more than dust like the sand under my foot!"

Cody had an inkling of a smile on his face. He had a little appreciation for Armadillomon's sense of justice. He had caught onto it at first yesterday when Upamon had frowned upon watching a guy on TV steal something from a store. The fact he wanted to so relentlessly stomp an intimidating symbol of a dictator into pieces added to that. _He must be learning it from my Grandpa, mom...and me_. Cody tried as hard as he could to stifle a smile.

"I know this area." Gatomon tone had suddenly become gloom...not to mention foreboding.

"You know this wasteland?" asked Kari.

Gatomon nodded. "I was once here many years ago...this wasteland is known as the Valley of Death."

A sudden hush fell over the group. The area they were in – this sandy wasteland – had a rather fitting name. There was no hint of civilization, water, or food for miles around...and the sand stung the skin when the wind blew. Was it possible that the sector was the counterpart of Death Valley, the desert wasteland of California, USA? Alas, the questions would have to come later...

...for they were suddenly sucked under the ground, into the deep, dark abyss below the sands.

* * *

Darkness...

Black space...

Nothingness...

Those things could easily describe the dark cavern the Digidestined had fallen into. Yolei sat up and moaned, rubbing her head where she had hit on her way down. "Geez...that hurt..." She tried her best to look around the darkness, but she couldn't see anyone...or hear anything.

So, she decided to call out to someone. "Hello?!"

She was greeted with the replies and responses of the rest of the Digidestined and the Digimon. Yolei was relieved to hear they were all okay...but she heard something else as well.

It was footsteps.

Blindness struck next. A large spotlight embedded into the dark cavern's side suddenly illuminated the Digidestined and the Digimon...at the cost of causing spots and bombs to float and explode in their vision. To be blunt, it was very agonizing.

"Face-to-face at last..."

Everyone suddenly froze. That voice came not from the Digidestined...but from someone who still sounded...familiar.

"Wormmon. Dim the light."

The spotlight was dimmed to a point where the Digidestined could see without squinting...but some of them regretted it. For standing right in front of them was the big villain himself...the Digimon Emperor.

And he was grinning...and it was driving Yolei mad. "Stop smiling you lunatic!"

In response to that, the Emperor giggled like a maniac. It was as though he expected one of them to say something like that. It was maddening.

Then...he spoke.

"There are two primary elements in this universe..."

The Digidestined suddenly found themselves beginning to wander what the Emperor was talking about.

"Order...and Chaos."

Okay, now they were beginning to get confused.

"Order, in its prime, is a perpetual state of non-progression. Nothing will change when Order is in control. Chaos, in its prime, is a state of everlasting change. Nothing ever stays the same. Due to their counteractive natures, they are always in balance. One cannot rule over the other..."

The Emperor suddenly chuckled as he began to reach the climax of his paragraph.

"But...one can have more power than the other. THAT, my dear friends, is why I am a Digidestined."

He paused, waiting to let the Digidestined and Digimon absorb his information. He was wondering...what were the odds they wouldn't understand his message?

As it turned out, the odds of that occurring were very, very, very, VERY high. TK raised his hand. "Excuse me, I have two things to say. One: Do not refer to us as your friends."

The Emperor smirked. "I'll write that one down, Takaishi."

TK glared at the Emperor before continuing. "And two...what the heck are you babbling about?"

"Yeah!" yelled Patamon, hovering over his partner's head as he did. "Mind telling us what you're getting at?!"

"I'll be glad to." The Emperor folded his hands behind his back and turned away form them, staring into the dull light of the spotlight. "I have been a Digidestined for a very long time...since right after the battle with Apocalymon, to be precise."

"WHAT?!?!" exclaimed Kari and TK. Kari mumbled, "B-but why didn't you come to us?! We could've been friends!"

_Friendship...a foolish notion_, thought the Emperor as he quickly replied, "I didn't because I had a different calling. You see...I was given a vision. A vision that would one day be known throughout the entire Digital World."

He paused to form his words, then continued. "After the Dark Masters were destroyed, and Apocalymon was annihilated, Chaos had more power in the Digiworld. The Digital World was repairing itself – after all, all of the land on Spiral Mountain had to go somewhere."

Another pause. The Emperor menacingly glared at Cody, whom was muttering something about a 'big-mouthed dictator'. The glare shut Cody up.

"As I was saying...Chaos had more power. Over time, the Digital World was reformatted...but it didn't have the same luster as it did before the Dark Masters. Plus, the denizens of the Digital World – the Digimon – were all under the power of Chaos. Many became bandits, thieves, and petty criminals. In response, many Digimon formed clans and began to fight each other...some as the aggressors, some as the responsive force to them."

Cody cleared his throat to get the Emperor's attention. "I can understand your dislike for the aggressors, but you have no right to criticize those who would defend themselves-"

"It matters not!!!" interrupted the Emperor, his volume jumping drastically. His sudden tone of harshness sent chills up the Digidestined's spines. "Eventually, the aggressors will triumph over the defenders. And if the opposite turns out to be true, the defenders will become the aggressors. Eventually, the entire Digiworld will become embroiled in a civil war, with Chaos doing whatever it pleases. These lifeless shells called 'Digimon' have no right to decide who rules over the other!"

This caused a shocked gasp to come from his hostages. The Emperor looked a little confused for a mere moment...then smiled. He knew why they responded like that. "You take offense at my words? It is true...Digimon are nothing more than assembled pieces of missing or broken pieces of data. Made by mankind, no less!"

Kari quickly tried to interject. "But Digimon aren't lifeless! They're living, breathing creatures!"

"Such a foolish affection for lifeless beings." replied the Emperor, his voice starting to obtain a mocking tone. He was shaking his head...as if he felt sorry for her point of view. "Chaos, by default, is the element that everyone in the universe is against. Everyone is uncomfortable with change...real or not. So...what better way than to make everyone comfortable than by bringing Order to a world filled primarily by Chaos?"

TK was now starting to shudder with rage. He knew of many evil and despicable despots who had started out by trying to bring Order to the world in their own way. Adolf Hitler, Stalin...among others. "You think enslaving innocent Digimon is restoring Order?!"

The Emperor laughed at TK's outburst. "Lifeless they may be, Digimon like to imitate their creators. I've seen many of the darker aspects of Digimon...and I've also seen the dark side of humanity as well. Trust me..." Venom was practically dripping from his mouth. "Innocence is a false notion...and you are a fool if you believe in it."

TK grinned; he had just found a loophole in the Emperor's argument. "Do you think you yourself are innocent?"

"It doesn't matter if I'm innocent or not. All that matters is that I enforce Order on this world. Besides, lifeless beings wouldn't care less whether or not Order was enforced upon them..."

"Hey! We take offense to that!" shouted the four Digimon.

The Emperor turned around once more to face them...and glanced at TK. "And by the way...I know you were trying to catch me in a loophole with that 'innocent' bit." The Emperor smirked as TK gritted his teeth in frustration. "Now that you know my position...care to join me? Order and Chaos are not picky when it comes to choosing friends."

The Digidestined sat there in awe...and in total disgust. To think the Emperor would ask them to do such a repulsive act – enslave all Digimon – by his side was mind-boggling. Before any of them could decline his offer, Yolei spoke for them. "Bite me!"

The Emperor grinned again...then shook his head out of pity. "I thought you would decline...but it's still a shame to hear it from you personally. Oh well..." He turned around to and pressed a button on his gauntlet, causing an opening to appear further along in the cavern. "I guess you'll have to die then."

The rest of them gasped...the Emperor was going to kill them! They reached into their pockets on impulse...

...to find nothing.

"By the way, I reprimanded you of your Digivices...so no digivolving for you!" said the Emperor. Mocking was the name of the game for him. He pressed another button on his gauntlet, causing a multitude of ropes to erupt from the wall and bind the Digidestined and Digimon. They all fell to the ground, unable to move.

"Hey!" shouted Yolei, as she struggled against her bonds. "Let us go you jerk!"

"I'm sorry...but I can't let you live." He began to slowly step forward towards the group. "After all, I can't let my foes stand in my way..."

The chill to his voice sent shivers down everyone's spine...but it scared Yolei more so, as it served to increase the scare factor of his maniacal grin. It was as if a psycopath was smiling to his victims...and it would haunt Yolei for many, many nights...

If she survived.

The Emperor then grabbed the end of Yolei's binding rope and lifted her up until their eyes met. Yolei was feeling scared even more so now; the Emperor was lifting her in mid-air, without any indication of wasted effort. "It's a shame you decided to stand against me...you're actually quite cute."

Yolei fought as hard as she could to stop the red tint on her cheeks from appearing, but it was a lost cause. She did blush...but then she screamed when the Emperor suddenly stuck his face forward and bit onto her ear. Hard. When he let go two seconds later, she screamed in his face. "YOU PSYCHO!!! WHAT WAS THAT FOR?!?!"

The Emperor chuckled good-naturedly. "You apparently have a short memory. I bit you...like you said." He then tossed Yolei onto the hard ground like worthless garbage before heading toward the exit. "Deltamon, bring them outside. Wormmon, make sure they're all set before their faithful 'leader' arrives."

An low grunt and a feeble 'Yes, master.' was all that could be heard before the Digidestined suddenly found themselves being carried through the darkness toward the light.

They had just personally met the Digimon Emperor...and their minds were now scarred.

* * *

It was now 5:00 PM, on Friday, August 27.

Davis and Veemon landed on their rears, tumbling out of the Digiport (looks like the claim made earlier might have some truth to it.) and into a small bundle.

"Ow...that smarts." Davis got to his feet and dusted himself off as he looked around the desert wasteland. "Man...what a dump this place is. Any idea where we are Veemon?"

Veemon hopped to his feet, looked around, and replied, "Other than the fact that Izzy called this place sector 01-000-ALPHA? Not a clue Davish!"

Davis noted that Veemon's lisp only appeared when the Digimon spoke his name. Apparently, Veemon had been practicing proper grammar (Gatomon: He needed it!), and it was showing.

Before Davis could smile at the thought, he suddenly felt his D-Terminal beep. He pulled it out, flipped it open, and read the message...

* * *

_Dear Davis Motomiya,_

_You may be wondering where your 'friends' are. I have trapped them in the cliffs around the Control Spire in this sector. Unless you feel like planning for their funerals, you might want to hurry._

_Signed by your dear foe, the Digimon Emperor_

* * *

...and his blood was now boiling. That monster was actually threatening to kill his friends! _I'll show him!_ Davis quickly looked around for the Control Spire...and found it in the form of a large dot on the horizon. "Veemon! We have to save the others! Armor Digivolve!"

Veemon armor-digivolve to...Flamedramon: The Fire of Courage!

Davis hopped onto Flamedramon, who leapt and bounded as fast as he could toward the Control Spire. In only a few minutes, Flamedramon was leaping over the cliffs...

...and smack-dab into the middle of the Emperor's death trap.

* * *

The male figure blinked at the scene laid out before him. He had switched to sector 01-000-ALPHA's camera just to see what the Digidestined were doing there...only to find Davis and Flamedramon surrounded by Airdramon, Tyrannomon, and a Deltamon.

However, the thing that got to him most was that the other four Digidestined were hanging under a rocky bridge by nothing more than tightly-knit ropes.

"Odd...this wasn't supposed to happen till next week." Shrugging, the figure decided to check on the real Digidestined. After all, he was aware of the Emperor's trap: kill Davis by luring him into a trap. How? Threaten his friends...but impersonate them with Bakemon.

He switched to the camera that lay in the cavern (complete with night-vision) to see if the Digidestined were close to escaping...

But they weren't there.

The color started to drain from his face. He quickly switched back to the other camera view and typed in a few commands, causing the four captive children's vital statistics to be displayed.

To his horror, they weren't Bakemon at all...rather, they were the real thing.

"No...no, no, no!" The figure stood up in a hurry and shuffled backward, almost tripping over the chair in the process. His mind was racing for an explanation to justify this change of events, but the answer was precisely that.

Things were starting to change.

"What's wrong?" The figure turned to see his faithful partner – (Agumon) – standing there, looking at him with some worry. With one look into his eyes, (Agumon) deducted the cause of his partner's misery. "Things are changing...aren't they?"

The figure clenched his fists as he nodded. He turned around and glared at the monitor. _It wasn't supposed to happen this way...it wasn't supposed to happen this way at all!_

But it was now too late. The tides that were the events of the Digidestined were changing, and now he had to adapt. "Guess there's only one thing to do."

(Agumon) looked up at the figure with a sudden look of eagerness in his eyes. "You mean...?"

The figure nodded as he pulled out his orange D-3. "We're going to have to intervene...and this time, we won't be able to hide ourselves."

* * *

The Emperor laughed at the astonished looks on Davis' and Flamedramon's faces. Apparently, the force in front of them had frightened them.

A flying serpentine dragon with blue scales hovered overhead. The wings were composed of nothing more than red-colored skin, but when they beat, they still caused a great gust of air. Spiky orange hair could be seen sticking out like a mane. A bony mask covered the face, with nothing but yellow eyes and a toothy mouth to show. Well, the eyes WOULD be yellow...if there wasn't a Dark Ring around its neck. It then shouted, "I am Airdramon! I am a Phantom Beast Digimon who rules the sky! Beware of my Spinning Needle attack!" The scary part was...there were 15 of them.

The green scales. The red skin. The white underbelly. The razor-sharp claws and talons. The blood-red eyes. The Dark Ring around the wrist that caused the blood-red eyes. Davis identified them as Tyrannomon...but instead of three, there were 15. "Fear me! I am Tyrannomon! Watch as my Fire Blast burns you alive!"

There was only one of the next Digimon species, but he made up for it by being twice as high as Tyrannomon and more fearsome-looking. It was like a bipedal dinosaur...but instead of hands, there were _heads_. The left hand was made of a bony dinosaur skull with a horn sticking out of the top. The right hand was comprised of what looked like the head of a robotic lizard. The main head had blue skin like the rest of the body, but the muzzle was colored white like the underbelly. Tiny blue scales stretched from the top of the head to the tip of its long tail. To finish it off, a Dark Ring adorned its left arm, making its blood-red eyes...well, even more blood-red. With a roar, it shouted, "I am Deltamon! Fear my destructive power! Dare to fight me, and I'll blow you away with my Triplex Force!"

Davis and Flamedramon were on a ledge barely big enough to hold them up. All 31 enemy Digimon were targeting them. The Emperor stood on top of the stone bridge where his fellow Digidestined were hanging. A little green worm was standing by the Emperor's side. Their partners were all tied up, sitting on the ledge opposite his. _I can't believe this! I've been..._

"Well Davis," said the Emperor.

..._trapped._

"Like my death trap?" he said with a smirk.

Davis growled and shouted, "You freak! Let them go!"

"Tell him Davis!" cheered Kari.

"Kick his twisted butt!" shouted TK.

"I can hear you!" yelled the Emperor. He cleared his throat and looked down upon Davis. "The faithful leader...bah! At their core being, humans only want to survive...and I bet you would throw their lives away to save your own skin." A twisted grin adorned his face.

"YOU'D BETTER NOT DAVIS!!!" roared Yolei.

Davis just stared at the Emperor for fifteen seconds. Then, in the most surprising of acts...he fell to his knees. He then yelled, "Let them go Emperor! If you want to kill someone, kill me instead! Just promise to let them go first!"

A large gasp came from the Digidestined's lips. Surprise was clearly etched onto the Emperor's face. _Well that was unexpected_. Regaining his composure, he stated, "Are you actually willing to give up your life for these wretches?"

Davis huffed at the Emperor. "Friends are supposed to look out for each other, no matter what the cost is...or no matter how annoying some are." He said this with extra clarity to make sure Yolei heard it. "And if it means giving my life to save theirs...so be it! Not like you'd know!"

The Emperor was legitimately surprised. Judging from his files on Davis Motomiya, he would've expected him to save his own hide. Looks like my files need updating. "Very well then...deal. Take out your digivice and throw it into the air."

Davis growled as he silently pulled out his blue D-3. Flamedramon leaned down into his face and said, "Don't do it Davis...don't give up your life!"

Davis didn't answer. He simply threw the D-3 into the air, where it was caught by a Dark Ring. It hovered at the center of the Ring, being held by some kind of invisible energy field. The ring floated upward and stopped above the Emperor before dropping it at his feet, where the other D-3s laid.

The Emperor smirked. "Good." He quickly whipped out his Dark Digivice and held it towards Flamedramon. "Let's see if the Digieggs can protect him from this! De-evolution!" A black stream of light erupted from the Dark Digivice's screen and blanketed Flamedramon. He screamed for only a second before turning back to Veemon. "Well. Looks like the mighty Armor Digimon can withstand the power of my Dark Digivice's power when transmitted through a Control Spire...but it seems like they can't handle a direct blast!" He laughed before shouting, "Now Davis! Order Veemon to step away from your side!"

Davis winced. The Emperor was really treading dangerous territory. "Davish!" pleaded DemiVeemon. "Don't do it!"

Once again. Davis did not say anything. Instead, he moved away from Veemon instead of the other way around. The Emperor scowled. "You didn't follow my orders. Oh well, since you're going to die anyway...I guess it's permissible. Deltamon!"

Deltamon's three heads began to charge blue energy into their mouths.

"By the way," said the Emperor, his voice in a mock tone of sudden remembrance. "I just remembered...I'm going to kill your friends anyway."

At this, Davis seethed and burned with anger. "You monster! You broke our deal!!!"

The Emperor grinned another one of those grins that scarred people for life. "Deals are made only to be broken! So long Davis Motomiya! Deltamon..."

"DAVIS!!!" screamed Kari.

"LOOK OUT!!!" shrieked Yolei.

"RUN!!!" shouted Cody.

"GET AWAY!!!" yelled TK.

"ATTACK DAVIS **NOW**!!!"

"Triplex Force!" The three heads spouted their rays of energy outward, converging at one point to form a large sphere of power. Soon, that sphere turned into a stream of light-blue energy that barreled toward Davis, whom was waiting for the inevitable..

In the future, at whatever point in time after this story might end, the Digidestined would look back on this precise moment and say that this is when EVERYTHING changed. 

At that precise moment...

A streak of blue dashed by, and the following sonic boom caused the stream to go off-course. It collided harmlessly into the cliff side, causing rocks and rubble to shower Davis and Veemon.

The Emperor stood there with his mouth agape. His shock was greater than it had ever been before...and he was also quite angry now. But before he could shout out the order for his Digimon force to find the foreign foe, another blue streak dashed by along the line of Tyrannomon that stood on the cliff side. The mysterious blur kicked all of the Tyrannomon in the head as it had passed by, causing their world to turn upside-down. The following sonic boom clenched it however. It caused the Tyrannomon to fall unconscious.

The Emperor was in utter shock.

"What-"

A blue blur passed the cliff side where the Airdramon were currently perched. They were knocked out as well, as they were too confused by the sudden attack to even defend themselves.

"Is-"

Deltamon blindly fired a Triplex Force at a spot where the blue blur had been last...but it was all for naught. Kick in the head. Sonic boom. Unconscious Deltamon.

"Going-"

The blur then sped straight through the base of the Control Spire...

"_**ON?!?!?!"**_

...and it tumbled down, turning into nothing but rubble. At that moment, a figure wearing blue armor suddenly appeared in front of him...but it was the male teen sitting on the armored figure's back that scared. The boy's green eyes were glaring at him, boring a hole straight through him.

Then, in the most menacing tone he could put up, said, "Threaten them again...and you'll be in big trouble...Rocket."

The Emperor gasped in shock as his pupils dilated. With nary a pause, the Emperor pushed a button on his gauntlet and immediately teleported back to his base (Wormmon included.).

Satisfied, the teen tapped the figure's head, and then they disappeared in a blue blur again.

_ZOOM!_

The five D-3s were picked up.

VOOM!

Davis and Veemon were picked up and dropped off at the outer edge of the cliffs.

_WOOSH!_

The tied up Digimon were picked up and dropped off at the outer edge of the cliffs.

_SHOOM!!!_

The four Digidestined were picked up (Three guesses as to where they were dropped off. :P )

The five Digidestined and the five Digimon shook their heads. The speed they had been traveling at for a total of four seconds had made them a bit dizzy...but they could make out two figures.

When their dizziness cleared, they could tell the difference.

The one on the right was the bigger of the two. He was about Flamedramon's size, but sleek, dark-blue armor covered the entire body. Many of the armor's spots were streamlined and spiked to increase the suits aerodynamic potential, and it gave the Digimon a very smooth appearance. Yellow trimming was visible on parts of the shoulder pads and the armored boots. The only part of the body visible was the calm, emerald-colored eyes, and the orange skin of the Digimon's muzzle. A crest adorned the breastplate and the back of the Digimon's armor. It was an upside-down triangle with a dot in the middle and three smaller, right side up triangles sitting a few inches away from the main triangle's sides. The crest was colored a light shade of blue than the rest of the armor. Then, in a voice as confident as Flamedramon's, but as calm and cool as a wise martial artist, said, "I am Sonocomon! As my name suggests, I am an Armor Digimon capable of traveling at mach speeds! Be careful, or I just might hurt you with my Blue Dash and Speed Spin attacks!"

The one on the left was the smaller one, and it was easy to see why: he was a human. His skin was tanned, but not to the point of the tan being a dark shade. He wore a purple, button-on, collared shirt with green denim jeans. He wore tough boots colored brown with black soles, but they weren't monstrously huge like rain boots. He wore white gloves with black wristbands, and a red bandana was wrapped around his right elbow. His light-brown hair stood up in spikes, but it wasn't every-which-way like Tai's, nor spherical like Davis' – just straight up, with the spikes on the side drifting towards that general side. His green-colored eyes stared at the five Digidestined...and their Digimon.

Finally...he cracked a smile.

"Hello everyone. I suppose you want to know that my name is Shaun...and I'm a Digidestined like you."

* * *

To be continued...

Next time...

Episode 6: Revelations

* * *

Author's Note: DONE!!! FINITO!!! Ah...this chapter was screaming for me to finish it.

Now, some of you are probably saying, 'Hey! Shaun looks like Ryo!' Well, when I first made this fic, it was unknown as to who the mystery character was (the one walking with young Ken in the desert in season 02). I decided to make a fic using him as a base...and after, Ryo was revealed to be the one who was with Ken.

So to that I say...so? My story. My character. BLEH:P

See you next time!


	6. Revelations

Standard Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon. What do I own? None of your business!  
  
Author's Note: This is the chapter where the two mysterious figures that are now known as Shaun and Sonocomon reveal a little info about themselves…and we'll see how the Digidestined reflect on that info. Plus, you'll see the two fight alongside the others in battle!

Anthony1: I'm not sure if you saw my main page's update almost a week ago, but I'll tell you. 

I will not continue the New Digi-Episodes.

Instead, I will finish updating Zero 2: A Revision…then repost ALL of the New Digi-Episodes within Z2! That way, everyone can just get it all in one dose.   
  
Scared you, didn't I? :P  
  
SilverWarrior: You want Ryo? You'll see Ryo…in a future story…eventually…erm…*walks off*

Cookirini: Well hello! Welcome to my stories. Now in terms of your complaints…these chapters may seem long due to the fact that I still have lots of characters to introduce. Introducing characters takes space. Once they're done with, more action will follow. More action means less space. 

As for the empty space at the end of each chapter…that's a problem with Word that I have no idea how to fix. -.-;

But…you say you have an idea about what will become of Shaun?!? O_O; *eats Cookirini like a cookie before she can say anything* Mustn't let the secret get out. . *walks away*

Plus, I have a favor I need to ask of you fellow FF writers and readers. Does anyone out there know where I can find pictures of Yolei's parents? It'll be a big help in the near future! 

Begin!  
  


  
----

"This is Yolei. While Davis got his ear chewed out by the principal for breaking a window, we went to investigate a weak sector…but it was actually a trap! When Davis came, the Emperor offered him an ultimatum…let us die, or let himself die! He actually chose the latter…but the Emperor tried to kill us all anyway! Thankfully, a strange guy and a Digimon saved us all and sent the Emperor running…and he introduced himself as Shaun."  
  


  
----

Episode 6: Revelations

----

The five Digidestined (partners included) looked upon the newcomers with awe, fascination…and confusion.

The boy known as Shaun looked upon them as if he were expecting them to say something. After a minute of silence, the Digimon known as Sonocomon tapped Shaun on the shoulder. "Can I dedigivolve now?"  
  


Shaun merely replied, "Don't need my permission." Sonocomon nodded and started glowing a dull shade of blue. He shrunk, and separated. The glow separated into a ovular object that merged with something in Shaun's pocket, whereas Sonocomon became…(Agumon).

"AGUMON?!?!?!" shouted everyone save for Shaun. Kari mumbled, "W-what are you doing with this guy?"  
  


(Agumon) smiled and calmly said, "I'm not the Agumon that's partners to Tai. I'm the (Agumon) that's partners with Shaun!"  
  


They seemed to understand…until TK quickly said, "Wait! You know Tai?"  
  


Both Shaun and (Agumon) nodded. Shaun said, "I know quite a bit about you guys…Davis, Yolei, Cody, TK, Kari, Tai, Matt, Sora, Mimi, Izzy, Joe-"

"Hold up!" shouted Davis. He accusingly pointed a finger at Shaun and yelled, "How do you know all about us?!"  
  


Shaun smiled and humorously replied, "Being with Gennai for over a year can do wonders if you want some information."  
  
TK and Kari couldn't believe what their ears had just heard. "YOU KNOW GENNAI?!?"  
  
Hawkmon tugged on Yolei's pants and asked, "Who's Gennai?"  
  
A shrug was all Hawkmon got in reply.

Shaun nodded. "Yeah. I know him. That's how I found out about you guys."

Cody remained silent as he read TK's and Kari's expressions. It was clear that they were shocked – whether it was about him knowing their names or knowing about this 'Gennai' was unclear to him.

TK stood there with his mouth agape. It was clear that this guy knew a lot more than he let on. "Who…are you?"

Shaun rolled his eyes and unenthusiastically replied, "Like I said, my name is Shaun. I'm a Digidestined, and I think you've already gathered that (Agumon) is my partner." He sighed as he paused. Shaun remained silent for a little longer, as if forming the words in his head before speaking. "I'm a Japanese-American, born in Okinawa, raised in the American state of Colorado from the time I was a baby."  
  
He turned around and started pacing back and forth in front of the Digidestined before continuing. "About a year ago, while tinkering with my computer's network card, a lightning bolt struck my house. It was storming, and the voltage fried everything in the house…computer included. However, when my computer was zapped, the voltage came into my body. As a result, I fainted. When I woke up, Gennai was standing over me, and I had this," He pulled out his orange D-3 and held it out for all of them to see. "In my hand."  
  


"Hold up." TK held out his hand to stop Shaun's explanation. "You sure that's how you got here? It sounds a little far-fetched to me."  
  


Shaun faintly smiled too quickly for anyone to notice, but he was sort of impressed with TK. _He's not gullible_. "Whether you believe me or not, that's what happened." He began pacing again, thinking of what to say next. "Gennai explained to me in detail about you guys, about the Digidestined, about their battles…I've learned a lot. And I started to keep an eye on you guys."

Yolei suddenly started seething at this comment. "You stalker! You've been spying on us?!?!"

Shaun shook his head out of exasperation. "In short, yes. However, I'm not a stalker…nor am I pervert. Don't jump to conclusions Yolei Inoue." One couldn't help but notice the firmness he put in the last statement.

Kari put her thinking cap on (figuratively speaking of course), and started pondering about Shaun. To say he knew a lot was an understatement. To her, he knew a little TOO much. _I can't put my finger on it…but I know this guy knows more than he's letting on._

Davis clenched his fists as Shaun remained silent. His eyes locked with the newcomer's, hoping to find out something about him just from looking at him. 

He didn't. 

However, his gut was telling him that something was wrong about Shaun…and he had learned to trust his gut on almost everything. "Let me ask you something Shaun…"  
  


Shaun had a feeling he was about to be quizzed, so he simply said, "Shoot."  
  


"What do you know about me?" Davis would come to two conclusions depending on Shaun's answer. If Shaun didn't tell the truth, he'd pound him for being a liar. If Shaun told him the truth…he'd pummel him for knowing too much. Davis never really liked anyone who knew too much (who wasn't his friend, naturally.).

Shaun cupped his chin with his right hand and sat down on the ground, obviously in deep thought. "Hmm…if I recall correctly…sometime last week, your sister Jun threw her bra at Matt Ishida during his concert. This Monday, you received your D-3 and found your partner Veemon. On Tuesday, you both were trapped by the Emperor. He was going to enslave Veemon with a Dark Ring, but a fast gust of wind broke the restraints and you saved yourselves. Wednesday. Found your first Control Spire. Yesterday. Fought three Tyrannomon. Today…well, you know."  
  


Davis silently growled. Everything he said had been the truth. So…he went with choice number two. "Pardon me…but you know a little too much!" He reared his right hand, curled it into a fist, and launched it at Shaun's face.

Shaun was obviously surprised by the fact Davis was trying to knock his head off, but he quickly regained his composure. He quickly rolled backwards – evading the punch – and leapt to his feet, immediately preparing himself for another attack.

Everyone gasped in shock at Davis' sudden outburst. What had gotten into him? Cody shouted, "Davis, quit trying to pick a fight! What's gotten into you?"  
  


"This guy knows everything about us, and we know next to nothing about him!" Davis prepared to attack again…and he charged. "And that's reason enough for me!" He reared his right hand and launched it at Shaun…who dodged it by shuffling to the side. Davis punched again, and Shaun dodged it.

Punch.

Dodge.

Punch.

Dodge.

Repeat seven times over.

"You're telegraphing your punches Davis!" Shaun yelled as Davis threw a right hook at him, forcing him to duck. _Okay, enough's enough_. Shaun balled his right hand into a fist, rose and thrust it into Davis' stomach. 

Davis' entire body stopped. The air rushed out of his lungs, and he slumped to the ground, resisting (well, not really) the urge to curl into a fetal position. Davis mind was in a tizzy; Shaun's uppercut had been aimed exactly, and had had the right amount of force to momentarily make him lose control of his body. Whoever Shaun was, he was no amateur. 

"DAVIS!" Everyone rushed to Davis' side as he began to start breathing regularly again. Veemon growled and glared at Shaun. "What'd you do that for?!"

"Two reasons Veemon. Self-defense, and to prove a point." He turned around and started digging into the ground for something. 

"What do you mean by 'prove a point'?" yelled Kari. She was angry at Shaun for punching her friend into submission…even if it was out of self-defense.

Shaun stopped digging and pulled a television out of the ground. He then held it out in front of the Digidestined. "When the time is right…now go home. We'll see each other again tomorrow." He held the TV by the base with one hand…and held his orange D-3 in the other. "Digiport open!!!" Shaun set the TV down and backed off as the rest of the Digidestined were bathed in light-blue light. When it faded, (Agumon) and he were the only ones left in the Valley of Death.

(Agumon) looked at his partner with worry. "Did you really have to go so far as to knock him into submission?"

"It'll teach him not to rush recklessly into battle. I hope." He looked down at his partner and smiled. "Let's head back to Gennai's."   
  


----

Izzy looked upon the five children skeptically as the five Digimon snacked on some of Yolei's leftovers from lunch. "So you're telling me that the Emperor trapped you four, is convinced that by conquering all he's doing the Digiworld a favor, conned Davis into surrendering his life in a deal, that his entire force was defeated in less than a minute, and that the one responsible is a Digidestined who lives with Gennai AND knocked Davis into submission with just one punch?"  
  


Everyone nodded…even Davis, who did so begrudgingly. He felt nothing but raw shame over how easily he was put down by the newcomer. _He made me look like a wimp!  
  
_

Izzy leaned back in his chair, deep in thought over the latest development. A new Digidestined had come out in the open, and it was obvious he was very experienced in battle. The fact he knocked the Emperor's forces unconscious in a matter of moments was testament to that. Plus, it took a lot to make Davis curl up out of pain…so 'Shaun' knew what he was doing on both accounts. "Sounds like a tough cookie…this 'Shaun'."  
  


"No kidding," stated Cody. Like Davis, he too was suspicious of Shaun. Not only because of how he had been watching them for the past year…but because his motives were unclear (hitting Davis was also a strike against Shaun). Plus, the way Shaun effortlessly dodged Davis' punches was clear that he had had at least SOME training in the martial arts. "He's obviously quite skilled in battle, and I could tell that he has at least some experience in martial arts. However…until we know his motives, I think we should be cautious. He's most likely as dangerous as the Emperor…maybe a little more."  
  


Everyone was now silent. Cody had a point; what if Shaun's motives were as bad as the Emperor's?   
  
"Don't worry yourselves about him!" 

Everyone turned to see Upamon, who had a chocolate stain on his lips. "It's not like he's gonna come and chop our heads off! We'll worry when he's around!"

"…thanks for the reassurance Upamon," said everyone unanimously. Although Upamon's advice was quite sound…the thought of Shaun chopping their heads off was now running rampant in their hands, and they were feeling quite uncomfortable. 

"Hey Izzy," asked Yolei. She looked unnaturally timid for some reason, but she was trying her best to hide it. "Who's this 'Gennai'?"  
  


Izzy thought for a moment…then TK answered for him. "Gennai is an old man that we met during our original adventure into the Digital World. He's been in the Digital World for many, many years, and he knows a lot about Digimon and the Digidestined." Yolei nodded in response. That would do for her.

"Well, I'm heading home." Izzy stood up, disconnected his laptop from the PC, and slipped it into his backpack. "I'll try and see if I can pull up some more information about this 'Shaun'…and I'll try and contact Gennai." With that said, Izzy left.  Shortly afterward, everyone went home.

And Davis still wasn't able to walk Kari to her house (poor guy).

----

Davis laid on his bed, staring at the ceiling. He was in nothing but his boxers, and his goggles were sitting on the desk next to his bed. DemiVeemon was quietly snoozing on the pillow next to his head, but it wasn't loud enough to disturb his thought processes.

He was thinking. A lot. About Shaun the newcomer. There were many things about him that he didn't like…but he respected Shaun for saving his friends. It was something he was unable to do…and that ticked him off even further.

Shaun was mysterious. He knew too much about him and his friends, and he knew almost nothing about him. It was clear Shaun was an adept fighter, but _how_ adept of a fighter he was…that was unclear.

Davis rubbed his aching stomach as a frown came to his face. One punch. ONE punch. That's all it had taken to knock him into submission. Davis had gotten into plenty of fights with jerks and bullies before. Heck, he'd been knocked out his fair share of times as well. 

But in all the times he had been in a fight, he had not lost without being pummeled to oblivion beforehand. But with Shaun…it had taken only one punch.

That thought scared him.

"Man…I sure hope this guy is who he says he is…"

 Even that didn't offer Davis any consolation.

----

"You alright Cody?"

Cody sat up in his bed and glanced at Upamon, who was sitting next to his blanketed legs. The little Digimon had been watching him for a while now…as he thought…and thought.

Sighing, Cody responded, "Just a little put off by your words earlier. When you're trying to reassure someone, the chopping of heads should not be mentioned."

Upamon sweatdropped, but the little Digimon did not catch the severity behind Cody's statement. 

Fortunately.

When Upamon had tried to reassure them at the school earlier, it had started the gears in Cody's mind. He had no clue as to what Shaun's intentions were. Sure, he had saved them, but Cody was still skeptical. After all, the Emperor had trapped them with an elaborate scheme – was Shaun trying to do the same thing?  
  


If he was, he wondered if they would stand a chance against him. Cody had watched closely as Shaun dodged every single punch Davis threw at him. Shaun's movements were smooth, yet exact. The punch that had knocked Davis into submission also revealed to him more than he needed to know.

It was clear to him that Shaun was an expert in at least one form of martial arts.

Had he been like that before coming to the Digital World? What if it was the other way around? If so, who taught him to fight with such prowess? Was it this 'Gennai' that TK and Kari seemed to know?

Those questions plagued Cody's mind for the rest of the night.

----

His grin.

His strength.

His teeth on her ear.

Yolei sat up with a start, breathing in short, ragged gasps. She had tried not to think about that horrifying image, but every time she went to sleep…it came back. 

Yolei turned her head to see Poromon, who was still sleeping peacefully. _Lucky you_, thought Yolei with envy. _I can't sleep at all._

Words couldn't describe how scared Yolei had been earlier…in the cavern. The Emperor had revealed himself, revealed his plan to conquer the Digital World, and had scarred her all at the same time. 

The maniacal grin was a major factor. The Emperor was smiling…grinning so casually about a subject that involves the death and enslavement of innocent Digimon. 

His strength also scared her. The Emperor had picked her up with ease. With only one hand. For that reason alone, she thought the Emperor was greater in strength than the newcomer known as 'Shaun'.

And when he had bitten her ear…Yolei felt as if she had landed right in the middle of a Freddy Krueger film. 

Groaning, Yolei decided to try and get back to sleep…and hope that the nightmare wouldn't return. 

His grin.

His strength.

His teeth on her ear.

Yolei shivered as she pulled the covers around her body…and cuddled up next to her partner. After all, she was in the throes of a nightmare…

…and she didn't want to be alone.

----

Tai's mouth could've touched the floor if it went any lower. "You're telling me he subdued Davis with ONE punch?!"

Kari nodded solemnly. It was now nighttime, and she had been relaying to Tai all about the Emperor's trap…and the newcomer known as Shaun.

Needless to say, Tai was shocked about the trap…but even more so by Shaun. Especially when one considered the fact that he had taken Davis down with one blow.

"Man," muttered Tai as he ran his hand through his bushy hair. "Davis is a tough kid…real tough. This guy must be unreal if he took down Davis with one punch."

"You and me both," said Kari, her eyes a tad distant. It was rather shocking; Davis had gotten into a lot of fights in the years she had known him. And in all those fights, Davis only lost after being beaten to a pulp…or whenever the school staff intervened when Davis was losing. 

But that wasn't what her mind was focused on. As she looked at Tai, muttering about 'Davis' and 'one punch', she realized something…

Shaun had a remarkable resemblance to Tai. Tai's skin was a tad darker, and Shaun's eyes were green, unlike Tai's brown irises…but the frame, the face…they were a perfect match.

_Oh stop it Kari_. She thought to herself as Tai mumbled 'goodnight' and left Kari's room to get to his own. As she lay back down on her own bed, she thought, _you're reading too much into the resemblances…_

She sighed as Gatomon silently snored on top of Kari's computer monitor.__

_…am I?_  
  


----

"What do you think about Shaun?"  
  
TK turned around to see if Patamon was thinking about a response…but the little Digimon had fallen asleep. _That was quick._

TK had been carrying out a small conversation with Patamon about his opinions concerning Shaun…but the little guy had apparently fallen asleep the moment he turned around to slip into his pajamas.

TK didn't mind talking with Patamon, but he was grateful that he was asleep. Now…he could think in quiet.

He was curious concerning the way Shaun spoke earlier. He spoke so casually about them…yet he was so careful about what he said. The way he spoke about them, Matt, and Davis' sister…it was as if he had known them _personally_.

However, TK couldn't help but pick up on how cautious the boy seemed. Whenever Shaun spoke, TK noticed that he would tense up every once and a while – usually after saying something. To TK, that meant Shaun had said something that he didn't WANT to say.

That only cemented TK's suspicions that Shaun knew more than he was letting on.

_I'll find out…one way or another!_ TK grinned to himself as he fell asleep.  
  


----

The Emperor growled as his mind raced through every single possible method that the boy could've known about him. How? How did he know about his nickname?! He had never met the child before, yet he knew his nickname! 

_How does he know about my nickname?!_ It was mind-boggling as to how he had been discovered.  
  


The Emperor was actually quite famous in the Real World. His athletic prowess and amazing mental abilities had garnered international attention to him, much to his displeasure. He was even given a nickname to complement his ultra-fast speed…the Rocket.

And that led back to the newcomer. How had he known about him? He had never met that boy in the real world…so how?  
_  
The fact that he DOES know about my real identity_, thought the Emperor grimly as he lay in his bed, staring at the ceiling. _Means bad news…this child must be dealt with immediately._

Thus, the Emperor fell asleep…plotting on how to get rid of the child known as Shaun.

----

"Now class, remember that the mitochondria are the main 'powerhouses' of the body's cells-"

  
Yolei was now in Mr. Tukiyo's Life Science class…a class she was normally very good at.

However, that wasn't the case today.

Especially considering…

"Zzz…zzz…zzz…"  
  


…that she was sleeping.

Once Yolei had walked (more like trudged) into the classroom and sat at her desk, she had fallen asleep almost immediately.

Of course, falling asleep during class was bound to get a rude awakening. It was an awakening that Yolei was about to experience.

"Ms. Inoue!"  
  


Yolei's head immediately shot up and she absent-mindedly shouted, "The blood cells get their red color from the hemoglobin!!!"  
  


Silence filled the air after Yolei's sudden outburst. It was all Yolei needed to know…that she had blown it.

Laughter echoed through the classroom as an embarrassed blush came to Yolei's face.

"Ms. Inoue, please step outside for the remainder of the class." Said Mr. Tukiyo, his face indicating his disappointment. After all, Yolei was one of his smartest students.

As Yolei meekly left the room, her entire face was colored a warm, bright red.

----

All five of the new Digidestined were in the computer lab at the moment. Izzy was at a tutoring session for the afternoon, so he was unable to make it. A pile of snacks (courtesy of Yolei) was sitting on the counter, so that the Digimon would have something to eat whenver they came inside from the window.  
  
Let's join the Digidestined, shall we?

----

Yolei had been embarrassed enough already.

"Ha ha ha ha!!!"

Davis' laughter was not only adding to it…but it was feeding the fire that was her anger. "Be _quiet_…"  
  


Davis' sides were practically splitting as he managed to choke out, "But…that's the kind of thing I do!" He laughed some more as he said, "Since when do you fall asleep in class?"  
  


Yolei growled and pointedly replied, "Two things. One: you speak of falling asleep in class as if it were something to be proud of." The scowl that came to Davis' face indicated that Yolei had gotten through to him. "And second of all, I fell asleep in class because I couldn't get any shut-eye last night!"

Davis was about to say 'Excuses, excuses…' when Kari asked out-of-the-blue, "Why couldn't you get any sleep?"

Yolei suddenly shivered as the nightmare that had kept her awake most of the previous night returned to her memory. Goosebumps could be seen on hands and skin as she calmly – a little _too_ calmly for everyone else's tastes – replied, "A nightmare…about the Emperor."

Everyone remained silent for a moment…until Davis scoffed. "Pfft! He's nothing! Why should you be scared of that wimp?"  
  


Yolei didn't glare at Davis like she usually did in response. She just…stared. Her eyes seemed almost empty. Davis, in turn, was almost frightened by it. If Yolei didn't have some snappy comeback at him – which she usually did –, then she must have been REALLY frightened by the dream. "Eh…never mind."  
  


Davis hadn't been there. However, from the near-empty looks he could see on the other's faces…he could tell that whatever the Emperor had done yesterday had been horrible.

Cody, noticing that the silence was really eating away at them, turned toward the computer and pulled up the Digital Grid. "So…where should we go today?"  
  


The Digimon suddenly came in through the window and quickly said, "Hi!" in unison before snacking down on the mound of sweets and salty snacks that Yolei had brought. Everyone of the Digidestined sweatdropped; the Digimon had notoriously huge appetites.

"How about…sector 01-110-EPSILON?" Cody pointed to a sector that was almost halfway between the left and the center of the screen. "According to the Digital Grid, the area's dense, and hard to travel through."  
  
DemiVeemon huffed and said, "No way! We had enough a problem with that 'Valley of Death' area yesterday! Let's go somewhere easy!"  
  


"Yeah!" Davis pumped his fists into the air out of elation. "I agree with DemiVeemon! After yesterday, we deserve an easy mission!"  
  


Davis line of thinking was reasonable…but flawed. "However," pointed out Cody. "The rugged terrain means that the only enemies that could be in the area would be airborne enemies. Even though Flamedramon and Digmon are the only ones unable to fly, we can put the one-sidedness of the enemy fliers to our advantage."   
  
Thought Cody was finished proving his point? WRONG-O.

"Plus, if we were to go to a sector that can be easily traversed, we would probably encounter a large variety of enemies. Then _we'd_ be at the disadvantage." Cody stopped speaking and tilted his head to look at Davis, who was – more or less – outmatched.

"But…" stuttered Davis, trying to think of a decent comeback. "We…uh…I…" Finally, Davis just sulked in defeat. "Aw man."

"I guess it's decided then," said TK as Patamon set down on his head. "Sector 01-110-EPSILON it is." 

A faint scowl adorned Davis' face as the others gathered around TK at the computer. Even now, he was still jealous of TK 'taking charge'. After all, _Tai_, the previous leader of the Digidestined, had designated _him_ as the leader! Davis held a great deal of pride in that…and he was going to live up to that title one way or another.

TK pulled out his green D-3 and held it towards the computer. "Alright everyone. Digiport open!"

The five children were sucked into the monitor, Digimon included. 

Two moments later, Mr. Tukiyo peeked his head into the computer lab, looking for whatever the source of the bright flash was. _Was_ there a bright flash? Sighing, the science teacher turned around and moaned, "I'm getting too old for this job."

----

The Emperor sat silently on his stone throne. He watched the monitor in front of him in silence. The monitor revealed the newcomer's location. 

The Emperor had found that the boy was resting in one of his controlled sectors, so he had dispatched several Deltamon to the area. Soon, the newcomer would fall…

*Beep. Beep*

"Hmm?" The Digiport in that sector suddenly activated. The tyrant pounded his fist in frustration. Had the boy escaped to the real world?

Fortunately for him, that was not the case. Five new motes of light appeared in the same space where the dark blue one was. The Emperor chuckled with glee as he realized the Digidestined had arrived at the very sector he had besieged!

  
"How convenient."  
  


----

"It's official…"

Gatomon grumbled as she tried to writhe her way out of the dog-pile of Digidestined. Upon exiting the Digiport, they had all landed…in a heap. Inside a cave. With the exit over a couple of dozen yards away. Which left very little light. The lack of light made being in a heap…uncomfortable. 

"Davis and Veemon are the reason we always land in a heap."  
  


"HEY!" shouted Davis and Veemon in retort to Gatomon's complaint. "We resent that!"  
  


Yolei smirked and took the opportunity to land another blow on Davis' argument. "Well yesterday when we came without you, we landed just find."

Davis and Veemon couldn't think of a decent defense to that. Hawkmon made a simple gesture with his wing moving forward…then falling sharply into the ground. "I believe the phrase is 'crash and burn'."

Davis and Veemon seethed at the remark…and they seethed even more when Yolei stuck her tongue out at them, mocking them playfully. "Yolei and Hawkmon: 2! Davis and Veemon: Zero!"  
  


Veemon pulled Davis down to head-height (as tall as Davis' thigh in this case) and whispered into his ear, "Let's pour ice cream all over them when we get home."

Davis chuckled at the thought of Yolei and Hawkmon being doused with vanilla ice cream. He could barely keep himself from laughing out loud! "Sounds like a plan!"  
  


"You do know she'll kill you if you do that."

Everyone suddenly wheeled around to see two figures sitting against a darkened corner of the cave they had come out of. The two figures were unmistakable. It was (Agumon) and Shaun. 

Everyone suddenly went silent. Had they been there ever since their arrival?   
  
"How long have you been here?" asked Cody, his tone firm and unyielding.

Shaun simply replied, "About a few hours. And at the moment, I really can't go anywhere."  
  


"Huh?" said Davis in confusion. "Why's that?"  
  


Shaun simply pointed to the cave entrance. "You could take a look…but I advise against it."

Davis – never one to take advice at first – walked over to the cave entrance and looked outside. He squinted for a moment to clear away the bright sunlight that flashed into his vision, but he managed to make out that they were in a mountainous region. Most of the area was rocky and hilly, revealing that walking here was a clear impossibility…well, almost.

Especially considering the fact that seven Deltamon all had their heads aimed at the entrance of the cave. Davis sweatdropped as blue motes of energy appeared within their heads.

Then, they all cried out.

"Triplex Force!"  
  


Davis yelped as he high-tailed it back into the cave. The seven rays of blue energy collided with the top of cave, causing debris to shower the area both inside and outside the cave. His breath came in rapid gasps for a few moments before he turned to Shaun and yelled, "WHY THE HECK HAVEN'T YOU DONE ANYTHING YET?!"  
  


Shaun casually shrugged and replied, "We were napping here, then you woke us up upon your arrival, and finally we heard the Deltamon outside preparing to attack if something came out." He paused for a moment, then sighed. "Also, the fact that they followed us here might have something to do with it."

Everyone (save (Agumon) ) facefaulted. Armadillomon rolled back on to his feet and asked, "Well if ya knew those Deltamon were out there waitin' to fry ya, why haven't ya done anything about it?"

"We were waiting for you," said Shaun, casually. Almost too casually, noted TK. "We were in this sector when the Deltamon jumped us. We took refuge in here, hunkered down, and decided to see what you guys…and girls," added Shaun to appease Yolei. "Were up to." At that, Shaun pulled out his D-Terminal.

"It's a D-Terminal," replied Yolei, sarcasm practically dripping from her tongue. "Big whoop. Your point?"

Shaun smirked. "Your sarcasm is _very_ appreciated Yolei." He couldn't help but notice how Davis enjoyed Yolei's seething about the previous comment. "However, my D-Terminal was tweaked by Gennai. As a result, I have some interesting programs…among them includes one that allows me to maintain an audio connection with any D-Terminal that comes within 100 yards of my own…AND the connection remains, even if the D-Terminal in question leaves 100-yard range," he added with a grin. 

Yolei, believe it or not, was shocked…and intrigued by the technology. Even though the D-Terminal itself had a nice place in her pocket, Shaun's live audio function had filled her a small hint of…envy? "So, you're saying that you can listen to us from our D-Terminals…even when we're in the Real World?"  
  


"Yep." Shaun stood up and stretched his limbs as he said, "Gennai's a whiz with this tech, but don't ask me how it works." He cocked his head toward the entrance…then back to the Digidestined. "Besides, working my way out of here with you guys is better than busting my way out with force."

Everyone stared at Shaun in silence. In TK's mind, he was being far too casual about the whole situation. Also, why was he being so carefree – much less relaxed –, especially considering that several Champion Digimon were outside, waiting to blast him should he emerge? _The way he's acting…it's as if he-_

"Wake up TF!"

TK suddenly jolted out of his thought processes to see that everyone was now standing by Shaun and (Agumon). Davis was the one who had shouted, and Kari was standing halfway between Shaun and TK, looking at her old friend with a small hint of worry. Patamon flew off of his head and hovered in front of his face. He looked at TK curiously and asked, "You okay TK?"  
  


TK lightly smiled and nodded. "Yeah. I'm okay." He noticed that everyone seemed to have taken Shaun's side of the story (in his mind anyway), so he couldn't try and establish any other connections. _Oh well_, he thought with an amused smirk. _Go with the flow._ "Guess we get out of here and destroy the Control Spire."

"We'll need three groups for a plan I've developed." Shaun stepped forward and looked at the five Digidestined around him. "Cody, you and Digmon will have to burrow your way out of here and come up behind the Deltamon. Yolei, you and Halsemon will follow them underground and emerge to provide air support." 

Cody remained silent, but Yolei sighed in disgust. "Since when do you give orders?" 

"Since never," replied Shaun, as curt as can be (whether or not it was intentional was anyone's guess). "Whether or not you choose to follow it is up to you…but I don't think going gung-ho would be the best solution in this situation."                                                 

Yolei seethed, and Shaun noticed Davis snickering (out of Inoue's sight, of course). He turned to TK and Kari and said, "You two will have to take out the Control Spire. It's about a mile west form here. Once everyone one of us starts fighting, you two make a break for it."

TK and Kari only nodded. In other circumstances, they might've disagreed. However, circumstances did not favor them at the moment, so they had to go with Shaun's plan. Besides, it seemed rather well thought out…and in TK's mind, TOO well thought out. 

That only left one more loose end…  
"Hey!"  
  
Davis and Veemon.

"What about ush?" grumbled Veemon. He didn't want to be left out of the battle. 

"Yeah, what about us?!" yelled Davis. He was flustered for a different reason; he wanted to be partners with Kari. 

Shaun simply grinned. He had always known that Davis had a fiery attitude…but it was still quite refreshing to experience up-close instead of merely _knowing_ about it. Finally, with a twinkle in his eye, he said, "You two will follow my lead."

Davis crossed his arms and mumbled, "Humph." Truth to tell, he was actually eager to see Shaun in battle. Although Shaun took part in battle the previous day, Davis didn't actually _see_ Shaun fight. Hopefully, he would be able to see Shaun's moves. Another side of him, however, did not want to see him fight. _It's silly_, thought Davis with a scowl. _Me…being afraid of being outdone by this guy? Yeah right_!  
  
'Yeah right' indeed. Davis was afraid of being outdone in battle by this newcomer. If he was…

"Ready everyone?"

Davis snapped back to reality as everyone pulled out their D-3s. Without missing a beat, Davis pulled out his own D-3 and looked at Veemon. "Ready?"  
  
Veemon grinned and replied, "You bet!"

  
  


Armadillomon armor-digivolve to……Digmon: The Drill of Knowledge!  
  
Hawkmon armor-digivolve to……Halsemon: The Wings of Love!

  
  
Cody hopped onto Digmon as the Armored Champion's drills began to spin rapidly. He then began to glide through the ground, creating a tunnel for use. Yolei clambered onto Halsemon and followed Cody underground. 

Shaun held his orange D-3 tightly and looked at (Agumon). The little Rookie immediately responded to Shaun's look with a nod. "Okay. (Agumon), Armor-Digivolve!"  
  


(Agumon) armor-digivolve to……Sonocomon: The Speed of Wisdom!

  
  


As the super-fast Armored Champion appeared out of the light-blue light, TK noted that he had described himself as 'the Speed of Wisdom'. _Wisdom eh?_ TK frowned as he thought about it. Thus far, all of the Digieggs had been based off a Crest power (case in point: Veemon becoming Flamedramon with the Digiegg of Courage, and so on and so forth.). Did that mean that Shaun had a 'Digiegg of Wisdom'? If so, did that mean…

Veemon armor-digivolve to……Flamedramon: The Fire of Courage!

TK snapped back to reality as Veemon's armor-digivolution brought him back to his senses. _Come on TK, keep your head out of the clouds!_ TK chided himself as Shaun mounted Sonocomon and Davis climbed onto Flamedramon.   
  
Davis glanced over at Shaun and asked, "Now what?"  
  


"Keep your ears open, and you'll know when." Shaun remained silent hereafter.

----

The seven Deltamon kept their heads aimed at the cave entrance. It was clear to them that the rest of the Digidestined were there. Thus, they required immediate annihilation. Reinforcements were due to arrive in less than thirty minutes. They just had to hold out until then. 

"Gold Rush!"

Too late.

Five drills burst out of the rocky ground, showering the Deltamon with rubble and debris as Digmon and Halsemon appeared from within the new hole in the ground. Four of the Deltamon immediately turned around to attack, while the remaining three diligently kept their heads aimed at the cave entrance. 

"Triplex Force!" The four Deltamon that had turned opened fire upon Digmon and Halsemon. Cody shouted, "Digmon, back underground!" The drilling Champion quickly dove back under the ground, dodging the blue beams of death. Digmon's drills were quite adept at turning any form of terra firma into smooth soil – even the hardened rock of the mountainous sector. To a digger, digging through smooth soil would be the equivalent of swimming through water…that is if they were a fish. 

Meanwhile, Yolei yelped out, "H-Halsemon! Fly away!" Halsemon quickly replied by taking to the air, thusly avoiding the blue rays of the Triplex Force. Yolei sighed with relief as the psuedo-griffin turned around and counterattacked. "Eagle Eye!"

----

Shaun's ears heard explosions. He lightly tapped Sonocomon with one finger, provoking his partner to dash off toward the cave entrance. Flamedramon dully blinked befoe he took off as well, shouting, "Hey! Wait up!"  
  


Once Sonocomon and Flamedramon had left the cavern, Kari and TK clenched their D-3s and yelled, "Armor Digivolve!"  
  


Gatomon armor-digivolve to……Nefertimon: The Angel of Light!  
  
Patamon armor-digivolve to……Pegasusmon: Flying Hope!  
  


  
The Children of Hope and Light mounted their respective partners and descended into the tunnel Digmon had made.

_I hope Shaun knows what he's doing_, thought TK as a grim look adorned his face.

----

"Blue Dash!" 

Sonocomon barreled into a Deltamon, head into gut. The Deltamon grunted, but he parried the blow and sent the Armored Champion flying backwards. Sonocomon righted himself and stopped in mid-air, preparing for another attack.

Shaun took a minute glance over to the tunnel to see TK, Kari, Pegasusmon, and Nefertimon sneak out and fly westward to the black twig on the horizon that represented the Control Spire.

_Bingo_. Shaun slightly pulled Sonocomon's head backward by a centimeter. Sonocomon immediately turned around to see a Deltamon preparing to fire upon Digmon.   

"Rock Cracking!" Digmon thrust his drills into the earth, creating a fissure that spread towards the Deltamon that approached him. Unfortunately, the Deltamon sidestepped the approaching fissure and re-aimed his heads. In a second, the Champion was already ready to fire. Digmon would be unable to dodge.

"Digmon, watch out!" shouted Cody.

"Triplex Force!" The three beams collided into one. The one ray careened toward Digmon, who was trying to scramble away from the impact zone.  Cody gritted his teeth together, preparing for the worst…that would undoubtedly be death.

"Blue Dash!"

Sonocomon suddenly zoomed in from behind Digmon and skidded to a complete halt in front of him. The sudden halt caused the momentum of Sonocomon to carry over into the ground below him…and Sonocomon's body mass was about that of a car. The sonic boom that accompanied Sonocomon also signified his speed. The mass of a car times the speed of a sound equaled a tremendous amount of force…

As a result, the rocky earth cracked apart, sending rocks and debris zooming through the air as the Deltamon became an unwitting victim of its merciless onslaught. Sonocomon hopped behind Digmon as Shaun shouted, "Cody! Digmon! Aim for the Dark Ring while he's occupied!"

Cody squinted to look through the debris, but he managed to see the Deltamon's arms flailing around, trying to clear away the dust cloud that surrounded him. On the left arm was the black band that was the Dark Ring. "Digmon!" Cody pointed through the dirty mist at the left arm. "There's the Dark Ring!"

"I see it Cody! Gold Rush!" Five drills flew through the dust cloud towards Deltamon. Three of the drills found their target. With a wail, Deltamon fell to the ground unconscious as the Emperor's influence left him. The Dark Ring – which had already cracked into many pieces – burst into particles that blew away into the wind. Cody smiled and turned around to thank Shaun for the assist…but the teen had already gone to battle another Deltamon. _He's certainly not one to dawdle._ "Digmon! Let's go get that Deltamon!"

"Right on it Cody!" Digmon then leapt back into the ground, burrowing his way toward his next opponent.

----

"Tempest Wing!"

Halsemon's body became a tornado with a sharpened tip, blowing past a Deltamon, grazing his side in the process. The Deltamon screeched before aiming at Halsemon once more. "Triplex Force!"  
  
"Look out Halsemon!" Yolei buried herself into Halsemon's fur as the psuedo-griffin veered to the far right, avoiding the incoming ray. Halsemon made a corkscrew maneuver to quickly blow past Deltamon. One U-turn later, and Halsemon was in prime position to barrel Deltamon over.

However, Deltamon pointed his right hand (er, head…or whatever) over his shoulder and back at Halsemon. 

"Triplex Force!" The right head suddenly started pulsing and charging an energy orb three times larger than normal. Halsemon gasped in realization. Deltamon was going to fire at them with one hand! _Impossible_! Halsemon wasn't going to be able to move out of the way in time!

Suddenly, he noticed Sonocomon high above. To his great shock, _Shaun actually jumped off of his partner in mid-air_. Sonocomon immediately rocketed down to the ground, coming to a dead-stop in front of Deltamon, who looked at Sonocomon with surprise. He had been to busy charging up his attack to notice Sonocomon. 

"Prepare yourself big guy!" Sonocomon shouted as he suddenly curled up into a spiky ball. "Speed Spin!" Sonocomon started spinning in place, his increasing speed causing the wind to speed up. Suddenly, the winds that were swirling around Sonocomon formed a tornado with a bluish tint. Eventually, a 100-foot tall whirlwind was rotating right in front of Deltamon, who had momentarily forgotten that Halsemon was right behind him. All of a sudden, Sonocomon launched the tornado at Deltamon, who was promptly blown over Halsemon and away before landing on the rocky ground over twenty yards away. 

Taking the opportunity, Halsemon flew as quickly as he could towards the fallen Deltamon…more specifically, towards the Dark Ring on his left arm. One Eagle Eye later, and the Deltamon was free from the Emperor's dark control. That was close, thought Halsemon with a sigh.   
  
"Oh no! Shaun's going to hit the ground!" Yolei's scream suddenly brought Halsemon's mind back to Shaun. He looked up to see Shaun one hundred feet in the air…and still falling. _He's not going to make it!_  
  
Suddenly, Sonocomon flew up to Shaun and grabbed him. He immediately started plummeting downward at Shaun's rate of speed, but the speedy Digimon started to gradually slow themselves down to lessen the impact. Ten seconds later, Sonocomon had slowed to a complete stop five feet above the ground. Without saying a word, Shaun coolly climbed onto Sonocomon's back, whom immediately sped off toward the next Deltamon.

Yolei blinked in awe. Halsemon reflected over the whole predicament in a flash. Yolei's partner was gifted with a great intellect, and he knew experience when he saw. Within the span of a minute, Shaun had leapt off Sonocomon to give him the flexibility required for the Speed Spin maneuver he had implemented against the Deltamon. Within that minute, Sonocomon had disoriented Deltamon long enough for him to destroy the Dark Ring…and caught Shaun in such a way that the jolt did not hurt him. One minute after Shaun jumped off of Sonocomon over 1000 feet in the air, he was off again to fight another foe. _There is no doubt about it_, thought Halsemon with a measure of respect. _Those two are very experienced in battle…and the level of trust they have for each other is beyond comparison._

"Wow." That was all Yolei could manage to say. She briefly wondered. _Will…I ever be able to trust Halsemon like that?_

Halsemon nodded in agreement. "Indeed." _Will I ever earn as much trust from Yolei as Sonocomon did from Shaun?_

----

"Fire Rocket!" Six fireballs – three from each hand – rocketed toward the two Deltamon he and Davis now faced. The Deltamon screeched as the fireballs left burn marks on their bodies, but they fired another round of the Triplex Force. Flamedramon promptly dodged the attacks, but it was clear that he was getting a little tired. "Man! These guys are relentless!"

"Yeah," replied Davis, who was hanging on tightly to his partner's back. "But so are we! Let's kick their butts!"

Flamedramon grinned as his right hand became ignited with a searing fire. "Flaming-"

Before he could finish, Flamedramon and Davis were lifted over 800 feet into the air by Sonocomon. Davis glared at Shaun and Sonocomon and yelled, "Hey! We were fighting!"

Sonocomon simply replied, "Flamedramon, prepare to use your Fire Rocket attack. Davis jump off."

Both Flamedramon and Davis looked at Sonocomon as if he'd lost his marbles. Especially Davis. "You want me to WHAT?!?!"

Shaun smirked as he grabbed Davis' wrist. "Just trust us. You won't die." With that, he jumped off…taking Davis with him. 

"AAAAAAAAH!!!!" screamed Davis as he fell down, the only thing waiting for him being the ground. 

Flamedramon shouted, "DAVIS!!!" He tilted his head to glare at Soncoomon and growled. "Let me go! I have to save him!"

Sonocomon calmly replied, "You will. Just shut up, and remember to land feet-first." A paper-thin aura colored a light blue surrounded Sonocomon, then he shouted "Blue Dash!" Sonocomon sped downward at a diagonal, taking Flamedramon with him.

Less than a second later, Sonocomon threw Flamedramon at the two Deltamon waiting below him. Flamedramon gulped – yes, gulped – as he sped downward toward the Deltamon at a speed faster than sound. He was going to collide with them in less than three seconds! _Fire Rocket, feet-first…_, it suddenly clicked for Flamedramon. _I get it!_

Two seconds left.

"Fire Rocket!" Flamedramon at the moment was a blur. The flames that suddenly covered flared a bright blue. The friction of the air against Flamedramon's body caused the flames to become super-hot; so hot that Flamedramon was wincing from the sheer heat of it all. 

One second left.

Flamedramon flipped himself over, pointed the heel of his right foot aimed toward the Deltamon. Two cries of  'Triplex Force' coincided with two beams coming toward him. Fortunately for him, the sheer speed he was going at – coupled with the barrier of flames around him – completely deflected the two beams away. 

Zero.

KABOOM!!!  
  
The explosion sent the two Deltamon flying. The rippling shockwaves completely obliterated the Dark Rings. The remaining particles were sent flying like so many leaves in the wind. When the smoke cleared, a crater over thirty feet deep could be seen.

And Flamedramon was there, kneeling against the ground, taking in deep breaths. He felt tired, but he also had a huge sense of accomplishment. The sense of power that accompanied the attack was accompanied by a sense of euphoria. Sighing, he stood up, looked upward, and gasped. 

Shaun and Davis were still falling.

----

Davis gaped at the crater in shock, his fear of becoming a messy splatter on the ground – which was less than 100 feet below him – momentarily being pushed away. 

It wasn't long before he looked back down, however, and resumed his screaming.

Shaun, who had so far fallen alongside Davis without saying a word, finally said (with a hint of annoyance), "Calm down."

Davis gaped at Shaun and yelled, "WHAT?!? We're about to die and you say 'Calm down'?!" Davis suddenly started laughing, as if he had accepted his fate. "You must have nerves of steel or something."

"On the contrary," replied Shaun. Davis suddenly felt a jolt as a pair of strong arms grabbed him and slowed his descent. He looked up to see his partner looking at him with a sense of relief in his eyes. He looked to his right to see Shaun being held by Sonocomon. With a smile, he concluded, "It's because I knew they'd catch us."  
  


Sonocomon and Flamedramon exchanged a quick glance, but Flamedramon got an idea of what Sonocomon's gaze told him. _They did that for a reason_. Flamedramon gathered that much…but as for the reason why, he didn't know.

"Hey." Flamedramon looked down at Davis, who gave Flamedramon a thumbs-up. "Thanks, man."

Flamedramon blinked as the reason for why Shaun and Sonocomon let Davis fall became clear. It was to cement Davis' trust in him. He looked at Sonocomon, and gave a small but imperceptible nod. He looked back down at Davis and smirked. "No prob."

Shaun and Sonocomon slightly smiled…but no one could have seen it.

"Hey guys!" Shaun, Davis, and their partners turned to see Yolei, Cody, Halsemon, and Digmon rush towards them. Behind them, they could see the remaining three Deltamon tear away at their Dark Rings. Davis turned around to see TK and Kari flying towards them, the Control Spire nothing but smoking remains in the distance.

Yolei looked at Davis and Shaun back-and-forth before saying, "We saw what happened. You guys okay?"  
  


"Yeah," replied Flamedramon with a smile. "As a matter of fact, I've never felt better."  
  


----

"Once more, my minions fail me." The Emperor scoffed in disgust as sector 01-110-EPSILON turned from black to white. _Chalk up another failure_, he thought miserably.

He was steadily losing momentum in his battle with the Digidestined, and the maneuvers he witnessed Shaun perform in tandem with his partner was impressive to say the least.

_I have to destroy them somehow_. 'How' was the question of the day. He had to somehow lure them into a trap…lull them into a false sense of security. 

Then it clicked. 

He got an idea…an awful idea. A terribly, wonderfully, awful idea.

"No, that won't work."

Then he got another idea…an evil idea. A terribly, wonderfully, evil idea.

"Yeah…that'll do it."  
  


He would have to plan it carefully…and make sure to act calmly around the Digidestined Shaun. The Emperor laughed to himself as he spoke to the blackness of the monitor room.

"Keep your friends close…but your enemies closer."  
  


To be continued…

Next time…

Episode 7: Not Your Average Joe

Author's Note: Sorry for the long wait everyone. My creative juices sort of halted in this chapter, and I had some…'difficulties' to attend to (*glares at FFX-2 and Jak II*).

Alas, I fear that by writing nothing but Digimon fanfics this whole time, my drive is starting to fade. 

But, I have a solution for that!

You see, I'm to write another story on the side…a non-Digimon story at that!

The title?  
  


_Final Fantasy X-3: Dreams and Nightmares_

Yes, it will be my first foray into the realm of FFX fanfiction. I've had the idea stirring in my head since I beat FFX-2 last week (I COMMAND YOU TO BUY IT IF YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS!).     

Anyhow, my next piece of writing shall be the prologue of FFX-3, followed by Episode 7 of Zero 2, then the first chapter of FFX-3, then Episode 8, and so on and so forth.  
  


Until next time, faithful readers.

See you later!


	7. Not Your Average Joe

Standard Disclaimer: I cut my hair today. I cut off a lot of hair. All of my past claims (were there any?) to owning Digimon are like the hair I cut off…old, worthless, and no longer a part of my being. In other words, I DON'T OWN DIGIMON!

Author's Note: Welcome to the newest episode of Zero 2! As you can probably tell, Joe Kido is introduced in this chapter. I'll admit my chapters are quite long, but you can probably imagine them getting shorter as all the characters are introduced.

Wait…I already said that last episode! Oh well. [shameless plug]READ MY FINAL FANTASY FANFIC![/shameless plug]

Martial Arts Master: Hello, new reviewer-person! Glad you like my story, and I hope you enjoy my episodes. Word of warning: do not read my other Digi-fics. Do not read the New Digi-Episodes because they give away important plot points that will spoil the whole thing for new readers (so much for my George Lucas approach). Don't read my other Digi-fics because they're crappy. 

Begin!  
  


----

"Hi. I'm Shaun, the new guy. I introduced myself to the Digidestined and, well…sort of hit Davis rather hard. The next day, I fought in battle with them for the first time against seven Deltamon. I have to say…we did pretty good."  
  


----

Episode 7: Not Your Average Joe

----

~At Sector 01-001-MU~

The northern tundra was completely covered by snow. More was falling from the sky, which was covered by a blanket of gray clouds. Very few trees dotted the landscape, and the large lake in the area was covered with a layer of ice. 

But now, that frozen lake was the sight of a fierce battle.

 "Subzero Ice Punch!" 

The call rang out several times as the ice Digimon launched freezing waves of energy from their fists. They appeared to be giant teddy bears made of snow, with three red snowballs going up their abdomens. They were Frigimon…and eight of them were attacking a powerful Champion.

However, the Champion Digimon they were fighting knew how to use the terrain against the Frigimon. 

"Harpoon Torpedo!"

The Champion in question was Ikkakumon. The horned walrus Digimon faced the eight Frigimon alone, but he had a reason: bring them to the service of the Emperor. The Dark Ring around his front left ankle was a testament to his service to the Emperor.

The harpoon split apart, revealing the missile within. It soared back down from the sky, colliding with the ice right in front of Ikkakumon. Ikkakumon leapt forward as the eight waves of ice approached.

A cloud of ice erupted from where the waves of ice collided. When the mist cleared, an amalgamation of jagged ice crystals remained where Ikkakumon stood…but no Ikkakumon remained within the ice.

The lead Frigimon cursed to himself. "He's gone!"

"Look!" The Frigimon to his immediate left pointed to right in front of where Ikakkumon once stood. A hole was there, revealing the freezing blue waters below. "He's escaped through the water!"  
  


CRACK!!!  
  
The Frigimon turned around to see Ikkakumon erupt from beneath the ice, firing several Harpoon Torpedoes in their vicinity. The Frigimon brought their arms up to protect themselves from the ice shards that the explosions kicked up, but that wasn't their biggest worry.

The missiles weakened the ice exponentially, and the Frigimon fell into the chilling depths. The Frigimon leader swam desperately to try and swim back to the surface…but his gaze saw something under the murky waters. 

Eight Dark Rings were floating there, just waiting to enslave him and his comrades. _That Ikkakumon's got us!_

The eight Dark Rings suddenly sprang to life and zoomed towards the eight Frigimon.

----

Ikkakumon grinned malevolently as the eight Frigimon – complete with Dark Rings on their arms – emerged from the icy cold of the lake, jumped out, and shook themselves dry. The furry Champion took this opportunity to press a tiny button on his Dark Ring. It activated the communication function of the newest Dark Ring model: model 1.03, complete with communication capabilities to the Emperor. 

"Emperor, come in." 

The Dark Ring suddenly generated a static-like noise until the Emperor's voice radiated from the built-in speaker. **"You have captured the Frigimon?"**  
  


"I have."  
  


**"All nine of them?"  
  
**

Ikkakumon turned his head to count the Frigimon, but frowned when he only got a total of eight. "No. Apparently, one of them escaped before I caught up with them at the lake."  
  


The Emperor remained silent for a moment. Ikkakumon prayed that the Emperor was not mad. 

**"…make sure you have the Frigimon eat within the hour. You might have company by then."  
  
**

Ikkakumon had a sinking feeling about whom the Emperor was talking about. "Yes master. I understand."

**"Do not fail me should a problem arise."**

The transmission was cut, and Ikkakumon was left with troubled thoughts. _He must mean the Digidestined… _The walrus snorted as he thought about how many of his master's plans had been ruined by the meddlesome children. _If they come… I will crush them!_ He turned around and shouted "Listen up! We will have a meal before moving out to protect this sector's Control Spire! Follow me!" 

The Frigimon nodded in agreement as they watched dive under the lake once more to forage for fish. However, the ninth Frigimon in question was watching the whole scene from behind a nearby tree. He had witnessed the whole fight…and he knew he would be unable to free his brothers alone.

"I must get help."  
  


----

_Question 23) What does the medical illness ADHD stand for? And what are its general symptoms?_

The medical student wiped his brow as he nervously took another glance at the clock. 2:49. 11 minutes left. Three problems left. All three require at least one paragraph. Oh boy.

The boy's blue hair was beginning to brim with sweat as he hastily began to write his answer. He pressed his thumb up against the ridge of his thick glasses, pushing them back up his sweaty nose. His eyes looked down at his paper apprehensively as he wrote down his answer with his pencil. If none of you have guessed by now, the nervous student was Joe Kido, doctor-to-be. _Okay, time to write my answer._

_Answer 23) ADHD stands for 'Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder'. It is a disorder that is mostly prevalent in children 12 & younger. Symptoms for this disorder included inattention (short attention span), impulsiveness (doing unwise and/or dangerous things without thinking about the consequences), and hyperactivity (being excessively active at random or certain periods of time). _

Joe sighed as he looked back up at the clock. _2:55…WHAT?! TWO FIFTY-FIVE?! I STILL HAVE TWO MORE PROBLEMS!!!_ Thus, the nervous high-school student quickly wrote down two more paragraphs in five minutes. And in his opinion, they were rather sloppily written. _I'm going to get those two problems wrong for sure!_

The final bell rung as Joe dejectedly handed in his test paper. He filed out of class and walked out of the school, looking for his car. "Oh man, why'd does the weatherman always mess up his forecast by ten degrees? My car's going to be an oven!"  
  


Something in his pocket suddenly started to vibrate. Joe moaned, "I'm not in the mood for a phone call." He reached into his pocket and flipped open the top of his silver Nokia cellphone and spoke into it anyone. "This is Joe Kido speaking."  
  


**"Joe?"  
  
**

Kido blinked out of surprise. He wasn't expecting the voice that spoke to him now. "Izzy? That you? Man, I haven't spoken to you in a month! How have you been?"  
  


**"…Joe, I need you to get to Odaiba Middle School. The computer lab to be precise."**

Joe looked at his cell phone in confusion. Why would Izzy ask him – after a month of not hearing from him, no less – to visit the computer lab at the middle school his high school was next to? "Um…why?"  
  


**"…Joe, please. It's about Gomamon."**

"…G…Gomamon?" Joe nearly dropped his phone in shock. The mere mention of his partner was enough to send chills up his spine…especially after being away from the Digital World for four years. And from the way Izzy was speaking… "I'll be right there Izzy." He turned his cell phone off and quickly made his way to his gray Toyota. His car was then seen speeding – under the speed limit of course – away from the parking lot.

_Please be okay Gomamon…_

----

Kari looked at the clock anxiously. _3:07…I hope Joe will get here on time_. 

It was Tuesday, August 31st. The last day of the month. Another trip to the Digital World for the Digidestined. Izzy and all of the new Digidestined were there. Except for Davis. Kari sighed out of exasperation as she said, "Why did Davis have to have a soccer game today of all days?"  
  


Yolei shrugged. "You know him. He's a soccer fanatic."  
  


TK watched as Patamon munched on a chocolate bar and shook his head in worry. Not for Patamon's cholesterol level; for Yolei's allowance. "Say Yolei, you told me you had to pay for these snacks. Hasn't your cash pile run out by now?"

TK didn't catch Yolei's sudden stiffness when she replied, "Well, you see…I just got my allowance on Sunday. It should hold me up until I get my next allowance paycheck next week." TK raised an eyebrow at how nervous Yolei sounded, but he paid it no mind. He just looked at the hungry Digimon…and suddenly noticed that a certain blue In-Training was missing. 

"Where's Demiveemon?"

  
Cody pointed out the in the direction of the soccer fields. "Demiveemon's with Koromon on the roof watching the Middle School-High School game."

----

Middle School-High School game?

  
Yes. Once every quarter, the middle school's best soccer players competed against the high school's best soccer players. It attracted a large crowd of students from all three branches of the Odaiba School, as it was a very fierce competition. 

When Tai was younger, he had virtually led the middle school team to seven straight victories in his last two years as a middle school student. However, he then went to the high school branch. His superb playing had completely turned the tables, giving the older, bigger, and stronger high school players the advantage. The first two games of that year had ended in decisive victories for the high school students.

But in the last two games of the year…that was when 6th grader Davis Motomiya had decided to play. The Middle School team won by one point in overtime in the 3rd Quarter game, while the last game of the year had ended in a tie. During those two matches, Tai and Davis had played and fought as hard as they were able, no quarter asked and no quarter given.

During the summer vacation, several of the students had begun hyping up next year's games, particularly the match-up between Middle School player Davis Motomiya and High School player Tai Kamiya. As a result, the crowd for this year's 1st Quarter match was larger than normal.  

And Davis was enjoying every single bit of it. He lined up at the left halfback position…directly facing Tai at the High School right halfback position. Davis smirked, and Tai smirked in response. They both knew what it meant?  
  
_Ready Tai?  
  
You bet Davis._

The referee whistled, and the game began.

Meanwhile, up on the roof…

"Davish is gonna win!"  
  
"No, Tai is!"  
  


"Davish!"  
  
"Tai!"

"DAVISH!"

"TAI!"

And thus, this standoff between Demiveemon and Koromon continued as the game continued.

----

"You guys here?"  
  
Everyone turned toward the computer lab door as a voice penetrated the silence of the room. TK briefly wondered if it was a teacher coming, but Izzy's next statement erased that train of thought.

"Come on in Joe!"  
  


TK watched as Joe Kido walked in, still dressed in his medical school's student attire (blue jacket, white-collared shirt, and tan khakis). Before he could introduce himself, Joe smiled at him. "Nice to see you again TK."

TK blinked out of astonishment. After all, none of the other Digidestined (save for Matt) had remembered him with one glance. "Uh…you remember me Joe?"

"Sure!" Joe smiled as he placed reached into his pocket and turned his cell phone off. "I'm not the kind of person who forgets a face…especially one of the people whom I spent weeks with in the Digital World," Joe added with an ironic smile on his lips.

TK laughed at Joe's joke. "Yeah, I guess you could say that." He took a quick look at Yolei and Cody before deciding it was time for a proper introduction. "Say Joe, have you met the two new Digidestined yet?" He gestured toward Yolei and said, "This is Yolei Inoue."

Yolei waved one hand and cheerfully said, "Hi! I'm Yolei," She then pointed to the pink bird eating a fudge cake. "And my bottomless pit is named Poromon!"

"HEY!" yelled Poromon as he pulled his mouth (covered in chocolate, by the way) away from his fudge cake. "Are you insinuating I eat too much?!"  
  


"In short," said Yolei, mentally reminding herself to add an extra dash of frankness in the next word. "YES." Yes, that sounded like enough. Poromon made a 'Hmph!' sound and went back to eating.

TK chuckled to himself as Joe blinked oddly at the two. _Just an average day_. "And the little guy by the window is Cody Hida."

Cody momentarily grimaced at the mention of the words 'little guy', but the frown was gone by the time he turned around to bow at Joe. "A pleasure to meet you Mr. Kido. I'm Cody Hida, and my partner's name is Upamon."

Upamon looked up from his bag of potato chips and grinned at Joe. "Nice ta meet ya!" Upamon immediately started eating again. Cody sweatdropped at Upamon's very short introduction. _He needs to work on his greetings. _

Joe smiled at the two. To him, they seemed like very nice people. They'd be a refreshing change from the students at my school. "Well, my name's Joe Kido – as TK, Kari, and Izzy already know – and I've been called here because of a situation with Gomamon." Joe calmed himself to regain his breath; he was still rather anxious (somewhat of a rarity for him) about the fact the Digital World was opened once more. And yes, he deducted that the Digiworld had reopened from the fact that Izzy was talking about Gomamon after over four years of not mentioning a single Digimon.

"Let me show you why. Come over here." Izzy pulled up the Digital Grid on the same computer that was used all the time for trips to the Digiworld, and enlarged section 01-001-MU, accompanied by a live video-feed from the sector's Digiport/TV.

However, the image being transmitted wasn't just a mere background of ice; a Frigimon was standing there, looking around worriedly. Was he looking for something? Or was he watching out for hostiles?

Izzy cleared his throat to get the Frigimon's attention. The anxious Digimon turned around and sighed with relief. **"Ah…Digidestined Izzy! I was worried you'd put my distress call on hold!"**  
  


"Sorry for the delay Frigimon, but we had to wait for one more person," explained Izzy to the worried Frigimon. He already knew of Frigimon's situation – he had received the snow-bear's distress call before anyone arrived – but he knew the others wanted to know. 

Kari poked her face in between Izzy and the screen and asked, "What's the problem Frigimon?"  
  


The Frigimon looked once more to the left…then the right…then he whispered into the Digiport, "I think you'll understand better if you come here…besides, I think we're under a time limit here."

Izzy nodded as he turned to the others. "Everyone, you go."

Joe raised an eyebrow and asked, "What about you Izzy? Aren't you coming with us?"  
  


Suddenly, the intercom turned on, blaring, **"Izzy Izumi. Please report to carpool pick-up in front of the High School building. The bus to the Museum of Science & Technology is departing soon."  
  
**

Izzy nervously rubbed the back of his head as he replied, "Well, ya see…I agreed to be one of the chaperones on an elementary school trip to the museum." He quickly grabbed his laptop pack and rushed out of the computer lab. "Good luck guys!"  
  


Everyone sweatdropped as Izzy left. Gatomon licked her fudge-covered whiskers as she cynically said, "Once again with the excuse."  
  


"No kidding," replied Yolei. 

TK sighed as he pulled out his D-3 and aimed it at the computer. "We can save our issues with Izzy for later. Digiport open!"

A blue light enveloped the group, and Joe let out a small yelp as they were sucked into the vacuum of the Digiport.

----

One bright light, and a multitude of Digidestined later…

"Brr!!!" Yolei hurryingly rubbed her arms, her body beginning to shiver in the sudden cold. "It's freezing!!!"

Patamon's teeth began to clatter as he managed to stutter, "No f-f-fair! H-Hawkmon has f-f-f-feathers…G-G-G-Gatomon has f-fur…and Armad-dillom-mon's skin is th-thicker!" 

The three Digimon in question merely shrugged. "We can't help it." Patamon went 'Hrmph!' and covered himself with TK's hat. _Good thing TK's got a warm head!_

Joe readjusted his glasses as a blast of cold wind blew by. "Well…it's quite obvious why you guys are cold. We're in a tundra."

Indeed. A flurry of snow suddenly blew past as the Digidestined gazed at the vast wasteland that lay ahead of them. Now, it wasn't a wasteland in a conventional sense (no ruinous cities, no dust flying in the wind, no smog covered sky). However, it did qualify as one in the sense that it was practically empty of civilization, and it seemed as if though no life forms could live on the plain of snow.

"You've arrived!"  
  


Unless, of course, you were adept at living in cold areas…like a Frigimon. And the Frigimon that had sent the distress burst over to them from his hiding place behind a lone evergreen. He rushed as quietly as he could over to the Digidestined and, with a hushed tone, exclaimed, "You finally arrived! I was worried my friends would be stuck as slaves…" 

"Sorry if we kept you waiting," apologized Joe, whom was on the lookout for Gomamon. He then decided to pop the question before he saw what Gomamon had gotten himself into. "Say, you wouldn't have happened to see a Gomamon – or perhaps an Ikkakumon – around here, have you?"

Frigimon froze on the spot (no pun intended), and turned around to face the Child of Reliability with a cold stare (once more, no pun intended). "…you know the Ikkakumon the enslaved the rest of my Frigimon friends?"  
  


Joe paled in the face; to the point where his face was white as snow (okay, this time it was intended). What did the Frigimon mean? "Wha…what do you mean?"

TK placed a hand on Joe's shoulder to get the eldest of the Digidestined's attention. He solemnly pulled Joe along as Frigimon led the others toward the Control Spire the sat a few miles away. "Joe…I have a lot to tell you." Thus, Joe found out about the Emperor, his campaign to enslave all Digimon…and Gomamon's capture.

----

"Well hello…"

Shaun had just switched to sector 01-001-MU to watch the live video feed…only to see Cody, Kari, TK, Yolei, and Joe being escorted by a Frigimon toward the sector's Control Spire. He took note that TK was currently speaking with Joe, who seemed to be getting paler and paler with each sentence. 

"…heading for the Control Spire, eh?" Shaun grinned as he switched to the camouflaged camera that would be eyeing the Control Spire. One advantage to living with Gennai…his old cameras give you quite a view. He watched as the enslaved Ikakkumon fed on fresh arctic fish alongside eight Frigimon. However, that was not what worried him.

What worried him was the mass of light-blue gel lying in a puddle in front of the Control Spire. "…that's rare…" He turned around to see (Agumon) sitting against the wall.

"…I know that look. Tough enemy?" 

Shaun nodded grimly. "Yeah…" The teen groaned as he opened one of the computer desk drawers, looking at the assorted mess of stuff (notepads, sticky notes, other thingies and doodads). He was looking for something…and he found it under a blue notepad. He pulled the object out, inserted something into it's base, and when it made soft 'click', he stuffed it into his pocket.

(Agumon) frowned at his partner. "Are you sure that'll be necessary?"

Shaun sighed as he glanced sullenly at (Agumon). "Last time, it was the only recourse we had to defeat that kind of Digimon. We'll have added numbers, but if they can't cut it…then I'll have no choice." He pulled out his orange D-3 and pointed it at the computer – making sure (Agumon) was by his side first.  
  
"Digiport Open!"

And then they were gone.

----

"Joe?"  
  


Joe remained silent. As the years passed, he had occasionally worried that the Digital World – the world that was his home for months – was being taken over. Now, that worry (or should I say fear?) was a reality. And to TK, it looked like Joe wasn't taking it well; judging from the silence, it appeared as though he was in a state of shock.

"Joe, are you okay?"

Cody noted TK's attempts to shake Joe out of his state of paralysis. Not physical paralysis…but Joe's eyes had no emotions. Nothing but…nothingness. A blank stare. To Cody, it seemed as though Joe's mind had shut down while reeling from the shock of finding out his old friend was enslaved. 

"Ya okay Cody?" Cody suddenly turned around to see the source of the voice. However, he knew it was Armadillomon by virtue of the Texan drawl the Digimon spoke with. "Ya seem bummed out." 

  
Cody smiled to try and erase the worry from Armadillomon's eyes. He couldn't help but feel a sense of wrong when he saw worry in the cheerful armadillo's eyes. It just…didn't feel right. "I'm fine Armadillomon. Just fine."

"We're outnumbered."  
  


Everyone suddenly looked at Joe, who had spoken out-of-the-blue. Outnumbered? What was he talking about? Gatomon's tail twitched as she smelled…fish. "I smell fish."  
  


"Probably because _they're_ eating it." Frigimon pointed to a small canyon made of ice up ahead. The Control Spire was standing at the very end of the 100-yard long canyon. Unfortunately for the Digidestined, there was a pile of fish situated in at the valley's entrance…and a gaggle of hungry customers were feasting on it. Ikkakumon, and eight Frigimon.

"Like I said," Joe repeated with a solemn tone. "We're outnumbered." He stared at Ikkakumon longingly…hopefully…as if looking at his partner would destroy the control the Emperor had on him. 

"Blue Dash!"  
  


Two lances of blue energy suddenly zoomed overhead towards the group of enslaved Digimon. The two rays hit two Frigimon on the left arms; more specifically, the Dark Rings. The sudden attack and the strain of the Emperor's influence leaving them caused the two Frigimon to fall unconscious. Ikkakumon's eyes widened as he turned towards the source of the blasts…and he saw the Digidestined. "The Digidestined! Prepare to fight!"

Frigimon, Joe, TK, Kari, Cody, and Yolei stared, their expressions indicating their (currently) dumbfounded nature. They slowly turned around to see none other than Shaun and Sonocomon. 

"Hey guys," Shaun said with a grin. "Ready to free some Digimon?"

Despite his suspicions, TK couldn't refuse an invitation like that. Turns out, none of the other Digidestined could either.

"Digivolve!"  
  


Hawkmon armor-digivolve to……Halsemon: The Wings of Love!  
  


Armadillomon armor-digivolve to……Digmon: The Drill of Knowledge!

Patamon armor-digivolve to……Pegasusmon: Flying Hope!  
  


Gatomon armor-digivolve to……Nefertimon: The Angel of Light!

Joe blinked as he witnessed the four Digimon transform in their Armored forms. TK had told him about the Digieggs, Armor-Digivolution, and how the Control Spires prevented normal digivolution…but to see a Digimon digivolve (no matter what form the digivolution itself took) after four years was a thrill, even to him. 

By the time the process of armor-digivolution had been completed, Ikkakumon and the six Frigimon were less than 50 yards away…and advancing. They were also launching their respective attacks.   
  


"Harpoon Torpedo!" A multitude of missiles began to arch downward at the Digidestined once the propelled horns had reached maximum height. Ten missiles now threatened to explode upon the Digidestined.   
  


"Subzero Ice Wave!" The six Frigimon punched in unison, causing what would normally be six miniature blasts of chilled air merge into one giant wave of subzero air. The true deadliness of the attack was not known; that is, until it passed by a pine tree sapling. When the sapling was first touched by the wave, it instantly froze, as if it had been enveloped with liquid nitrogen. When the wave had passed, the gust of wind that accompanied it completely shattered the sapling into pieces.

Everyone saw the danger. Joe was the first one to announce it. "SCATTER!!!" They split off into different directions to evade the missiles and the subzero wave. Ikkakumon bellowed out, "Split into teams of two! One team with me, the others go it alone!" The two Frigimon on the left faced off with Halsemon and Digmon. The two on the right faced Pegasusmon and Nefertimon. Meanwhile, Sonocomon and Frigimon were dealt the task of fighting Ikkakumon and his team.

"Tempest Wing!" Halsemon spun like a whirlwind (with Yolei hanging for her dear life). The tip of the whirlwind sharpened, and Halsemon finally flew into his target.   
  
"Subzero Ice Punch!" The target attempted to beat back – or at the very least deflect – Halsemon's attack. Unfortunately for the Frigimon#1, the icy blast merely grazed Halsemon's side as the whirlwind completely blew Frigimon#1 away. As Frigimon#1 began to fall, the whirlwind completely ripped the Dark Ring off, which (the Emperor's not going to like this) had been substantially weakened by the biting cold. 

Halsemon's foe had been defeated.

"Rock Cracking!" Digmon stuck his drills into the snow in an attempt to bring Frigimon#2 to his butt, but the end result was…nothing. "Dang! The snow's too soft, and the ground's too far below!"

"Look out Digmon!" shouted Cody as a two hands' worth of chilled air came towards them. Digmon (being rather clunky on above-ground maneuvering) wobbled and hobbled around in an attempt to dodge the two blasts. Digmon's shoulders, unfortunately, became victim to frostbite. Cody saw this and worriedly asked, "Are you okay?"  
  


Digmon grinned (hard to tell when you can't see his lips) and reassured his partner by replying, "No problem Cody! I'll be fine!" He turned back to face Frigimon#2 as his drills began to spin again. "Let's try this on for size! Gold Rush!"

Out of the original group of nine Frigimon(including the Frigimon that sent the SOS) , Frigimon#2 was the  youngest. As a result, it panicked instead of counterattacking. As a result of THAT result, Frigimon#2 was floored by five metallic drills…and one of them cracked the Dark Ring.

Meanwhile (please note that each character began battling at exactly the same time)…

"Subzero Ice Punch!!!" That was the cry of Frigimon #3 and #4, who fired numerous blasts of chilled air from BOTH fists at Pegasusmon and Nefertimon, whom were forced to play acrobats in order to dodge the blasts coming their way.

"Curses! We can't get any closer!" screamed Nefertimon. In all actuality, she was worried. She could not keep dodging at this pace. And judging from the look in Pegasusmon's eyes, he was tiring as well. They had to end this fight now. 

However, it would end in a way she didn't expect.   
  
As Nefertimon and Pegasusmon passed each other whilst dodging another quartet of blasts, the gauntlets on their front legs touched. When the flew apart, TK and Kari couldn't believe what they saw. TK shouted, "STOP!!!"  
  


Pegasusmon suddenly stopped, as did Nefertimon when she heard TK. When they were about to ask why he yelled at them to stop, they saw their answer.

A rope of golden energy was now connecting them via their gauntlets. 

Pegasusmon blinked. "Well…this is new."  
  


"A joint attack…" whispered Nefertimon. Even Frigimon #3 and #4 were surprised by the joint attack. So much that they had forgotten to attack.

So surprised…that TK noticed their guard was down. "Pegasusmon! Nefertimon! Fly toward them!"  
  


Pegasusmon and Nefertimon silently processed the command…then they nodded. They understood what to do. "Let's play a little rodeo Nefertimon!"  
  


"You've got it Pegasusmon!" Nefertimon agreed as they flew in tandem towards the two Frigimon…who finally seemed to notice that they were about to be floored.

And they were. HARD. So hard that by the time their heads hit the ground, they were already unconscious. After that, it was a simply matter of stomping on the Dark Rings until they were nothing more than dust.

"Neat attack." murmured Kari.   
  
TK cupped his chin as he began thinking. "That attack needs a name."  
  


"We already know it," said Pegasusmon and Nefertimon simultaneously. They tilted their heads to look at their partners before saying, in unison, "We call it the Golden Noose."

Meanwhile (remember, the fights started at the same time)…

Joe couldn't believe it. His first trip back to the Digital World in four years, and he was being forced to fight Ikkakumon. His partner. His friend. "This is just great."

"Speed Spin!" Shaun leapt off of Sonocomon as he curled into a ball and began spinning. However, he was facing Joe and Frigimon _instead_ of Ikkakumon and Frigimon #5 and #6. He spun in place…and as a result, the snow beneath him began to blanket his opponents. Had he been facing them, the snow would've blanketed Joe and Frigimon.

Frigimon charged forward and punched Frigimon #5 in the solar plexus. HARD. The rib cage (do snow-bears have rib cages?), fortunately, did not split open. If it had, it would've been instant deletion. Instead, the force of the punch sent Frigimon #5 into the air. 

One crash-landing and a Subzero Ice Punch to the left arm later, and Frigimon #5 was free from the control of the Emperor. Unfortunately, Frigimon #6 rammed into Frigimon, sending him to the ground. #6 shouted, "You dare knock down my brother?! I shall convert you to the Emperor's service!"

Frigimon he leapt to his feet and began to grapple with Frigimon #6. "You are a brother as well, but I will keep fighting until you are free! Subzero Ice Punch!" 

  
Meanwhile, Ikkakumon thrashed his way out of the pile of snow as rammed his horn into Sonocomon. The Armored Champion had just finished his Speed Spin, but he was not quick off to move away when the horn rammed into his back. As a result, Sonocomon was sent sailing. He landed twenty yards away, and Shaun was already on his way to help Sonocomon. 

This left Joe alone with Ikkakumon, who looked ready to slay him.

"A Digidestined shall fall…one less nuisance for my master." Ikkakumon said, the conviction in his voice revealing his intent to kill. 

Joe gulped as Ikkakumon raised his left paw to crush him to the ground. He raised his hands in defense of himself as if to say 'don't come any closer' and yelled, "Please Ikkakumon! Stop! Don't come any closer!"  
  


Ikkakumon remained silent as his paw hovered over his head.

"Ikakkumon…don't you remember? You always tried to give me a sense of confidence…you tried to help me be of use to the original group," Joe said this as water began to glisten in his eyes. He was saying this from his heart, and it pained him; for he was recalling how (in his own mind anyway) weak he was in the past…and a recollection like that is rarely a pleasant one. "You helped me change Ikkakumon. You made me a better person…and if you're still the friend that I knew, you will stop this."  
  


Ikkakumon suddenly seemed to waver. His eyes, which were previously in a red glare, suddenly softened into a soulful stare. For the briefest of moments, Joe thought he could see the light-blue eyes of his partner.

"Blue Dash!"

With a startling suddenness that broke the tense moment, Sonocomon dashed by Ikkakumon. He only brushed by the Dark Ring with his foot…but he _was_ traveling at the speed of sound. As a result, it was completely obliterated. Ikkakumon's eyes suddenly lost their red glare, and he fell to the ground, unconscious. He dedigivolved to Gomamon, for he was no longer forced to remain in the Champion stage. Joe ran to his partner's side and cradled him in his arms. "I knew you were still there," Joe murmured as a chilly tear ran down his cheek.

Frigimon and Frigimon #6 continued to grapple with each other, both unwilling to let the other gain control. 

However, Frigimon #6 had no choice in the matter when Sonocomon grabbed him behind. His arms went under Frigimon #6's armpits, over the shoulders, and locked behind the snow-bear's neck. "Now Frigimon!"  
  


Frigimon reared his right arm and shouted, "Subzero Ice Punch!" Frigimon #6 groaned as the fist connected with the Dark Ring on his left arm, and he moaned as the Emperor's influence began to dull to nothingness. Frigimon sighed as his brother fell to the ground, unconscious. His brothers were free.

(Now all three battles have ended.)  
  
Cody sighed as he watched Joe cradle Cody. He felt a sense of – how could he describe it – muted joy. He was sincerely happy that Joe had reunited with his partner, but for some reason, he thought he would feel…out-of-place…if he joined in the moment. It just…didn't feel right to him. Cody couldn't explain…but perhaps it was his repressed nature that made him feel like that.   
  
At that time, all of the Digimon (save for Sonocomon and the Frigimon) dedigivolved. Yolei suddenly started grumbling as she remembered how cold it was. "Man…why can't we have gone to a warmer area?"

"Because," replied TK, a sly grin on his face. "Ikkakumon is more of a cold-weather type, you know?"  
  


Yolei glared at TK with an annoyed expression. "I already knew that, Mr. Sarcasm."

Kari giggled at Yolei's reaction, but her eyes immediately returned to the Control Spire at the end of the icy canyon. There was currently no one able to destroy the Control Spir There was currently no one able to destroy the Control Spire…except Sonocomon. She turned to Shaun and asked, "Shaun. Mind destroying the Control Spire for us?"

Shaun didn't respond. He only glanced at Sonocomon before the Armored Champion held his palm forward. "Blue Dash!" A ray of blue energy split the base of the Spire into two, causing it to crumble. The Digimon cheered and Frigimon smiled as the obelisk fell.   
  
"Quit your celebrating!" Shaun suddenly yelled. Everyone looked at the Control Spire's ruins…to see something rise from the icy ground. 

It appeared to be a mass of light-blue gelatin…with eyes. The white, soulless eyes glared at the Digidestined with contempt. A small mass of red meat floated behind the eyes – was it the brain? A cold mist of ice was exhaled out of his mouth every time it breathed. Another noticeable characteristic…it was over five stories high. Within the pit of his jello-like belly was a Dark Ring…one that was useless now that the Control Spire was destroyed.

Joe gasped at the sheer height of the creature. "Wha-what the heck is that thing?"  
  


"Palidomon," replied Shaun, his voice filled with a calm edge that unnerved a few of the children. "A rare Digimon that hides with the depths of the arctic oceans. Palidomon is one of the four variety of Flan-type Digimon in the Digiworld. As you probably know, he is of the ice variety…and due to their body structure, it's near impossible to defeat them…and one more thing…"

Palidomon roared as it gurgled, "Blizzaga Blitz!" A wave of icy mist erupted from its mouth, covering the two unconscious Frigimon that Sonocomon had freed at the fight's beginning. When the mist cleared, the two Frigimon had been completely crystallized. A gust of wind blew by…and they fell to pieces. In seconds, the pieces evaporated into dust. 

"NO!!!" Frigimon yelled, anguish and hatred coursing through his voice. He was about to run off to fight the monster, but Sonocomon held him back.

"Don't," commanded Sonocomon, his eyes stern and serious. "You will die."

"We've faced him before…and we were unable to defeat the Palidomon," said Shaun as he gazed at Palidomon, whom now began to charge their way. "Except for one alternative."

Everyone wandered what 'alternative' Shaun was speaking. However, TK was wondering why Shaun's voice sounded so…grave.

When Palidomon was only fifty yards away, Sonocomon picked Shaun up…and threw him at the creature. More specifically, the creature's mouth. Everyone gasped as the creature enveloped Shaun. 

"You idiot!" Gatomon criticized Sonocomon as Shaun floated inside Palidomon'a gooey body. "Look at him! He's going to drown in there!"  
  


"He won't." The reply was in as firm a voice as Sonocomon could muster. "Watch."

Everyone did as he said. To their surprise, Shaun started swimming upward towards the chunk of red meat behind the eyes. When he reached it, he pulled into his pocket…and pulled out a Desert Eagle handgun. 

"A GUN?!" shouted everyone…well, except the Digimon. They asked, "What's a gun?"

Sonocomon had not said anything. He just watched as Shaun stuck the handgun into the mass of red meat that was Palidomon's brain. Just as that happened, Palidomon's eyes turned around to look at Shaun. Those empty eyes glared at Shaun, both eyes full of malice and scorn for him. But as cold as that glare was, Shaun's glare was equally unnerving…and if one looked into Shaun's eyes, there was no doubt that he was intending to kill.

Then, he pulled the trigger. 

There was a muted 'BAM!', but Palidomon suddenly went into a spasm as the bullet went through the brain. The eyes, which were previously in a hardened glare, suddenly widened in shock. After all, Palidomon was a rare – and destructive – Digimon. Its kind did not fall easily. Perhaps the fact it actually _had_ been defeated was the cause of the shock it felt in its last moments. 

Everyone (save for Shaun's partner) stared in muted shock, aghast at the merciless kill Shaun had dealt to Palidomon. The jello-like Digimon sank to the ground, its body becoming nothing more than a giant puddle of blue jelly. Soon, even that deleted into nothingness. That left Shaun standing in the snow, his body covered with the cold liquid of Palidomon's innards. He silently put the Desert Eagle back in his pocket, and turned around to face the Digidestined. 

He did not say anything. Sonocomon silently walked over to him and placed him upon his shoulder before taking off to the south, leaving the Digidestined to their shock.

At that precise moment, Gomamon yawned and stretched his clawed flippers. His tired eyes fell upon the Digidestined…and he said, "Oh. Hey guys."  
  


That is when the shock hit him. "GUYS?! Joe! TK! Kari!" His wide smile faded when his eyes fell upon Yolei and Cody. "Uh…new guys…?" He saw that they were facing southward, and Gomamon looked south as well, but saw nothing. "Uh…did I miss something?"  
  


----

TK thought he had seen mercilessness before. He had seen it in Devimon, Myotismon, the Dark Masters, Apocalymon, and most recently in the Digimon Emperor (Etemon was debatable.). However, the fact the Shaun pulled a gun and shot Palidomon in the proverbial head…that took the cake.

His suspicions about Shaun continued to gain steam. At this rate, TK feared he'd find out something about Shaun that would threaten the lives of his friends and family. 

_Don't kid yourself TK!_ TK chided himself in an attempt to make himself feel better. _Shaun wouldn't kill a human..._

Then why did he have such a hard time convincing himself?

To be continued…                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

Next time…

Episode 8-The American Sweetheart

Author's Note: It may seem like it took me eight days for the new chapter, but take into account the fact I started writing this chapter two days AFTER the last update. You know what that means? SIX DAYS FOR A NEW CHAPTER!  
  


*starts to dance* My drive is back baby!  
  


*stops dancing* Okay, anyhow…

Guess what the inspiration for Palidomon was? The answer's actually written in the episode. I'll answer it next time though. ;)

Until next time people!  
  


     
  



	8. The American Sweetheart

Standard Disclaimer: Uh...I are Ultra! I are author! I are not owner of Deegimon! I are not wanting to be sued!

Author's Note: Okay, back to normal grammar again. :P

I want to shed some light on the subject of firearms, which made its debut in the last episode. I, for one, have no problem with firearms being used in a Digimon fanfic. Readers of the New Digi-Episodes can testify to this (one chapter involved a whole weapons cache being plundered by an enemy, but I won't give away any plot points), and you can be rest assured that firearms will make an appearance a few more times in the course of this fanfic. Heck, Puppetmon fired a pistol at TK in season 1 for crying out loud...not that the American version would know that (growls at the dubbers)!

That is my position. If you don't like firearms being included in a Digimon story, then tough poopie. :P

Remember Palidomon, the Flan-type Digimon? He's based off the gooey Flan Palido fiend in FFX. ;)

Now to the reviews! 

Silver Warrior: Ruthless you saw? Now whatever gave you that idea:P

Anthony1: Patience, dear boy. You'll see the soccer game. Like I'd let that go by without a mention...ye not trusting. sics Big O on him

All kidding aside, begin!

* * *

"Hey everyone, it's Joe! I got a call from Izzy, and he told me that Gomamon was in trouble! I rushed to get to the computer lab, and I joined the others on my first trip to the Digiworld in four years! Unfortunately, we had to fight Ikkakumon and a bunch of Frigimon, but Palidomon was even worse! Suffice to say, he was defeated...but Shaun's method was rather...unconventional. After all, when's the last time you saw a Digidestined shoot a mon' in the head?"

* * *

Episode 8: The American Sweetheart

The girl groaned as the fat, bald man next to her snored loudly. She quickly pulled a pair of headphones and a CD player out of her bag and slipped it on. It was to drown out the snoring if anything else.

The girl's skin was a light tan, and she wore a white skirt that went to her lower thighs. She wore a tight blue shirt with red and white stripes around the shirtsleeves, and it was not large enough to cover her naval. Her hair was a strawberry-blonde color, with red streaks flowing from her scalp to the tips of her hair – which, by the way, went down to her shoulders. Also, yellow star stickers adorned her hair in various places. Her brown eyes revealed that her patience was reaching its limit. Who was this girl?

"Oh man! I wish I could've gotten an aisle seat...the sun's too bright and I need to go!"

Why it's Mimi Tachikawa of course! And she was currently on an international flight! First from New York City to Los Angeles...and now she was on her way to Tokyo, where she would then make her way to Odaiba.

A female flight attendant picked up a small transmitter and – via the plane's intercom – said, **"Attention passengers. We will be arriving at our destination at Tokyo in less than an hour. Thank you for traveling with us, and we hope you enjoyed your flight."**

'_Enjoyed' my butt_, thought Mimi with a scowl. She needed to relieve some of her frustration...so she pulled out her pink cell phone and dialed in a number she now knew by heart. "Please pick up Sora..."

* * *

By the time the Digidestined had returned from the Digiworld (Gomamon stood behind in the Digital World to help clean the sector up) at around 3:45, the game had reached fever pitch. Even though the game had started only 45 minutes prior – at 3 PM, to be precise – the lightning-fast pace of the game prevented it from being as long as a soccer game usually would be. Sora was watching the game as the Digidestined came out from the computer lab. 

When the game had begun, the HS Team had immediately taken control of the ball and launched an attack on the MS defense. Had Davis not doubled his defensive efforts, the score would've been more than just 1-0 in favor of the High School Students.

Halftime. Five minute period of rest. A world of difference.

When the second half began, Davis and the MS team launched an overwhelming offensive blitz. By the end of the third quarter, it was 1-2 in favor of the MS team.

In the last quarter, the High School began a long, grueling, time-consuming drive down the field. With less than thirty seconds in regulation, the HS team found a hole in the Middle School defense.

They took the shot.

Another point for the HS team. Score's 2-2. The whistle sounds. Overtime.

The fifth quarter was about to begin...when Sora's cell phone began to ring.

Sora sighed as she flipped open her black Nokia and nonchalantly said, "Talk." Then came a voice she recognized. "Oh, Mimi! It's you! How's the flight?"

"Wow! This game's close!" exclaimed Kari as she took a spot on the bleachers. TK sat down next to her, followed by Yolei, then Cody, then Joe. Kari began cheering for both sides. Yolei began cheering for the High School team (as a bash against Davis). Cody remained reserved. Joe kept an eye on the roof where the Digimon were. TK, however, was deep in thought.

He remembered his first experience with firearms. It was during his time in the Digital World when the Dark Masters were in power. He was alone in Puppetmon's mansion, and Puppetmon had challenged him to a game. A game involving pistols. Puppetmon had said 'First one to die loses!'...or something like that.

TK remembered how the gun had felt in his hands. It was heavy and clunky, but he could feel the deadly force it held within. He had hated it. After that that incident, he had held a general dislike to guns in general...and after what Shaun had done, he was reminded why. _Palidomon could've been defeated without destroying him...I know there was way to do it! Shaun just didn't look at the problem from all the angles!  
_

TK was left to his thoughts as the game continued on.

* * *

"Man," panted Davis as he wiped some sweat from his forehead. "I'm...getting...bushed...!"

Davis had given this his all. Unfortunately for him, so had Tai. Davis chanced another look at his soccer rival/tutor/friend with a smirk on his face. _Next point wins Tai._

Tai wiped the sweat off his brow as the HS team threw the ball in from out-of-bounds. The HS forward immediately took possession and bolted for the MS goal. Davis began running towards him at an angle to cut him off.

Surely enough, the forward momentarily stopped to prepare his kick, but that was just what Davis needed. He swung around, stole the ball, and turned back up field.

Unfortunately, fate had other plans that day.

For you see, that's when Davis slipped on a patch of mud.

"WHA!!!" Davis' feet went airborne, and he landed with an ear deafening 'SMACK!' on the ground. The sudden blow to the back of his neck sent him into the throes of unconsciousness.

Before a whistle could even be blown, Tai had already taken the ball (assuming Davis would be on his feet in moments) and prepared to make the game-winning score.

Then the whistle blew.

Tai, who was unable to stop his kick, accidentally changed the ball's trajectory when he turned to look at the referee. The soccer ball sailed toward the goal...and it bounced off the side of the goal.

So great was the force behind the kick, that the ball was actually sent flying back toward its original owner...Tai.

When Tai turned back around to see if his ball had gotten into the goal anyway, his face met the ball.

Two seconds later, Tai was on the ground beside Davis, unconscious as well.

* * *

The Digimon blinked (Demiveemon and Koromon, by the way, had fainted from all the effort they had expended into their little 'battle') at the scene that had just played out before them. Ten seconds ago, the game was in a deadlock between the HS and MS teams. Now, the star players of both teams were out cold.

"Whoa. A double K.O," quipped Gatomon.

* * *

Blackness.

A muffled voice.

Then blurry images.

"Davis?" That came clearly through.

Then came the mumbling of, "Oh...my head..."

Davis rubbed the back of his head as he lazily sat up. He rubbed his eyes to clear his vision, and, after rubbing for a few moments, was able to see again.

He was currently sitting on a bed in the nurse's office, and sitting around him were Kari, Yolei, Cody, Sora, Joe, TU...er, TK, and Tai (whose nose was bandaged). Davis blinked twice to get a feel for seeing again and muttered, "Ow...what happened?"

"You and Tai were knocked unconscious in the span of ten seconds," replied Cody.

Davis nodded. Question #1 was out of the way. "Okay, now what was the score?!"

Everyone sweatdropped. Tai didn't however. He just glared at the floor and replied, "After we were knocked out, the game continued on. But...it ended as a tie."

Davis groaned. "Aw man! And I was going to lead the Middle School team to a major come-from-behind win!!!"

"I beg your pardon?" Tai sardonically replied with a smirk. "I think you were just talking about me and the High School team!"

"Oh yeah?" Davis challenged.

"Yeah!" Lightning crackled between their eyes as (soccer-related, by the by) tensions ran high between the two.

That is, until Sora pushed them apart. "Quit it you two. You'll get your 'vengeance'," Quotation fingers included. "At the second quarter game in December. But in the meantime...we need to go to Tokyo International Airport!"

"Huh?" That was everyone's general response. "Why?" asked Kari.

"Because..." said Sora with a wink. "We have someone to meet there!"

* * *

Joe's gray Toyota carried Yolei (partner included), Cody (partner included), and Joe (implied). Sora's red Hyundai minivan carried Tai, Davis, Kari (Davis: Yay!), TK (Davis: BOO!!!), and Sora (once again, implied). All but Sora and Joe had their partner with them.

"So Koromon," said Patamon, whom was sitting on TK's head. "What exactly happened on the roof during the game?"

Koromon glanced at Demiveemon (who was still snoozing in Davis' lap) before saying, "We had a disagreement on who'd win."

"Competitive, aren't you?" joked Sora. "Just like two other people I know..."

Tai immediately shot back with a "Can it!" Davis, however, didn't catch the meaning behind it. "What's up with you Tai?"

Tai merely grumbled in response. Sora giggled as she took a left turn onto the off-ramp. Davis was still confused.

* * *

"Mimi called you too?"

They had been walking through the crowded terminals of the Tokyo International Airport, juggling the tasks of finding Mimi's gate and sticking together.

There had been an instant where Davis (by the by, the Digimon were left in the cars with the keys so they could turn on the air conditioning) had disappeared for a few minutes. The Digidestined had run an organized search of the terminal they were in at the moment, but the search had ended up empty.

However, upon reaching the terminal's end, Davis was standing there, asking where everyone had went. 'Looking for you!' was their reply. Davis simply replied 'I had to go to the bathroom.' The girls glared at the guys. The guys apologized for not searching the restrooms. Davis sighed and just continued walking on. The whole incident was a testament to how large and confusing the crowds were.

...okay, that last section was rather unnecessary. Back to 'Mimi called you too?'

Turns out, Matt Ishida was at Mimi's gate, watching the plane as it was setting down. He turned toward the voice that called out to him to see Sora being followed by the others. "Yeah. She said she'd call everyone to let them know she was coming. Why?"

Everyone got a seat at the gate, waiting for Mimi to arrive. Meanwhile, Sora replied, "I told her I'd be bringing Joe, Kari, TK, some new friends, and Tai with me. And I told her Izzy would be busy."

Matt noticed Tai looking a little grumpy as the soccer player stared out the large window, keeping to himself. _I wonder if it's a good idea to nag him about that...ah what the heck!_ "Hey Sora, did you remind Mimi that Tai's the only one without a cell phone?"

Matt had made his fair share of mistakes in life. This was one of them.

Tai was now glaring daggers at Matt, his flaming bad mood just having the equivalent of gasoline being poured on it. "Not funny Matt!"

"Tai, sit!" yelled Kari.

Tai suddenly found himself falling face-first to the floor. Two seconds later, Tai growled as Kari giggled. That, in turn, caused a chain reaction of laughter to erupt amongst the Digidestined. Tai grumbled, "Stupid InuYasha..."

"I told you to stop watching that cartoon so much," said Kari pointedly. "But did you listen?"

"I GET THE POINT, LITTLE SISTER." Tai said gratingly through clenched teeth.

Matt blinked out of confusion; Tai was never this irritable. "Say, what's up with Tai?" He glanced over at Davis, who appeared to be moping over something. "And for that matter, what's up with Davis?"

Yolei rolled her eyes as she said, "Those two are upset that they missed the last part of their soccer game. It wasn't a big deal anyway!"

"**WAS TOO!!!**" Tai and Davis immediately shouted in response. Yolei subtly cringed at the outburst. _Sheesh! They take soccer too seriously!_

"They're leaving the plane," said Cody, his eyes fixated on the doorway that the airplane passengers came out of. Everyone suddenly turned their attention to the exit tunnel, waiting for Mimi to appear. Over a couple of dozen people walked out (one a rather fat person who belched loudly, apparently not caring who heard or saw him do so; the Digidestined did, and they were rather disgusted by it), but there was still no sign of Mimi.

"Man, "said Matt as he narrowed his eyes to try and make out whether or not Mimi was coming out of the tunnel. "She said she was in first class...she should've been out by now."

"Hello!"

Everyone suddenly looked in the direction of the tunnel, straining to see Mimi amongst the crowd of people. They still couldn't see her. Tai scratched his head in confusion. "Dang it, where is she?"

"I'm right _here_!!!"

They turned their heads in the direction of the voice to see a girl with strawberry-blonde hair, holding two carry-on bags in her arms. Truth to tell, a few of the Digidestined had seen her come out, but they hadn't paid much attention to her (seeing as how they were looking for the orange-haired Mimi). But now that she was close, Sora managed to get a look at her eyes...and gasped. "MIMI?!?!"

Everyone stared at the girl Sora was looking. Tai, Matt, Joe, TK, and Kari stared in shock, their mouths agape.

Mimi had died her hair.

And all the while, Davis was wondering how in the world the girl had gotten her hair to look so...funky.

Before anyone else could say anything, the airport intercom blared, "Attention owner of the red Hyundai minivan in parking lot: Your lights are on and your engine is cranked up."

Sora smacked her face as the other Digidestined rolled their eyes. Mimi, however, had a question. "Uh...why aren't you worried that someone's stolen your car?"

Everyone looked at her with slightly amused expressions. They looked at each other and nodded. Sora looked back at Mimi and said, "You'll see."

* * *

"Darn it Demiveemon! I told you not to turn that key!!!"

"Sorry Gatomon!"

* * *

"I'm going to take a nap."

(Agumon) tilted his head upward to look at Shaun, his eyes being both startled and surprised at the same time. Startled, because Shaun had spoken completely out of the blue (although he should've learned to accept that his partner would occasionally say something out of the blue by now). Surprised, because Shaun had not said a word ever since they had left sector 01-001-MU.

No one else knew it, but (Agumon) did. He had been with Shaun for far too long to not know – not by telepathy, but by pure knowledge of how his partner thought – that he was contemplating numerous things; chief of all, the Digidestined.

(Agumon) knew that Shaun always tried his best to brush off words. Heck, everyone tried to brush off words (unless they were those of praise, which were accepted by most people with ease). But he knew that sometimes, actions could affect him as well...and the look of muted shock the Digidestined gave Shaun after his...disposal of Palidomon...had affected him on some level.

How much was up to debate.

As Shaun leaned against a palm tree and shut his eyes, (Agumon) sat down beside him and kept a worried watch over his partner, even as the sun set further into the sky.

* * *

/Odaiba School's Computer Lab, 5:00 PM/

Mimi sat in the plastic chair, her mind in a relative state of lockdown. Dark clouds began to gather over Odaiba, a sign of an incoming storm...in more ways than one.

No one could blame her. Joe, Matt, Sora, and Tai certainly couldn't. After all, they had (more or less) reacted similarly to her. At first, they had not wanted to accept the truth.

But it was the truth nonetheless. 

Everyone had had a lot of questions to ask Mimi. They had asked her about America, and what life was like in New York. They asked about her mother's business in fashion design and her father's business in banking. They wanted to know what school was like over there, and if the USA was as great a place to be as Japan. Plus (Davis asked this one the most), they asked her about her new (or in Davis' words, 'funky') hair color.

Mimi's answers were, respectively...

"It's great! You'd love it!"

"Well, let's just say I'm glad I don't live in downtown Manhattan...man, you would not _believe_ all of the traffic!"

"Oh, my mom has just released a new line of dress! It makes dark leather look so classy!"

"Eh, don't ask me about that. Talking about a bank accountant is boring stuff!"

"Two words: no uniforms!" THAT comment registered a rather heaping pile of 'no way!' and 'no fair!' from Tai and Davis.

"Two things I like about Japan over the US...you guys, and the cartoons. I mean, how could they cancel Sailor Moon?!?! Anime forever!" That elicited an odd stare from Tai; he had remembered Mimi being sincere with her feelings...but not this straightforward.

"Davis, chill out! It's not funky! I just felt like changing my hair color...and the stars are stickers by the way."

After answering their questions...Mimi had to ask one important question. She began forming the words in her head as Patamon fingered her hair. "Guys...tell me what's become of the Digiworld."

So they had told her.

The Digimon Emperor. The sudden emergence of the D-3s. The reopening of the Digital Gate. The Digieggs and the power of Armor Digivolution. The New Digidestined. The enslaving of all of their old Digimon friends...and finally, the enslavement of their partners.

After that, Mimi just shut herself off.

When they had gotten back to the school (Matt had used the bus to get the airport originally, but he hitched a ride in Joe's Toyota), the older Digidestined remarked on how..._wrong_ it was for Mimi to be so silent.

And ever since they had gotten back to the computer lab at 4:47, Mimi had been in utter silence. It was uncomfortable to their ears. It was unsettling to their psyches. It was just plain _wrong_.

That was about to change.

Mimi suddenly stood up and grabbed Davis by the shoulders, shoving him towards the computer despite his protest. "Hey! Stop-"

"Open the Digiport," commanded Mimi, her voice far firmer than anyone was used to.

Davis started to dispute, "But-"

"NOW!!!"

Davis hastily (with a touch of fear added) pulled out his blue D-3 and pointed it at the monitor. "Digiport open!"

The blue light erupted from the computer, enveloping Mimi and Davis.

"Wait for me Davish!" Demiveemon leapt after them.

"Hold up!" Yolei and Poromon were the closest to the two...and as a result, the two were also pulled in without Demiveemon, Davis, and Mimi. When the light faded, they were gone.

Everyone stared at the monitor in shock. "_That_ was unexpected," muttered Joe.

"Quick!" yelled Matt. He was obviously in a rush to get to the others before anything bad happened. "Reopen the gate!"

TK pulled out his green D-3 and held it at the computer, preparing to reopen the gate. "Digiport-"

KRACK!!!!

The storm clouds blazed with bolts of lightning...and one of them struck the school. The voltage completely shorted out the fuse box in the building...cutting power off to the facilities of all three campuses.

And now the remainder of the Digidestined were without a gateway to the Digital World.

Tai growled with frustration. "GREAT!!! Can this get any worse?!"

* * *

Shaun and (Agumon) were both in the comforting throes of a nap. There weren't any enemy Digimon around for miles, and they were completely at ease.

However, they had failed to notice the TV sitting amongst the branches of the tree they were under.

And now, it suddenly flashed brightly.

Shaun's eyes twitched as he heard...muted and muffled yelling?

He opened one eye to suddenly see three humans and two Rookie Digimon fall towards him and (Agumon).

"...oh crud."

THUD!!!

Now Shaun knew the pain of being at the bottom of a dog-pile. So did (Agumon). "Ow..."

Davis groaned as he muttered, "Now you know...what it feels like..."

* * *

The Emperor growled as three contacts appeared in sector 10-001-LAMBDA, already joining one that was already there (Shaun was the first one without a doubt; he never left the Digiworld anyway).

_This is the second time today that they've come_, thought the Emperor with a frown. He still needed another day to prepare for his plan...and he couldn't spare more any more resources than necessary.

He spoke into his gauntlet and said, "Togemon. Four Digidestined are in your sector. Take care of them."

The Emperor shut off the link and continued formulating his plan. He wasn't aware that the fourth Digidestined was Mimi Tachikawa...and if he had, he still wouldn't have cared that he had sent her partner to fight them.

Why?

Because his plan would make up for his losses. With a smirk, the Emperor continued working.

* * *

"That really hurt you know," muttered Shaun as Davis pulled him off of the ground. Davis was a little surprised at Shaun's loud groan of pain upon landing on him (well duh). Thus far, Shaun's actions had been 'superhuman' in a sense. To hear him indicate that he had suffered pain and/or injury was a bit of a shock to him.

However, few people could withstand being fallen upon – by three people and two Digimon no less – without at least ACKNOWLEDGING they were in pain. _Kind of silly for me to wonder. _

"Mimi!"

Davis and Shaun suddenly turned their heads to see Mimi rushing off along the path. Yolei and Hawkmon were in hot pursuit. "Mimi!!! Wait for us!"

Shaun, Davis, (Agumon), and Veemon stared at the three as they disappeared further along the path. Davis gradually turned his head to look at Shaun...then he gravely said, "They told me...about earlier."

Shaun had an inkling about what Davis was talking about. "(Agumon)...mind leaving us alone?"

"You too Veemon." (Agumon) and Veemon looked at their partners questioningly, but they obeyed. The two went off to a small clearing, leaving the two Digidestined alone. They stared at each other silently, tension becoming ruler of the moment.

Finally, Shaun spoke. "You wish to know why I killed Palidomon like that?"

Davis nodded. _You'd better give me a good answer._

* * *

(Agumon) looked pensively at Veemon. Veemon looked at (Agumon) with a mixture of worry and wonder. (Agumon) wondered if Veemon was the same Veemon he had heard about. Veemon wondered if (Agumon) was as good a fighter as he thought he was.

"So," (Agumon) was the first to speak. "What do you think of Davis?"

Veemon was surprised; he hadn't anticipated that question. But he was going to answer it nonetheless! "I like him a lot! He freed me from the Digiegg, became my best friend, and showed me lots of good food!"

(Agumon) smiled as he sat on the ground, his eyes staring into the stars above. The sun was almost completely below the horizon, coating the moisture-laden trees with an almost mystifying orange sheen. "I see...but-"

"Ah ah ah! My turn to ask a question!" interrupted Veemon. (Agumon) nearly chuckled at the way Veemon waved his hands back and forth to emphasize his interruption, but he clamped his jaws shut. "Okay then Veemon, what's your question?"

"...do you support what Shaun did? Gatomon told me what he did."

(Agumon) hadn't expected a serious question like that right on the get-go...especially not from Veemon. _Oh well. Can't prepare for everything_. "You want to know if I support Shaun's actions from earlier?"

Veemon nodded once. _I hope he has a good answer. If he doesn't, my opinion of him might go down a bit!_

* * *

Yolei gasped for air as she leaned against a tree. About ten yards ahead of her, Mimi was still going...although at a far less strenuous pace than before.

Still, Yolei was shocked at how Mimi had just forced Davis to open the Digiport, not to mention how she had burst off along the path! What's gotten into her?! She could get lost out here!

Then, with one loud outcry, Yolei knew why Mimi had come here.

"PALMON!!! Where are you?!"

Yolei knew why Mimi had run off now. _She's looking for her partner._

Now she understood Mimi's rush to get to the Digital World. She wanted to free her partner. After all...who wouldn't?

"Yolei?"

The lavender-haired girl snapped out of her thoughts to look down at Hawkmon. His eyes told Yolei what she already knew...what she already knew she had to do.

"Shall we accompany her in her search?"

Yolei nodded. "Yes." She cupped her hands around her mouth and yelled, "MIMI!!!"

The strawberry-blonde turned around to stare at Yolei, revealing her features in the process. Underneath the firm brown eyes resided the longing for her friend...Yolei could see this. Mimi practically wore her emotions on her sleeve.

Finally, Mimi responded with a smile.

"Yeah! Come on!"

* * *

Davis replayed Shaun's answer once again in his mind...even as he examined the gun Shaun had used to kill Palidomon.

_So he says that he couldn't destroy that guy last time he fought him...and he says even if all of our Digimon were Armor-Digivolved, it still wouldn't have been enough...but how would he know that? Gah...stupid head injury...it hurts to think!_

"So this is the weapon you used?" asked Davis as he examined the Desert Eagle handgun that TK had said Shaun used against Palidomon. Shaun nodded as Davis continued his examination of the weapon.

"Are you done?"

Davis grumbled as he tossed the handgun back to Shaun, whom caught it and holstered it in his pocket. They both stared at each other for a few moments...before Shaun said, "You don't trust me, do you?" An ironic smirk crossed his lips.

"Of course not!" snapped Davis. "I mean, I'm grateful that you saved my friends from that gooey glob of goop...but don't you think your methods are a little...extreme?"

Shaun snickered...then chuckled...then broke out into a laugh. Davis was puzzled; what was so funny about what he just said?

Shaun stopped his laughter as he muttered, "How many times have I heard that...?" Davis didn't hear that, but he did hear what Shaun said next. The mysterious teen turned and said, "Look Davis. I don't really care what people think about me...or my methods. However, I don't see what's so wrong about doing whatever it takes," He turned back around, his face being adorned with a gentle smile. "To save those you care about."

Davis digested and processed Shaun's words, and his mind was calculating the answer. But...his conscious knew that Shaun's words were true. "Yeah...I guess so. But...I have another question."

* * *

Veemon replayed (Agumon's) answer in his head...even as (Agumon) was laughing as hard as he could.

_So he supports his partner...because he knew that Shaun had to do it to make sure everyone got home safe and sound. I understand and appreciate that...but what does he mean by 'we didn't have the strength?' Gah...I wish he'd stop laughing! It wasn't that funny!_

(Agumon) was practically bawling with laughter. "You...actually...turned on the car...in PUBLIC?!?!"

Veemon flushed with embarrassment. After answering his question, (Agumon) had queried him on the matter of 'unusual mishaps', asking if any had happened to him recently.

So Veemon had answered him, telling him about the incident at the airport.

Obviously, (Agumon) enjoyed it. It seemed he hadn't laughed like that in a good long while. _And that's a shame_. "(Agumon)?"

(Agumon) struggled to stop laughing. After he finally did, he wiped a tear from his eye and replied, "Yeah?"

"I have another question."

* * *

"Mimi?"

Mimi Tachikawa had finally calmed down. Four minutes after Yolei had joined her, she was in a more peaceful mood...and Yolei thought it was more fitting for her.

Mimi tilted her head to look at Yolei, the one who had just spoken. "Yes?"

"How come you burst off like that in such a rush? I know you wanted to get Palmon back...but isn't it kind of dangerous to try and run off by yourself? What if you ran into one of the Emperor's goons?"

Mimi giggled as she thought over her rash decision to come to the Digiworld. She had to admit...the whole escapade WAS dangerous. She normally would've declined to go on a dangerous trip all on her own, but one mention of Palmon, and BAM! She was gone. _Heh...since when was I more impulsive than Tai?_

"Well Yolei, you're right...it was stupid of me to run off like that, but I couldn't help it." She gave Yolei a warm and comforting smile, a smile that could melt a glacier with its sweetness. "I'm not usually as impulsive as Tai is," Yolei snickered at that. "But I do want to find Palmon. Four years ago, I was whiny, wishy-washy, and a wimp." Mimi's eyes sort of glimmered with shameful tears as she remembered how much of a liability she had been (once again, in her opinion) at first. "But because of Palmon, I was able to hold my head up high. That's why I want to find her...because she helped me become a better person."

_Whoa. Déjà vu_, thought Yolei as she noticed the similarity between Mimi's words and that of Joe's from earlier (read: last episode). "I understand Mimi."

"Excuse me ladies," said Hawkmon, a hint of nervousness in his voice. The two looked at him, and understood why: he was sweating loads. He was also staring into the group of trees at the right edge of the path. "But I believe we're in trouble."

"Really? Why?" asked Mimi.

"That." Hawkmon pointed into the trees...and out came...

A giant cactus. With legs and arms. With giant red boxing gloves on its hands. With a tuft of frizzy orange hair on the top of its head. With soulless red eyes and an oval-shaped mouth. With a Dark Ring on its left arm.

"Oh no..." whispered Mimi, her eyes falling upon the enslaved Digimon.

It was Togemon.

"Digidestined," rumbled Togemon, her voice deep and gruff. "Prepare yourselves!"

"Hawkmon!" yelled Yolei. "Get ready!" She pulled out her red D-3 and steeled herself for battle.

Hawkmon armor-digivolve to...Halsemon: The Wings of Love!

"Don't even think you can win!" Togemon reared her right fist.

Despite Mimi's outcry for Togemon to stop, the giant cactus launched her fist.

* * *

"Shaun...nothing personal, but it's hard to trust you." Davis paused, briefly wondering if he was asking the right question. "And this doesn't concern your choice of tactics. It concerns your past."

Shaun's eye briefly twitched. He was getting a little _too_ nosy. "And?"

"I don't know if the others believe your story about how you came here...but my gut says there's more to it than that. Mind telling me the rest?"

Shaun remained silent. "You want to know?"

Davis nodded.

* * *

"(Agumon), I respect you. But I know Davish has some...doubts about your partner. Nothing against him or anything, but I bet he'd be a lot more likeable if he just opened up! So why doesn't he just spill the beans?"

(Agumon) sighed as he shook his head out of exasperation. He somehow knew a question like this would be inevitable. "You want to know about my partner's past?"

Veemon nodded.

* * *

(A/N: The following italics sentences are being spoken by Shaun/(Agumon) simultaneously. You should be able to discern who's speaking. Restart!)

"_My/his past is of no concern right now..."_

Togemon's punch connected to the ground; right where Halsemon was before taking to the air.

"_I know you want to know more about me/Shaun..."_

"Tempest Wing!" The Halse-tornado sped past Togemon, grazing her side...but not without its consequences.

"_But the truth is..."_

Halsemon winced and cringed as he thrashed on the ground...and it was easy to see why. Apparently, when he had passed by Togemon, the cactus' needles had pricked him all over. Togemon grinned as she started spinning.

Mimi gasped. She knew what was coming next.

"_You're/He's not ready."_

"Have a load of Needle Spray!" Togemon spun around in circles, flinging scores of needles all around. Not only was Halsemon a target...but so was Yolei and Mimi. 

"NO!!!" yelled Halsmeon as he leapt in front of the two girls, becoming a protective wall for the two females to hide behind. Much to the horror of Yolei and Mimi, Halsemon took the brunt of the blow.

The deafening roar of pain that came from Halsemon made Togemon grin with delight. It also made Yolei and Mimi shriek out of terror for the Armored Champion's plight.

Plus, Halsemon's painful scream could be heard from five miles around.

* * *

Shaun and Davis heard the roar that echoed through the air. They both knew who it belonged to.

"That's Halsemon," said Shaun, his face grim with the realization that that scream meant Yolei and Mimi were in danger.

"Come on!" yelled Davis as he started to run off into the trees. "We have to go and save them!"

"Hold it." Shaun held out a hand, telling Davis that he had to stop. "Simply searching for the origin of the voice on foot would take too long. We need to get above the forest canopy."

"Great idea Einstein," cynically replied Davis, his eyes hardened into an angry glare. "But the question is...HOW?!?!"

Shaun simply took a deep breath. At the same time, he held up high his orange D-3.

And then he roared.

"**(AGUMON)!!!!!!!"**

* * *

(Agumon) and Veemon had heard Halsemon's scream. They had also heard Shaun.

"Why'd he scream your name?" asked Veemon, curious as to why Shaun would yell out his partner's name so loudly.

(Agumon) did not answer.

Five seconds later, they heard another shout from Shaun. This time around, Veemon could've sworn Shaun yelled 'Armor-digivolve'.

Then, (Agumon) was shrouded by a light-blue light.

(Agumon) armor-digivolve to...Sonocomon: The Speed of Wisdom!

Veemon blinked as the tall humanoid Champion suddenly appeared in (Agumon's) stead. How had Sonocomon appeared when Shaun was so far away? Then he remembered the two shouts. "Cool! Long-distance digivolving!"

Sonocomon picked Veemon up and said, "Hang on. We're picking up the boys...then we're going to save the damsels in distress."

Sonocomon hovered into the air – Veemon in tow – and flew off in the direction of Shaun's voice.

* * *

Togemon eagerly advanced on Yolei and Mimi's position. Halsemon groaned as he collapsed to the ground, reverting to a bloodied and bruised Hawkmon. Now the two girls were all alone.

"Oh man...I'm too young to die!" screamed Yolei as she grasped onto Mimi on impulse, as though the girl was a life raft.

Mimi gulped as Togemon stopped standing, towering over them like a judge preparing her verdict. In one last attempt to cut through to Togemon, Mimi choked out, "P-please...Togemon...I know you're in there...please...d-don't kill us..."

Togemon paused. Mimi's hope started to flicker. Had she gotten through?

Then, Togemon raised her fist.

"Blue Dash!"

"Fire Rocket!"

Togemon yelped as she hit hard with a ray of blue energy...then set aflame with three fireballs. "YAH!!! I'M ON FIRE!!!" Togemon started screeching and yelling and leaping around in an attempt to put out the flames. It was futile, however. Togemon looked like a dancing idiot.

Mimi and Yolei blinked as Sonocomon hovered down and Flamedramon landed beside him. Shaun immediately started tending to Hawkmon's wounds, while Davis helped pull Yolei and Mimi to their feet. "You girls okay?"

Mimi nodded, her face showing her gratefulness. "Yes. Thank you!"

Togemon finally resigned herself to defeat. The burning was just too strong. "For...forgive me Emperor!" With that, Togemon fell to the ground, the flames eating away at the Dark Ring. When it finally wasted away, Togemon dedigivolved to a rather burned Palmon.

"Palmon!!!" Mimi hobbled over to Palmon's side, her mind still in a relative tizzy over what had just occurred. She held the little plant Digimon in her arms, her vegetable-esque green flesh riddled with several burns from the wounds she had endured as Togemon. The pink and yellow flower on her head was limp, but Mimi wasn't worried too much – her friend was still breathing.

Finally, the Rookie started to stir. She opened her green eyes to stare at an unfamiliar face...but familiar eyes. "M...Mimi? Is that you?"

Mimi hugged Palmon for all she was worth. She was free. "Yes Palmon...it's me." Tears started to fall from her eyes as she cradled Palmon in her arms.

Yolei sighed with happiness. Davis grinned at the happy ending. Shaun (with bandages from Yolei's pack) finished bandaging up Hawkmon. Hawkmon moaned with agony as his moved; his injuries were still rather fresh. Flamedramon gave Sonocomon a thumbs-up...but he was gone.

Ten seconds later, everyone heard the sound of a nearby Control Spire biting the dust.

Sector 10-001-LAMBDA was free.

* * *

The Emperor sighed as the sector the Digidestined was in turned from black to white. Sector 10-001-LAMBDA was no longer in his control.

And he didn't care in the least.

Why was that? Just a little over a week ago, he had been in prime position. Almost the entire continent Server was his, and he was beginning to make progress in conquering Folder. All but three of the original Digidestined's Digimon were in his control. He had little to no worries whatsoever.

Then the Digital Gates were reopened to them.

Now, the Digidestined were free to come to the Digital World at will. His most powerful minions, the Digidestined's partners, were all free. His Control Spires had been discovered, and they were now his enemy's primary targets. Digimon that were still free were beginning to revolt against him. Now he was forced to be on the defensive.

So why did he seem so content?

"Because," said the Emperor, reminding himself why he _should_ be content. "The Digidestined are not eager to trust Shaun...and I will exploit it. Then...I will crush the Digidestined when they are weakest."

The Emperor laughed to himself; his victory was at hand.

* * *

To be continued...

Next time...

Episode 9: The Prisoner

* * *

Author's Note: Gah...sorry for the delay. I actually have some valid excuses for the delay this time around.

1) About several days ago, Word goes kaput on me. I quit and restart Word. About half of my 10 page chapter is replaced by blocks and gibberish (the kind you see when your browser tries to translate a Japanese website). I am MAJORLY upset. I have to rewrite it all over again. Stupid technology and computer errors...-.-

2) Sephiroth. On Kingdom Hearts. No offense folks...BUT I HAD TO BEAT HIM!!! And I did...and victory tasted sweet. VERY sweet indeed...

3) Rem-chan's Kingdom Hearts fanfics. They're the best. No seriously, they are. I COMMAND you to read them (especially Court of Souls)!!!

Well, that's it. Sorry for being absent for two weeks.

Read and review please!!!

Well...see you soon!


	9. The Prisoner

Standard Disclaimer: Formatting and technology can be a pain. So can lawsuits. Thus, I have to write this to prevent the pain of lawsuits. Bear with me.

Author's Note: Unfortunately, the server upgrade has messed up the formatting for the previous chapters of Zero 2 and FFX-3. Thus, I have no choice but to spend some valuable writing time reformatting my stories. Sorry for the unfortunate delay.

Now, onto talking with the reviewers!

Anthony1: You know what they say…that which does not kill you makes you stronger. Well…perhaps not in Tai and Davis' case. ;P

Silver Warrior: More mysterious than a secret agent man? If you say yes, I'll break out into a song and dance (Inner Ultra: DON'T SAY YES!!!!)!

Nickomon: Well hello new reviewer person! You raise a rather good question, but remember: this is a _revision_ of Season 02. Characters change in some fashion through experience and hardship…and readers of the New Digi-Episodes (the semi-sequel-extension of Zero 2, don't read it; it'll spoil a lot of stuff) can testify that characters will change over time (I hope.). Davis and Veemon will become more willing to resort to extreme methods a la in the show in time…but they haven't gone through enough yet to make that happen. Still, nice question to start off your first review!

Now…begin!

----

"This is Davis! The soccer game ended horribly! But we did get to meet Mimi, an old friend of Kari's and Tai's, so it wasn't that bad of a day. Well………that is until she practically shoved me into the Digiworld to find Palmon. Thirty minutes later, Palmon's been saved, Shaun's gotten more cryptic than ever………and did I mention the soccer game?"

----

Episode 9: The Prisoner

----

"HOW LONG ARE YOU STAYING HERE?!?!"

That was the general response from the Digidestined when they had received Mimi's answer to Sora's question of 'How long are you staying?'.

Her answer?

It was, "I'm staying till January."

The shock was well understood. That meant Mimi would miss almost all of her first semester in school. She replied that it was no problem. Joe asked if she was crazy. She said no. Matt asked how the heck she was going to make up all of the work she would miss.

Mimi simply smiled and replied, "I finished it all in advance during the summer. I wasn't able to do much in the way of free time…but it was worth it!"

That answer registered a truckload of shock with a side dish of surprise. Not many would sacrifice their free time over the summer to do a semester's worth of work. _Especially not from Mimi_, thought Tai with a look of astonishment on his face. Then again…Mimi did it so she could visit them.

"So," said Mimi as a large, girly grin adorned her face. "Who's up for shopping at the mall? I'm dying to visit my old hangouts!" Sora, Yolei, and Kari immediately raised their hands in agreement.

_On second thought_, thought Tai with a somewhat amused expression. _Maybe she hasn't changed that much._

----

The Emperor laughed gleefully as he went over his plan once more in his head. He had finished devising his plan…now it was time to implement his plan.

"Finally," said the Emperor with a malevolent smile. "I can rid myself of those pesky brats…and if I play my cards right, I won't have to do much at all."

----

NEXT DAY

Like Odaiba, Tamachi was one of Odaiba's many districts. It was a short train-ride away from Odaiba. Although Tamachi did not have the resort capacity of Odaiba (after all, Odaiba was situated on a set of islands in Tokyo Bay, filled to the brim with parks and tourist attractions), it had one boy who went to Tamachi Middle School that made up for it.

He was well versed in the workings of Algebra, Advanced Mathematics, Calculus, Biology, Robotics, History of Warfare, and Grammar. He also had a college level vocabulary, and people all over the world envied his athletic abilities. In short, he was a do-it-all kid.

With his gifted talents and abilities came a lot of attention. He was often asked to star in many commercials and advertisements, because companies knew that if he endorsed it, people would buy it.

However, today's commercial shoot ended rather peculiarly.

After the shoot, the boy had said he was feeling unwell, and that he would retire to his home to rest for the day. His school officials understood – they wouldn't dare ask the famous boy to come if he was sick. So the boy had retired to his home, and made doubly sure that his parents would not disturb his sleep for ANY reason.

Ten minutes afterwards, the boy went missing.

However, if anyone had paid attention to the boy's bedroom window, they would've seen a bright flash of light.

----

"First day of September, and what has been accomplished so far?" asked Izzy.

It was indeed September 1st. It was Wednesday afternoon at the computer lab, and the five new Digidestined were conversing with Izzy (while the Digimon munched on some snacks).

Davis replied first. "Well, we reopened the Digiworld and got our partners…"

Yolei went next. "We freed Unimon, Centarumon, Monzaemon, and a bunch of other Digimon from the Emperor's control…"

Cody continued, "We freed the rest of the Digidestined's partners…"

Kari was now up. "We knocked down several Control Spires…"

Finally, TK was up. "And we met Shaun."

Izzy nodded as he typed the previous information down in a computer document titled 'Digi-Report 1' on his laptop. "For a little over a week of going to the Digiworld, you guys accomplished a lot. Hopefully at this rate, the Emperor will be packing his bags by Christmas!"

"Yeah!" cheered Demiveemon as he hopped onto Davis' shoulder. "And after that, we can hang out with each other for as long as we want!"

"You bet!" replied Davis, his index finger giving Demiveemon's tiny hand a 'high five' of sorts. After that, Demiveemon immediately went back to eating. The Digimon's eating habits still continued to provide a source of wonderment…even TK and Kari were still amused, and they had seen it plenty of times four years ago.

_Man_, thought Izzy with an exasperated frown. In eight days, he suddenly felt as tired as he had been during the long months in the Digiworld years ago. _So much has happened…what else could possibly occur?_

Izzy should be really careful what he wished for.

----

The teen sighed as he looked out the barred window, the only source of light in the darkened room. Actually, room wasn't the word to describe it…prison was a more correct term.

Because, in all actuality, it _was_ a prison.

The teen sighed again as he pressed his face against the bars of his cell, his eyes gazing at the other Digimon prisoners. This prison was located in the heart of the Emperor's conquered domains…at his own home base.

The teen's ears suddenly pricked as he heard one of the imprisoned Gazimon talk about something. The talking was immediately cut short by what sounded like a large club meeting the said Gazimon's head, followed by a low-pitched shout of "Shut your mouths!!!"

However, the boy managed to make out one word from the Gazimon's talking.

'Digidestined.'

_I wonder…let's try it._ He inched back toward the walls of his cell and slowly pulled out something from his pocket.

It was a D-Terminal.

He set the recipient to 'All D-Terminals' and began typing.

----

One of the recipients of the message was Shaun. He was at Gennai's underwater house when the message had arrived at his D-Terminal. He read it…and smiled an eager smile. He knew what the Emperor was up to…and he wondered if the Digidestined were capable of handling it.

"The Emperor's ball is now rolling," muttered Shaun with a grin. In one part of his mind, he knew what the Digidestined were going to do…and he was prepping himself for it. "Now all that has to be determined is whether the Digidestined can stop it or not."

----

Izzy was about to leave when he heard something beep…five times over.

It was the D-Terminals of Davis, Yolei, Cody, TK, and Kari. They were all beeping simultaneously. Davis blinked at the sudden noise. "Whoa. We got five messages at once?"

"At the same instance? The odds of that happening are small," retorted Izzy. Everyone pulled out their D-Terminals and read their respective messages.

It turns out that small chance occurred.

----

_Dear Digidestined,_

_I don't know how long I have till they find out I'm writing this, so I'll make it quick. I haven't been here long, but I already know that you can help. I'm in the Emperor's prison. Hurry up, I can hear them coming! You should be able to find my digivice's signature in sector 00-111-THE_

----

"It cuts off there," said Kari with a muted expression on her face. As a matter of fact, none of the Digidestined could speak. For some reason, deep down, they knew why the message had been cut off.

TK suddenly turned to Izzy. "Izzy. You once said that each sector of the Digiworld's named after a letter of the Greek alphabet. What letter starts with 'The'?"

Izzy nearly stuttered at TK's sudden assuming of command. Davis nearly fumed. _Hey! I'm the guy who's leader around here! _

Finally, Izzy regained his composure and answered, "Theta."

TK nodded as he opened the Digital Gate program and searched the Theta sectors before falling upon sector 00-111-THETA. With a glare of determination, TK turned around to face the others. "You guys coming? This guy sounds like he needs help."

Gatomon hopped onto Kari's shoulder and responded with a fierce growl. "I've heard the stories from escapees about the prison. They aren't pretty. Let's go trash the place!"

That got an enthusiastic cheer from the Digimon. Yolei giggled nervously as Poromon hopped up and down on her head. "Well…she does need help."

Davis looked at Yolei strangely with the mention of 'she'. Yolei glared and roared, "WE DON'T EVEN KNOW HIS GENDER YET!!!" Davis cowered away, unwilling to further enrage Yolei.

Cody let Upamon onto his arm before pulling out his yellow D-3 with the other hand. "I suppose he…or she," added Cody to appease Yolei's feminist side. "Will need rescuing. And while we're at it, we can rescue the other prisoners as well."

Davis mentally sighed; as much as he hated following TS's…er, TK's lead, he knew he was right. "Well, let's get going then!"

Before Izzy could say anything, TK had already pulled out his D-3 and shouted, "Digiport open!"

One bright flash of blue light later, and they were gone. Izzy's eyes flickered out of confusion. _That was sudden_.

What Izzy didn't know was that deep down in TK's mind, the Child of Hope was harboring hidden thoughts………

Thoughts about how his suspicions about Shaun were about to be answered once for all. He didn't know why he thought these thoughts…TK just did.

----

One bright flash of light and a dog-pile later…

"So, where is this prison?" asked Davis as he grumpily dusted himself off. However, no one answered his question. "Hello?! An answer please?"

"Turn around you dope!" yelled Yolei as she grabbed Davis by the shoulders and spun him around 180 degrees. Davis' eyes fell upon a large, cube-shaped building, made out of the black material Control Spires seemed to be made of. There were very few windows, but it fit; the place was oozing with 'you don't want to live here'.

"Oh."

TK narrowed his eyes at the sight of the prison. Who knew what kind of horrors went on in there, with no one being able to stop their own suffering? _And the Emperor is the one responsible………_ "Guys…let's go free some prisoners."

Veemon flexed his arms and said, "Let's do it!"

"With gusto!" added Armadillomon.

"A rescue operation, coming up!" stated Hawkmon with a calm enthusiasm.

Patamon puffed up his chest in an attempt to look intimidating before saying "I'm ready for action!"

"Can we please just get on with it?" Gatomon's tone indicated she wanted to hurry up, free the prisoners, and leave the vicinity of the wretched prison ASAP.

TK took a look at his D-3 and set it to 'Detect'. Immediately, a purple dot flashed on the screen, revealing the location of the imprisoned Digidestined. "Some of us will have to distract whatever guards are in there…the rest will try and free the prisoners."

"Dibs on the prisoner!" Yolei immediately replied. Kari chipped in, "I'll go with Yolei as well."

Every impulse in Davis screamed at him to join Kari, but his 'team leader sense' kicked in before he could answer. He knew there would be a lot of guards there…and he sincerely doubted TK and Cody would've been able to handle the guards alone. Besides, Yolei would be going with Kari as well – a definite minus in Davis' book. He glanced at TK and Cody before jokingly saying, "Looks like we guys have the guards."

TK and Cody nodded. Everyone pulled out their digivices and shouted, "Digivolve!"

Veemon armor-digivolve to……Flamedramon: The Fire of Courage!

Hawkmon armor-digivolve to……Halsemon: The Wings of Love!

Armadillomon armor-digivolve to……Digmon: The Drill of Knowledge!

Patamon armor-digivolve to……Pegasusmon: Flying Hope!

Gatomon armor-digivolve to……Nefertimon: The Angel of Light!

TK hopped onto Pegasusmon's back and shouted, "Let's do it!"

----

The boy sighed as he wondered if his message was received by anyone. If no one had received his message-

"Fire Rocket!"

"Gold Rush!"

"Star Shower!"

A mixture of red, gray, and blue colors bombarded the boy's vision as he looked out the barred window. Red fireballs, blue stars, and gray-colored metal drills bombarded the prison complex. The foundation rumbled, the prisoners yelped in confusion, and the prison guards – almost all were made up of Goblimon – ordered other guards to defend the base. Looking downward, he saw twenty of the green-skinned Goblimon file out of the prison entrance to face Flamedramon, Pegasusmon, and Digmon.

_Only three? I thought five would be here…_

A sudden explosion rocked the prison once more, this time from above. It was also louder and closer than before_. They're inside_. He pressed his face against the bars to look around the large hall to see a new hole in the ceiling about several meters to his right. Down came two females, each riding what looked like a griffin and a winged sphinx. The one with the orange helmet cried out, "Is there a Digidestined here?"

The boy smiled; his message had been received. "I'm over here!" The two girls turned towards him and ran down the hall towards his cell, while their large partners walked in single-file behind them. The two girls stopped in front of his cell, but their squinting indicated they could not see his face. _They're going to be in for a surprise._

----

Yolei squinted her eyes to look at the male prisoner (she could tell from the voice), but she could only read shadows off of his face. She could tell that he was wearing a gray school uniform, and also that his hair was a dark color. Beyond that, all else was a blank. "Hold on pal, we're getting you out of here!"

Halsemon was busy opening the cells for the other prisoners (AKA: busting them open), so Nefertimon had the task of opening the cell. It was no problem for her large claws, so she simply tore away the bars with one quick swipe. With a noisy clatter, the black rods fell away.

The boy stepped out of the cell, but his face was still obscured by the darkness of the prison. "Thank you for rescuing me. But I think your friends need some help."

"He's right," replied Nefertimon. Her ears twitched as the sounds of the battle taking place outside reached her ears. "They'll need some backup. Let's go!"

Kari leapt onto Nefertimon and flew back out of the hole they had made. Yolei hopped onto Halsemon, and warily turned around to face the boy. "Hang on to me…but don't try anything funny!"

The boy nodded in concurrence. "Don't worry. I won't do anything." He climbed onto Halsemon, and (nervously, judging from how his breathing seemed to become short) wrapped his arms around Yolei's waist as Halsemon took off. Yolei tried her best not to sweat, blush, or act nervous…after all, a rather considerate boy was hanging onto her by the waist!

However, much to her chagrin, she was sweating, blushing, and acting nervous, even as Halsemon fired an Eagle Eye attack at the horde of Goblimon below.

----

"Look! They're coming out!"

Everyone looked upward as Cody yelled. Indeed, Nefertimon and Halsemon were flying out with Kari, Yolei, and the prisoner in tow. They couldn't make out whom it was, but they weren't curious at the moment; they had Goblimon to deal with.

"Goblin Bomb!" A trio of the ugly Goblimon swung the clubs through the air, creating a corkscrew-shaped drill of air that careened toward Flamedramon. The nimble Digimon flipped backwards to avoid the incoming projectiles, then fired three of his own projectiles upon landing.

"Fire Rocket!" Three balls of fire flew at the aforementioned Goblimon and beaned them in the head, sending them sprawling. Flamedramon grinned and pumped his fist into the air. "Score! Flamedramon 3, Goblimon zilch-o!"

"That's all great and all Flamedramon," said Davis. Flamedramon couldn't tell why, but his partner seemed…queasy. Looking back, he saw why. Flamedramon's aerial acrobatics had sent the boy into a swirly-eyed fit of dizziness. "But do you mind slowing down a bit? My brain's getting too dizzy…"

"Oops." Flamedramon sweatdropped as he nervously scratched the back of his head. "Heh. Sorry about that."

"Hey!" shouted Digmon as he pointed at the prison's entrance. "Look!"

A flood of Digimon began to pour out of the entrance. Gazimon. Gizamon. Elecmon. Veggiemon. Mushroomon. Woodmon. Tsunomon. Yokomon. An entire assortment of these Digimon and more began flooding out of the prison. They immediately began swarming the Goblimon, pummeling them to oblivion. As yet even more Digimon began to emerge, they began to pound away at the foundation of the prison. Eventually, the sides began to crumble, and soon the whole complex began to fall away.

"Let's go. I think the other prisoners will be fine," shouted the boy, loud enough so that everyone could hear him over the ruckus. Everyone nodded and Davis opened his mouth to shout the retreat…

"Let's head back to the Digiport everyone!"

…but TK beat him to the punch. Davis silently groaned. _Who put him in charge of this trip?!_

----

Shaun and Sonocomon watched silently from a nearby cliff as the Digidestined started retreating toward the Digiport, male prisoner in tow. Sonocomon frowned as they set down a short distance away from the ruins of the complex. "So they have him."

Shaun remained silent as he contemplated over the plan that the Emperor had set into motion. He wondered if the Digidestined were suspecting anything…or if they were prepared for what was about to happen. _This is their first real test…will they pass?_

----

Davis, TK, Cody, and Kari dismounted from their partners before they dedigivolved to their previous forms. Yolei and Halsemon set down beside the Digiport, while the boy looked at the group nervously.

That's when everyone got their first good look at him.

And they gasped. Davis' mouth was agape in awe. TK and Kari were silent with shock. Cody's eyes were wide with mild surprise. Yolei noticed their looks and irritatingly asked, "Hey! What's with the looks?!"

"Um…Yolei," mumbled Davis. He looked like he was about to faint. "You know the guy you rescued? Look at him."

Yolei raised an eyebrow out of confusion. Who could possibly make the group react like this? She slowly turned around to see………

"I apologize if I caused you any discomfort."

Yolei gasped as her eyes saw the face of the boy for the first time. Purple eyes. Black hair with a purplish tint that went down the sides of his face. A soft, gentle smile.

It was the face of Japan's most famous teen sensation. Ken Ichijouji, the smartest and most athletic teenager in Japan. Possibly the object of almost every girl's crush within the age range of 8-16. And his arms had been wrapped around Yolei for almost ten minutes.

Yolei gulped as her mind suddenly went from zero to 1,000,000 miles per hour. _Ohmygoshohmygoshohmygoshohmygoshohmygoshohmygoshohmygoshohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh…Ken Ichijouji was the prisoner…and he was…touching me!!!!!!!_

Ken flashed another gentle smile as he jovially replied, "Thank you for rescuing me."

That smile clenched it. Yolei's eyes rolled to the back of her head as she fainted…and ungraciously tumbled off the back of Halsemon. Everyone blinked at the sight.

Ken nervously chuckled as he slowly got off of Halsemon, whom promptly dedigivolved to Hawkmon. "Sorry. I have that effect on a lot of girls."

"No kidding," replied Davis. He seemed to have gotten over his shock, and he had now transformed into 'fanboy' mode. "And who could blame em'? You're the best soccer player in all of Japan! And you're a genius to boot! What kind of girl wouldn't fall for the best of both worlds?"

Ken's face flushed a dull red as he rubbed his hair timidly. Kari slyly teased, "What's the matter? You usually take praise in stride."

"Normally, yes," replied Ken. "But…from the Digidestined? That's a little uneasy to accept."

TK looked genuinely surprised. "Speaking of which, how did you know to contact us?"

Ken thought for a moment. "I've been coming here for about two weeks, and I've only recently begun hearing rumors about the return of the Digidestined. After I was captured by the Emperor, I heard some of the other prisoners talk about you…so I got the idea to contact you."

Cody moved forward. His stern eyes were filled with questions. "So…are you a Digidestined?"

Ken pulled out his D-3 to prove it. It had the same white body as everyone else's, with one difference. The sidebars were colored purple.

Cody nodded with understanding. "Why did your message cut off so suddenly?"

Ken suddenly went silent as his hand subconsciously placed itself against his stomach. It was though he was remembering an old wound. "One of the guards entered my cell when it saw me typing my message…it gave me a nasty hit in the stomach with its club."

Cody nearly winced. He had seen the size of Goblimon's club; a direct hit in the stomach with that would have most definitely hurt.

That's when a new voice broke through. "Never thought the prisoner would be Ken Ichijouji."

Everyone looked up to see Sonocomon gradually descend from the air, Shaun sitting on his left shoulder. No one saw it, but Ken looked at Shaun with a mixture of uneasiness and contempt.

Shaun grinned as Sonocomon stopped, and began to hover back up into the air. "I got his message, but I guess you guys rescued him before I could arrive…well, see you later." Sonocomon burst off, taking Shaun with him.

Everyone stared at Shaun and his partner fly off (Yolei was finally beginning to awaken), but Patamon finally noticed the look in Ken's eyes. "Hey Mr. Ken! What's with the angry eyes?"

Everyone turned to see Ken's hardened eyes stare in the direction Shaun had left. "What's the matter Ken? You look upset."

Ken remained silent as he remembered what had happened earlier that day. "Earlier today…right after I was captured…… saw him speaking with the Emperor."

----

(Flashback)

Ken winced as the Goblimon left his cell. The monstrous goblin's club had just collided with his abdomen, leaving a very painful sensation that made his vision swirl.

That's when he heard voices.

"Do you think this is necessary?" That voice was calm and composed. It was the voice of one who had experience in many things.

"Of course it is!" This voice was laced with arrogance…like that of a commander who had too much power.

"I'm not sure…a trap like this? Just to bring the Digidestined in? Seems a little elaborate."

"Does it matter? The results are what matters."

"Results can be achieved with simplicity."

"The same with complexity. Just make sure you keep up the act. Otherwise…"

"Yes. I know."

Ken's vision began to clear…and he saw a caped figure with shades walk away from sight. A spiky brown-haired male looked at him for a moment before leaving in the opposite direction.

(End Flashback)

----

"I recognized his voice and his body's outline…he was speaking with the Emperor about something earlier. I'm sure of it." Ken's voice was as hard as stone now.

Everyone was in shock. TK, however, seemed to take it quite easily. Shaun had been setting off a lot of alarms in him lately – the lack of info about him, his adeptness at fighting, his overall mysterious nature – but he had nothing to cement his suspicions. Now…he did.

But was it enough?

_I don't know…very condemning stuff. I'll wait…but Shaun stepping on thin ice._

----

To be continued…

Next time…

Episode 10: Betrayal

----

Author's Notes: Shorter than normal, I know. But it's called drawing suspense! The next few episodes are where the plot of Revision starts to deviate a little more from that of the TV show. If you've watched the show, you probably know what's going to happen…so DELETE the information from your memory! DELETE IT I SAY!!!

Plus, I'm working on a novel of my own at the moment, so I'll have a little less time to write. After all, there is no rest for aspiring novelists!

Now, I shall leave until the next episode.

Hugh Downes! Awaaaaaaay!!!


	10. Betrayal

Standard Disclaimer: What's mine is mine, and what's yours is yours. However, if you factor in the internet, what's mine is his, and what's yours is hers, and then the internet takes the sum of the parts and sells them to pirates (BZZKT)** ERRORERRORERRORERRRORERROR173086hfgnoubgmut85t308!!!** (shorts and dies)

(Shaun and (Agumon) rush out and drag away the robotic author)

Author's Notes: Ahem. Sorry bout' that. The robot still has a few kinks in it. . ;

Anyhow, where was I...ah yes! Sorry for the little delay in getting this chapter out. I was bit hyped on my FFX fic, so I wrote two chapters instead of one. Sorry about that, but I just got excited. I'm sure some of you know that feeling. (Plus, some readers were shocked by the first chapter I put out this time around, thus necessitating an immediate second chapter to calm them down. ;)

Plus...I've been hooked on Disgaea. Probably the first REAL strategy RPG I've played since Advance Wars. And it's a heck of a lot of fun!!! BUY IT NOW!!!

Anyhow, now on to the reviews!  
  
Anthony1: You have suspicions?! WE HAVE A SPY!!! (has Sonocomon attack Anthony1) Heh. All joking aside, I can see you aren't gullible. Perceptive little gnat, aren't ye? ;P

Silver Warrior: Confused, are ye? Well...I can see that you were deceived. You'll see. ;)

Now, begin!

* * *

"Hey. TK here. We received a message from someone who was imprisoned, so we set out to rescue him. To our eternal surprise, it was Ken Ichijouji, the most famous teen in all of Japan! After the rescue though, he told us some very shocking news...he heard Shaun speaking with the Emperor!"

* * *

Episode 10: Betrayal

* * *

Davis lay back in his bed as the moonlight shone through the slits of his window blinds. Even though he should have been asleep by now, he could not.  
  
Not when so many things dominated his mind.

_So...Ken Ichijouji's a Digidestined...how about that?!_ Davis was still hyped up on the fact that the greatest soccer player in Japan – of ANY age group – was now a Digidestined. After all, how often did you get to meet a celebrity?

And even better was the fact that he had a soccer game tomorrow...against him! The Odaiba Overlords versus the Tamachi Titans, tomorrow after school ended! _And maybe after that, we can head to the Digital World..._

That's when he was reminded of Shaun...and his treachery.

But then again, all he had to go on was Ken's word that he had seen Shaun speaking with the Emperor. But...it would explain Shaun's reluctance to share any information about his past. However, his gut instinct was telling him that something about the whole thing wasn't right.

_Man, I hate it when I don't know what's going on._ Davis grumbled as he pulled the sheets back over him...inadvertently causing DemiVeemon to fall of the bed.

The In-Training moaned as he scurried back up the bed. "Owieowieowieowieowie..."

* * *

Yolei sighed as she dreamed a very typical dream of a fangirl...

_Oh...Ken Ichijouji...MARRY ME!!!  
_

Poromon sighed as Yolei sighed and rolled over again, her mind in the throes of a wonderful dream. Unfortunately, she was apparently enjoying it _too_ much...Poromon couldn't get any sleep with her tossing around like that.

_Oh man_, thought Poromon as she buried herself under a pillow. _I wish she'd have a different dream! I can't get any sleep!!!_

* * *

Cody was still awake.

He was weighing two choices in his head. Choice 1: Accept Ken's word about Shaun and the Emperor's conversation, thus necessitating a confrontation with Shaun. Choice 2: Disregard Ken's word and ask Shaun what really happened.

Cody didn't know...he was, by nature, a suspicious and wary person. Although he had been immediately apprehensive of Shaun from the beginning, Ken struck him as sort of odd...

Maybe it was because he was rather distrustful of celebrities in general.

"Cody? Why are you still awake?"

Cody glanced upward to see Upamon staring down at him from atop his head. Cody simply replied, "I guess I'm still a little pumped-up from today. Nothing to worry about at all."

Upamon seemed to accept it, so he cheerily said, "Okay!" and went back to sleep.

_If only Upamon...if only that were all_, thought Cody with a frown.

* * *

"Geez TK, get some sleep already!"

TK had been unable to get any sleep. He was too busy thinking. He had evidence...enough of it to incriminate Shaun. It was all a matter of confronting him. Patamon (who was perched on his head) had been trying to get TK to sleep for the past two hours...

Come midnight, the boy was still awake. Patamon gave up and just decided to go to sleep. And TK was still thinking.

_I don't know, but it looks like we have all the evidence we need to get Shaun...we just need to catch him in the act first. If we do that, then we've got him._

Now, TK was not normally one to be so persistent in proving the guilt of others. However, when it came to a potential ally of a dark overlord...

_I can't let this continue on for much longer_. TK knew that the stress was getting to him. If he didn't get this whole thing off his chest soon, his performance in the Digiworld would be affected...or worse. _I have to get Shaun to tell us what's going on...one way or another!_

* * *

Koromon quietly snuck out of Tai's window, making his way up to the roof where Gatomon was waiting. It had taken him several minutes to pry open Tai's window, and he nearly fainted at how loud the window squeaked when he had finished. Thankfully for him, Tai's snoring could drown out the siren of an ambulance.

Koromon hopped up the stairs of the apartment's fire escape, reaching the top one minute later. Gatomon was sitting on the ledge of a building, staring at the full moon in the sky above. "Gatomon, I'm here!"

Gatomon turned her head to see the pink blob sit (stand? lay?) beside her on the rim. The city lights gleamed in the night, even as the moon overpowered them all in intensity. "Hey. Did Tai catch you?"

"Nah, he still snores as loud as ever," replied Koromon. Gatomon was grateful for one thing; only a noise louder than a jet engine could wake the Kamiya family up...apparently, they had been conditioned to Tai's loud snoring for so long that they were practically deaf at night.

"So Gatomon," said Koromon as he looked at his long-time friend and ally. "Why'd you wanna talk to me?"

"It has to do with Shaun and Ken," answered Gatomon as she went over what she was about to say in her head. "I know you've heard about our most recent member, Ken Ichijouji."

Koromon nodded. "Yeah. Tai seemed kind of excited when Kari told him about that." 'Excited' indeed. Tai had nearly erupted with shock at the news. It seemed that even Tai looked up to Ken's soccer prowess. "But what does he have to do with Shaun?" continued Koromon, a look of confusion on his face.

"It has to do with what Ken said." Gatomon remembered the look on everyone's face when Ken had recollected his time in the prison. "He said Shaun was speaking with the Emperor...as if though he were an ally. It's got a lot of the Digidestined rattled...but I think TK was actually glad to hear what Ken said." Out of the original group's Digimon, Gatomon was the most knowledgeable...and the most adept at reading people. And she had seen that TK had become increasingly edgy very edgy around Shaun.

Koromon sighed as he looked at the stars. "Do you believe what Ken said?"

"Honestly? I'm not going to trust him yet." Gatomon stood up and started to walk back down the fire escape to Kari's room. The last thing she said before going out of sight was, "But we're going to have to decide who our ally will be."

Koromon nodded in understanding before returning to Tai's room. Unbeknownst to him, Gatomon had another worry.

If Ken was a Digidestined...where was his partner?

* * *

The Emperor smiled as he slept.

Tomorrow, his plan would yield results.

* * *

/NEXT DAY AT 3:30 IN THE AFTERNOON!/

"**Ladies and gentlemen of Odaiba! Please welcome the Tamachi Titans!"**

The announcer dramatically spoke into the microphone, causing his voice to echo over the entire soccer field. The crowd cheered as the Titans, clad in green shirts and black shorts, jogged onto the field. Ken, of course, was leading the pack. Cameras belonging to the media flashed as they took as many pictures of Ichijouji as possible.

_Man, he IS a big celebrity_, thought Tai as the Titans approached the sidelines on the left side of the field. Tai was sitting with TK, Kari, Cody, Yolei, and Matt. Matt's band was taking the day off, and he had decided to join the others at the game. They all had to close their ears in some fashion; the roar of applause coming from the audience was ear-deafening. They _really_ liked Ken.

So did Yolei. She was cheering as loud as the others.

"Go Ken!!!" cheered the Ken-crazy Yolei. Everyone else sweatdropped at Yolei's exuberance. Apparently, she too had fallen prey to Ken's 'charms', be they his popularity, athletic and academic prowess, or his gentlemen's personality.

_Hook, line, and sinker_, thought Matt with an amused snicker. Then his amused snicker disappeared as a pair of slender arms wrapped around his neck. Matt immediately knew who they belonged to, and he then immediately regretted that the girl who was embracing him hadn't been hooked by Ken's charms as well.

"Hi Matt!" said Jun, her voice drawing on a seductive tone in an attempt to charm Matt. Unfortunately for Jun Motomiya (and fortunately for Matt), her 'seductive' tone only managed to creep Matt out even further. With a nervous tone and a sweaty brow, Matt excused himself to go to the bathroom. Jun immediately followed. In truth, Matt had taken the opportunity to flee for his very life. Later on that night, Matt would be calling Davis, telling him to get his 'stupid sister' off his back.

But that wasn't going to happen until nightfall. Now the Odaiba Overlords were about to come onto the field.

"**Now everyone, welcome our own! Come out Overlords!"**

The Overlords charged out of gym adjacent to the soccer field. Davis led the team toward the right sidelines – the side that held the bleachers where the Digidestined sat –, his team's red and white uniforms being a complete contrast to those of the Titans. Unfortunately, the applause that greeted the Overlords was less than the applause that greeted the Titans. Tai grimaced as the applause ended. _Jeez...we have home field and they get more cheers! This is a mutiny!_

"**Now, will the team captains please approach the center of the field for the coin toss!"**

Davis and Ken were the team captains of the two teams. They approached the referee, sharing a competitive glare as the referee showed them the coin. "Titans Team Captain, please pick your side. Heads or Tails?"

Ken exchanged one more glance with Davis before calmly saying, "Heads."

The referee flipped the coin.

The coin spun slowly through the air. Everyone stopped breathing as the coin slowly began to descend. They knew that such a heated game would most likely be decided on who won the coin toss.

It landed.

The referee shouted, "Heads! Titans win the toss!"

Davis groaned. Ken smiled. "The Titans will start on offense. And we will face the east."

Davis' mouth practically fell to the ground.

And so did Tai's. He was practically appalled at Ken's choices. Kari noticed Tai's shocked expression and asked, "What's wrong Tai?"

"Ken just made two brilliant tactical decisions," replied Tai. Before Kari could wonder why Tai would use the word tactical, he continued on. "Ken is a great athlete to be sure...but he's a brilliant offensive wizard! I've heard of games where the Titans have scored ten points in one half!!! All because of Ken's offensive plans...and with the sun to their backs, the Titans won't have a problem moving downfield. But the Overlords will have the sun in their eyes for the first half!!!"

Kari understood what Tai was saying...although she wasn't as floored with shock as Tai was. _Then again, I'm not a soccer fanatic._

Nine players took their positions on each side of the soccer field (forward, two wingers, two halfbacks, three defensive players, and a goalie for the uninformed). Davis assumed his position at left halfback. Four quarters, each 12 minutes long. Three timeouts for each time per half, two minute break between quarters, ten-minute halftime. Every single eye that belonged to an Overlord player fell upon Ken, who assumed the forward position. Ken locked eyes one last time with Davis before the whistle blew.

Two seconds later, Ken was a blur of motion that had already blown past the Overlord halfbacks. Davis blinked and wheeled around to see the defensive backs trying to keep him away from the goal. _Wha...how'd he move so fast?!?!_

* * *

Davis turned back around to see the Titans' halfbacks and wingers rush forward to join Ken. The Overlords' team captain growled; with Ken's sudden offensive blitz, their defense was in confusion. If Ken got into a passing frenzy, the goalie wouldn't know who to look for.

_Gah...I wish we could use our forwards on defense for once!_ Unfortunately, soccer rules did not allow that. Shoving away the shivers that gripped him, Davis charged after the ball that Ken had just passed to a teammate. Before Davis could reach the Titans' left winger, he quickly passed it to the right winger on the opposite side of the field. Less than a second later, he passed it back to Ken...who was standing right in front of the Overlords' goal.

With one kick movement of his left foot, the ball was in the goal.

The scoreboard tallied its first point of the day.  
  
The announcer cheerfully announced (pun not intended), **"Well well! The Titans have made the first score! 1 to 0 with 11:45 left in the first quarter!"**

Davis groaned as Ken calmly moved back to his forward position, even as his other teammates cheered. _This is gonna be a long day..._

* * *

Tai groaned as the Overlords' forward kicked the ball to their right-winger...only to have it intercepted by Ken. He muttered, "This is gonna be a long day..."

* * *

/ONE HOUR LATER WITH FOUR MINUTES LEFT IN THE 4TH QUARTER!/

Davis panted as he glanced at the scoreboard for the fourth time that quarter.

_Titans: 11 – Overlords: 4_

"Man...we're being slaughtered..." It was true when Davis (and Tai) had said it was going to be a long day. The Titans' offense, spearheaded by Ken, had completely overwhelmed the Overlords during the first half. Thankfully, Ken – being a forward and all – was not allowed to aide the defense.  
  
Not like it had helped much, however. The ball had been kept on the Overlords' side of the field for 21 out of the 24 minutes in the first half. It was only in those scant three minutes that the Overlords scored.

However, it hadn't helped much. By the first half's end, the score was 7 to 1 in the Titans' favor. The ten-minute rest between halves helped relax the team...but one glance at the scoreboard would send the respective player into a shiver-filled frenzy. The Titans had intimidated the Overlords...and Davis knew it.

Come second half, the teams had switched field positions. However, the sun had already descended below the city's skyline, voiding the advantage the Overlords would've had (them with the sun to their backs, the Titans with the sun in their face, yadda yadda yadda). Davis and Tai had rued Ken's choice even more at that point in time; the Titans' advantage would not be the Overlords'.

Ken seemed to remain an unstoppable juggernaut. His teammates, however, had begun to feel fatigue setting in. That had resulted in three more points for the Overlords...but Ken had still managed to lead the Titans into scoring more. By the time the fourth quarter was close to ending, the Titans had scored four more points...resulting in the score of 11 to 4.

_Okay, so maybe we can't win._ Davis finally admitted to himself that this game was lost. However, he intended to go down fighting.

He turned his head back toward the sidelines as the Titans' left halfback threw the back in bounds. Davis quickly ran in front of the halfback's target – Ken – and began bolting downfield. The Overlords' offensive players began to race down with him. Ken dashed after Davis, steadily catching up with him. Davis turned to his right and kicked the ball as quickly as he could toward his teammate.

Unfortunately for him, Ken had already gotten between him and the intended receiver of the ball.

But unfortunately for Ken, the ball zoomed through the air...and collided with his abdomen. Ken lost air momentarily as he a sharp pang of pain erupted through his torso. He quickly banished the pain, however, and reversed direction, taking the ball with him.

Davis cursed to himself as he skidded before turning around to pursue Ken. _How the heck does he do that?! He's like a relentless machine!_

On the contrary, however, Ken was still feeling the ache of the collision. He had gotten hurt...which was a rare occasion for him. He felt unfamiliar with it...

He quickly banished it from his consciousness as he slowed down to pass the ball to his right winger. With a mighty kick, Ken caused the ball to sail from his foot to his winger.

Nevertheless, Davis tried to stop it. He leapt into the air to try and deflect the midair ball.

Unfortunately for him, it deflected off of a most undesirable place.

His manhood.

"**YAAAAAAOOOOOWWWW!!!!!!!"**

Davis impulsively grabbed his crotch as he fell to the ground, whimpering all the way. He tried to hold back the tears that threatened to cascade down his cheek. The referee blew his whistle, causing everyone to pause where they were. Ken rushed over to Davis' side, who was being helped off the field by the Overlords' wingers. "Sorry about that Davis," said Ken, his tone bashful and apologetic.

Every impulse in Davis' body screamed at him to pummel Ken for kicking the ball at his manhood. However, a ray of common sense roared at those impulses to shut up. It had been an accident; Davis was the one who moved into the ball's path anyway. _Besides, I'm too numb to move._ Davis merely mumbled, "Forget about it." He limped over to the bench and sat down as the coach handed him an ice pack. Davis gladly took it.

The game continued on as normal...but without Davis, the defense was shredded to bits by Ken and the Titans' offensive blitzkrieg. The game ended with the Titans winning 13 to 4.

Ken walked off of the field after the postgame team meeting...only to be hoarded by the media. The teen celebrity immediately ran off, trying to dodge any cameraman, reporter, or hyperactive fangirl that dared to cross him.

Yolei watched Ken lovingly as he left. "Oh Ken...what a super hunk!"

TK looked oddly at Yolei as he said, "Well, Davis isn't so impressed. After all, he DID get hit in the you-know-whats."

"Yeah," Yolei suddenly grinned a devilish sort of grin. "But...Davis probably had something like that coming anyway."

"I HEARD THAT!!!"

With a furious roar – his aches momentarily forgotten – Davis chased after Yolei, intending to pummel her into oblivion...as well as her smart-aleck mouth.

Of course, it wasn't long until he started limping again. _Owowowowowow...I really hate this..._Davis would have to get his revenge some other time.

Tai winced as Davis limped back over to the bench. "Geez man, I wouldn't advise moving around for awhile."

Davis sighed with defeat. "No kidding..."

"Cheer up Davis." Kari patted Davis on the shoulder, her face contorted into a gentle smile. "At least you were given a good challenge."

Davis instantly felt better...in his opinion, Kari's angelic smile could cheer up anyone in any situation. "Yeah...but I wish we could've won."

"Guys, we have a message." Cody's voice suddenly cut through the silence that followed. That's when everyone finally noticed that their D-Terminals were beeping. Everyone pulled theirs out and read the message within. "It's from Ken."

* * *

_Dear Digidestined,_

_Sorry about the little...'accident' Davis. No hard feelings?  
_

_Anyhow, I wondered if you guys could come to sector 11-001-ZETA. It involves my partner...and why you haven't seen him. So can all of you come?  
  
And can you bring Tai with you? I want to ask him something._

_Sincerely, Ken Ichijouji_

* * *

"Missing partner?" echoed TK as realization hit him. "Now that I think about it, Ken didn't have a partner with him when we rescued him..."

Cody pointed out, "Perhaps the Emperor separated them." That made sense to everyone. It was obvious now...Ken wanted help with finding his partner.

"Well, why should we deny a friend his partner? Let's go help him!" Tai said with enthusiasm. He was genuinely worried about Ken's partner...but part of him was curious about what Ken wanted to ask him.

"To the computer lab!" commanded Yolei as she lead the way to the computer lab. Cody knew Yolei to be boycrazy every once and awhile...but not to this extent. Perhaps it was because the boy in question was a celebrity.

Everyone left for the computer lab, walking steadily along in a relaxed pace...well, except for Davis. He limped his way to the computer lab.

* * *

Shaun sighed with aggravation. "Look Gennai, I've made my mind up...I'm going through with it."

"You sure?" replied the wrinkly old man. He knew what Shaun was going to do next...but they had reached an impasse about how he was going to go about it. "I think it's a bit too hard on them so soon."

"My mind's made up," retorted Shaun as he faced the computer with (Agumon) by his side. "The Digidestined need to learn this lesson...and they'll remember it if they learn it the hard way."

Gennai watched as Shaun pulled his D-3 out, then blinked, as if remembering something. "Hold on. Don't forget your D-Terminal." He handed Shaun his D-Terminal, which Gennai had been working with for the past hour. "I uploaded the erasure program to it like you asked."

Shaun smiled. "Thanks Gennai." He turned to his partner and asked, "Ready?"  
  
(Agumon) nodded.

"Please Shaun, reconsider...they are still inexperienced. They have only been Digidestined again for little more than a week after four whole years!" Gennai was practically pleading; Shaun's sense of logic was beginning to prevail over his sense of principles. He had to admit...Gennai was right.  
  
"You're right Gennai," admitted Shaun as he held his D-3 toward the computer monitor. "I just haven't dealt with anyone in such a long time...DIGIPORT OPEN!"

With a bright flash, Shaun and (Agumon) disappeared. Gennai sighed with a measure of regret...when that boy wanted to teach a lesson, he didn't skimp out on anything...he went ALL the way to make sure that the lesson was learned.

* * *

One dogpile later (which was more painful than usual to Davis, due to the fact he landed belly-down), everyone looked around to see that they were in a long, rocky canyon. The vegetation was sparse within the canyon; only a few trees were within the barren gorge. On the top of the canyon's sides, however, vegetation was much more abundant. Which was no surprise, especially considering a river of water was floating – yes, floating – through the trees. A river on both sides weaved through the branches on the trees, providing cool, refreshing nourishment that the trees needed to survive. In the distance, about fifty yards away, sat a Control Spire that loomed high over the strange sight. For a moment, the Digidestined swore they were looking at a scene from a fantasy book.

"Wow..." muttered everyone. For the new Digidestined (with the possible exception of TK and Kari), this was the first time they had seen something in the Digiworld that was so...otherworldly. Thus far, all locations had been similar to places they might've seen in the Real World...but this?

"Beautiful isn't it?"

Everyone turned to see Ken, sitting against the left wall of the canyon. "The scenery's nice...but the reason I called you here isn't," he said with a saddened tone.

Cody dared to say, "Does it have to do with your partner?"

"And the fact that he – or she – wasn't with you yesterday," added Gatomon.

Ken sighed. They had guessed correctly. "You're right...it does have to do with my partner...you see, the Emperor's got him." A tear began to leak from his right eye as he continued. "I don't know where he took him...and-"

"Say no more," interjected TK. He knelt beside Ken and patted him on the back. "We'll find your partner, right guys?"

Everyone nodded. Patamon added, "And when we do, we'll kick the Emperor's butt!"

"AYE!" heartily cheered the Digimon. Everyone was so focused on Ken...they didn't see a blue speck appearing in the distance.

But Ken did. _Wha...?_  
  
"A stirring performance Ichijouji..."

Everyone turned to see Shaun and (Sonocomon) descend to the ground. The two had exited the Digiport in adjacent sector...but as to why, Ken did not know. Shaun smirked as he hopped off of Sonocomon.

"But hardly worthy of a 'Best Actor' award," Shaun finished with a mocking tone. 

TK immediately tensed up; he knew Shaun was up to something. He just _knew_ it. "What do you want?" A small tone of contempt laced his voice.

Shaun was about to answer when Ken suddenly yelled, "YOU! I know for sure now...you _were_ the one I saw speaking with the Emperor! You traitor!"

Shaun just stared blankly at everyone, as Sonocomon took the initiative to destroy the nearby Control Spire. He could tell from the glares of anger and stares of disbelief...that everyone else believed Ken's words.

He sweatdropped. He was rather dumbfounded, to be frank. _Dang...I knew they were rather gullible early on...but_ this _gullible? _Shaun sighed as he shook his head. It was time to implement his plan. "Hand me your D-3 Ken."

That set an alarm off in everyone. Why would he want Ken's purple D-3? _...he must want to give it to the Emperor._ Gatomon began to hiss as her fur stood on its end. The thought prompted her to stand defiantly between Shaun and the Digidestined. "If you want Ken's digivice, you'll have to go through me!"

The other Digimon began to realize that something big was up...and they also knew Gatomon would have a good reason for standing up to Shaun. "And us as well!" Veemon, Hawkmon, Armadillommon, Patamon, and Agumon joined Gatomon's side. A look of annoyance and exasperation crossed Shaun's face.  
  
With a sigh, he said, "Forgive me, but this might hurt a bit." Sonocomon dedigivolved into (Agumon) as he bared his fangs. Shaun switched his D-3 to 'Digital'...and pressed the button. (Agumon) was suddenly enveloped in a white light.

(Agumon) digivolve to......(Greymon!)

Everyone gasped as the giant dinosaur Digimon suddenly stood before them. Muscular orange body with blue stripes. Hardened brown helmet protecting his head. Sharpened horns sticking out from the sides and nose of the helmet. Piercing red eyes. And (for some reason no one could clarify) (Greymon's) trademark 'beer belly' was considerably toned down.

The digivolution caused the others to digivolve as well.

Veemon armor-digivolve to......Flamedramon: The Fire of Courage!  
  
Hawkmon armor-digivolve to......Halsemon: The Wings of Love!

Armadillomon armor-digivolve to......Digmon: The Drill of Knowledge!  
  
Patamon armor-digivolve to......Pegasusmon: Flying Hope!  
  
Gatomon armor-digivolve to......Nefertimon: The Angel of Light!  
  
Agumon digivolve to......Greymon!  
  
Five Armored Champions and a Champion faced off with one Champion. Flamedramon boasted, "The odds are in our favor!"

(Greymon) snorted as he prepared to fight. "Don't judge a mon by his cover! Nova Blast!" An orange orb of fire erupted from (Greymon's) mouth. The blast collided with the ground in front of the other Digimon, causing them to scatter. No damage was done, but its purpose was served.  
  
Shaun now had a clear path to Ken.

Only the Digidestined were still in front of him.

He burst off into a run. Kari was the first one in front of him. He simply ran past her. He also ran past Yolei, even though she attempted to grab him. Cody had grabbed a stick and prepared to strike Shaun with it. However, Shaun simply ran around Cody, who was unable to strike him. Shaun was well past Cody when he ran into TK, who prepared to tackle him. Davis and Tai were beside him, waiting to pin Shaun down.

Shaun slid between TK's legs. Dumbfounded, TK blankly turned around to see Tai and Davis begin to pursue Shaun. But it was too late.

Shaun was right in front of Ken.

* * *

Ken was shocked. He hadn't intended for Shaun to react this way.

Now he was practically upon him.

Ken raised his arms out of defense as Shaun threw a punch at him. Ken quickly grabbed it and prepared to flip Shaun, but the brown-haired boy quickly twisted out of the attempted counterattack.  
  
TK, Tai, and Davis neared, but they didn't dare approach; they could tell Shaun and Ken were about to duke it out.

Ken huffed as he angrily said, "You can't beat me...I'm not just an academic and athletic whiz. I'm also a master at Tae Kwon Do and jujitsu! You can't beat me!"

Shaun smirked. "We'll see."

* * *

Greymon growled as he charged at (Greymon). Unfortunately for him, (Greymon) ducked as he came upon him. Then (Greymon) rose, heaving Greymon into the air with his head. Greymon groaned as he collided with the side of the canyon, causing him to go dizzy with pain.

"Fire Rocket!"

(Greymon) turned to see three fireballs roaring towards him. He opened his mouth...and _engulfed_ the three fireballs. Flamedramon gasped. "Impossible!"

"Now let me show you a real fireball," bellowed (Greymon) as his mouth began to glow orange. "Nova Blast!" Flamedramon was unable to move, still in shock that his fireballs were actually _eaten_. With his guard down, it was no surprise that Flamedramon was sent flying backwards. Upon collision with the ground, he dedigivolved to Veemon. "Owie..."

"Tempest Wing!" (Greymon) tilted his head to see Halsemon coming from the left as a tornado. He knelt down and pointed his rear into the as Halsemon drew near. Then, in a clockwise rotation, he turned quickly, causing his tail to crash into Halsemon. The bird was sent flying, dedigivolving into Hawkmon before he hit the ground. "I hope I get frequent flyer miles for this..."

"Gold Rush!" The five drills zoomed toward (Greymon)...but he melted them with a Nova Blast. Digmon gulped; in hindsight, he realized he made a mistake. He should've used Rock Cracking, which would've forced (Greymon) to at least evade...but he wouldn't be able to do that. A tail sweep into his head prevented him from doing so. He was already unconscious by the time he hit the ground and dedigivolved.

"Shooting Star!"  
  
"Cat's Eye Beam!"

(Greymon) growled as he put his short arms up in an attempted defense. He knew Pegasusmon and Nefertimon were going to be his toughest opponents. Flamedramon, Halsemon, and Digmon were still inexperienced, and Greymon was sorely out of practice. But not these two though; apparently, they still remembered how to fight. And as they flew back and forth in the air, peppering him from a distance, he knew he wouldn't be able to hit them with a Nova Blast. _Time to play my trump card..._

"Nova Flame!"

Now, the stream of continuous fire was not as powerful as that of the Greymon from eight years ago (when the giant Greymon fought Parrotmon). It wasn't colored pale white (which would indicate that it was white-hot) either. However, it was colored the same orange that Nova Blast was. And it was still very hot.  
  
And since it was continuous, Pegasusmon and Nefertimon were suddenly in a heap of trouble. They were now on the defensive again, as they weaved in and out of the line of fire (no pun intended).

However, Pegasusmon drifted in too close.

(Greymon) then swung his head to the side, smacking Pegasusmon with the side of his head. The collision hurt (Greymon) as well, but Pegasusmon was worse off. He was sent hurtling, dedigivolving into Patamon before he even hit the ground. Then (Greymon) turned his attention to Nefertimon.

"Rosetta Stone!" A slab of rock rocketed toward (Greymon)...who then leapt into the air. He closed the distance between himself and Nefertimon in seconds...just before he thwacked Nefertimon in the face with his tail. She dedigivolved into Gatomon upon hitting the ground.

(Greymon) then felt a flare of pain erupt across his back. He gritted his teeth before turning around. Greymon was standing behind him, ready to attack once more. "You can use Nova Flame...how come?"

(Greymon) chuckled. "All Greymon can learn that technique in time...but today is not that day for you!"

Greymon growled as he charged at (Greymon), who immediately prepared to counter.

* * *

Ken launched a quick offensive, stringing together a chain of front kicks, half-moon crescents, and rapid jabs. Shaun defended the front kicks with upper blocks, sidearm blocks, and lower blocks. Shaun then ducked under a half-moon crescent before countering with a sweeping kick.

The kick swept through Ken's ankles, causing Ken to fall. However, he quickly placed his hands on the ground before he collided with terra firma. It lessened the pain of impact, and it allowed him to quickly rebound. He quickly punched Shaun in the chin before following up with a kick to the midsection. The punch connected, but Shaun still had enough presence of mind to evade the last kick.

Shaun quickly backed away to prepare for the inevitable counterattack. Instead, Ken got up and started laughing. "Very impressive...I've never gotten a challenge from anyone before. In ANYTHING. You've impressed me...and that takes a lot."

Shaun smiled at Ken's compliment. "I'd say thank you, but you don't deserve it...and its time for this façade to end." As he said that, Greymon was thrown into the ground, the collision causing him to dedigivolve to Agumon. (Greymon) huffed as he fell on his butt, his energy rapidly leaving him.  
  
At the point in time, Shaun pulled out...a purple D-3. Ken gasped as his hands immediately searched his pockets. Nothing but his D-Terminal. _Wha...how'd he get it?!_ "How?!"

"I swiped it at the very beginning of the fight," admitted Shaun as he grinned. A look of amusement crossed his face. "I just kept fighting you...so that I could see how you measured up." A look of shock crossed Ken's face. Shaun smirked; the Emperor's plan was falling apart. "And you can hold your own in a one-on-one fight, I'll grant you that. But if you even dared to try and come up against all of us all your own, you'd fail miserably. And that's why you're doomed to fail...Emperor."

That threw everyone for a loop. Everyone had gathered around the two combatants to either watch the fight proceed or wait to ambush Shaun whenever it ended. However, Shaun's accusation had thrown them for a loop. TK, however, didn't buy it. He thought that it was just an attempt to pass the buck. "Where's your proof?"

Shaun smiled; he had been waiting for TK to ask that. "Two pieces of evidence. And they're right in front of you. Hidden...but here nonetheless." That's when he pulled out his D-Terminal and connected it to Ken's D-3; apparently, the D-3's antenna could connect to a tiny slot inside the D-Terminal. "Activating Erasure Program."

The program that Gennai had implemented into Shaun's D-Terminal suddenly activated with a press of a button. A long, blue-white stream of what looked like barcodes (think of how the data from defeated Digimon is absorbed in Digimon Frontier) circled around Ken's purple D-3...and it looked like it was slowly being eaten away. Everyone except Ken gasped...because he could see the black color beginning to appear where the purple sidebars had been moments before. _No...how?! Where did he get a program like that?!_

"The Digital World itself is very difficult to manipulate," explained Shaun as the barcodes finished eating away at the white and purple colors of the D-3. "But the manipulation of characteristics of _singular_ objects within the Digiworld...that's another matter altogether." Finally, the barcodes faded away...revealing a digivice with a dark gray body and black sidebars.

Everyone gasped at the sight. Ken recoiled as he gritted his teeth. Gatomon hissed; she could _feel_ the darkness emanating from Ken's D-3 now that the cloak was gone. Shaun smirked as he tossed the D-3 back to Ken. "And I believe the Dark Digivice belongs to no one else but the Emperor." He then pointed his D-Terminal - screen-forward - towards Ken. "And now for item #2. Activate Erasure Program."

The stream of barcodes erupted from the screen and encircled Ken. It wasn't painful...just unnerving. To Ken, it felt like he was hovering between both the Real and the Digital Realms at the same time.

Then...his school uniform began to disappear.

Replacing his uniform...was the garb of the Digimon Emperor, shades and all.

Shaun smiled. Everyone was aghast. Yolei looked like she was about to die; after all, it's not everyday when you find out that you have a crush on a teen celebrity who's also a megalomaniac who's bent on ruling the world.

It was now official; Ken was the Digimon Emperor.

The Emperor growled. "Very good Shaun...you've known that I'm the Emperor...but they didn't," he pointed in the general direction of the other Digidestined. "And I could tell they were rather...wary of you." The Emperor could see a few of them wince. _Time to pour salt in the wound_. "But when they come and rescue me, they buy everything I say. Even I was surprised at how easy it was to deceive them! They took my word, the word of a famous stranger, over that of an ally who is reluctant to share any information about his past!"

At this point, everyone of the aforementioned Digidestined were beginning to feel real stupid and ashamed. Especially TK.

The Emperor suddenly started giggling. It then became an all-out laughter.

"What's so funny?!" demanded Armadillomon.

"Just reminded...of how foolish people are." A smile adorned the Emperor's lips. He was chuckling...and he was shaking his head as if he were feeling sorry for the human race. "Fools...all of them. Just the fact that you took the word of a famous person over that of an ally shows me how foolish people really are! And I will not let myself be tarnished by it any longer!"

The Emperor pocketed his Dark D-3 and opened his gauntlet; his finger hovered over one button as he glanced at Tai. "Oh and Tai...I just remembered, I had a question for you."

"What is it?" Tai was on the defensive...and ready for anything. But he didn't expect the sudden yelp come from behind him. He turned around to see Agumon...but he was wrangling with a metal claw that had grabbed him. He managed to shout, "Tai!" before the claw dragged him into a black hole that disappeared as soon as Agumon did.

"AGUMON!!!" Tai was aghast; Agumon had just been captured!

"I was going to ask you if I could take your partner." The Emperor grinned as Tai turned to glare red-hot daggers at him; the thrill of getting under someone's skin never lost its appeal! "I intended for everyone to turn against Shaun, but I had a backup plan just in case!" 

(Greymon) roared as he began charging; he had gotten to his feet during the whole conversation. "Say that again when you're face-to-face with me!"

The Emperor chuckled as he pressed another button on his gauntlet, teleporting back to his base. That resulted in (Greyon) stumbling, ramming his head into the side of the canyon. The jarring blow sent (Greymon) into a tizzy, and his wounds finally took their toll on him. He dedigivolved into (Agumon) who was rubbing his head. "Ow...Shaun, take a note. Never let me do that again."

Shaun smiled. "Note taken."

Tai clenched his fist as his eyes glared at where the Emperor had stood just moments ago. His partner had been taken! Right from under his nose at that! _Ken...that traitor!!!_

Speaking of traitors, everyone slowly turned to face Shaun. The awkward silence that prevailed now was smothering the guilty party; they had practically chosen the enemy's word over that of their ally, and it had nearly resulted in their end.

TK, for one, felt especially guilty. He was ashamed at himself with how persistent he was at trying to prove Shaun's involvement with the Emperor...his involvement with darkness. He was so sure of it...so sure that it scared him now that he thought about it. _What was that all about? Why was I so persistent?_

Shaun stared at them silently; they feared he was going to rant at them for being so foolish...because in hindsight, they were.

Instead, he looked at them all with a smile. "I hope you all learned a lesson here."

That threw them for a loop-de-loop. Since when did this become a classroom session?

"Trust is not an easy thing to create. Trust, however, is easy to break." The last sentence – or so Cody thought – seemed to have a tone of disapproval. However, his tone immediately became more light-hearted. "However, I know that humans are not perfect...we all make mistakes. You all still have my trust...so how about it? We make amends?"

Everyone was silent. They truly didn't know what to say...Shaun was giving them a second chance. Davis was the first to accept it. "Sure thing! Does that mean we have to reintroduce ourselves?"

Shaun grinned. "Nope."

Soon, everyone agreed. In ten minutes, everyone was preparing to leave for the Real World. TK was the last to leave...because he wanted to apologize.

"Shaun?"

Shaun turned to TK and shook his head, as if telling TK to stop. "You don't need to apologize....in the words of Cody's grandfather, you only fail if you do not take the lessons of life to heart."  
  
TK nodded in understanding. "Thanks." After thinking about it, he wondered why he was so distrustful of Shaun in the first place...so what if he was rather mysterious? A lot of people didn't want to reveal the past to others.  
  
Patamon yawned as he plopped onto TK's head. "Can we go? I'm tired..."

(Agumon) sweatdropped as he nervously scratched the back of his head. "Sorry. I can go a bit overboard at times."

TK smiled as he pulled out his D-3 and prepared to exit the Digiworld...when Shaun stopped him. "Wait. I have one thing left to tell you..."

TK turned around to look at Shaun; he felt odd about how his voice suddenly took on a tone of seriousness. "What?"

Shaun wondered if he should reveal this; it could've been more than they could handle. But on the other hand...what the heck. "I think I might know what the Emperor plans to do with Agumon."

* * *

"Let me out!!!"

Agumon struggled against his chains in the darkness of his cell. He had been dumped here and chained since he was kidnapped...and now the Emperor and his partner, Wormmon were watching him.

The Emperor grinned as he replied, "Sorry. No can do. I need you."

Agumon stared straight at the Emperor's unreadable eyes...and if he had been looking, he would've seen Wormmon suddenly recoil, ever so slightly at the words 'I need you.'.

"Why?"

The Emperor grinned as he pulled a Dark Ring out from behind his back.

"You're going to be the most powerful Digimon under my command."

And with one swift motion, Agumon's consciousness was erased.

He was now a servant of the Emperor.

* * *

To be continued...

Next time...

Episode 11: Skullgreymon VS. Metalgreymon

* * *

Author's Notes: Too unbelievable? The fight scene that is? You know...between (Greymon) and the other six Digimon?  
  
Well...there's actually a good reason for that.

What reason is that?  
  
Well I'm not telling until later on, so nya! :P

See you soon!


	11. Skullgreymon Vs Metalgreymon

Standard Disclaimer: Are you going to be a jerk and sue? Nobody wants to be a jerk! So please don't sue!

Author's Notes: Welcome! Now that pretty much all of the characters have been introduced, there will be more action. More action means quicker updates! Rejoice!  
  


Now for the reviews!  
  
Anthony1: 'Interesting' doesn't cover what plot twist comes into play in this chapter. ;)

Silver Warrior: 'Gonna' be good? I thought it was ALREADY good! :P

Nickomon: That's your opinion. I know it didn't go that far in the TV show, but this ain't the TV show, is it? This revision of 02 is a little more mature (no R-rated stuff, no swear words, but the content is probably a little more on the extreme side…and yes, there will be blood.). Besides, most hits to a male's private area are edited out when anime comes to the US (take Dragonball for example). As for what will happen next…well read on!

Now with reviews out of the way, let me address a little mistake I put when correcting some mistakes in Episode 9. Instead of correcting the day into September 1…I put down MARCH. Woopsie. .; It will be corrected.

Now begin!  
  
----

"This is Yolei. Ken and the Titans whipped the Overlords, and Davis' game ended in a, well, less than pleasant manner. After the game, we went to the Digiworld to help Ken find his partner, but Shaun arrived to reveal Ken to be the Emperor! Then he took Agumon with him! Man…why does the Emperor have to be a celebrity?"

----

Episode 11: Skullgreymon VS. Metalgreymon

----

~7:21 AM, September 3rd, Ken Ichijouji's Apartment, Tamachi~

"Ken?" 

Ken's mother courteously knocked on her son's door. It was close to school time…and Ken was usually up by now. It wasn't a major cause for concern, but she didn't want to be too careful with her famous child. "Ken? Are you okay? You're not sick are you?"

When she received no answer, she opened the door. She glanced around, staring at the bunk bed for a moment…before her eyes fell on Ken's computer monitor. A piece of paper was tape to the screen. Confused, Mrs. Ichijouji slowly pulled the paper away and loked at it. Scribbled on it in large letters was one word.

'Goodbye.'

"Goodbye?" repeated Wendee Ichijouji as she suddenly felt a cold draft. She glanced at Ken's window and gasped.

His window was wide open.

"Oh no…" Only one answer popped into her head as she quickly ran into the apartment's living room to dial 911. 

Her son had run away. 

Why? She did not know. 

----

~2:55 PM, Monitor Room~

Ken wore a smug grin as his monitors displayed numerous headlines from the Real World. 

'KEN ICHIJOUJI IS MISSING!'

'FAMOUS TEEN ICON HAS RUN AWAY'

'FAMOUS ICHJOUJI CHILD HAS DISAPPEARED!'

And so the news headlines went on. Ken smirked to himself as he readjusted his purple shades. "Looks like they bought my 'running away act'." 

He stood up as he traversed the darkened halls of his base…no, his HOME. The Real World, Tamachi, his apartment…they no longer were his home. The Digital World…that was his home. A home that he had power over. A home that he ruled. 

But, like every home, he had pests to deal with. 

And they were going to be exterminated…with the help of one of their allies.

----

Agumon's red eyes narrowed as he stepped into the bright sunlight. He had been in the darkness for a long time…the light hurt his eyes. 

He quickly looked around, taking in his surroundings with a glance that lasted three seconds. He was in…a coliseum of sorts. "Where are we master?"

The Emperor stepped out from the dark corridor behind him and stood beside him. "We're in a place where this little game of mine is going to end. And the Digidestined will be the losers." 

Agumon looked ahead and suddenly growled; he saw two figures sitting on the opposite side of the stadium. "A Digidestined. And his partner."  
  
"I know," replied the Emperor as he fingered his dark D-3 absent-mindedly. "I sent him a message. Now it's his turn to send a message to the Digidestined."

----

(Agumon's) eyes watered as sand floated into them. He rubbed his eyes repeatedly - how he hated windy deserts! - until they were clear of impurities. "I hate deserts."

Shaun smiled as he read the message on his D-Terminal again. "I know. They're annoying."

----

_Dear Shaun,_

_You are to come to sector 00-111-KAPPA posthaste. With me is Tai Kamiya's Agumon. Upon arriving, you will wait until I appear. Then you will contact the other Digidestined.   
  
Failure to do so will result in Agumon's termination._

_Signed, the Emperor_

----

Shaun smirked as he began to open up a video connection to the Real World. _I'll play your game Emperor…and it's you who will lose._

Shaun's thoughts continued, even as dust entered (Agumon's) nostrils and caused him to sneeze. 

----

~3:10 PM, Computer Lab~

Yolei scoffed as she read the latest news on the internet. "Feh! I can't believe they're so worked up over that jerk!" The jerk in question was, of course, Ken. 

Davis eyed her curiously as he quipped, "Ya know, I think you'd be more upset than mad if Ken wasn't the Emperor."  
  


Yolei could only growl; she didn't have a decent comeback for that one, because it was true. She wouldn't be acting this way if Ken weren't the Emperor.

Tai and the five new Digidestined were in the computer lab. It was Friday, September the 3rd, and they were there to do one thing; find Agumon and rescue him. 

Tai paced impatiently around the computer room and muttered, "Can we go now?"

"No Tai. Not yet," sternly replied Kari. "We still don't have a single idea where Agumon is." 

"That's why we're waiting. Shaun said he'd find out where Agumon was." TK added this as he sat patiently in front of the computer, staring at the computer monitor. He had sent an e-mail to Shaun for two reasons: one was to ask Shaun to help them find Agumon. The other was more personal…to prove to himself that he could trust Shaun after all that time he had spent being suspicious of the mysterious Digidestined boy from Colorado.  

Davis continuously peered out the door, looking left and right. Only a few people past by the window every now and then, but they all ignored the computer lab. He groaned with annoyance; why did he have to be the watchdog? _TB should be doing this, not me!  
  
_

That was when he saw someone else walking down the hall…Mr. Tukiyo. And he was looking straight at the unopened door of the computer lab. "Guys! Teacher coming!"

Everyone immediately bolted for a hiding spot. Yolei and Kari hid inside the closet, Cody and Davis dove under a large wooden desk that faced away from the door, and TK and Tai both hid behind a large pile of computer monitors in the far end of the room. Just as everyone finished hiding, Mr. Tukiyo entered the computer lab. 

He scratched his oily black hair and entered the computer lab to take one glance around. His eyes - through large, circular eyeglasses - saw a computer monitor that was turned on. His thick, pudgy lips puckered with curiosity as he stared at the large grid of black-and-white squares on the screen. Right above the grid was a gray bar that had the words 'Digital World Grid Map' written on it. 

"Digital World Grid Map?" echoed Tukiyo with mild curiosity.

Everyone's eyes widened; they had all heard what Tukiyo had said. Yolei cursed mentally to herself…she had forgotten to turn off the monitor! Had she just inadvertently let the existence of the Digiworld become public?  
  
All fear of that ceased when Tukiyo laughed. "Must be one of those 'online multiplayer games' that's all the rage nowadays…I guess the lad playing this just had to go to the bathroom." Everyone heard Mr. Ishikawa Tukiyo laugh as he stepped out of the room.

Several seconds of awkward silence past. Yolei sighed with relief; Tukiyo had mistaken the Digiworld Grid Map for some kind of game! 

Then they heard another voice.

**"Hello?"**

They froze again. The voice came from _inside_ the room. How could anyone have gotten inside so quietly?

**"Guys? Are you hiding? It's Shaun!"**

Everyone came out of their hiding place to see the source of the voice. It was coming from the computer. Shaun's image had - as if on cue with Tukiyo's departure - popped up in a live video feed, presumably from his D-Terminal. Yolei quickly analyzed the screen and saw a dark-blue dot originating from sector 00-111-KAPPA on the grid. 

"You've found Agumon?" asked Tai.

Shaun nodded. **"Hurry up. The Emperor's here as well…and he's waiting for you guys to show up."**

That put everyone on guard. The Emperor was waiting for them? Was this a trap? "We'll be there," replied TK. He then glanced at the window and frowned; the Digimon hadn't arrive yet. "As soon as we get our partners."  
  


"That's strange," mused Cody as he wondered about where their Digimon could be. "Why haven't they come yet?"

That's when the intercom turned on.

**"Owner or owners of five furry animal dolls, please report to the Lost and Found basket at the Intermediate school office."  
  
**

Everyone exchanged a glance…and they were gone, heading to retrieve their partners from the lost and found.

Shaun sweatdropped as the others left. **"Gee…I wonder how their partners got themselves into _this_ mess?"**  
  


Tai shrugged as he sat down in the nearest chair. "Who knows?"

----

Gatomon sweatdropped as she remained as still as death, not moving a centimeter. _How the heck did we get ourselves into this mess?_

----

~Flashback, 10 Minutes Ago~  
  


A gangly, old man with a limp mustache sighed as he cleaned the roof's gutters. The sun beat upon his neck as sweat trickled down his brow. "I'm going to need an assistant one day…"

He began to move toward the next section of the roof…and stopped. Five little dolls were sitting on the roof. They looked like little creatures…very WEIRD creatures. "How'd these get up here?" muttered the janitor to himself as he scratched the top of his janitor's hat.

He shrugged and gathered the dolls up in both arms and started walking back towards the rooftop door. "Might as well take this to the office…don't know who'd be up here anyhow." With that, he was off.

Gatomon remained as stiff as a…well, doll. It had been a good thing when she heard the footsteps of a man approaching, and she had promptly ordered the other Digimon to stay still and to not move a muscle.

Gatomon resisted the urge to sweat as they were taken inside the school. _I hope we won't get in trouble for this…_

----

Jonathon Motoyama's eyebrows curled as he watched Motomiya, Inoue, Hida, Takaishi, and the Kamiya girl pick up the five animal-like dolls from the Lost and Fouind bin. "And you say these are yours?"

They all nodded.

Motoyama's bald forehead glistened in the bright light of his office's light bulb, his hand ruffling through his thinning brown hair. "One question before you leave… how did your dolls end up on the roof?"

Cody froze. He didn't intend to tell the principal the dolls got up there on their own…but he couldn't lie about it. It went against his mother's rules…he couldn't lie. But he had to! But at the same time, he couldn't…

"We don't know."  
  


Cody snapped out of his thoughts. Everyone looked at Davis, who spoke in stride after the principal's question. "We think some bullies might've taken them up there as a prank, but we don't know. We left them in our lockers after lunch, and when we looked in them about five minutes ago, they were gone."  
  


Motoyama nodded, as if it somehow made sense to him. "I see…" He then muttered, "Must be those blasted lock pickers again…" He said that part quietly before looking back at them and grinning. "We'll start cracking down on lock picking now. I hope that will be compensation for the theft of your dolls."  
  
Everyone nodded as Davis cheerfully replied, "Yes sir! Thank you Mr. Motoyama!" They then left without another word, Principal Motoyama being none the wiser about the existence of Digimon.

----

Cody stewed over Davis' deception as they walked back to the computer lab. He appreciated the fact that Davis managed to get their partners back…but his sense of ethics was feeling enraged. He hated the act of lying. It was how he was raised. It was who he _was_.

"You okay Cody?"   
  
Cody looked up to see Yolei looking down at him. They had just reached the junction that connected the Middle School and the High School. "Yeah…it's just-"

Yolei smiled, as if she had just read his mind. "You upset about Davis' lie? Don't be! He had to do it…so just be thankful that he's good at lying," she said with a wink.

"I HEARD THAT!!!"

Yolei yelped as Davis glared over his shoulder at her. Cody briefly smiled; he would forego Davis' lie…this time.

"So Yolei?" asked Poromon with a famished gleam in his eyes. "What's to eat?" 

Yolei sweatdropped as she started mumbling. One could tell that she was about to say something very…unpopular. "Yeah…about those snacks…"

----

"NO MORE SNACKS?!?!?!"

Everyone winced at the Digimon's sudden outburst. Then again, they knew that no one should get between a Digimon and their food.

Demiveemon sputtered, "B-b-but what about the Twinkies?"  
  


"And the Doritoes!" continued Poromon. 

Upamon added, "Don't forget the fudge brownies!"

"And the M&Ms!" exclaimed Patamon.

"And everything else," finished Gatomon with a scowl. 

Yolei sighed as she tried to console the hungry digital monsters. "It's not my fault! My stash of money ran out, and I couldn't buy anymore!" Yolei had tried her hardest not to scream when she had discovered that her allowance store had been completely depleted upon checking it out that morning. 

**"I'll get you the food."** Everyone turned to the computer, where Shaun was waiting patiently (and trying his hardest not to sweatdrop at the Digimon's plight for food). **"Just hurry up and get here."**

"What's with the rush?" complained Davis, oblivious to Tai's glare (Tai: To save Agumon you dolt!) and TK's knowing glance (TK: I know what Shaun knows and you don't! :P ). 

**"The Emperor's about to make Agumon digivolve."**

"WHAAT?!!" yelled Tai.

----

(Agumon) armor-digivolve to……Sonocomon: The Speed of Wisdom!

With a burst of speed, Sonocomon dashed off to the west. The Emperor frowned as Shaun's partner disappeared into the sky. "Where's he off to?!" he shouted to Shaun, his question echoing throughout the coliseum.

Shaun replied with a message.

----

_Dear 'loudmouth', _

_He went off to get food for the other Digimon._

_Signed, Shaun_

_PS: The 'loudmouth' comment was for Davis and the others._

----

The Emperor smirked at Shaun's reply. "Funny. Real funny."

----

Davis and Veemon came out of the Digiport first. They landed on their feet. 

When the others came out of the gate, they landed in a dogpile. Davis and Veemon stared blankly as the others tried to untangle themselves. "Uh…Davish? Don't we usually end up like that?"

Davis nodded in reply to Veemon. "Yeah…I think."

Armadillomon grumbled as he crawled out of the pile of Digidestined and Digimon. "Man, that smarts! My shell's gonna get crunched at this rate!"

Gatomon ignored the Digimon's complaining as she looked around to get a good view of the area. It was a dusty and sandy area…a perpetual desert. Fortunately, white and puffy cumulus clouds blocked out the sun at numerous intervals, keeping the temperature to a rather comfortable level. But off to the east, she could see dilapidated columns, crumbling stone walls, and a decrepit coliseum. Standing in the midst of the coliseum was a Control Spire.

She then heard an audible gasp from Tai, TK, and Patamon. "What's wrong? You guys act as if you've seen a ghost."

Patamon hovered ahead of the group as he looked at the ruins with a hardened gaze…as if trying to remember something from the past. "Hey TK, isn't that the same coliseum we went to four years ago?"

"Coliseum?" asked Kari.

"Huh?" asked TK, wondering why she didn't know about this place…when he remembered. "Oh that's right, you weren't a Digidestined until after that." He turned to look at the coliseum. "That's where we rested for awhile when we were still fighting Etemon." But TK left out one very big part…for Tai's sake. _It's also where Tai forced Agumon to digivolve into Ultimate for the first time…but it was a digivolution gone wrong._

The memories were still fresh to not only TK…but to Tai as well. If one looked close enough, they would see that he was trembling. 

"HEY!!!"

Everyone turned to the west, seeing a blue figure descend from the sky. Upon further inspection, it was a familiar face…and he was holding an armful of something.

"Look! It's Sonocomon!" pointed out Hawkmon. The Armored Champion slowly set down behind them, holding an armload of (they could now see his cargo) numerous fruits and vegetables native to the Digiworld. Sonocomon grinned as he set the provisions down in front of the salivating Digimon. "Shaun gave me feeding duty, seeing as Yolei couldn't provide the snacks this time."

"THANK YOU!!!" The Digimon all shouted their thanks as they dove into the smorgasbord of digital delicacies. Sonocomon stepped past the feasting Digimon, not stopping until he was next to Tai. "We'll be waiting for you at the coliseum…I suggest you come fully digivolved." With that said, Sonocomon leapt into the air and burst off towards the ruinous stadium, where many battles had taken place in the past.

Everyone shielded their eyes from the dust that kicked up as Davis quipped, "He sure knows how to make a flashy exit!"

----

Sonocomon set down beside Shaun in the coliseum. "They're on their way."

Shaun nodded as his hands dove into his pockets, fishing for two very large lumps that bulged against his pants. He then pulled his hands out, revealing an apple in each one. One green. One red. "Green?"  
  
Sonocomon grinned; they both wanted the green apple. "Ro-Sham-Bo?"  
  


Shaun smiled. Both of them held out on hand and said, in unison, "1, 2, 3!" 

Shaun had rock.

Sonocomon had paper.

Shaun groaned as Sonocomon took the green apple and took a large bite out of it. "You know what Shaun? I don't know how rock is beaten by paper! Scissors cutting paper, rock crushing scissors…but rock being covered by paper? How is that losing?"

Shaun shrugged as he bit into his red apple. "I didn't make the rules." He chewed and chewed and chewed as he stared at the red color of his apple…a color that the two partners had seen a lot of…some would argue that they had seen it too much. 

That's when Shaun's D-3 began beeping. He didn't look at it…he knew that meant the Digidestined were on their way. With one glance across the stadium, he saw that the Emperor knew that as well; Ken was looking at his own D-3.

----

The Emperor smirked as five colored dots appeared on his D-3's screen, joining the dark-blue dot that signified Shaun's D-3. One part of his mind was puzzled, however…if Shaun's D-3 was colored orange, why was its signal dark blue?

_Oh well, it doesn't matter_. "Prepare yourself Agumon."

"Yes, master."

----

Flamedramon hopped into the air and over the stone walls, Tai and Davis in each of his arms holding on as tight as they could. He landed lightly on his feet within the coliseum, letting the two Digidestined boys down. Halsemon, Nefertimon, and Pegasusmon flew in from above with their respective partners. Digmon arrived from underground, Cody hanging on as tight as he could. 

The Emperor was standing on the opposite side of the barren field, with the red-eyed Agumon by his side. "Welcome!"  
  


Tai growled as he stepped ahead of everyone, putting himself between the Digidestined and the Emperor. "Give Agumon back now!!!"

The Emperor chuckled as the Control Spire loomed ominously above them all, filling a substantial amount of seats in the stands. "It's become clear to me that Champions alone won't defeat you." He said that while glancing at Shaun, who glared back at him. "So I have to upgrade to Ultimates! Agumon!!!"

The controlled Rookie extended his claws and flashed his fangs at the Digidestined as he stepped forward. Ken held the Dark Digivice upward as it began to pulse with black energy.

"**DARK DIGIVOLVE!!!** BECOME METALGREYMON AND CRUSH THEM!!!"  
  


Agumon dark-digivolve to……Greymon!  
  


Agumon's form shifted to Greymon's, but the purplish light that had enveloped him didn't fade. He was going a step further.

But the Dark Ring that encircled his neck began to pulse red, frequently and violently. The Emperor's eyes widened as Greymon's form began to change. _What's going on? Why is the Dark Ring glowing?_  
  


 For all of his planning and foresight, the Emperor had missed one important detail. 

His Dark Rings could not handle the power of Ultimate Digimon.

And as a result, the dark power of Ken's D-3 corrupted Greymon's digivolution.

Greymon dark-digivolve to……Skullgreymon!

The purple light faded to reveal a colossal body made of nothing but bones. A giant orange missile that hade a glowering face protruded upward from his back, providing the only variation in color from the prevailing white of the bones. His piercing eyes remained red momentarily; the Dark Ring finally overloaded from the overwhelming power of the Ultimate-level Digimon. It burst into data, letting Skullgreymon's eyes revert to its normal color…a soulless green. 

Everyone's eyes widened as Skullgreymon let loose an ear-deafening roar. Tai trembled with fear and dread; it was a replay of four years ago, when he had forced Agumon to digivolve to Ultimate before he was ready…and as a result, the Crest of Courage's power became corrupted, causing Greymon to digivolve to Skullgreymon. How ironic it was that Skullgreymon appeared once more because of a corrupt digivolution; except this time, the controlling force of the Dark Ring couldn't control the digivolution, resulting in the Dark Digivice's corruption of the digivolution process.

Ken backed away in fear. His plan had suddenly backfired…all because of a faulty Dark Ring. Faulty? No, it couldn't be faulty…he always checked Dark Rings for any defects before loosing them onto the Digiworld's populace. That meant that his rings couldn't handle an Ultimate, pure and simple. _I'll have to correct this oversight_. He then reached Skullgreymon look at everyone, as if sizing them all up. _But…maybe Skullgreymon will destroy them anyway!_ His fingers rested on his gauntlet as he shouted, "I may not have control of Skullgreymon…but he'll destroy you none the less! Ciao!" With a muted flash, the Emperor disappeared.

Sonocomon sped forward to attack. Skullgreymon swung around, his tail crashing into Sonocomon. The ultrasonic Digimon crashed into the side of the wall, his body becoming covered with rubble. He did not get out. And Shaun didn't move from his spot on the stands.

"Come on! Flamedramon, get em'!" yelled Davis. Flamedramon leapt forward and used Fire Rocket, covering his whole body with flames. Skullygreymon grabbed the flaming Flamedramon in his large maw, swinging him around before flinging him to the ground. Flamedramon's flames died out before he dedigivolved to Veemon. "Ow…bite marks…"  
  


"Kick his can Halsemon!" Halsemon flew upward to attack with Eagle Eye…but Skullgreymon retaliated quickly. "Dark Shot!" His super-deep and coarse voice echoed throughout the stadium as his orange missile launched upward and exploded upon Halsemon. After the explosion, Hawkmon fell out of the dust cloud and crashed into the ground. "I rose…and fell…"  
  


"Be careful Digmon!" Cody stepped back as Digmon's drills began spinning. "Gold Rush!" Five metal drills flew towards Skullgreymon, who deflected them with his bony left arm. He then kicked Digmon as hard as he could; Digmon careened at high speed into the wall, dedigivolving in Armadillomon on contact. "Yup. It's official. My shell's cracked."

"Watch out for his Dark Shot Pegasusmon!"  
  


"Please be safe Nefertimon!"

Pegasusmon and Nefertimon nodded at their respective partners and flew towards their foe.

"Star Shower!" 

"Rosetta Stone!"

Skullgreymon charged straight through both attacks, roaring defiantly at his challengers. His fists crashed into both of them, the impact of their collision creating a resounding boom. Both Digimon were unconscious.

Two Dark Rings floated in the air, causing the holographic image of the Emperor to hover in the air. He grinned with delight; the Digidestined were being completely annihilated! Even Shaun's mighty partner had been taken out with one blow! **"You fools! You may appear strong, but you are nothing against a foe stronger than you! You're nothing but weaklings who can't stand up to those who are meant to rule! HA HA HA HA HA!!!"**  
  
"Dark Shot!" Skullgreymon launched another missile, the target being the Control Spire. With a colossal explosion, the dark obelisk was obliterated. Skullgreymon spread his skeletal arms out wide, bellowing loudly. He was victorious, his challengers were defeated, and he wanted everyone to know it. Tai could only stand there, his face stuck in a look of muted shock. This was just like four years ago…except worse. Now they were in danger of being _killed_.

"NOW!!!"

Shaun's sudden outburst shocked everyone, Emperor included. Sonocomon suddenly burst out of the rubble, his body in much better condition than the collision led everyone to believe. In fact, he seemed barely hurt. 

The Emperor chuckled at Sonocomon's return. **"So you faked your fall. What good will it do?"**  
  


Shaun smiled. "We were waiting for the Control Spire to fall. Digivolve!"

Sonocomon dedigivolved into (Agumon) and immediately glowed white.

(Agumon) digivolve to……(Greymon!)

The muscled (Greymon) appeared in (Agumon's) place, his red eyes glaring into Skullgreymon's green eyes. (Greymon) bared teeth, and Skullgreymon roared out of contempt for his new challenger. The Emperor laughed with hysteric glee at (Greymon). **"HA HA HA!!! Even your Champion will not be enough! You're finished! FINISHED!!!"**

Shaun smirked as a small object under his chest began to glow dark blue. "Who said anything about a Champion?" He reached into his shirt and pulled out an object attached to a loose chain that encircled his neck. Tai, TK, and Kari gasped, as did the Emperor; they all knew what Shaun held in his hand.

It was a tag and a crest. The crest was dark blue, the symbol on it being the same one that adorned Sonocomon's armor. Shaun held his tag and crest up high, his crest glowing dark blue. "Now, face my partner powered up with the Crest of Wisdom! (Greymon!) Digivolve!"

(Greymon) was then enveloped by a dark blue glow as his body began to change.

(Greymon) digivolve to……(Metalgreymon!) 

(Greymon) grew into a larger beast. His chest fused with metallic components and cybernetic parts. His entire left arm became an elongated metal appendage with razor-sharp claws. Wings made of purple leather sprouted from his back, and red hair grew from the back of his head. His brown helmet was replaced by shimmering gray metal, and all three horns were longer. His aqua blue eyes stared at Skullgreymon, and they expressed a desire to fight. And like before, his abdomen was more of a six-pack than a 'beer belly'. He then turned and placed his large metal claw down in front of Shaun.

"(Metalgreymon)!" Shaun raced up his partner's arm and stood on his shoulder. "Let's show the Emperor not to underestimate the Digidestined!"

"You got it! Giga Blaster!" (Metalgreymon's) chest opened up as two gray missiles with sharpened teeth burst forward toward Skullgreymon.

"Dark Shot!" Skullgreymon countered with his own orange missile. The missiles sped past each other, heading for their targets at high speed. 

"Metal Claw!" (Metalgreymon's) metallic claws shot forth, his hand connected to his wrist by a thick cable. The claw sliced through the orange missile, minimizing the damage by a large percentage. At that moment, the Giga Blaster missiles collided with Skullgreymon, causing the Ultimate to wince in pain. After the missiles impacted, (Metalgreymon's) Metal Claw struck. Skullgreymon's ribs were caught by the claws, and (Metalgreymon) immediately began swinging Skullgreymon around like a ball-and-chain. Skullgreymon's body was thrashed over and over again against the coliseum walls, creating new indents in the stands and destroying more of the ruins.

After a minute of this, (Metalgreymon) stopped and retracted his claw. Skullgreymon lay bruised and tired on the ground. His body glowed white, dedigivolving into an unconscious Agumon. At this, a metal clamp erupted from the ground, taking Agumon as abruptly as last time. The Emperor's hologram revealed his grimacing face; his image faded without him saying a word.

(Metalgreymon) plopped down to the ground, exhausted. Shaun slid down his back and tail onto the ground before the Ultimate dedigivolved into (Agumon). "Man, what a rush."  
  


Shaun smiled as he patted his partner on the head. "You'll get used to it again." His eyes fell upon the others; they were staring at him in shock.

Especially TK. He was shocked at Shaun's tag and crest and the subsequent digivolution of (Agumon) all the way to (Metalgreymon). 

What was most interesting was that Shaun's tag and crest existed at all. 

----

"CURSES!!!" The Emperor pounded his fist on his stone throne, his face completely filled with rage. Two things had gone completely wrong!!! 

  
First was his Dark Ring. It had proven to be adequate at controlling Rookies and Champions, but apparently, Ultimates were a different story. He had to upgrade the Dark Ring…make it stronger, and more powerful. Pronto.

The second was Shaun himself. More specifically, his Crest of Wisdom. The Emperor knew that the giant Digimon Apocalymon had destroyed the original Digidestined's tags and crests, and that no others existed. So how had he gotten a hold of them? 

_That Shaun…where did he come from?_

In the corner of the darkened room sat Wormmon. His eyes were filled with pity and sadness as he saw his partner's mood. _Oh Ken. Why don't you go back to the way you used to be?_  
  


----

To be continued…

Next time…

Episode 12: A Moment of Peace

----

Author's Notes: Plot twisty! And more stuff in the next episode! What kind of stuff you ask? Well you'll just have to find out!

Please read and review!

Adios!


	12. A Moment of Peace

Standard Disclaimer: It'd be a breach of National Security if I said I owned Digimon. Please don't sue…after all, you don't want me to be attacked and captured by black-ops soldiers, do you? :P

Author's Notes: Sorry for the delay. Moving takes precedence, so I couldn't write for the majority of the previous two weeks as of March 28th. Apologies for the delay, but that's life.

In happier news, welcome Rejected Angel to Zero 2: A Revision! I'm glad you've enjoyed it so far. I also like the fact you like my original character Shaun (in my experience, I've seen a lot of fics go horribly wrong because of badly executed or power-mad original characters.). It feels good to know people enjoy one's original characters; that means you're doing something right.

Now for the reviews!  
  
Anthony1: What DO you think it is? I hope to prove you wrong; I like to keep my readers guessing (although since I'm following a preset guideline for the first twenty or so episodes, it can be kind of hard to deviate too far). ;)

Rejected Angel: One question; how interesting? :P

Now…begin!  
  


----

"This is Tai. The Emperor's plan for Agumon was from to digivolve all the way to Metalgreymon, but the Dark Ring self-destructed because it was too much power for it to handle! He became Skullgreymon, and completely pulverized anyone! But then, Shaun revealed something no one would've expected…his own crest! Shaun has his own crest! (Agumon) digivolved all the way to (Metalgreymon), and he kicked Skullgreymon's can! But then the Emperor snagged Agumon AGAIN!!!"

----

Episode 12: A Moment of Peace

----

~4:31 PM, September 4th, Local Odaiba Café~

"The Crest of Wisdom…" pondered Izzy, his mind going at a million miles per hour.

It was a meeting of the elders of sorts. All of the original Digidestined from four years ago had gathered for a special meeting called by Tai and TK. Matt, Sora, Mimi, Joe, Izzy, and Kari had gathered at the café after school, waiting for everyone to arrive before beginning. Once Joe had finally arrived, Tai and TK had begun the meeting. TK recounted everything that had happened yesterday up till the point where (Agumon) had digivolved. Tai finished the rest, and Izzy's interest jumped up to an unspeakable level when the words 'Crest of Wisdom' were mentioned. Now, Izzy was pondering the whole situation.

"So…you're saying that there's a ninth crest," mused Izzy. Although the news excited him, he was no fool. He knew that Gennai and the Order had only created eight crests…and the Crest of Wisdom was definitely not one of them. Whoever had created it obviously knew how the Order created the crests. An insider? A member of the Order that had left before Piedmon's attack? Industrial espionage? _Well, maybe the last one should be scratched. _"Does it have the powers of our crests?"  
  


"If you mean the power to digivolve to Ultimate, then yes," replied Tai. He sat with his arms behind his back, his calm demeanor a total contrast from that of yesterday, where the sight of an old nightmare had scared him out of his wits. "He got his (Agumon) to digivolve all the way to (Metalgreymon). He looked just like my Metalgreymon."

"Not exactly Tai."

Everyone turned to TK. Kari asked, "Why's that?"  
  


"For one thing, have you noticed how strong Shaun's partner is after digivolving? I mean, he doesn't have enough muscles to be win a Mr. Universe competition or anything," That comment elicited a snicker from Mimi. "But he's definitely stronger…and a better fight, no offense to Agumon, Tai."

Tai clenched his fist momentarily, then loosened it. "None taken, I can understand. TK's right…Shaun's partner is very strong."

Joe motioned, "Could it be possible that extra strength comes directly from Shaun's crest?"

"Not likely. His (Greymon) didn't rely on the crest to be powered up, and he was still stronger than my Greymon."

"This is very fascinating and all, but I have a proposition to make." Everyone turned to Matt who was rocking back on forth on his chair, leaning back on it as he did. "I think that we could get these answers from Shaun."  
  


"Shaun doesn't seem like the kind who would voluntarily give out answers like that," pointed out Kari. She had a good point; in the week they had known Shaun, his way of doing things was rather mysterious…after all, he had poured out information on his home and how he had come to the Digiworld upon first meeting them, and had immediately clammed up afterwards. It didn't add up.

"So? Try and get him to loosen up a bit. Treat him to a good day of fun!" 

"How's that Matt?" asked Sora, hers and everyone else's curiosity having been piqued. 

Matt grinned as he leaned forward and lightly slammed his fist on the table to get everyone's attention. "Well, here's the plan. TK, Kari, you'll have to tell Davis, Yolei, and Cody before you leave for the Digiworld tomorrow after school. It's like this…tomorrow, you'll join Shaun to knock down one Control Spire. Then, after that…"

----

~10:47 PM, Emperor's Base, Synthesizer Room~

"No…that won't do it."

The screen in front of the Emperor showed the image of what appeared to be a thicker Dark Ring. With a thought, the image disintegrated.

The Synthesizer Room, as the Emperor had dubbed it, was where his Dark Rings came to life. A metallic helmet with numerous cables attached from it to the ceiling adorned his head. A treadmill came out from a hole in the right wall, a place where finished products came. Within that hole was the unknown device that created his Dark Rings…how those dark contraptions were created, only the Emperor knew.

The large screen revealed to the user what was about to be synthesized. And that was what the Emperor was doing…going through numerous designs before settling on a final one. He had to find a design that would make it stronger and more durable, yet just as nimble and portable as the Dark Ring.

With the helmet on his head, the Emperor would just have to think about a design, and it would appear on the screen. Highly efficient, and very easy to use.

And the Emperor was about ready to throw it against the wall. No matter how hard he thought, he couldn't think of a design better than that of his Dark Ring! _Think Emperor, THINK!!!_

He growled as he continued to literally think his way through his dilemma. 

Meanwhile, a concerned pair of eyes watched with worry…and they turned away. The owner mumbled to himself as he headed for the prison chambers.

"I've got to make him stop worrying so much…"

----

Agumon sighed as he scratched his cuffed wrists. His eyes hurt from all of the darkness, and he still felt tired from his battle against (Metalgreymon). All in all, he felt miserable. Oh Tai…please hurry…

"Are you okay?"

Agumon lifted his head to see a small green worm with large antennae crawl into the prison cell. In the worm's purple mouth was a…key. He spat the key out in front of Agumon…and it was within his reach. "Because you're free to go."  
  


Agumon raised an eyebrow out of curiosity…and disbelief. "Okay…I don't buy it. Who are you, and why do you expect me to leave without being caught again?" Even as he said this, Agumon had grabbed the key and had begun unlocking his chains. 

The worm smiled. "Oh, my name's Wormmon. I'm Ken's partner."

"Ken's partner?" repeated Agumon as he stretched his limbs and rubbed his aching wrists. He was truly grateful to be out of those godforsaken chains – they really itched! – but he was wary of Wormmon. After all, a partner usually reflected the partner…and Ken wasn't exactly a ray of sunshine.

"Yes. Listen, once you leave this cell, turn right until you reach the end of the hallway. Take the elevator to the bottom floor. You'll be in the emergency exit, and it will lead you to daylight. From there, I'll leave it up to you. Don't worry…I won't tell." With that, he turned to leave. 

"Why?"

Wormmon stopped at that. He had expected Agumon to jump at the chance to escape. He turned back around to see Agumon looking at him with questioning eyes. Wormmon cleared his throat and asked, "Why what?"

"Why are you letting me go? It'll make the Emperor…mad..."

Wormmon sighed. "I know." His blue eyes seemed to stare past Agumon as he spoke. "It may sound silly, but I'm sort of jealous. You see, Ken wasn't always like this…he used to be as happy as the other Digidestined you're friends with."

Agumon blinked out of surprise; he never would've expected that the Emperor was once…normal. Then again, who would? 

"Even though Ken spent most of his time researching Digimon and the Digital World, we still spent time together…even if it was just to talk for a few minutes. But after he crowned himself Emperor several months ago, that all changed. He started enslaving other Digimon and using them to fight his battles…and we started spending less and less time together. And now his focus is on getting you to digivolve to Ultimate."

"So…what are you trying to do?"

"Freeing you for two reasons. One, to free from your prison and to stop you and your partner from suffering 'separation anxiety'."

Agumon was surprised. Wormmon was really quite a decent guy. 

"And two is more personal…I just want Ken to focus more on me than other Digimon. I know that, if there's a Digimon he wants to power up, he'll work it into the ground…but I want that Digimon to be me and no one else. Forgive me if it sounds selfish, but I am his partner after all."  
  


Agumon nodded. "I understand…well, good luck Wormmon. Thanks a bunch!" At that, Agumon finally left. Wormmon waved at the fleeing dino. "Goodbye!" Wormmon closed the thick metal door and started creeping back to the Synthesizer Room. 

Unfortunately for Wormmon, he had been unaware of the security cameras that the Emperor had recently installed in the prison block.   
  
And one camera had caught the entire exchange between Wormmon and Agumon.

----

~NEXT DAY!~

~12: 49 PM, September 5th, Sector 01-101-IOTA~

"Triplex Force!"

"Blue Dash!" 

"Fire Rocket!"

Deltamon's ray wasn't up to snuff to the Blue Dash/Fire Rocket combo of Sonocomon and Flamedramon (remember the supersonic Fire Rocket from Episode 6?). Deltamon grunted as Flamedramon collided with his midsection and sent him flying backwards…and into the Control Spire.

CRASH!!!

The Spire became nothing but rubble as Deltamon fell onto its side. With the Spire gone, the three Deltamon defending the spire (the other two were fighting Halsemon, Digmon, Nefertimon, and Pegasusmon) were able to claw the Dark Rings off of their arms and go on their way.

As they left, Sonocomon caught a falling Shaun, and Flamedramon caught a screaming Davis. "Man…Shaun, do we have to jump off all the time?"  
  


Shaun cracked a smile and replied, "Ever heard of a hazing ritual called the Leap of Faith? Same thing applies here!" _Besides, it's a good way to build trust._

The Digimon set down on the ground and dedigivolved to their Rookie stages. Yolei sighed as she plopped down onto the dirt, resting her rump. "Man, what a battle."  
  


They began walking back towards the Digiport when Cody asked, "So Shaun, any luck finding out where Agumon is yet?"

Shaun's was a shake of the head. "Afraid not." He knew where Agumon – and the Emperor's base, for that matter – was. But…he couldn't let them know that he knew that. Not yet. "But we'll find him."

Everyone stopped in front of the television as Shaun stretched his arms. "Well everyone, we'll keep looking for Agumon. Till next time guys. See ya."

He and (Agumon) turned around to walk away…but Davis, Yolei, Veemon, and Hawkmon were standing in his way. That wasn't really strange…but upon glancing at his surroundings, they noticed that the five Digidestined and their partners were around him in a circular fashion. Were they surrounding them? Shaun slowly asked, "Uh…guys?"  
  


TK was the one to reply. Although, it wasn't what Shaun wanted to hear.

"NOW!!!"  
  


Davis and Yolei grabbed Shaun's arms, while TK and Cody grabbed the teen's legs. Even as Shaun struggled to break through their overwhelming grip, (Agumon) was tackled to the ground by Veemon, Hawkmon, and Gatomon. 

"Hey!!! What's going on! Davis, let go of my arm! Gah…OW! YOLEI! DON'T PULL SO HARD!!!"

"Ow! Gah! Veemon, you're pulling my skin! Please, stop-YEOW!!! GATOMON!!! YOUR CLAWS HURT!!!"

Both of them were struggling to get out, but it was for naught. TK growled as he tried to keep Shaun from moving – good grief, he was strong! He looked back and shouted, "KARI!!! OPEN THE DIGIPORT!!!"  
  


"Right!" Kari held out her pink D-3 and shouted, "Digiport open!!!"

The overwhelming light drowned out Shaun and (Agumon's) cries of protest. When it faded, all of them were gone…including Shaun and (Agumon).

----

CRASH!!!

"Ow…okay guys, what's up?!" Shaun demanded this as he picked himself off the tiled computer lab floor. He was quite upset; he was not ready to return to the Real World. Plus, the way he and (Agumon) were taken into the Real World was rather rude.

His answer was a collective grin from Davis, TK, Kari, Yolei, Cody…and all of the other Digidestined. Matt's grin was the widest of all. "I take it the plan was a success."

Shaun and (Agumon's) eyes widened. Matt had set the whole plan up! "Um…why are you doing this?"

"It's simple really," replied TK as he sat down in a chair. "But since it was his plan, I'll let Matt explain it."  
  


"Thank you bro." Matt cleared his throat before speaking…in a rather dramatic tone. Everyone sweatdropped as Matt began speaking as if he knew all. "Well my dear friend, it was really quite an ingenious plan. You see-"

THWACK!!!  
  
Matt rubbed the sore spot back-and-forth on his head as Yolei rubbed her knuckles as she yelled, "QUIT BEING SUCH A HAM!!!"  
  


Davis and Tai couldn't help but laugh. Everyone else snickered a little. Even Shaun couldn't but chuckle a bit. Matt groaned as he muttered 'feminist brat' before speaking again. "Well, the long and short of it is, we decided that you two hang out too much in the Digiworld. You need social interaction!"

(Agumon) raised an amused eyebrow. "You're telling us what we _need_? I doubt your _dad_ would think you knew what you yourself need – much less what _we_ need."

Matt winced as everyone else began laughing. He had just been put down by a Digimon! And a Rookie no less! "Why you…"

Shaun snickered as he quickly intervened. "He's just joking around Matt. You have to admit though," Shaun couldn't help but smile…hey, he was as much a human as anyone else. "It was kind of funny."

Everyone looked at Shaun as if he'd just grown a pair of horns and called himself 'Devimon'. Had he just…laughed? Tai stepped up and good-naturedly slapped Shaun on the back. "See? You've lightened up already! Just come on and enjoy yourself for once!"  
  


"Plus," added Izzy, ever ready to use his wide armament of intellectual facts. "It'd be a great time for you to get reacquainted with your homeland."  
  


Shaun seemed to momentarily freeze upon Tai's touch, but he forced himself to relax…one couldn't weigh options effectively if you were all tensed up. 

Was he ready? To go back after so long…he had been in the Digital World for a long time. Was he ready to go back to the Real World? To interact socially?  
  
If he had a choice in the matter, he would've said 'I decline to coming to the Real World'.

But the temptation was too great. He was being given an opportunity for one day of relaxation in the Real World. ONE DAY. It couldn't hurt…besides, he was practically being forced to come anyway. 

But he couldn't let himself get too attached.

Not now.

Not ever.

"Fine then…you guys win."

----

And that was how Shaun found himself being led around downtown Odaiba by Davis, Tai, and Matt. 

Matt's plan to get Shaun to loosen up involved Tai, Davis, and himself taking him on a tour of Odaiba. Matt would be carrying his cell phone with him at all times. That way, he could keep contact witth the other two groups. Yolei, Kari, Sora, and Mimi comprised the first group. TK, Cody, Izzy, and Joe comprised the second group.

Tai boringly pointed out, "And there's the fifth McDonald's we've seen on the tour…"

Shaun noted that with little interest. He was just absorbing the atmosphere of his homeland…so to speak. It looked almost like it had been described to him…

And…how he remembered it…

"Dude! Stop spacing out!!!"  
  


Shaun's semi-glazed look disappeared at Davis' outburst. He looked at Davis hurriedly before calmly saying, "Oh, sorry. Just remembering…my parents taught me a lot about Japan. As a matter of fact, they even lived in Odaiba up till a few months before I was born. They told me so much about this place," He cracked a small grin, as if remembering something funny, or realizing an ironic thought. "It was as if I had lived here." 

What was truly ironic was Shaun had just told the truth – yet lied – at the same time.

The three boys nodded in agreement at Shaun's words, and Tai was about to reply when a loud growling interrupted him. 

More specifically, the growling that came from Davis' stomach. The boy's face flushed red as he mumbled. "Sorry…haven't had lunch yet."

Everyone shared a good laugh as Matt took out a wad of bills from his pocket. "I guess we can make a stop at McDonald's #5 for lunch. I'm paying."

Tai and Davis' jaws dropped at the sight of the large wad of cash Matt held. Being a rock star-slash-teen idol could land that much cash?! "No fair!!!" they both cried out.

Matt flashed a big grin as he pocketed his money. "Get your own job and make your own cash."  
  


Davis groaned as he pulled at his hair. "But I'm not old enough to get a job!!!"  
  


"And Ken's already claimed the whole 'soccer star' bit!" protested Tai.  
  


"Details, details…" Matt waved off the protests with a wave of his hand as he turned to ask Shaun if he was hungry…but he stopped when he saw Shaun staring at a building across the street.

More to the point, the arcade.

"An…arcade…" Shaun's tone was low and full of disbelief. He calmly turned to Matt and asked, "Can I borrow 5 dollars Matt?"  
  


Matt blinked…then realized Shaun hadn't been to an arcade in over a year. He was overdue for a video game. "Sure thing!" He handed Shaun a five-dollar bill, who promptly stood at the crosswalk at the corner of the sidewalk. He waited…and waited…and waited, waiting for the light to turn green.

Then it turned green.

And in a manner completely unlike him, he burst off across the street…shouting, "Yahoo!!! Arcade, here I come!!!"

After that, the mysterious teen disappeared into the arcade's flashing corridors.

The three teens blinked – their eyes showing a sense of being dumbfounded – as Shaun left their sight. Had they just witnessed one of the most mature members of the Digidestined act like a giddy child? Davis captured this point of view perfectly by asking, "Guys…did we just witness Shaun going 'yahoo?'"

Tai and Matt dumbly nodded. Matt took out his cell phone and called Mimi's cell, which he had set to 'speed dial' for the plan. "Hello? Mimi? Tell the others; we got Shaun to actually yell 'yahoo'…"

----

Mimi blinked as Matt relayed the information to her. "Yahoo? Wow…"

"Yahoo what?" asked Yolei.

Mimi, Sora, Yolei, and Kari were sitting at a round table at a local café, where they had sat down to pass the time. 

Mimi lowered her cell and said, "Well, Matt said that Shaun yelled 'yahoo' and ran off into an arcade like a happy child."

The jaws of Yolei and Kari practically dropped to the floor. The respectively exclaimed,

"WHAT?!"  
  


"No way! Shaun said that?!"  
  


Sora slowly sucked her cherry cola through a red straw, pondering Matt's rather odd plan. It had its merits, but was it all really necessary? If Shaun wanted to be left alone, he should be left alone. But, it seems Shaun's happy about it, so I'll let it slide…I guess.

Mimi rose and immediately said, "Let's go shopping!" Her grin's wideness overpowered the shock factor on everyone's face. After all, it was rather sudden.

Sora smiled as she stood. _That's my Mimi._ "I'll go with you." She turned to the two younger girls. "You two coming?"

The two shook their heads. Yolei replied, "I'm going to be heading over to the mall to meet up with Izzy, TK, and the others." Kari's answer was, "I was actually about to go help Tai."

Mimi sighed and muttered something about 'inexperience shoppers' before turning towards the exit. "Coming Sora?"  
  


The red-haired teen stood up and followed Mimi out of the café. "See you later Kari, Yolei!" As the two exited the café, Biyomon carried Palmon (both had been waiting on top of the café roof for their partners to exit) with her talons as they followed Sora and Mimi. 

And then they were gone. 

The two girls blinked. as the older teens left.  Kari sighed as she finished her soda. "Mimi and Sora always did like to stick together."

Yolei placed down a tip for the waitress as she said, "Well, I'm leaving now Kari. See you in a bit!"

"You too!"  
  


And then they were gone.

----

At the nearby mall, Izzy was ogling over the newest electronic devices at Radioshack. "Wow, they've added a monitor with a higher resolution!" It was mostly him getting all starry-eyed over the latest gizmos and whatnot, weighing their pros and cons, rating them, and all that kind of stuff.

Instead of watching him, let's head to the Food Court, where Joe and Cody were awaiting the arrival of TK, who was currently trying to carry the large stack of food that constituted their lunch. A tray full of cartons of fast food (and sushi for Cody and Gomamon) wiggled back and forth as TK performed a meticulous balancing act. _Don'tfalldon'tfalldon'tfalldon'tfalldon'tfall…_

He didn't fall. He managed to get the tray onto the table, allowing him to momentarily sag to the floor out of exhaustion. "Man…I pity trapeze artists…"

Cody cracked a tiny smile as he pulled out his plastic plate of sushi and began eating it. After chewing and swallowing his shrimp, he said, "Thanks for paying for the meal Joe. You really didn't have to-"

"Don't worry about it," interjected Joe as he ate his salad. After Shaun had been 'abducted' by Tai, Davis, and Matt, he had agreed to take the three other boys to lunch at the mall. Izzy, however, was too eager to check out some of the electronic shops there to go to lunch. Thus, Joe had paid for lunch, but TK had insisted on getting it. 

TK bit into his cheeseburger…and secretly handed a few of his French to his partner under the table. Patamon eagerly bit into his meal as Upamon snarfed (not a word, but somehow accurate)down his tray of chicken tenders, while Gomamon slurped on his sushi. "Mmm!!! Shrimp!"

"So Gomamon," said Patamon with a muffled voice, as he still had food in his mouth. "How's life in the Digital Arctic now that you're free?"

"It's great!" Gomamon cheerfully replied as he bit into a piece of raw shrimp. "Ever since the Frigimon and myself were freed, we've been traveling the Far North, breaking Dark Rings, crushing Control Spires, and cracking jokes! Cha-cha-cha!" said Gomamon as he performed a small jig to emphasize the 'joke' part.

Upamon sweatdropped. "I don't get it."

Joe chuckled as he glanced at his watch…and blinked out of confusion._ That can't be right…_That's when he remembered…it was Saturday. "AH!!! OH NO!!!" The action of leaping to his feet startled TK, Cody, and the Digimon. Gomamon poked his head out from under the table and – with a tone of annoyance - asked, "Joe! What's with the ear-busting?!" 

Joe quickly threw his lunch in a nearby trash can, then grabbed Gomamon quickly (still having enough presence of mind to hold him as if he were a doll) as he hurryingly said, "I just remembered!!! I agreed to take a special Saturday afternoon class, and I can't miss it! So long, and bye!!!" Joe rushed off, with Gomamon waving goodbye once no one else was looking.

And then they were gone.

TK and Cody sweatdropped. Somehow, their days never went according to plan.

TK ate the last of his burger as they heard a familiar voice. "Hi guys!" They turned to see Yolei. "Where's Izzy and Joe?"

Patamon peeked out from under the table and crawled into the TK's lap as he said, "Izzy's at some store."

"And Joe left with Gomamon to go to a special class!" Upamon hopped onto Cody's leg, his belly full from the sushi given to him by Cody. 

Yolei groaned out of exasperation. "Man, why is it that nobody can stick to their planned arrangements?!" She looked at the high ceiling for a moment – trying to discern what to do next – and dejectedly said, "Well, since half of you have left already, we might as well try and see how Shaun's turning out."

Cody held Upamon in his hands, saying, "I have no objections."

"Sounds good to me!" TK picked up Patamon and stood, walking with the others toward the exit. After all, he was curious about Shaun; had Matt's plan worked at all? A little? Not at all? He would have to see.

And then they were gone.

----

~2:03 PM, Local Arcade~

The blinking lights, whizzing gyros, and flashing screens all characterized the arcade. People danced and spun as they played in tune with various rhythm-based ganes. Other classics like Mario, Donkey Kong, and Space Invaders filled the people-filled spaces of the arcade. 

And it was this huge maze through which Tai, Matt, and Davis were trying to find Shaun. "Geez, it sure is crowded today!" shouted Davis, his voice just loud enough for the other two boys to hear. 

"That's the arcade for you; a haven for those with quarters." cracked Matt with a grin. 

Tai's eyes were the most adept at reading the crowd; part of being a good soccer player involved increasing the prowess of his vision, so that he could see everything around him at a glance. As a result of that, he saw a large crowd gathered around…the Dance Dance Revolution machine. "Oh boy, another crowd around the DDR machine."

Crowds around the DDR machine were common in this arcade. Tai's distaste for the crowds spawned from two reasons. One, since the DDR machine was smack-dab in the middle of the arcade, the crowds often blocked the way to the other machines. Two…well, Tai had once humiliated himself by going up against the local DDR champ. The crowd's laughter hadn't exactly helped in his opinion of them. 

And now, one very BIG crowd had gathered around the DDR machine…because it seemed there was a heated three-song battle underway (for the uninformed, one round of DDR is comprised of three songs). Tai stood on his toes to try and see who was playing…and scowled. "Oh great…it's Tomoe."

Tomoe Kaziwashi was the DDR champ Tai had spoken of earlier. With his jet black hair swept back into hedgehog-like spikes, pointy nose, and narrow eyes, he certainly had an intimidating presence. That – coupled with his good memory and quick feet – factored into his being the DDR champ at the arcade. Anyone who went up against him for a round of DDR always walked away humiliated in front of a (usually) large crowd. But Tai noted something strange…Tomoe seemed a bit edgy. And was he actually _sweating_? Who could be giving the local champ a hard time? Must be one quick cookie.

"Oh my gosh!" yelled Davis, whom immediately pointed at Tomoe's opponent. "Look who's playing against him!"

Tai moved around to get a better look at the second player…and gasped. "SHAUN?!"

It was Shaun. He was dancing on the second metallic dance pad, adjacent to Tomoe.   
  


And Shaun was giving Tomoe a run for his money. As fast as Tomoe's feet appeared to be, Shaun seemed to be moving faster. And he was doing it with his eyes _closed_. Tai, Davis, and Matt were awe-struck…and so was the crowd. 

Then the song stopped. Tomoe collapsed onto his rump, panting and gasping for breath. "Man…8 times the speed…and invisible arrows! How the heck did you get an S score with those settings?!"

Shaun cracked a grin as he pulled Tomoe to his feet, being just as short of breath as the 'champ'. "Practice. Lots and lots of practice." He hopped off the dance pad and walked over to the trio of Digidestined…then collapsed to the floor. "I'm tired…" he moaned. 

Tai, Davis, and Matt sweatdropped as they picked him up off the floor and carried him outside the arcade, where Kari had just arrived. "Guys! What's wrong-?"

"He challenged the local DDR champ and he won, but the strain made him collapse with exhaustion," droned Tai as he helped carry Shaun out of the arcade. Kari sweatdropped as the three boys carried Shaun out towards the park further down the street, even as Yolei, TK, and Cody crossed the street and came up from behind Kari. TK saw the other three boys carrying Shaun and dumbly asked, "Kari? What's…?"

"Don't ask."

----

"Sonocomon! Shaun's being carried out by Tai and the others!" Demiveemon continually – and incessantly – tapped the Armored Champion's head. "He could be hurt!" 

Shaun's glanced over the edge of the building at the figures below…and shook his head. "Nah, he's just tired."  
  
"How can you tell?" asked Poromon.

"I can tell."

It had been decided earlier that some of the Digidestined should let their partners remain with Sonocomon on top of some building; that way, no one would get suspicious of teenagers carrying dolls that seemed fit for young children (Joe, TK, and Cody were the exceptions; the mall was so crowded that people wouldn't notice a Digimon masquerading as a doll without looking real closely). Since Biyomon had agreed to fly Palmon wherever their partners went, Demiveemon, Poromon, Gatomon, Gabumon, and Tentomon remained with Sonocomon (how come Tentomon didn't go with Izzy? Come on, what would people think if someone brought an otherworldly insectoid impersonating a doll into a Radioshack?). Now, the six Digimon stood on top of the large building across the street that overlooked the arcade.

Tentomon's wings buzzed as he looked at the park the Digidestined were heading to. "Boy, I wish Izzy would've taken me with him! Watching the crowds can be fun at times, but I prefer to be with Izzy!"  
  


Sonocomon didn't hear that. He was too busy staring at the city skyline with a mixture of awe and faint astonishment. He had seen a few cities in the Digital World before, but they paled in size to that of Odaiba…and the rest of Tokyo, for that matter. _So this is what a human city looks like…_

----

Shaun gulped down the bottle of water he had just purchased from the vending machine (using the last of the five dollars, much to Davis' hidden dismay), his body recovering from the rigorous five rounds (FYI, fifteen songs) against the DDR champ. "Man, I haven't had such fun in…well, a long time!"  
  


"I still can't believe you beat Tomoe in ten out of the fifteen songs," moped Tai. He was glad, yet sad; glad because Tomoe had finally gotten his butt handed to him in front of a crowd. Sad, because Tai hadn't been able to do it himself. 

Kari and Yolei were reasonably shocked; they had heard of Tomoe's near legendary stature at the arcade. Cody had heard of Tomoe, but he wasn't as concerned about a 'trivial' matter like that. TK was in the dark, because he had never heard of Tomoe. Matt leaned back against a tree and asked, "So Shaun, how'd you manage to get so good at that game?"

"Well…" Shaun cupped his chin, forming the words in his head as he tried to remember. "I don't want to toot my own horn, but my friends said I could've beaten anyone at DDR if I tried." _Of course, maybe it's because everyone considered DDR to be old-fashioned…not really a lot of people to play against outside of family and friends._

----

~2:11 PM, Sector 10-110-OMICRON~

"Can't…go…any further…"

Agumon collapsed onto the dusty ground as the wind swirled around him. A single railroad track stretched far into the distance on both sides of the horizon, and rocky spires stretched high above, providing the only shade from the unbearable sun. 

He had been running. All night and day. So far away…to get away from someone no Digimon could truly get away from (brownie points to anyone who gets the musical reference!). Agumon groaned as his eyes fixed on the small object in front of him…

A TV.

"Tai…" he muttered, as if hoping his voice could cross dimensions and reach his partner's – his friend's – ears. "Help me…"

----

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!  
  


Everyone suddenly stopped as a shrill beep erupted from Tai's digivice. "What the?" Tai pulled out his digivice and found the words 'HELP ME' typed in bold. "Help me?"  
  


"Agumon's been located." 

Everyone turned to Shaun, who suddenly seemed rejuvenated from his tiring tenure in the arcade. "We need to get back to the school and access the computer."

Everyone remained silent as they considered the ramifications of Tai's message, which were now fully apparent. Agumon had somehow sent a distress signal…and they knew where he was. 

Shaun looked up and saw Sonocomon. With a glance, Sonocomon knew what Shaun wanted him to do.

Follow us.

"Saddle up everyone." Sonocomon grabbed Demiveemon, Poromon, Gatomon and Gabumon as he hovered into the air and followed the Digidestined back to the school.

"Hey! Wait for me!" shouted Tentomon as he flew after Sonocomon.

----

"FINALLY!!!"  
  


The Emperor laughed as he pulled off his helmet and let his machine construct his new device of imprisonment. "Finally…a design capable of reigning in Ultimate Digimon! A design that's just perfect! Now…to use it on Agumon!"

----

The Emperor stared dumbly at the empty cell room. Agumon wasn't there. "How…? HOW?!?!"

He quickly made his way to the Monitor Room. He had to review the security tapes to find out how Agumon had escaped!

----

~5 Minutes Later~  
  
**"WORMMON!!!"**  
  


Wormmon poked his head through the Monitor Room's doorway and calmly asked, "Yes Ken?"  
  


"Come here please."

Wormmon thought the Emperor's tone sounded a bit colder than usual…but why?  
  
He found out ten seconds later.

"WHY!"

A kick in the gut.

"DID!"  
  


Strangling him.

"YOU!"  
  
Throwing him against the wall.

"LET!"  
  


Unclipping his whip and lashing it at Wormmon.

"AGUMON!"  
  
*SLAP!*

*SLASH!*

**"GO?!?!"**

*WHACK!*

*SLAP!*

*SLASH!*

Wormmon moaned as he lay numbly on the ground, his body nearly broken from the pummeling. Coughing and hacking, Wormmon managed to say, "I…I only wanted to…let the…experiments…be done on me. I am your partner after all…don't you want me to become an Ultimate to face your…foes?"

"Are…are you CRAZY?!" Wormmon cringed as the Emperor lashed out against him with his whip some more. Wormmon simply remained silent as he took in the pain; this wasn't the first time the Emperor had whipped him. 

"You're not worth using as a test subject for my new device! And besides…I doubt your strength would compound to much anyway!" The Emperor's anger still flared as he turned away to search for Agumon. As he exited the room, he shouted out, "The only purpose you'll ever serve is being my worthless slave!"   
  
And then he was gone (I've certainly said this a lot, haven't I?).

Wormmon just remained there; he would let his body recover a little before moving to the Medical Bay. Even now…he held no malice for Ken.

That was how much he loved his partner. 

----

"Let's just hope that there are some microscopic slivers of the Dark Ring left," muttered the Emperor as he pressed several buttons on his gauntlet. Moments later, a miniature screen slid out of the side, revealing a bunch of black dots. All Digimon with Dark Rings could be seen on his gauntlet's screen, as his Rings had another purpose; to keep a Digimon's location known at all times. The Emperor quickly searched for the weakest signal…and smirked.

The screen homed in on Sector 10-110-OMICRON, where a little pop-up appeared, describing the Digimon that was wearing the Ring, and the Dark Ring's status.

Digimon: AGUMON

Status: DANGER-CRITICAL (Damage: 99.75%)

The Emperor grinned. "Perfect!!! Now Airdramon…to Sector 10-110-OMICRON!!!"  
  


The Airdramon he stood on growled in acknowledgement as he lifted off. He flew out of the base's hangar and into the sky, flying southwest to the sector in question.

The Emperor grinned as he flew off to the sector. _Soon Agumon…once I get you back, you shall know the utter power of my Dark Spiral!  
_  
----

The Digidestined were now near the school.

The Emperor was on his way to Sector 10-110-OMICRON.

Both parties were after the same objective.

Agumon.

----

Izzy looked around the food court for everyone. They weren't there.

"Huh? Where'd everyone go?"

----

To be continued…

Next time…

Episode 13: The Storm of Friendship

----

Author's Notes: Do I even need to explain what happens in the next chapter?

Sorry for the delay. Splinter Cell: PT's online mode coupled with…well, that's pretty much it. Next update won't take so long, promise.

Till then, so long!


	13. The Storm of Friendship

Standard Disclaimer: WARNING! NO BREACHING OF COPYRIGHTS ALLOWED! I DO NOT OWN DIGIMON! GOT THAT? GOOD!

Author's Notes: Well, I got started on this pretty quickly! Confining Splinter Cell: PT to the weekends does a world of wonders. ^_^

Review time!

Anthony1: The curse of revising a television show…most people already know what's going to happen before you write it (luckily, there's an OC to mix things up!).

Silver Warrior: I will say one thing; I hope you'll be surprised when he reveals his story. ;)

Begin!

----

"Hey everyone! Davis here! Matt hatched a plan to get Shaun to reveal himself, and it involved loosening him up enough so that he'd be A-OK with telling us! So we brought him to the Real World, and believe it or not, he had a good time! Then Agumon somehow sent a distress signal, and we were forced to abandon the plan to save him! Man, nothing can ever go as planned…"

----

Episode 13: The Storm of Friendship

----

Cody grunted as squeezed through the dark metal corridors of the air conditioning vents. The school had been locked down after school ended, and there was no one at the school. As a result, someone had had to go through the A/C vents on the roof and unlock the school…from the inside.

And guess who was the candidate for the job? If you guessed Shaun, you were wrong. If you guessed Solid Snake, you were wrong (good guess though). If you guessed Cody, you were right. 

_My mom definitely wouldn't approve of this_, thought Cody with a frown as he turned left at a T-intersection. _Let's see…I entered the air vents above the cafeteria, made a right turn, then two left turns…that should have me right above…_

Cody crawled several more feet to the nearest vent exit. He pushed down on the vent grating as hard as he could until it _popped_ out of place.

 He peeked out of the vent and grinned; he was in the computer lab. He squeezed through the tiny opening – even he had some difficulty getting through – and landed noisily on the hard tile floor. Not that anyone could've heard it. He walked over to the window facing the door and opened it. He looked and saw the Digidestined waiting. "All clear!"

"Good work Cody!" Davis cheerfully complimented the boy as Shaun grabbed a nearby gutter pipe and started climbing. Once he reached the rooftop, he continued shimmying along the gutter's line until he reached the window. He swung himself into the computer lab then reached his hand out the window. "Okay guys, start forming a ladder."

Tai sweatdropped as Shaun held his hands out. _Every time I run into this guy, the more I'm convinced he's some character out of a stealth-action video game._

Davis crawled up and along the gutters as Shaun had done (almost slipping twice along the way) then dropped into the lab as well. He then let Shaun lower him down, feet-first, where Tai immediately grabbed onto his ankles. This formed the 'ladder', on which Yolei, TK, Kari, and Matt climbed up on. After that, Tai pulled himself up, and then Shaun finally hoisted Davis through the window. By now, Yolei was busy starting the computer.                                                                  

At this point in time, Sonocomon hovered down in front of the window and let the Digimon in. Tentomon hovered in and set down by the computers. "Man Sonocomon, could you let the bug catch up once in a while?"

Sonocomon sweatdropped as he hovered in, crouching so that he wouldn't hit the ceiling. "I'm...not really the kind to go slowly in this form."

"So Tai, did the digivice tell you where Agumon was?" asked TK.

Tai shook his head morbidly. "Nope. It didn't say." Tai was currently undergoing a mental dilemma. Agumon had escaped...but it was likely that the Emperor was after him already. And if Agumon was captured AGAIN...he didn't want to think about it.

"Computer's up!" cheered Yolei as she quickly opened up the Digital Grid program. Much to everyone's surprise, a little orange dot was hovering over Sector 10-110-OMICRON.

Shaun glared at the sector in question. "That's the place."

Everyone tensed up as they prepared to leave. They were about to go and rescue Agumon...again. This time, Davis did the honors. "Digiport open!"                  

Then they were gone, the light enveloping them.

----

Agumon moaned as a bright light suddenly roused him. His body was still tired...

He suddenly heard loud voices. Familiar voices. He raised his head to see very familiar people. Another familiar thing was that they were entangled in a dog pile. "Guys..." he weakly whispered.

Tai pulled himself out of the pile, and his worry multiplied tenfold upon seeing Agumon on the ground. "AGUMON!!!" He immediately cradled the cumbersome Digimon in his arms, his eyes already beginning to water. "Agumon...are you okay?"

Agumon weakly nodded as he wobbly stood on his feet. "Man...I can't move my legs."

Shaun and Sonocomon exchanged a glance. Sonocomon nodded before dashing off to the north. 

"Where's he going?" asked Davis.

"For food," replied Shaun as he kneeled down and looked at Agumon. "Hmm…exhaustion and fatigue. Rest should help."

"He'll have to skip rest!"

Before anything else could be said, an Airdramon suddenly swooped down from behind everyone and grabbed Agumon in its mouth, gently cradling him so that his teeth wouldn't pierce the frail Rookie.

Everyone watched in shock as Agumon was set down some distance away...and he was right at the feet of the Emperor, who was surrounded by four MORE Airdramon. His grin was almost as wide as his hair, and he held something in his hand.

"EMPEROR!!!" yelled Matt in disgust. "Let Tai's Agumon go!"

The Emperor chuckled as he threw the object at Agumon, who immediately screamed as it latched onto his neck. When he stood up, moments later, glaring at the Digidestined with red eyes, they knew what it was. A Dark Ring.

"Again?" Yolei laughed as she mockingly pointed a finger at the Emperor. "You tried that last time!"

"And it'll fail like last time too! You can't control Skullgreymon!" yelled Gatomon. 

The Emperor chuckled...then giggled...and finally laughed out loud, his amusement at their cockiness growing by the moment. "You are all blind! You really think I'd be stupid enough to try something twice in a row if it FAILED?!"

That shocked them all...save for Shaun. He already knew what the Emperor was up to. "But," mumbled Patamon. "But the Dark Ring..."

"Dark Ring?" The Emperor laughed as he held out his Dark Digivice. "The Dark Ring is NOTHING compared to my Dark Spiral! DARK DIGIVOLVE!!!"

Like before, Agumon began to digivolve all the way to Ultimate.

But this time was different.

Agumon dark-digivolve to......Metalgreymon!

Everyone gasped as the 'Dark Metalgreymon' appeared. His purple skin and gray stripes served the image of him being the evil opposite of Metalgreymon perfectly. His blood-red eyes matched the color of his hair, and he let loose a mighty roar as an Airdramon lifted the Emperor onto Metalgreymon's shoulder. "Behold the power of my Dark Spiral! Even an Ultimate Digimon is mine to command now!"

Everyone gasped as Metalgreymon's chest opened up. They wouldn't be able to escape in time!

"Giga Blas-"

"Blue Dash!!!"

Metalgreymon growled as a streak of blue knocked him off balance. The two missiles sped off course and collided with two Airdramon, deleting them instantly. The Emperor didn't seem to mind, however.

Sonocomon set down beside the others, his arms full of fruits. "I was on my way back when I saw him," he said while tilting his head to Metalgreymon. "We need to fall back and regroup."

"WHAT?!" shouted Tai and Davis. The latter shouted, We can't leave now!" The former growled, "We have to save Agumon!!!"

"Tai."

Tai turned around to have Matt's fist crash into his face. This caused everyone to gasp and shock...well, Shaun just winced, his fist tightening unconsciously. He quickly willed the tightness away. Gabumon shouted, "Matt! What was that for!?"

Tai rubbed his cheek gingerly before Matt helped him up. "Thanks Matt...I needed that." Matt smiled and replied, "Any time."

Davis' jaw dropped at that comment. _Tai needed a punch to the face?! What for?_

"Let's get out of here!" yelled Shaun as he ran towards two mine carts that were linked together.

Everyone quickly hopped on board the mine carts. Tai, Matt, Davis, Shaun, Gabumon, Tentomon, and Veemon got onto the first one, while TK, Kari, Yolei, Cody, Patamon, Gatomon, Hawkmon, and Armadillomon got into the second one. Sonocomon gave the carts a slight push, sending them off at fifty miles per hour; he then flew after them, keeping in position above them.

Soon, they were beyond sight.

----

The Emperor growled as the Digidestined left. "So, they think they can get away... Metalgreymon! Airdramon! Follow those tracks!"

Metalgreymon and the three remaining Airdramon grumbled in compliance. As the dusty terrain and barren columns fell behind them, the Emperor looked at the small screen in his gauntlet. Eight differently colored dots appeared on the screen, all of them heading westward. The Emperor chuckled as he looked ahead at the seemingly never-ending tracks. _I'll catch up with you soon enough..._

----

Davis pondered over what had just happened with a degree of confusion. Tai had been clamoring about rescuing Agumon, no matter what the cost...then Matt punched him! After that, Tai suddenly agrees with running away! _Man, this is so confusing..._ "Question guys! How are we gonna get that Dark Spiral off of Metalgreymon?"

"Simple! We just break it off Davish!"

"I know THAT Veemon! But can we do it? I mean, we haven't really faced an Ultimate that was controlled by the Emperor." Everyone nodded at that. The only Ultimate Digimon they had faced beforehand had been Monzaemon and Skullgreymon, and Monzaemon was almost weak enough to be called a Champion! As for Skullgreymon…well, he hadn't really been under the Emperor's control anyway.

"There's more to it than that." Everyone turned to Shaun out of surprise. Hawkmon asked, "How so?"

He sighed as he –carefully – formed his words. "Even though Metalgreymon is more powerful than Skullgreymon, I don't think the Emperor took his fatigue into full consideration."

"What do you mean?" asked Davis.

"Well, Agumon said that his legs were tired. He had probably been running for a long time, so that the Emperor wouldn't get him. That's left him tired and weary. But…with that Dark Spiral on him, he's back under the Emperor's control. But I don't think he realizes how tired Metalgreymon really is. The bad thing is that," Shaun's tone suddenly became sober. "Metalgreymon will fight as hard as he can…even if his body says no."

Everyone got the chilling message behind it. Agumon's body had already been worked to death…and now, the Emperor would make him fight as hard as he could. The sheer fatigue that would be inflicted upon Tai's partner could be enough to kill him. And if that was possible, what would battling him accomplish?

"Isn't there a way to get the Dark Spiral off without hurting Metalgreymon?" asked Davis. 

TK looked skeptically at Davis and replied, "No way Davis! I know it's not easy, but we have to fight! We may not like it, but we have no choice! It's not like we can reason with Metalgreymon!"

Davis fumed at TK's response. He was actually willing to risk Metalgreymon's life?! That wasn't what being a friend was all about! It was about looking out for them, wasn't it?! "Come on TP, that's the worst idea I've ever heard!"

TK looked at Davis with a mix of anger and confusion. "What? What do you mean?"

Davis paled; was TK that dense? "Didn't you just hear Shaun?! Fighting Metalgreymon now can kill him!"

"I know that! But we don't have a choice!"  
  
Davis snorted. "Well at least I'm trying to find a way to rescue Metalgreymon without hurting him! I don't see you coming up with any ideas TS, or maybe your hat's getting too tight for your head!"

TK growled as he stood up and countered, "It's just not possible Davis! And don't make fun of my hat!"

Davis responded to that last retort with a leap and tackle. More specifically, leaping to the second cart and tackling TK. The two of them began to wrestle in the cart, oblivious to everyone else's shouts. Kari grabbed TK by the shoulders, shouting, "Control yourself TK!" Yolei, meanwhile, gripped Davis' head, roaring "GET YOUR MACHO ATTITUDE UNDER CONTROL DAVIS!!!" As for Cody, he just shook his head.

Shaun watched all of this…and he was pleased. Even though it seemed a little much, it had to be done. Thanks to the way he said his words, Davis was convinced that they couldn't get the Dark Spiral off without hurting Metalgreymon. _I'm sorry I had to instigate that little fracas_, he thought as he looked dolefully at the warring Davis and TK. _But if Davis is going to understand, it had to be done._

"Hey guys. The Crest of Friendship is on my digivice!"  
  
Everyone stopped and looked at Matt, who was looking at his digivice. "Guys…stop the carts!!!"  
  
"Sonocomon!" 

Sonocomon replied to Shaun's utterance of his name by gradually slowing the carts down. They stopped near an outcropping of orange and red rock, and there was miniature cove at its base. Matt followed his digivice's signal to the cove…and stopped when he reached. The others stopped behind him and peered in as well. Gabumon asked, "Matt, what's that?"  
  
Matt shrugged. "No clue at all…is it a Digiegg?"

The body of the strange object was shaped like a peanut, with the bottom being colored gray at the back. At the point where the curves were closest, a spiky blue ridge adorned the top of it, stretching from front to back for about three inches. The sides around the front had golden teeth designs, while a white and yellow horn was sticking out of the top. The horn itself was in a zigzag pattern, but that wasn't the digiegg's most distinguishing characteristic…that belonged to the Crest of Friendship, which was adorning the object at the base of the horn.

"The Digiegg of Friendship?" asked Cody as he kneeled down to look at it. 

Tentomon cracked, "I don't know. Looks more like a flip-flop with a bent nail in it!"

Tai wondered if this Digiegg would be like the previous ones. The first three had heralded the coming of three new Digidestined, while the last two had brought the power of Amror Digivolution Gatomon and Patamon. The question was, which path would the Digiegg take? "Matt, you try lifting it."

Matt nodded and grabbed it with both hands. He then heaved…but there was no 'ho' to complete the heave-ho. It wouldn't budge. "Not moving at all."

"Let your bro try." TK tried as well. Same result. "Gah…this is a repeat of the Digiegg of Courage."  
  
Davis' face lighted up at that. "If that's the case, let me try!" Davis tried…

And it came up without any resistance. Davis laughed as he boasted, "Guess this means I know more about being a friend than you TC!"

TK was puzzled by two things; how Davis came up with that idea, and what had caused him to say it. Before he could say anything, a distinct roar made itself known. The Child of Hope moaned, "Great…he's already caught up with us!"

"Right you are!"  
  
Metalgreymon roared as he charged into view, the Emperor standing on his shoulder as he did. The Airdramon appeared moments later. The Emperor spread his arms wide and gloated, "The cast has been assembled! Now Metalgreymon…attack and destroy them!"  
  
Sonocomon got into a defensive position as everyone else pulled out their D-3s…

Hawkmon armor-digivolve to……Halsemon: The Wings of Love!  
  
Armadillomon armor-digivolve to……Digmon: The Drill of Knowledge!  
  
Patamon armor-digivolve to……Pegasusmon: Flying Hope!

Gatomon armor-digivolve to……Nefertimon: The Angel of Light!

Veemon armor-digivolve to……Veemon?!  
  


…but Davis didn't.

  
The Armored Champions facefaulted as Veemon shouted, "DAVISH!!! Why didn't I armor-digivolve?!"  
  
"You can't!"  
  
Veemon facefaulted at Davis' reply. "Why not?!"  
  
"I can't let you fight Metalgreymon! You could kill him!"  
  
Veemon winced as he saw the others prepare to fight the Emperor. If anything, he felt as though he was being left out. "But what about the Airdramon? Are they off-limits too?"  
  
"Eagle Eye!"  
  
"Gold Rush!"

"Equis Beam!"  
  


"Cat's Eye Beam!"  
  
"Blue Dash!"

With the onslaught of attacks, the three Airdramon's Dark Rings were destroyed. Veemon moped. "Aw man…"  
  
"Not so fast!" The Emperor pointed his left hand at the three Airdramon, all three of which were shaking off the effects of being imprisoned. "Destroy them Metalgreymon!"  
  
"Giga Blaster!"  
  
Two missiles launched and destroyed two of them. By this time, the third one was fully aware of who he was…and he was aware of the danger.

But it was too late.

"Metal Claw!"  
  
The metallic claw impaled the flying dragon through the throat. It let out its last breath before it splintered off into a million different pieces, each of which disappeared into nothingness. Everyone gasped in shock at the Emperor's commands; Kari yelled, "You monster! Why did you do that?!"

The Emperor sardonically answered her. "You _obviously_ don't know good combat tactics. Never let a former ally escape with its life! After all, they have an annoying tendency to become enemies! And that, my dear Digidestined, is something you're about to learn!" He pointed his finger at the Digidestined…specifically, at the not-yet-digivolved Veemon. "Metalgreymon…CRUSH them!"  
  


Metalgreymon complied with a roar. "Metal Claw!!!" 

Davis gasped as the metallic projectile of death zoomed towards Veemon. "Veemon! MOVE!!!"  
  
Tentomon gulped as he said, "I don't think he heard you!!!"  
  


"Look out Veemon!" Pegasusmon quickly pushed Veemon out of the way with his snout, barely getting out of the claw's way himself.

"Pegasusmon! Are you okay?" yelled TK out of worry. Pegasusmon replied with a nod. Satisfied that his partner was okay, TK turned to Davis. "You bonehead! What's the big idea not having Veemon digivolve!"  
  
Davis, for once, didn't have a snappy retort. He just weakly said, "But…I can't let him hurt Metalgreymon…I just can't!"  
  


Shaun decided to stall for a little bit. "Sonocomon! Destroy the Control Spire!"  
  
A ring of the rocky columns that were prevalent in the barren area surrounded the Control Spire in question. Even as the sun began to set in this area, the Control Spire's dark presence still dominated all.

And Sonocomon was about to tear it down.

Strangely enough, the Emperor didn't seem too concerned. He didn't even order Metalgreymon to attack Sonocomon. _Odd_, thought Shaun as he made his way around Metalgreymon's left flank. _Why isn't he worried about the Control Spire?_  
  


"Speed Spin!" Sonocomon curled into a ball and spun as fast as he could, the armored spikes on his back turning into a deadly buzz saw. He made a clean cut through the Spire's base, and it toppled over onto the ground harmlessly. Upon the Spire's deletion, Sonocomon made his way southward, where the battle had been.

Imagine his shock when he saw Metalgreymon still fighting. "WHAT?!"  
  
The Emperor laughed gleefully as Metalgreymon launched his Giga Blaster at Nefertimon and Halsemon. "You don't get it, do you?! The Dark Spiral is not only more durable and powerful than a Dark Ring…it also has twice the range! You'd have to destroy all the spires in the surrounding sectors to free him!!!"  
  
Shaun sweatdropped as he pulled back from exploding debris – the result of a Giga Blaster that hit a rock column instead of its intended targets – and thought, _Okay…that's new._

This shot his plan out the window. He had intended for the Emperor to turn his attention to Sonocomon upon his going after the Control Spire, thus giving the other Digidestined – more specifically, Davis – more time to collect themselves. But with this new (and truly unexpected) development, that plan was done.

_What to do, what to do?_ Shaun racked his brain to try and find a way to use this new feature of the Dark Spiral to his advantage. Even destroying the sector's Control Spire hadn't gotten the Dark Spiral to power down, so how-

_OF COURSE!!!_ "Sonocomon!"  
  
Sonocomon dodged another Metal Claw and set down beside Shaun. "What is it?" 

Shaun whispered his plan into his partner's ear. Sonocomon's eyes widened slightly, but he had heard of crazier plans before. "Very well." He picked up Shaun, hoisted him into the air…and threw him at the Emperor.

The Emperor's eyes widened as Shaun the Flying Human Projectile rocketed towards him. Before he could react, his midsection exploded in pain as Shaun collided with him.

Of course, Shaun was hurting as well. Flying at close-to-sonic speeds wasn't exactly good therapy for the human body. The collision didn't help either. No bones were broken, but he would have a big bruise for a good long while. 

The throw had been angled so that the two would slide down Metalgreymon's tail; thus ensuring no death upon hitting the ground. The Emperor growled as he grabbed Shaun by his bruised shoulder and saying, "Big…mistake…you won't win! My new Dark Spiral is foolproof!"  
  
Shaun winced at the pain in his shoulder – fresh bruises really hurt you know! – but he willed it away…albeit not without some difficulty. He smiled as he reached into his pocket and pulled out his orange D-3. "Wrong…your Dark Spiral may have a longer range…but your Control Spires don't!"  
  
The Emperor puzzled over his statement momentarily. What did he mean by that?  
  
By the time the realization hit him, it was too late. "No, don't!"  
  


"Sonocomon!"  
  
Sonocomon set down in front of Metalgreymon…and dedigivolved to (Agumon).

Everyone else had been too far away to hear Shaun's revelation to the Emperor. Digmon blinked at (Agumon's) appearance. "Dude! What's he doing!"  
  
Shaun's crest began to glow as he shouted, "Digivolve!"  
  
(Agumon) digivolve to……(Greymon!)  
  
(Greymon) digivolve to……(Metalgreymon!)  
  
The darkened Metalgreymon growled as he faced his 'Technicolor' counterpart. He went first. "Giga Blaster!"  
  
(Metalgreymon) jumped over the two missiles and stretched his purple wings out, allowing him to hover in place. "This might throw you for a loop! Metal Claw!" His claw circled around and around Metalgreymon, holding him in place as Shaun's partner began swinging him around in a circle. Then his claw unclasped, causing Metalgreymon to go flying into the nearest column of rock.

TK smiled as he realized what had happened. The Dark Spiral had a longer range, but the Spires didn't! "Okay Pegasusmon, let's kick it up a notch!" 

Pegasusmon dedigivolved into Patamon for the task TK had in mind. Matt took the cue to take out his own digivice as well. "Ready Gabumon?"  
  
"Of course! I'm always ready to fight by your side!" The horned Digimon prepped himself for digivolution.

"Now," both said simultaneously. "Digivolve!"  
  
Patamon digivolve to……Angemon!  
  
Gabumon digivolve to……Garurumon!  
  
Tentomon digivolve to…oh forget it! I just wanted a place in the spotlight!  
  
TK and Matt facefaulted at Tentomon's joke. Tai sweatdropped and asked, "Since when did you replace Gomamon as the authority on jokes?"  
  
Tentomon blushed as he feebly responded, "Well, I have been taking lessons…"  
  
Garurumon interrupted, "Can we just get on with it already?! Angemon, let's go!"  
  


"Right!" The angelic Digimon flew into the air as the wolf Digimon bounded into battle.

----

Davis' mouth practically dropped at Patamon's digivolution. Veemon simply commented, "Spiffy."  
  


Six wings of pearly white feathers. A white bodysuit with strange metallic spheres embedded near the chest area. Blue clothing that wrapped around his legs and left arm. A brown leather girdle with a gold buckle. A golden shoulder guard on his left shoulder. Gold crosses embroidered on the 'shoes' of his bodysuit. A shimmering golden rod. A gray helmet of steel with a cross-shaped visor. Long, flowing orange hair. A calm, poised countenance.

In short, Angemon was awesome.   
  
And it made Davis all the more jealous of TK. Even though Veemon was cool, TK's partner could digivolve into an angel! An angel!!! How could Kari not go for that?   
  
Well, his thought processes went somewhere along that line.  But aside from that, he was also worried about the attitude his friends were taking toward the whole situation. Shaun TK's partners had digivolved into stronger forms, and even Gabumon had joined the fray as Garurumon!  
  
Why didn't they understand? Didn't they know Metalgreymon could die if put under further strain?!  
  
"Why…?"

Suddenly, the Digiegg of Friendship that was still in his hands began to feel…heavier. It was as if it was beginning to reject him!_  
  
But why? I'm the only one around here who knows about being a friend! _

_…right?_

----

In hindsight, he should've foreseen such a problem.

Even though his initial pleasure at creating the Dark Spiral was quite enjoyable, he should've known that the extra range of his Dark Spiral would've been used against him…but so quickly?  
  
But even if he had known about this problem, he wouldn't have been able to do anything about it. The Control Spires were infinitely more complex than the Dark Spirals; even he didn't fully know how they were made. He just…knew how to build them. He didn't know what they were made of, or why he knew how to make them. He just did.

But those thoughts would have to wait till later.

The Emperor curled his legs and kicked Shaun off of him. The Child of Wisdom landed on his hands and rebounded onto his feet. The Emperor stood up and brandished his whip. "Here's something of a riddle; how can you hit something that won't let you reach it?!" With that, he unleashed his whip upon Shaun.

Shaun winced as the whip sliced his left forearm open, letting a small line of blood dribbling out. _Ow…haven't gone up against a whip in a while._

SLASH!  
  
Shaun winced again as the whip lacerated his right shin, causing his skin to split open again. The blood caused his jeans to stick to his skin, but it was of no consequence. Shaun was ready to turn the tables.

The Emperor whipped horizontally, so that he would hit the waist.

Shaun quickly rolled under and closed the distance so quickly that the Emperor didn't have time to recall his whip. Shaun tripped the Emperor with a sweeping kick, grabbed his legs while the Emperor was still airborne, and began spinning him around. "Let's how tolerant you are against motion sickness!"  
  
And the spinning continued.

For about five seconds.

The Emperor quickly teleported away with a quick press of some buttons on his gauntlet. Shaun stopped spinning as he looked around for the Emperor, only to find nothing…but the battle between the other Digimon. "Darn it…"

----

"Hand of Fate!!!" A yellow-orange ray collided with Metalgreymon's arm, mere feet below the Dark Spiral. Metalgreymon growled as he lashed out with his tail. Angemon flew upward, avoiding the tail.

"Howling Blaster!"

That left Metalgreymon's back vulnerable. Blue flames rolled over Metalgreymon's back, who snarled as pain danced through his nerves.

_Why…?_ Davis was confused. Why was everyone fighting Metalgreymon? And why was the Digiegg of Friendship becoming heavier?

"Davis."  
  
Davis turned around to see Tai. "Tai…why are you letting them fight Metalgreymon?"  
  
Tai smiled as if he expected this. "Let me tell you something Davis…a friend isn't exactly what you think it is."  
  
That made Davis even more confused. How was he not being a friend? He couldn't hurt a friend… "How?"  
  
"Look at Metalgreymon."  
  
Davis did.

"MY Metalgreymon."

"Oh. Sorry."   
  
He looked at Metalgreymon, who was fending off attacks from all sides. Halsemon, Nefertimon, Digmon, Garurumon, Angemon, and (Metalgreymon) were giving him lots of trouble…and his tiredness didn't help much. "Yeah?"  
  
"Agumon…he'd rather die than let himself be our enemy. He's going through more pain than our battle is causing him."  
  
Davis looked down at the Digiegg of Friendship, and he slowly began to understand. _Man…must be horrible being forced to do something you don't like._

"That's sort of the reason why Matt hit me earlier," explained Tai as he rubbed his cheek where Matt had socked him earlier. "He knows me. He knows I don't like standing around and doing nothing when something should be done. That's why he hit me…and I know Agumon as well. He wouldn't want to be under control of an evil despot…that's why we're fighting him. To free him from his suffering."  
  
Davis began to realize it now. As much as he hated to admit…he had been wrong about friendship. The others knew more about friendship than he did. He had feared driving his friends away by hurting them in anyway…but his indecision had done more to drive them away. He knew now that being a true friend meant sticking with your buddy through thick and thin…and helping them no matter how much it might hurt him…or you. "Tai…thank you."  
  


The Digiegg of Friendship suddenly became lighter as Davis looked down at Veemon. "Sorry man…ready to do your part!"  
  
Veemon pumped his fists and heartily said, "You bet!"  
  
"Now Veemon," he held the Digiegg high into the air as it shined bright blue. "Digi-Armor Energize!"  
  


  
Veemon armor-digivolve to……Raidramon: The Storm of Friendship!

Unlike Flamedramon, Raidramon was a quadruped. His back and four legs were all covered in obsidian-colored armor. The shoulder pads on the front legs were bulgier, and they had a red stripe on them. The back legs, however, had ridged, gray-colored padding on the joints that connected to the main body. Protruding from the top of his armor were three black spikes shaped like lightning bolts, and his sides were decorated with the same golden 'teeth' that were on the Digiegg of Friendship. His paws were large, and his claws were glistening ivory. On his face was a jet-black mask, with two eyeholes that had two yellow lines streaking across them. The most dominant feature was his horn: a gold and silver metallic horn shaped like a lightning bolt. His red eyes were sharp and piercing, a sign of his alertness. 

"I am Raidramon! Utilizing the Digiegg of Friendship has enabled me to become a mighty Digimon that can harness the powers of thunder and lightning! Beware of my Thunder Blast and Electric Fang, and if you get me really riled up, you'll have to deal with my Thunderous Roar!"

Davis laughed as Raidramon went between his legs and had Davis sit on his uncovered neck as if it were a saddle. "Okay Raidramon! Let's go free Metalgreymon!"  
  
"You got it!" Raidramon leapt into the air as blue energy gathered in his mouth. "Thunder Blast!" The energy leapt forward as a stream of blue electricity that crashed against Metalgreymon's chest. The attack not only hurt, but the loud _bang_ that came from it also did some damage to the Ultimate's ear drums.   
  
"RAAH!!! GIGA BLASTER!!!"  
  


Enraged by the pain, Metalgreymon fired another pair of missiles. Raidramon dodged both…only to have them hit Angemon, who was right behind him. "Oops…sorry Angemon!"  
  
Angemon crashed into a rocky column, kicking up dust as he fell into the stony obelisk. "No problem! I'll be okay!"  
  
Satisfied that Angemon was okay, Raidramon turned his attention back to Metalgreymon.

----

The Emperor grimaced as he reappeared behind one of the many towers of rock. His gauntlet was truly a godsend…or, a Ken-send, he thought with a chuckle. After all, he made the device himself. Of course, the Digital World housed quite a lot of technological wonders; the Synthesizer Room in his base was proof of that.

But now he had a dilemma. Metalgreymon was likely to be freed in a matter of moments, putting the Digidestined one more step closer to him. He had to find a way to put himself further ahead…but how?  
  
CRASH!!!  
  
The Emperor nearly yelped in surprise as the tower he had appeared behind nearly buckled over. _What the? What happened?! _

He decided to investigate…and to his eternal surprise, Angemon was there, trying to free himself from the rubble. 

It was Angemon! What luck!!! Even though he was a Champion, his next stage was what filled the Emperor with glee…

_I have to get him. And now!_  
  
The Emperor reached into his pocket and pulled out a penny-sized spiral. With a touch, the Dark Spiral enlarged to its normal size. With a lackadaisical flick of his wrist, the Dark Spiral flew toward its newest prey.

Angemon was too distracted to even notice the Spiral latch on. By the time he noticed his consciousness losing control of his body, it was too late.

----

"Electric Fang!"  
  
Blue energy crackled around Raidramon's teeth as he bit into the Dark Spiral; moments later, Metalgreymon shook him off. But the Dark Spiral was already starting to crack.

Shaun, who had by then gotten onto (Metalgreymon's) shoulder, yelled, "(Metalgreymon!) We need to let Davis do the final blow! Weaken Metalgreymon the rest of the way!"  
  
(Metalgreymon) responded by opening his mouth…and his chest panels at the same time. Blue orbs gathered in the three areas, each of them growing larger and larger.

"GIGA DESTROYER!!!"  
  
(A/N: Yes, I turned a dubbing mistake into an attack. :P )  
  
The three blue rays collided with the ground right in front of Metalgreymon, causing a rain of rock and debris to shower over the viral Ultimate. This was the opening Davis and Raidramon needed.

"Come on Raidramon!" cheered Davis. "Let's free him and crack the Dark Spiral!"  
  
"I've got it! THUNDEROUS ROAR!!!"  
  
The three spikes on Raidramon's back buzzed with electricity, and the horn on Raidramon's head acted as a pylon. It absorbed the spikes' electricity, forming a perfect orb. The orb then floated off of the horn and hovered in front of Raidramon's mouth. At that moment, Raidramon sucked in his breath and roared…VERY, VERY, LOUDLY.

**"RAAAAAAH!!!!!!"**

The orb immediately burst open into a torrent of lightning bolts, each of which collided with Metalgreymon's body. One even managed to hit the Dark Spiral…annihilating it on the spot. The corrupted Digimon gasped as the Emperor's influence left him…and then he slumped to the ground, dedigivolving to Agumon. His will to fight was gone.

He was free.

Davis sighed as he hopped off of Raidramon. He felt better…much better. "We did it…"  
  
"Do you understand now Davis?"  
  
Davis turned around to see Shaun. The boy had a calm smile on his face, and it eased Davis' psyche even further. "Well? Do you?"  
  
Davis nodded as he stroked Raidramon's ears. "Yeah…I understand now."  
  


Shaun grinned as he walked over to Tai, who was cradling Agumon. "Agumon," whispered Tai as he pulled the Digimon into his lap. "You okay?"  
  
Agumon moaned as he raised his head meekly. "Tai…I'm sorry…"  
  


"Don't be silly Agumon! I'm just glad you're okay." Tai hugged his partner, and Agumon did his best to hug back. Shaun knelt down beside Agumon and glanced at his wounds. Besides his obvious fatigue and tiredness, Agumon also had several burn marks around his chest and arms. He slowly looked at Tai and asked, "Tai. I'm going to have to ask for Agumon to come with me."  
  
"Huh?" responded Tai incredulously. The prospect of being separated from Agumon again was very unappealing. "Why?!"

"Gennai can heal Agumon much faster than simple rest can. Trust me Tai," he emphasized the point with a stern and controlled voice. "This is for the best."  
  
Tai moaned as he nodded. "Fine then." Shaun then walked away to speak with his partner. But there was one odd thing Tai noted…was it just him, or did Shaun seem a little upset for talking so sternly to him? _Eh, probably just my imagination._

  
"Hey," asked TK looked around the battlefield. "Anyone see Angemon?"  
  
That's when a very familiar voice uttered very familiar words.

"DARK DIGIVOLVE!!!"  
  
Angemon dark-digivolve to……MagnaAngemon!  
  
Everyone gasped as a dark angel rose from beneath a cloud of dust and dirt, and it was right next to where Angemon crashed. TK nearly cried out in anguish at the sight of his partner.

MagnaAngemon's white bodysuit was now a near dead black. The metallic golden ribbons that wrapped around him were now colored a dull blue color. His silver boots and shin guards were now made of a reddish bronze color. His eight white-gray angel wings were now like raven's wings; wings of black feathers. His golden buckle was also dull blue, as was the golden circlet that connected to his Magna Blade. As for the glass shield on his left arm, his Magna Blade, and his visor…they were blood red. The only parts that remained unchanged were the dark leather that covered his entire left arm and the silver cross on his visor. 

There was also another glaring addition…a Dark Spiral on his right arm's bicep.

"MAGNAANGEMON!!!" cried TK. That cry was then replaced by the sound of laughter.

The Emperor's laughter, actually.

"HA HA HA HA!!!" MagnaAngemon obediently picked the Emperor up and sat him on his left shoulder. "Do you like my newest soldier? A definite improvement over Metalgreymon, if I do say so myself! I am now in control of the mighty MagnaAngemon, the only Ultimate that could also be called a _MEGA_ Digimon!!!"  
  
MagnaAngemon lifted into the air and began to fly away. "So long, losers!" gloated the Emperor as they flew off.  
  
**"EMPEROR!!!"** roared TK. Shaun looked pleadingly at (Metalgreymon) and shouted, "QUICK! SHOOT HIM DOWN!!!"  
  
"Giga Destroyer!!!"   
  
But the Emperor and MagnaAngemon were too far-gone. The three rays had no chance of hitting their intended targets. (Metalgreymon) growled as he dedigivolved to (Agumon). "No…they got away…"  
  
"No…" muttered TK as he fell to his knees. Tears began to stain his eyes as he clenched his fists. "Patamon…" He still affectionately referred to his partner as 'Patamon'. Matt kneeled beside him and softly patted his head. "Don't worry bro. We'll get him back."  
  
Shaun, meanwhile, was cursing to himself. This was a TOTAL screw-up!!! MagnaAngemon wasn't supposed to be captured…he never was!!! 

_Dang dang dang…I might as well stop trying to predict what'll happen next. At this rate, everything I know's going to happen might not happen at all!!!  
_  
----

To be continued…

Next time…

Episode 14: Dark Angel

---

Author's Notes: No, the next episode has nothing to do with the TV show.

And there's one thing I came to realize upon writing this…I can write action scenes much faster than development scenes. Sad truth. Maybe. Depends.

Anyhow, see you next time!


	14. Dark Angel

Standard Disclaimer: Behold! I have seen the creation of lawsuits...and they are ICKY!!! Ewewewewew!!! Keep em away! I don't own Digimon already! AGH!!! I need the spray!!!  
  
Author's Notes: Two new reviewers! Praise! Constructive criticism! BOOYAH!!!

Anthony1: Glad you like the twist.

Silver Warrior: Boy, you're sure shocked. O.O;

Digifan: A cliffhanger you say? throws Digifan off a cliff Actually, THAT'S a cliffhanger. :P  
  
Magnus1: Thank you for your review. I was actually waiting for when someone would launch a complaint against Shaun; I understand how you're a little upset that Shaun seems prepared for everything (Anthony actually knows why this is the case; everyone else will just have to wait until that chapter comes in the far, far future that explains why).

Yes, Shaun is stealing some of the other characters' thunder. After this chapter, however, the canon characters will be getting more attention. These chapters I'm currently writing are still introducing Shaun; yes, he still has some more about him to introduce. What that is, I'll tell you in this chapter. Although I wouldn't exactly class Shaun as a godmoder in the truest sense of the word...but it may just be me.

Once again, thank you for the constructive review. (ponders over becoming a Digimon demigod as he prepares to write the chapter)

* * *

"TK here. Things have gone from bad to worse in a hurry! The Emperor revealed his Dark Spiral, and he used it to get Agumon to digivolve to Metalgreymon! After a little spat with Davis, we discovered the Digiegg of Friendship...and Davis was the one who lifted it! After a tough battle, Davis unlocked its powers to get Veemon to armor-digivolve to Raidramon! With his help, we freed Metalgreymon...but the Emperor immediately captured Angemon and digivolved him to MagnaAngemon! Patamon..."

* * *

Episode 14: Dark Angel

* * *

TK stared in horror as MagnaAngemon unleashed his most devastating attack once more.

"Gate of Destiny."

With one rotation of his blade, a blue-rimmed portal appeared in the air. It opened to reveal a gateway to a milky-white void. Then, it began to inhale him.

It was like a tornado; inescapable and unstoppable. TK tried to grab the ground to stop himself...but it was too late.

TK's body flew head-over-heels, and his scream of terror was muted out as he was sucked into the Gate.

The last thing he heard was the Emperor's laughter...

* * *

"AH!!!"  
  
TK sat upright in his bed, sweat pouring down his neck. His breath came in short, ragged gasps as he looked warily around his surroundings.

He was still home...but there was no Patamon.

Despite the fact that his partner had been returned to him for no more than two weeks, he had become awfully accustomed to seeing his favorite 'flying pig' snoring beside him. TK stifled a chuckle at the memory from so long ago...

"Patamon..."

* * *

It was Monday, September the 6th. The day after the Dark Spiral had been revealed, Agumon had been freed...and TK's partner had been captured in his stead.

And Davis didn't like any of it.

"Man, this sucks!" grunted Davis as he kicked a pile of dirty clothes over. He had just woken rather early – around 5:00 AM, to be precise – so he was still not fully up. That meant he was still a tad cranky.

He was also full of pent-up anger...anger directed at the Emperor. H_e didn't just have to take Metalgreymon...oh no, he had to take TK's partner too! That big, stinkin' jerk!!! I ought to-_

"Davish?"  
  
"WWAAAH!!!" Davis nearly leapt through the roof at the sudden voice of Demiveemon interrupting his thoughts. He quickly turned around and shouted, "DEMIVEEMON!!!"  
  
Demiveemon yelped in response to Davis' sudden retort. "Sorry! But your D-Terminal's beeping!"  
  
Davis turned to his desk, which was covered with old papers and dirty clothes. He overturned the shirt on the top of the pile to reveal his D-Terminal...which was beeping, as Demiveemon said it was.

"DAVIS!!! KEEP IT DOWN!!!"  
  
Davis winced at the far-off sound of Jun screaming. Apparently, she wasn't ready to wake up yet. _Thank goodness Mom and Dad are heavy sleepers before 6:00 AM._ Davis returned his mind to the task at hand and flipped open his D-Terminal. A message was waiting for him.

* * *

_Davis, Izzy called. He wants everyone to meet him at his house for an important meeting after school._

_-Yolei_

* * *

Davis closed his D-Terminal and wondered what Izzy wanted to speak to them about.

Was it...about MagnaAngemon?  
  
"Demiveemon, let's go to Izzy's."  
  
"Okay! But first..."  
  
A loud rumbling came from both of them. More specifically, their stomachs.

"Can we eat first?"  
  
Davis chuckled as he placed Demiveemon on his shoulder. "Sure thing."

* * *

(Agumon) watched Shaun tentatively as his partner continually banged his head on the wall. "Shaun, are you sure that's helping?"  
  
"No," bluntly replied Shaun as he lightly pounded his forehead against the bamboo wall. As soon as he started getting a headache, he stopped. "Well, that didn't give me any new ideas."  
  
(Agumon) snapped his claws. "Any other things you can think of?"

"No." For the first time in a long time, Shaun was facing a dilemma.

MagnaAngemon. The Digimon that went toe-to-toe with Piedmon and hundreds of Vilemon (and emerged victorious to boot!). The one who single-handedly resurrected the entire Digidestined group from the fate of being key-chains. The one who would serve the Second Digidestined's heads on a platter if given the chance, now that the Emperor was in control of him.

Shaun growled as he rued everything that had happened, everything that had _changed_. Was all of everything that was happening...because of him?  
  
The capture of all but three of the Digidestined's partners. The Emperor's death trap in 01-000-ALPHA. The sudden reappearance of the deadly Flan-type Digimon Palidomon. Ken's attempt to trick the others into believing him to be a traitor. And now, a corrupted MagnaAngemon.

Shaun growled again as he leaned against the wall with a huff. _All this...was it because of me?_  
  
"I can tell why you're upset."

Shaun and (Agumon) both turned to see the wrinkled face of Gennai, who had just stepped out of the basement. The old man stared intently at Shaun. Shaun stared back.

WHACK!!!  
  
"YEOW!!!" Shaun winced as he rubbed the spot on his head where Gennai had just smacked him. "Ow...what was that for?"  
  
Gennai sighed as he returned his hand to his side. "I've said it before, and I'll say it again...you meddle too much!"

"Gennai, we've been over this."  
  
"I know we've been over this. Nevertheless, you had no place in intervening in the first place."  
  
Shaun pounded his fist on the wall, his temper having its rare release. "Gennai...how can you ask me that?! They were going to _die_. I couldn't just stand by and let them meet their end!"

Gennai didn't say a word as he turned away. This meant he was in deep thought. "...I know. The incident in the Valley of Death required your intervention. But still...try to keep your hands clean. It's still a long ways until the battle you've been preparing for all these years."

Shaun tensed up as the memory returned to him.

A burning building, with flames brightening the Tokyo skyline.

The muted screams of two adults as the same building fell upon them.

Two crying children, held in the arms of an older brother.

A demon in red, laughing at the destruction.

The glare of hatred the older brother gave at the demon.

Shaun growled as he punched the wall, his veins momentarily pulsing with rage. "I know...I'll try and keep at a distance...but only after I help them with MagnaAngemon." His eyes suddenly brightened, as if he suddenly figured out what to do about the situation. "I just figured out a way to do it...and it'll help keep the Emperor off the others' backs for a while if it goes according to plan. I need you to make a video about this..."

Shaun relayed the information to Gennai. Gennai was shocked...but he made the video program and uploaded it to Shaun's D-Terminal nevertheless.

Shaun hoped the end result would be worth it. Because if it didn't – Shaun sighed ruefully as he looked at his partner – not even _he_ would be able to stop MagnaAngemon.

And even if everyone else assisted him...it might not be enough.

* * *

/4:00 AM, Izzy's Apartment/

Izzy tapped his laptop's keyboard calmly as the others waited patiently around him. He, as the temporary host, provided the snacks. Snacks that were currently being dwarfed down by Gatomon, Upamon, Poromon, and Demiveemon (despite the fact that he had already eaten). He turned his face to TK, Izzy, Yolei, Cody, and Davis. "You guys should be thankful that my mom and dad are both out at the store for the moment. Otherwise we'd have to infiltrate the school again."

Cody sweatdropped as he thought about his little 'infiltration' yesterday. "Not to be a downer, but I'd rather not do that again."

"Understood and noted Cody," replied Izzy as he opened up the Digital Grid program on his laptop. "Take a look at this guys."

A steady line of black squares lead away from sector 10-111-OMICRON...the sector where they had fought Metalgreymon yesterday. "Now it's clear the Emperor's been working hard. He's changed over ten white sectors to black in just under a day. And according to their current path of conquest, they're going to be hitting this sector next." Izzy pointed to sector 10-101-PI.  
  
"I get it," murmured Yolei. "We're going to confront the Emperor there."

Izzy nodded in confirmation. "Exactly."

"Just a question...how come we can't use the school's computer lab?" asked Davis.

"Because the computer lab is being used this afternoon. As one of the main tutors for that class, I'm privy to its schedule," replied Izzy as he continued looking at his laptop.  
  
TK didn't hear any of this. His only thought was about everything that the Emperor was doing...more specifically, what he was forcing MagnaAngemon to do. His hands clenched as he thought about all the suffering he was inflicting upon the Digiworld's innocent inhabitants...and how much he was causing MagnaAngemon to suffer because of it. _Emperor...you will pay for this..._

"TK."

TK turned to see Kari looking at him with a sympathetic and reassuring gaze. "Don't worry...we'll get him back."  
  
TK momentarily smiled. That was just like Kari...putting a happy face on a bad situation. "Thanks Kari...thank you."  
  
Davis' first impulse upon the little scenario was to seethe...but he put his temper in check. He knew what was at stake, and he knew that TK was going through what Tai had gone through. _I'll let you get away with it this time TK._ What Davis thought TK was getting away with, we'll probably never know.

"Guys, we need to hurry up. We're under a time limit here." Izzy highlighted sector 10-101-PI and turned the computer around so that it faced everyone else. "My parents will be home in two hours...hopefully you guys can beat MagnaAngemon by then."

Everyone nodded and steeled themselves for the battle that was to come. TK pulled out his D-3 and shouted, "DIGIPORT OPEN!!!"  
  
Izzy backed off as the white light enveloped his friends, transporting them to the Digital World.

* * *

/Sector 10-101-PI/

"RAAAH!!!"  
  
A herd of Tyrannomon roared in anguish as a vortex of wind sucked them off the ground. The Gate of Destiny's milky void absorbed the Tyrannomon as the air around the vortex rippled. Once all of the dinosaur Digimon were vanquished, MagnaAngemon set down.

The area around them was a barren desert area similar to 10-110-OMICRON and 10-111-OMICRON. However, the sole difference was that this place was not home to countless rocky columns; rather, it was home to large craters that ranged from the size of houses to the size of a football stadium. MagnaAngemon set down in one the size of a city block.

The Emperor chuckled as he hopped off of MagnaAngemon's left shoulder. Once MagnaAngemon had been captured the previous day, he had gone on a relentless invasion of the surrounding areas, constructing new Control Spires by the hour! All Digimon that had fled were enslaved, and MagnaAngemon ruthlessly annihilated all that had dared to resist! He now had the most powerful Digimon in the Digidestined's arsenal in his possession...and he was going to put him to good use.

"Now MagnaAngemon, let me teleport a Spire here." The Emperor walked toward the center of the crater and knelt at the center. He opened up his gauntlet and opened up a wireless connection to his base's computer. He accessed the Synthesizer Room and selected a pre-selected option that read 'CS' in plain black text on his gauntlet's screen.

A small circular slot opened at the end of his gauntlet, and a tiny obsidian-colored pellet was ejected from it. The pellet was embedded into the ground...and the pellet suddenly grew many stories higher, becoming a 10-story rod with a diameter no larger than a centimeter. Immediately afterward, black particles began to stream from the slot in the Emperor's gauntlet, coagulating upon the rod. After two minutes of this, the small rod had taken on the familiar, intimidating form of a Control Spire.

Sector 10-101-PI was now his.

"Now MagnaAngemon, let us move on to sector 10-110-PI," said the Emperor as he walked back towards MagnaAngemon.

"WAAH!!!"  
  
The Emperor stopped in his tracks. Did he just hear screaming?

* * *

Davis grumbled as he pulled himself out of the dogpile. "Are we gonna do this everytime?!"

* * *

The Emperor was pulled onto MagnaAngemon's shoulder by the Ultimate's muscular arm. "MagnaAngemon. Go up." The corrupted angel silently complied by flying upward; the Emperor's field of vision suddenly multiplied a hundredfold as MagnaAngemon hovered above the massive expanse. The Emperor squinted...then he saw them.

Davis. TK. Kari. Yolei. Cody. And their partners...well, all except TK's anyway. Shaun wasn't present, but the Emperor had no doubt he would eventually arrive. He maliciously grinned; he might as well have some fun with them before the sixth brat arrived. "MagnaAngemon...let's play with them."

MagnaAngemon's response came in the form of dive-bombing at the group.

Armadillomon gulped as he saw MagnaAngemon diving at them. "Uh...guys, I don't mean to end this lovely session of bickerin', but we've got trouble!"  
  
TK remained silent as he watched his partner zoom towards the group.

* * *

Shaun stuffed several candy bars into a large brown backpack. Inside the backpack was a large gray box, which was now covered by the chocolate bars. He zipped it up and slipped it over his shoulders. He was ready.

"(Agumon)...let's go."  
  
(Agumon) stood beside Shaun as he pulled out his orange D-3 and pointed it at the computer.

"DIGIPORT OPEN!!!"  
  
And then they were gone.

* * *

"Stop."  
  
That was the Emperor's command when he saw the Digiport behind the Digidestined glow brightly. When the light faded, Shaun and his partner were standing there. The Emperor sighed; no play time with them.

"You know, had you not shown up, I would've toyed with the others for awhile!" shouted the Emperor as he proudly stood on MagnaAngemon's shoulder. "But since the entire cast is here, we shall begin the play!"

Yolei growled and angrily screamed, "PLAY?! YOU THINK THIS IS ALL SOME SORT OF _PLAY?!?!_"

The Emperor chuckled as MagnaAngemon began to hover to the largest crater of them all. "Actually, I think of it to more like a chess game..." MagnaAngemon stood on the far edge of the crater, while the Digidestined stood on the opposite side. The Emperor spoke into his gauntlet, and his voice was amplified. "We Digidestined are the chess players, and the Digimon are the chess pieces. MagnaAngemon has the power of a Queen...while the your Digimon are nothing but PAWNS! This match was over before it even started!"

Veemon roared, "Who you calling a pawn?!"  
  
"Yeah! Besides, all of our chess pieces are like Kings!" boasted Davis confidently. "Kings are better than Queens!" The rest of the Digidestined sweatdropped. The Emperor sighed out of exasperation and thought, _and Tai made him their leader. Poor judgment._ "I am afraid you have some rules to read on chess Motomiya...but here's one rule I'll have to add. MagnaAngemon will defeat you no matter WHAT you do!"  
  
Shaun snorted as he pulled out his D-3. "Everyone, we have to fight!"  
  
Davis and everyone else sans TK pulled out their D-3s as well. "ARMOR DIGIVOLVE!"  
  
Veemon armor-digivolve to......Raidramon: The Storm of Friendship!  
  
Hawkmon armor-digivolve to......Halsemon: The Wings of Love!  
  
Armadillomon armor-digivolve to......Digmon: The Drill of Knowledge!  
  
Gatomon armor-digivolve to......Nefertimon: The Angel of Light!  
  
(Agumon) armor-digivolve to......Sonocomon: The Speed of Wisdom!  
  
The five Armored Champions stood on one edge of the crater. MagnaAngemon stood on the other. Unmoving, unwilling to make the first move.

"Thunder Blast!"  
  
Until Raidramon decided to attack. A blue burst of electricity rocketed toward MagnaAngemon, rapidly crossing the 120 yards that separated the two opposing forces.

The Emperor smirked as the attacked loomed ever closer. _They're in for quite a surprise_.

MagnaAngemon extended his glowing red Magna Blade...and moved it around in a circle.

"Gate of Destiny."  
  
A blue-rimmed portal appeared where the Magna Blade had touched the air. MagnaAngemon moved away as the blue gateway materialized...and once its rune-covered surface opened up, it revealed something entirely different.

A pool of blood red energy.

"Wha...what is that?"  
  
TK stared at the gate with numbed shock. "I...I don't know Kari."  
  
The Emperor smiled. "It's a little technique MagnaAngemon revealed to me during my territorial conquest yesterday! Show them!"

MagnaAngemon's Magna Blade still glowed...then he clenched his fist.

"Release."  
  
The blade retracted, and blood red energy erupted from the Gate in a torrential stream of death. The stream engulfed and overwhelmed Raidramon's Thunder Blast, and it continued its super fast progress toward the Armor Digimon.

Nefertimon quickly flew away and shouted, "MOVE!!!" The Digimon quickly evaded as the stream collided with the ground where they had stood. The torrent splashed over the rock, boring another several dozen feet into the crater. When the Gate finally closed, the stream ended. The place where it had hit still burned red...and the damage was readily apparent.

Davis' mouth almost dropped down to the ground. "Wha?! Your partner's capable of THAT?!?!" he shouted at TK.

TK dully replied, "I...I didn't know..." To be truthful, he was shocked as well. He had known MagnaAngemon was powerful...but after four years, to see him unleash something of such devastation, it was very unnerving.

The Emperor laughed as the Gate of Destiny disappeared into nothing but particles. "It's rather interesting...usually, the Gate of Destiny becomes like a vortex, sucking in everything in its range. However, MagnaAngemon revealed to me yesterday that the Gate has another function; to release a portion of the power within the Forbidden Realm that lies at the other side of the Gate! The power within is released upon MagnaAngemon's foes!" The Emperor enjoyed a long, good laugh. "I told you before...this battle was over before it even started!!! MAGNAANGEMON!!! **DESTROY THEM!!!**"

MagnaAngemon's Magna Blade came forth, and the corrupted angel charged. The Armored Digimon split up and began their counteroffensive. Digmon burrowed underground; Halsemon and Nefertimon took to the air, while Sonocomon and Raidramon went in head-on. Sonocomon reached MagnaAngemon first.

"Blue Dash!" Sonocomon ran around and around MagnaAngemon, creating a tornado of sorts that enveloped MagnaAngemon. The Ultimate stood still inside the whirlwind's maelstrom, unmoving despite the screaming sound of the sonic-speed winds...then he punched.

Sonocomon stopped in his tracks at the punch that suddenly appeared in front of his face. The whirlwind stopped, MagnaAngemon jumped, and then he kicked Sonocomon in the back, sending him flying.

"Electric Fang!"  
  
This allowed Raidramon to come up from behind the Ultimate; his teeth sank into the Ultimate's right shoulder. No skin was broken, but the shock rolled through the tainted angel's body.

A minor annoyance.

MagnaAngemon grabbed Raidramon's head and threw him away; to MagnaAngemon's surprise, Raidramon fell _through_ the ground. The Emperor was surprised as well. _So...Digmon's been making tunnels and potholes over the entire battlefield. No problem...MagnaAngemon will just take to the air_. "MagnaAngemon, take flight!"

MagnaAngemon spread his wings and flew high; moments later–

"Rosetta Stone!"  
  
MagnaAngemon winced as two stone tablets stopped his ascent. He turned around to see Nefertimon preparing to fire more tablets. He extended his Magna Blade.

"Gate of Destiny. Release!"

Nefertimon yelped as she barely dodged the stream of red power. The Gate closed and dissipated as MagnaAngemon pursued the flying sphinx.

"Eagle Eye!" A pale burning sensation struck him in the shoulder where Raidramon had bitten him earlier. He turned to see Halsemon's eyes bursting with red energy.  
  
No matter. If he was eager to die as well, he would grant the bird's wish.

"Gate of-"

"Missed me?" MagnaAngemon halted in mid-syllable. He looked down to see Sonocomon holding onto his ankle. "Speed Spin!"  
  
The only part of his body that remained uncurled was the hand holding MagnaAngemon. Sonocomon began spinning around at high speeds, with MagnaAngemon being spun around with him. The angel groaned as he tried to break free of the G forces gripping his body. Blood began to rush into his head–

Sonocomon suddenly threw MagnaAngemon, the angel spinning rapidly as he fell toward the ground. The angel hurryingly tried to right himself in time...

He did. All eight of his wings opened, reducing his fall and straightening him out. Once he was right side up, he folded his four middle wings back over his body before falling the final few feet to the ground.

Which promptly gave way when his feet touched it. MagnaAngemon gasped as his feet were engulfed by the inky blackness below the earth. Almost immediately afterward, a set of teeth seized his right foot. Then a voice that was recognized as Raidramon's spoke.

"Elecruck Fing!"  
  
Okay, so the foot in his mouth distorted his voice. Nevertheless, electricity coursed from Raidramon's teeth and into MagnaAngemon. The angel growled as he shook his foot as hard as he could; his body was half above and half below the ground.

So he was in quite a bit of a pickle when Digmon leapt out of the ground in front of him. "Let's see if your visor's tough enough for this! Rock Cracking!"

MagnaAngemon's head began to vibrate as the drills made contact with his red visor. He was getting ticked off now; electricity was pouring into his body, his foot was beginning to bleed, and a headache was starting to build. "Enough!" MagnaAngemon pooled all of his strength into kicking his right leg; his right leg rushed upward, causing Raidramon to crash into Digmon as he went upward. The two Armor Digimon were now airborne, giving MagnaAngemon ample time to free himself. When the two Digimon crashed into the ground, MagnaAngemon had already freed himself.

"Gate of Destiny. Release!"

Red energy burst forth from the portal; Raidramon and Digmon would've been enveloped had Halsemon and Sonocomon not dragged them away. Rock turned into molten slag where the stream touched. All five Armor Digimon rejoined on the other side of the now battle-scarred crater.

The Emperor smirked as he watched MagnaAngemon float over to the opposite side of the crater to face-off with his foes. _This is actually amusing...but it doesn't matter. MagnaAngemon is still infinitely more powerful. Sooner or later, one of them will fall...then the entire house of cards will tumble. _

Raidramon growled as he stretched his neck. "Man! No matter what we do, he just keeps on coming!"  
  
"Well he IS MagnaAngemon," emphasized Nefertimon as she glared at Raidramon sternly. "Remember, he's the one who saved the Digidestined from the final Dark Master Piedmon. I'm still surprised we've lasted this long! And any injuries we've caused to him won't last..."  
  
"WHAT?!" exclaimed Digmon. "But his shoulder...and foot...and the headache I gave him..."  
  
"She's right Digmon," interrupted Sonocomon. He pointed at MagnaAngemon, whose wings were beginning to glow a myriad of colors. "Look."  
  
Indeed, MagnaAngemon's wings were all folded, and they were glowing as if a rainbow had infested his darkened wings. "Magna Antidote." Rainbow light washed over his body; when it dissipated, his body appeared entirely fresh.

"See?" pointed out Nefertimon.

* * *

"**WHAT?!?!** HE CAN _HEAL_ HIMSELF?! THAT'S NO FAIR!!!!!!" Davis angrily shouted this as loud as he could. He was very, very, very, very upset now; their partners were getting tired, TK's partner was proving to be extremely strong (much to his own annoyance), and now all the injuries inflicted upon him were completely healed! It just wasn't fair!!!

For TK, it was all becoming a horrible nightmare. MagnaAngemon was pulling out all the stops...and he had just healed himself completely. That practically enabled MagnaAngemon to fight on forever. Nothing short of a killing blow would stop MagnaAngemon...and that's what frightened him to no end. Could they stop him..._would_ they be able to stop him without killing him? _How can we win...how can we save Patamon?_  
  
Unbeknownst to everyone, a plan had already been set in motion. Everyone was so focused on the battle that they didn't notice Shaun slowly move off to the northern side of the crater (The Digidestined were on the western edge; the Emperor occupied the eastern edge).

Shaun slowly placed the metal box in place. It was ready. He then placed a small device that looked like a remote control into his pocket. He then pulled two candy bars out of his backpack and slowly began to rejoin the group.

Now there was only one more thing that had to be done.

* * *

Digmon groaned as MagnaAngemon's Magna Blade extended. "Oh man...he's about to open the Gate again!"  
  
Halsemon ventured forth an idea. "Perhaps we should all launch an attack at once."  
  
Raidramon shrugged. "Why not? We got nothing else to lose!"

Sonocomon nodded. "Yeah...Digmon, you fire first. The rest of us will fire next."  
  
Digmon acted as if he had just heard nothing...then he shrugged. "Okay."  
  
MagnaAngemon acted first. "Gate of Destiny. Release!"  
  
The stream of red rocketed towards them.

"Gold Rush!" The five drills zoomed toward the stream in a pentagonal pattern. Sonocomon shouted, "Everyone! Fire your attacks behind the drills!"

"Cat's Eye Beam!" The two lasers struck the posterior of the left drill.

"Eagle Eye!" Red lasers struck the right drill.

"Blue Dash!" Sonocomon fired two blue lasers from separate hands onto the top drill.

"Thunderous Roar! **RAAAH!!!**" Five bolts of blue lightning struck all FIVE. Sonocomon quickly made a speedy dash to the five energy-laden drills and began spinning around them in a corkscrew fashion. With the G forces being pushed upon the drills, there was little choice...but to _merge_.

The five drills combined into one gigantic cone of white energy; it was actually larger than the stream coming from the Gate of Destiny. The only coloring came in the form of a pale blue wisp corkscrewing around the energy drill.

The Digidestined gasped as the energy drill and the red stream prepared to collide. The Emperor's eyes widened as well. Shaun just waited with his arms crossed...perhaps this would result in the outcome he was hoping. If at all possible...would it mean he wouldn't have to resort to his plan? _Only one way to find out._

Then they collided.

A minor shockwave rolled over the crater from the epicenter of the collision. At first, it seemed that the momentum of the Gate's stream would carry it all the way through the energy drill...but then its gradual progress stopped.  
  
Then the energy drill pushed forward...and began breaking _through_ the stream. It began to pick up speed...and then it finally broke the Gate apart! The Emperor gasped as the energy drill zoomed toward the undefended MagnaAngemon. _No! This can't be!!!_

MagnaAngemon had no time to summon another gate. He could only cross his arms as the energy drill crashed into him. The sheer push behind the drill completely drove MagnaAngemon across the ground and into the wall of the crater. The resulting collision and explosion of the energy drill kicked up a cloud of dust and dirt over twenty stories high: twice as tall as a Control Spire.

"Yahoo!" cheered Davis as he pumped his fist into the air. "That's what I'm talking about!"

TK's feelings were a little more muted. _I hope he's okay..._

An answer came very quickly.

MagnaAngemon walked out of the smoke with a stern expression. Although his body was rather singed, he walked as if he didn't feel it at all.

And another thing...he looked ticked.

Davis slumped to the ground in exasperation. "AH!!! What does it take to beat this guy?!"  
  
The Emperor's subsequent laughter could be heard even from across the crater. "And to think I actually worried my slave would lose...HA!!! You're all finished!"

Raidramon growled deeply. "Guys! Let's try it again before he has a chance to heal himself!!!"

"Gold Rush!"  
  
"Cat's Eye Beam!"

"Eagle Eye!"  
  
"Blue Dash!"  
  
"Thunderous Roar! **HAAAAH!!!**"  
  
Despite the fact that Raidramon's voice sounded a tad hoarse, the attack was the same as before. Sonocomon corkscrewed around the drills, forming them into the massive white energy drill once more. MagnaAngemon simply stood there as the energy drill advanced.

Then he extended his Magna Blade and rotated his arm.

"Gate of Destiny."  
  
Unlike the last time, the vortex within the Gate was milky-white. Also, instead of spewing forth a stream of energy...it began _inhaling_ everything around it.

Including the massive energy drill.

Davis' jaw practically dropped to the ground. "HE'S _SUCKING_ IT IN?!?! **TK!!!** WHY DOES MAGNAANGEMON HAVE TO BE SO POWERFUL???!!!"

Yolei punched Davis in the back of the head. "Quiet you moron! TK can't help it!"

The air around the drill began to warp as it was sucked in by the vortex within the gate. Along with the drill, rocks and debris from the crater were being pulled in as well. Once the drill was absorbed, MagnaAngemon closed the gate. "Now..."  
  
He quietly held his clenched hand forward...and opened it.

"Reflect."  
  
The gate opened once more...but this time, something erupted from the milky-white void within. The energy drill, to be precise.

The Digimon's jaws dropped as they watched their own attack come flying right back at them. "MOVE!!!" yelled Nefertimon.

Too late. The drill crashed into the side of the crater; the shockwave sent all of them flying.

The drill's speed had been increased due to the fact that the Gate of Destiny had launched it out. This not only made it impossible for the Digimon to completely dodge it; it also caused the drill to go completely through the ground and out through the wall of another crater – the crater that held the Control Spire.

With a mighty explosion, the Control Spire was utterly destroyed by the drill. Shaun grimaced as he watched Sonocomon land near him with a _thud_. _Well...not the way I imagined it would be destroyed, but it'll do._

Nefertimon, Halsemon, Digmon, and Raidramon landed in scattered positions across the western half of the crater. They were bruised, tired, and aching...but they were still going to fight on. They all shakily got to their feet and glared at MagnaAngemon.

Sonocomon, however, didn't. He dedigivolved to (Agumon.) Shaun knelt beside his partner and unwrapped the two chocolate bars he had pulled out earlier. "You look beat," Shaun cracked.  
  
(Agumon) eagerly started eating the chocolate bars. "I always knew...that MagnaAngemon was tough," he said between chews and his gasps for air. "But knowing it...and experiencing it...are two entirely different things."  
  
Shaun nodded in agreement. "You have enough energy?"  
  
(Agumon) sighed as he got to his feet. "I do...but considering how weak I am from the battle already, I won't be at full strength."  
  
"It'll have to do," said Shaun as he crumpled up the candy wrappers. "Now go."  
  
(Agumon) gave an affirmative nod before walking back into the crater towards MagnaAngemon.

The Emperor frowned as he watched (Agumon) walk into the crater. He had just witnessed Shaun speaking with his partner from afar...and now the little dinosaur seemed to be heading toward MagnaAngemon to face him on his own. _But that's suicidal..._

Then he remembered. The reflected energy drill had destroyed the Control Spire. It was clear now...Shaun was going to call upon (Metalgreymon). The Emperor chuckled...then laughed. "FOOL!!! (Metalgreymon) won't make a difference! YOU'RE _STILL_ DEAD MEAT!!!"

(Agumon) remained silent as he stopped several meters away from MagnaAngemon. The angel smirked as he extended his Magna Blade...and spoke. "If you're so eager to die...I'll be glad to oblige."  
  
Shaun pulled out his orange D-3...and took a deep breath. _Here goes..._ "(Agumon)..."  
  
He then yelled as loud as he could.

"WARP DIGIVOLVE!!!"

The words were heard by all...the only ones who understood what they meant were TK, Kari, Nefertimon, and the Emperor...and the only one who fully appreciated the magnitude of those words (for better or worse) was the Emperor. _Warp digivolve...?_

(Agumon) warp digivolve to......(Wargreymon!)

Unlike Tai's Wargreymon, Shaun's had a different wardrobe of sorts (probably from the Crest of Wisdom's influence on it). Unlike the blazing gold gauntlets, shoulder pads, and posterior shield of Tai's Wargreymon, (Wargreymon's) was a pale, shimmering blue. Also, the silver of Wargreymon's shin guards, chest plate, and horned helmet was replaced by blazing gold on (Wargreymon's) aforementioned armor pieces. Plus, the red tubes connected to the chest plate, the red center of the shin guards, and the red mane coming from under the helmet was now colored shimmering silver. The formerly blazing red eyes were now a calm, concentrated blue. The final touch was on the back shield; the Crest of Wisdom replaced the Crest of Courage.

(Wargreymon) flexed his neck and stretched his limbs. "It's been awhile since I've been in this form..." He turned around to the other Digimon. "I'll give you guys some time to recover." He turned back to MagnaAngemon. "Now...let's dance. HA!!!" MagnaAngemon barely had time to raise his arm when (Wargreymon's) right came crashing down, with the head being the target.

Kari stared silently. Not at the battle...but at Shaun. _He not only has a crest...but his partner can go to Mega! How can that be?_

The Emperor was having similar thoughts as well. _Shaun's partner not only goes to Ultimate...but Mega as well! Mega...the highest plateau of power a Digimon can reach!!!_ The Emperor shook his head to clear away those thoughts; Piedmon had been a Mega as well...a Mega more powerful than Wargreymon. _And MagnaAngemon had beaten him as well...and Shaun's partner is still tired from battling as Sonocomon! This battle is still won!_

MagnaAngemon kicked with his right leg, which (Wargreymon) jumped over. MagnaAngemon then thrust his Magna Blade forward to sever the Mega's head. (Wargreymon) averted an early death be swatting the arm away with his leg. (Wargreymon) then extended his gauntlets' claws and began slashing at MagnaAngemon. The angel countered and defended with his blade.

Raidramon muttered a feral growl as he stiffened his legs. "(Wargreymon's) still fighting...I'm still going to fight too." Then, he charged.

MagnaAngemon got in a lucky uppercut with his left fist, sending (Wargreymon) to the ground. The angel then dove down with his Magna Blade; he was going to impale (Wargreymon's) through.

(Wargreymon) didn't let that happen though. He locked MagnaAngemon's arm in a vice grip with his two hands. Nevertheless, MagnaAngemon was still pushing forward; after all, MagnaAngemon had all of his weight behind him. (Wargreymon) only had the strength in his arms. (Wargreymon) groaned as the blade began closing the distance...it was only a few inches away from his throat...

"RAAH!!!"  
  
Raidramon suddenly rammed into MagnaAngemon's side, pushing the tainted angel off of (Wargreymon). Raidramon complemented his ram by an up-close Thunder Blast. MagnaAngemon groaned as he punched Raidramon away. "Pest..." MagnaAngemon leapt towards Raidramon with his blade out, fully intending to finish off the electrically powered quadruped.

(Wargreymon) wouldn't let him get that chance. "Terra Force!"  
  
A gigantic orb of orange energy materialized in (Wargreymon's) arms; an orb he quickly threw at MagnaAngemon. The angel quickly turned around and swung his arm around. "Gate of Destiny." The orb was swallowed by the milky vortex within. "Reflect!" The orange orb came flying back at (Wargreymon). His shield split into two halves – a sign he was about to go airborne – and took to the air. The sphere crashed into the ground, creating a tremendous blast of energy, rock, and rubble.

(Wargreymon) dove downward toward MagnaAngemon, who was getting ready to take flight himself. "Not so fast! Nova Force!" (Wargreymon) placed his arms ahead of him and activated his gauntlets' razor-sharp claws (AKA Dramon Destroyers). He then began spinning rapidly, causing his body to become a large whirlwind. The aforementioned Nova Force attack careened straight for MagnaAngemon.

Of course, MagnaAngemon evaded by flying upward.

"Tempest Wing!"

MagnaAngemon suddenly lost breath as Halsemon struck him in the back. Now, due to Halsemon's fatigue, it wasn't as strong as it could've been. However, it hurt MagnaAngemon more because he had been unguarded; all of his attention was on the Mega. And it infuriated him. As well as the Emperor.

_Curses! MagnaAngemon knows that (Wargreymon) will do him in if he doesn't focus...so that leaves all of the other weaklings to pick at him... _The Emperor began to sweat; could it be turning out that the infallible MagnaAngemon was actually fallible?

"Gate of Destiny! RELEASE!!!"

Halsemon screamed as part of the stream burned his back. The Emperor paused in his doubt; _then again, maybe he's still infallible_.

"Rosetta Stone!" MagnaAngemon turned to see a tablet in his face. The stone tablet struck him straight in the head, sending his world upside down. He cursed his misfortune...despite the fact that his Magna Antidote had cured the pain earlier, the headache from Digmon's drills seemed to return...

He suddenly felt as though he was grabbed. He looked up and saw that (Wargreymon) had grabbed him...and he was dive-bombing. MagnaAngemon struggled to get free, struggled to clear his head–

CRASH!!!  
  
MagnaAngemon groaned as his head collided with the ground, forming another crater within the crater. His vision was swimming now; he couldn't make heads or tails of anything. The cloud of dust and dirt didn't help matters either.

That's why he didn't see (Wargreymon's) hand go for his neck.

* * *

Davis squinted to see through the dust cloud. "Is it over? Is it over?!"  
  
They then heard more crashing and more rocks cracking. Cody sighed, "I doubt it."

Shaun fumbled around in his pocket for the device. Truthfully, he didn't know if (Wargreymon) had done his job or not. But he had to take the gamble that he had. Without hesitation, he pulled the device out, pressed the bottom button, and slid it back in.

MagnaAngemon suddenly leapt out of the smoke cloud, Magna Blade extended. (Wargreymon) was hot on his heels.

"Gate of Destiny!"  
  
The Gate returned once more, and it began to suck (Wargreymon) in. The Mega remedied this by throwing another Terra Force orb at the Gate. The Gate's pull was immensely decreased, due to the fact it was trying to absorb the much larger orb. This allowed (Wargreymon) to go _over_ the Gate and towards MagnaAngemon.

MagnaAngemon quickly punched at (Wargreymon's) abdomen, causing the breath to momentarily rush out of the Mega's lungs. MagnaAngemon took the opportunity to wrap his arms around (Wargreymon). Moments later, MagnaAngemon began dive-bombing towards the ground.

The Emperor's grin grew even wider and more sinister as the two combatants neared the ground. "Yes...break his head wide open!!!"  
  
Shaun didn't seem the least bit worried.

(Wargreymon's) arms flexed as he tried to wrench himself free of MagnaAngemon's grip. The Mega nearly swore; had he been at full power, he'd be able to break free! But he had to...he had to...

He did.

(Wargreymon) loosened the grip on him enough to slip out...grab MagnaAngemon...and place the angel _below_ him. Now MagnaAngemon was behind held by (Wargreymon), and he was going to the ground first...on his back.

**KABOOM!!!**  
  
A thunderous shockwave spread throughout the crater, for the collision was great. A giant cloud of dust kicked up into the air, clouding the entire northern half of the crater.

Everyone squinted their eyes in an attempt to see through the cloud. TK thought, _what...what's happening? It suddenly got so quiet..._

When the dust cleared, he had his answer.

MagnaAngemon was in an armlock. (Wargreymon's) left arm was around the angel's neck, while the right hand was placed against the side of MagnaAngemon's head.

The Digidestined gasped. The Emperor smirked. _I get it...Shaun's hoping that I'll have MagnaAngemon stand down. He thinks I value him too much..._ He chuckled softly as he pondered this. _Au contraire...I do value MagnaAngemon, but I know you don't have the guts to kill him. I, on the other hand, have no such worries_! "MagnaAngemon! Slice his head off with your Magna Blade!!!"

MagnaAngemon extended his red energy blade and raised his arm to slice (Wargreymon's) head off.

But the arm never rose above MagnaAngemon's chest.

_**CRACK!!!**_

The deafening silence that followed was too overwhelming for TK. It only added to his bewilderment...as well as his denial. _Wha...what just happened?_  
  
The answer was all to clear. 

(Wargreymon) let the angel's body to the ground. The odd angle at which MagnaAngemon's head laid only emphasized what had just happened.

(Wargreymon) had just broken MagnaAngemon's neck.

The fact became clear...only when MagnaAngemon's body dissipated into data particles that floated away and faded into nothingness.

Kari could only bring her voice to a whisper. "He...he...killed him..."  
  
Beneath TK's confused and bewildered exterior, a fierce battle was taking place. His emotions wouldn't believe it..._wouldn't_ believe it...but his logical side was slowly telling him the truth.

(Wargreymon) had killed MagnaAngemon.

And now (Wargreymon's) sights were on the Emperor. His blue eyes hardened into a glare as he walked slowly towards the despot.

The Emperor couldn't believe it. How? Shaun's partner had killed TK's partner. That wasn't what frightened him...what frightened was how casual Shaun and (Wargreymon) were acting about it. As if they weren't remorseful about destroying MagnaAngemon...and now it looked like he was the next target.

Now he suddenly felt a new sensation he hadn't felt in years...a feeling of terrible, numbing fear.

He fumbled for his gauntlet's controls and teleported back to his base.

(Wargreymon) kept walking...then stopped a few steps later. Shaun let a small breath escape his lips. _Man...that was close. If he had waited a little longer..._

"Why?"

His thoughts were interrupted by TK. Shaun looked at TK and saw that he was trembling...from sadness or anger. Or both.

"Why...why did...WHY DID (WARGREYMON) KILL HIM?!?!" TK looked furious. Heck, he _was_ furious. After all, his partner – his friend – had just been killed.

Shaun simply remained silent. He didn't have an answer for TK.

"Why?!" roared TK as he punched Shaun across the face. "WHY WON'T YOU ANSWER ME?!"  
  
As this was happening, (Wargreymon) was walking over the northern side of the crater. The Mega walked over the other side of the crater's edge and disappeared from sight.

On the other side of the crater, (Wargreymon) disappeared into thin air.

Then another (Wargreymon) came out of a hole in the ground. "Looks like everything went according to plan."

* * *

Shaun sighed as he resisted yelling in pain. _For a guy who preached that fighting isn't right, he sure has a mean punch._ "Look TK...I have only one thing to say."

TK growled as he prevented his second punch from going forward. "What...?" He practically said it through gritted teeth.

Shaun pointed over TK's shoulder. "Look over there."  
  
TK turned around. So did everyone else.

Davis frowned; he only saw nothing but barren plains of rock...and lots of craters. "Hey...I don't see anything."

TK turned around to ask Shaun what that was about...only to find out that the Child of Wisdom had already hightailed it out of there. He was already over fifty yards away. Yolei hissed and screeched, "YOU COWARD!!! GET BACK HERE!!!"  
  
Cody, however, was focusing on the battlefield...because something irked him about the whole scene. He could've sworn that there had been more debris...

Then he saw where MagnaAngemon had fallen where he died.

Cody's eyes widened. _What the...?_  
  
He silently walked into the crater, moving past the tired and hungry Digimon (all of which had dedigivolved by now, FYI). He stood over the spot where MagnaAngemon's body had fallen...and realized he hadn't been seeing things.

Because there was nothing there.

There was no mark that indicated MagnaAngemon had fallen there.

He looked to the north to see (Wargreymon) flying off with Shaun on his back. Cody frowned; he had a strange feeling about the whole scenario. He turned back to the others and shouted, "GUYS!!!"  
  
They all turned towards Cody. "WHAT IS IT?!" shouted Davis; that way he could be heard.

"GET DOWN HERE!!!" replied Cody. When he saw that they were walking down the side of the crater towards him, his eyes fell upon something he hadn't noticed.

A hole the size of (Wargreymon)...if not a little larger.

The connection hit him. _The sound of the rocks cracking...and the crashing. Was that the sound of this hole being made?_ Because Cody distinctly remembered that there was no hole before the dive-bombing incident from earlier.

When they had gotten to him, TK asked, "What is it Cody?"  
  
Even now, Cody could hear the hoarseness in TK's voice. Not to mention the fact that TK's eyes were moist. He quickly stopped that train of thought before saying, "Look here. This is where MagnaAngemon's body fell."  
  
Everyone looked down. Veemon scratched his head and said, "What about it?"  
  
"There's no marking."  
  
The words from Cody silenced everyone...especially TK. No marks? But...that had to mean MagnaAngemon had to weigh practically nothing...but that was impossible!  
  
Cody interrupted TK's thoughts. "I think there's more to what Shaun did than meets the eye. And I think our answers are lying in the hole over there." He pointed over to the hole he seen just moments ago.

TK no longer felt bewildered or confused...now he was just determined to get some answers. Without hesitation, he clambered down into the hole.

"I smell Patamon."  
  
Those words stopped their trek through the dark tunnel. It wasn't terribly large – only about 40 yards long – and it was also cramped. However, the light at the end of the tunnel had been visible at the start.

About three quarters of the way through, Gatomon had stopped and sniffed the air. That's when she had said the aforementioned words.

TK immediately broke out running towards the exit. He couldn't afford to take it slowly at this point. Please be there...please be there!!!  
  
Then he reached the end of the tunnel. It sloped upwards, so that the exit was actually parallel with the ground. TK climbed out...and gasped with happiness.

Lying on top of a large, metallic box was Patamon. Bruised? Yes. Tired? Of course. But he was there nonetheless. TK could barely restrain himself as he hugged his partner. "PATAMON!!!"  
  
Patamon shifted in TK's arms and mumbled, "5 more hours TK...ZZZ...zzz..."  
  
TK smiled as he just let his partner lay in his arms. _I can't believe it...but how...?_  
  
BEEP. BEEP.

By now, everyone had caught up with him...and TK's D-Terminal was beeping. Cody had a hunch about who it was from...but he had no way to know. "Go ahead and read it TK."  
  
TK begrudgingly put Patamon back on the ground and pulled out his D-Terminal.

* * *

_Dear TK,_

_I'm very sorry that I put you through that...but I had a purpose for doing that._

_The metal box is actually a video projector...if you turn it on, you'll see the entire battle from the point where MagnaAngemon leapt out of the dust cloud with (Wargreymon) at his heels. The part where (Wargreymon) broke MagnaAngemon's neck was put in to intimidate the Emperor; to scare him._

_(Wargreymon) knocked MagnaAngemon right before I turned on the video projector. He dove underground and brought MagnaAngemon to the other side of the crater, and then he tore off the Dark Spiral while he was still unconscious. I ran over here after the battle ended to make sure (Wargreymon) had freed Patamon._

_I'll be working on my own for awhile...breaking down Control Spires to divert the Emperor's attention from you. Hopefully he'll be too frightened to come out after this little incident._

_And TK...once again, I'm sorry I put you through that._

_Shaun_

_P.S: You have a mean right hook._

* * *

Cody nodded as TK finished reading off the message. "I was suspecting this."  
  
Everyone's eyes widened. Yolei said, "You did Cody? When? How?"

Cody held up his hand. "I first suspected something after Shaun ran off." He held up one finger. "I first noticed that some of the debris from the battle had disappeared...which is quite impossible." Two fingers. "And of course, there was the part where MagnaAngemon's body left no marks on the ground. That'd be impossible as well...unless he wasn't really there."

Davis scratched his head. "I get it...but did Shaun really have to go through all of that?" He groaned as Veemon jumped on his back. "Who cares Davish? Let's just get home and eat!"  
  
Hawkmon nodded. "I concur."

TK nodded as he picked up Patamon. "Well...let's go."

* * *

/5:03 PM, Izzy's Apartment/

Izzy groaned as he suddenly felt a torrent of bodies fall upon him. "I see...you guys succeeded." Sometimes he regretted always being on the computer...right now was one of those cases.

* * *

Shaun sighed as he walked away from the computer. Both he and (Agumon) had just come out of the computer...and he was tired. "Man...what a day."  
  
"Oh Shaun..."  
  
Shaun turned around to see Gennai...who had a hammer in his hand.

KONK!!!  
  
"OWW!!!!!" Shaun rubbed his forehead gingerly as he screamed, "WHAT WAS THAT FOR?!?!"  
  
Gennai sighed as he simply said, "Shaun...sometimes you take things too far. Case in point, the scene earlier today."  
  
Shaun grumbled as he rubbed the mark on his head. "Yes...but it the end results are what count." Shaun walked away to get some ice. Gennai sighed as he walked away.

'_The end results are what counts' eh? Well Shaun...I have to disagree._

* * *

To be continued...

Next time...

Episode 15: The Dark World

* * *

Author's Notes: Longest chapter in awhile...and over fifteen pages of battle scenes!!!

So long!


	15. The Dark World

Standard Disclaimer: Digimon is owned by Toei...and if I were to infringe on those copyrights, the government would disavow any knowledge of my existence. So let the word be spread! I DON'T OWN DIGIMON!

Author's Notes: It's nice to see my last episode was well received! To the reviewers, I answer thy questions!

Duke Devlin: Well, it's nice to see a new reviewer! Keep on reading those episodes!

Miracles: Wow, haven't read a review from you in a while. As for your position on MagnaAngemon's power, that's your opinion. However, I'm one of the people who believe that MagnaAngemon's power eclipses that of an Ultimate...and is sometimes capable of matching or surpassing a Mega's (A Meltimate? An Uga?). In a one-on-one battle, I think MagnaAngemon could defeat Piedmon...and for that matter, Wargreymon or Metalgarurumon. True, Piedmon was pushed in by Wargreymon and Metalgarurumon...but I think he would've been sucked in anyway.

Anthony1: Glad you enjoyed the fifteen-page battle. By the way, what's a 'chpater'? Or an 'everyong'? O.o?

Digi fan: A new reviewer is you! And now you have your new chapter!

Silver Warrior: Ah, another reviewer who touches on the whole 'MagnaAngemon-Ultimate or Mega' ordeal! You have a point; in a nutshell, neither Patamon nor any of his digivolved forms took part in fighting much up to this point in the TV show. And if one watches the show enough, one could see how more experienced and powerful the Digimon became with each battle (like the difference between Wargreymon's battles with Metalseadramon and Machinedramon).

Now...onward!

_----_

_The Digidestined thought that they had seen into the darkness when they met the Emperor...and in a way, they have._

_However, the darkness of the Emperor is nothing compared to the darkness they are about to see..._

_And this darkness washes over you...and it is all-consuming..._

..._like an ocean._

----

"This is Davis speaking! We finally grouped up and united to face MagnaAngemon, who had fallen under the Emperor's control. He showed us a lot of his powers, but things were going okay until MagnaAngemon redirected our partners' attack back at them! Thankfully, Shaun had an ace up his sleeve...(Wargreymon!) But then it looked like (Wargreymon) killed MagnaAngemon...but it was only a video! We got Patamon back...and the Emperor ran away like a chicken!"

----

Episode 15: The Dark World

/Monday, September 6th, Shortly after MagnaAngemon's Defeat/

For as long as he had been alive – and he had been alive for a long time – there had only been darkness.

_Master..._

He sighed as he looked out at the black ocean surrounding his palace. An ocean of darkness...and it was his to command.

_Great god of the dark waters..._

The land that bordered the ocean was also within his grasp. Of course, in a world borne of the evil and darkness of humans...of course there would be competition. Powerful monsters roamed the sky and traversed the land that sat far away from the seas.

_We beseech you..._

Nevertheless, _he_ controlled the ocean. The ocean bordered and surrounded everything. Eventually, he would conquer all...and then he would move on to the other worlds.

_Tell us..._

But first...he had to obtain the power. He needed to command it. He needed the power...

_What must we do?_

...of the light.

"Go to the Real World. Find the Child of Light. Bring her to me. Alive."

The voices all acknowledged him.

_Yes master. We obey._

----

/Friday, September 10th, Kamiya Apartment, 6:12 AM/

With a gasp, Kari sat upright in her bed. She hurriedly wiped the sweat off her face and looked at it.

It was normal water...no black color at all. Just regular sweat.

_Thank goodness..._

For the past week – ever since after MagnaAngemon had been defeated – she had been having strange dreams...or were they nightmares?

Sometimes she saw a pale sky with black clouds.

Other times it was a beach where the sand was gray.

And once, she had seen a crumbling, decrepit city.

However, there was one thing that had appeared in all the dreams...

An ocean of darkness.

Since Wednesday, she had been seeing...hallucinations. When she had taken a bath, she had sworn that black water was pouring from the faucet. Another time had been when she had turned on the sink to wash dishes...and there had been more black water.

_What's going on_, wondered Kari with fright. The darkness in her dreams...was it...calling out for her? _No...I'm just imagining things. It'll go away._

She then laid back down...and tried to go to sleep. Nevertheless, Gatomon kept a wary eye on her. "Kari," she muttered with worry. "Why won't you say anything...?"

----

/Sector 01-101-ZETA, 3:24 PM/

"Speed Spin!"

Sonocomon cleanly cut through the Control Spire's base, resulting in the monolith toppling to the ground with a tremendous crash.

Shaun glanced over at the two Tyrannomon nearby, both of whom had been knocked unconscious by Sonocomon just minutes ago. Thankfully, the Emperor hadn't implemented his Dark Spirals all over the Digiworld just yet...

As a matter of fact, the Emperor hadn't done much of anything for the previous week. Ever since MagnaAngemon had been lost, the Emperor had retreated into his base. Shaun and Sonocomon had gone through numerous digiports since then, performing hit-and-run missions in numerous sectors...many of them hundreds of miles apart.

As for the other Digidestined, they had dealt with the more heavily defended sectors; Shaun still remembered fighting the urge to go and assist them when they had faced four Airdramon and four Deltamon in sector 11-001-TAU two days ago.

As it turned out, his help hadn't been necessary.

Sonocomon set down beside Shaun as he pulled his D-Terminal. "Good job Sonocomon...now to contact the others."

He immediately opened up a real-time audio link with Davis' D-Terminal.

----

/Sector 10-110-XI, 3:24 PM/

Flamedramon faced down the last Tyrannomon...well, its viral cousin, anyway.

Its white belly was muscular and rock-hard. Its black skin was striped with red along the legs, muzzle, snout, and shoulders. Green 'fins' ran along its spine. Brown leather belts bound its two fingers. Its claws were plated with solid steel. Its cold gray eyes (now red, due to the Dark Ring on its left arm) glared hostilely at Flamedramon.

It was a Darktyrannomon...and it was the last one that hadn't been freed by the others. It was also standing between Flamedramon and the Control Spire. With a guttural roar, Darktyrannomon attacked. "Black Fire Blast!!!" Black flames curled outward from Darktyrannomon's gaping maw.

Flamedramon was unimpressed. Especially considering the move he had discovered two days ago during the battle at 11-001-TAU. "Let's see if you can handle this!!!" Flamedramon leapt backwards, digging his feet into the ground. His eyes literally ignited with red flames as he roared, "BLAZING CYCLONE!!!"

Flamedramon's body suddenly became engulfed in blazing red and orange flames, his form becoming unrecognizable in the inferno. He then leapt toward the Black Fire Blast attack, which still came for him at high speed.

Right before Flamedramon collided with the flames, he spun around like a corkscrew, much like the energy drill from the battle against MagnaAngemon. He crashed through the dark fire and into Darktyrannomon, causing the Viral Champion to flip head-over-heels. Yet Flamedramon kept going.

CRASH!!!

Right into the Control Spire. As the obelisk fell, so did the strength of the Dark Ring's influence over the last Darktyrannomon. As the Emperor's influence left it, Darktyrannomon fell unconscious from the strain placed upon it.

Davis cheered jubilantly. "Yeah! That's what we're talking about!"

About several dozen feet away, Cody was surveying the remains of the battle site. The sector had once been a lush jungle with a waterfall falling from the nearby cliff. Now the jungle was pockmarked with numerous burns and signs of battle. Trees were uprooted, and part of the cliff side had been destroyed.

Nevertheless, Flamedramon, Halsemon, Digmon, Pegasusmon, and Nefertimon had defeated the five Darktyrannomon in the area, along with the Control Spire. But one thing still troubled him...namely, the most powerful attacks in Raidramon's and Flamedramon's arsenal.

Thunderous Roar.

Blazing Cyclone.

Both of them were extremely powerful. And none of the other Armor Digimon had attacks of such magnitude. It made him wonder...did their partners have special attacks like those of Davis' partner?

Davis stopped his cheering as his D-Terminal beeped. He pulled it out and flipped it open...then nearly yelped when he heard Shaun's voice. **"Davis?"**

"Yeah Shaun?" asked Davis.

**"How are things going on your end?"  
**  
Davis grinned as he looked at the ruins of the Control Spire once more. "Everything's going perfect! We're actually done over here!" By this time, the Digimon had dedigivolved and had gathered together near a puddle of water.

"Aah!" said Veemon as he stretched his limbs. "Chalk up another victory for the Digidestined!"

Armadillomon nodded as he sipped up some water; one could still see the holes he had made as Digmon all over the battlefield. "Yup! Makes ya wonder if the Emperor's just plum given up!"

"Right on!" agreed Patamon.

Hawkmon wagged a feathery finger in protest. "I'm afraid it's not that. I think that after Shaun's little demonstration last week, the Emperor's too afraid to come out and face us."

By this time, the Digimon had noticed that Gatomon hadn't said a thing. "Gatomon?"

Gatomon did not respond to Patamon. She was too busy staring at Kari, who in turn was staring at the waterfall. The hair on her body tensed up as she felt an invisible chill pass through the air. _Whatever's happening to Kari...I can feel it too._

----

_There it is again!  
_  
For the third time that day, Kari had sworn that the waterfall had turned pitch black. Each time it had been a sort of sideways glance...but she had noticed. And now she was waiting for the water to turn black again.

As she continued watching the waterfall, a sudden chill swept through her. It wasn't as if she was getting cold...it was something more. A foreboding feeling that terrified her beyond rational thought. Wherever this dark water was coming from...

A hand suddenly touched her shoulder. Kari nearly jumped out of her shoes at the sudden touch. She whirled around, fearing an enemy...only to find TK.

"You okay Kari?" asked TK, his raised eyebrow betraying his bewilderment...and concern. "You've been acting a little odd all week. Are you okay?"

TK's point wasn't lost on Kari. Just yesterday, Kari had to excuse herself from P.E class on account of a fever. But it wasn't just any kind of fever...for you see, Kari said she was seeing things.

She had said that all of her fellow classmates looked like black monsters. The school nurse had prescribed her with a mild fever before sending her home early to rest up. As a matter of course, Kari's mom had gone crazy with worry. It had been a miracle that Kari had been able to leave her house!

Kari mulled over what to say. What if she was really hallucinating...?

No. No need to worry the others about it. "I'm just fine TK. Really!"

"Hey!" shouted Yolei from afar. "Come on guys! We're about to leave!"

TK looked one last time at Kari...then he turned away. Kari breathed a small sigh of relief. _Good...no need to worry him over this._

But that thought would come back to haunt her. As soon as the Digidestined had left for the Real World, the waterfall turned black once more...

...and creatures emerged.

----

_Master..._

"What?"

_The child is proving resilient..._

"You are having trouble weakening her enough?"

_...yes._

The mighty beast chuckled deeply. "Good...she is stronger than I hoped."

_Forgive us for our failure...but-_

"I understand. I'll forgive you...but you'd better put my power to good use. This is the only time I'll lend you my strength." With a mere thought, 'Master' lent part of his great power to his servants.

_Thank you Master...we will not fail this time._

The 'Master' chuckled as the voices left the realm of darkness. Forgiveness? Such a thing was of no use to him...once his servants did their duty, he would eliminate them all. Quickly. Painlessly. After that, he would have his way with the Child of Light.

* * *

Kari stared out the window at the Odaiba skyline, her mind wondering...and thinking.

About what?

The darkness. To her, it was as though it was trying to claim her...but why? Was it because of her crest? _Is it because I'm the Child of Light that that dark water's after me?  
_  
"Kari?" She turned to see Davis, looking at her quizzically. "You okay? You were acting a little bummed out after the battle." Davis didn't ask what TK had said to her.

Kari nearly frowned. She couldn't let Davis worry over her... "Yes Davis. I'm fine." A sudden look crossed her face as she clutched her stomach. "But...I do need to go to the bathroom." She immediately ran out of the computer lab and down the hall to the nearest restroom.

Yolei sighed as she watched the Digimon snack away. "Well, there goes my weekly allowance..."

----

The sounds of a flushing toilet echoed throughout the girl's bathroom as Kari zipped and buttoned her yellow shorts. "Man...this just hasn't been my week," she said with a sigh.

As her hand fell on the door handle, she heard them.

_Child of Light..._

Her body froze as the wraith-like voices said 'Child of Light'. She whirled around, trying to find the source of the voices._We finally found you..._

Then she made a terrifying realization...the voices were _inside her head_. "Who are you?! What do you want?"

_...we are oppressed..._

The soft, almost pained tone that the voices took on stopped Kari's fretting. Her mind pondered over the voice...and wondered why they sounded so familiar. "Are you...Digimon?"

_...and we need your help._

At that moment, black water gushed outward from the toilets and the water faucets, completely flooding over Kari and throughout the entire bathroom. But oddly enough, no water seeped to the outside. As she was enveloped...her D-3 slipped out of her pocket.

----

Yolei growled as she tried to push open the bathroom door. "COME ON!!! WHOEVER'S IN THERE, OPEN THE DOOR!!!" The girl seethed as she tried to open the door. She had to go! _BADLY!!!_ "**OPEN UP!!!**" Thankfully, her yelling wasn't heard. Most of the students had left, and those that were left were either outside or in detention.

As rage established total authority over he senses, one thought ran through her head unhindered in a single moment of clarity.

The bathrooms in the school didn't have any locks.

_But why won't this door open?!_

Then her answer revealed itself.

With a tremendous _CRACK_, the door was pushed open...in the opposite direction. Yolei was nearly crushed by the force of the door being pushed away by the black water that now poured from the girl's bathroom. Yolei sputtered and coughed up a mouthful of the foul, metal-tasting water before getting to her feet. The entire hall was now covered in the dark water...

Yolei suddenly remembered something. Kari had gone to the bathroom just minutes before she had to. She quickly ran into the bathroom (nearly slipping on the water-covered floor in the process) and looked around for Kari.

All she found was her pink D-3. _Oh no..._

Her reason for going to the bathroom completely forgotten, Yolei rushed back to the computer lab with Kari's D-3 in her palm.

----

"WHAT?!" exclaimed the others.

"I'm not joking!" replied Yolei, who had just run into the computer lab soaked to the bone and holding Kari's D-3. "When I went to the restroom, the door was stuck, and when it finally opened, the entire bathroom was flooded with black water!"

Gatomon's ears pricked and twitched. _Black water?_ She had heard Kari mumble 'dark water' numerous times in her sleep during the past week. Were they both one and the same?

Davis stood dramatically on top of one of the computer lab chairs. "Well, it's obvious Kari's been kidnapped! And we have to rescue her!"

Yolei sweatdropped as she retorted, "Uh, Davis...we don't know where Kari even is."

Davis nearly face-faulted. "Well...in order to rescue her, we have to find her! And to find her, we have to search! And what kind of place do we know of that Kari can be sucked away to by a bunch of water? The Digiworld! So where else to go but there?"

The others had to admit; Davis words did make sense. But something rubbed TK the wrong way about the whole scenario. And why was something telling him that...Kari wasn't in the Digital World?

Then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw Gatomon leave the room. TK silently followed her; Gatomon should know that someone could see her! As he left, Patamon perched on top of his head.

As for Gatomon...she couldn't shake off the feeling that there was something else was in the girl's restroom...and she had to find out before any of the school executives discovered the state of the girl's bathroom.

_Kari...I'll find out what happened to you._

----

She was going to drown.

Ever since black water had flooded the bathroom, Kari had felt like she was in a current. A fast, merciless current that refused to let her go. She had been holding her breath for almost two minutes now; she felt like her chest was going to explode!

What was worse was that...she couldn't _see a thing_. Nothing but total darkness around her. It was so claustrophobic around her that it heightened her fear.

Her face was turning blue...she couldn't hold her breath anymore...

Then she felt a sudden sense of vertigo as the black current became a wave, carrying her higher and higher...until it came down with a terrifying crash on a beach.

Kari sputtered out a mouthful of the foul water before taking in a deep, deep breath of air. _Man...I thought I was a goner..._ She stood and finally got a good look at her surroundings.

To be blunt, the place was bleak. The sky was colored a light gray...but clouds as black as midnight covered most of it. The beach sand was a deep shade of gray, and the cliffs that bordered the seemingly endless coastline. No vegetation was present.

However, the most prominent feature was the ocean of black that stretched away as far as the eye could see. A near-impenetrable fog barrier clouded the horizon.

Kari shivered as the wind passed by. It carried with it a strange feeling...was it fear? Apprehension? "This place...where am I?"

"_You've made it!_"

Kari whirled around to the source of the voice. What she saw made her gasp.

Dozens of Digimon that looked like Divermon were leaning against the cliff side, gasping and wheezing as if they were out of breath. The large hands and webbed feet were similar, as were the large mouths and webbed ears. The differences, however, ended there. The air tanks that the Divermon usually carried on their backs (for deep-sea dives) were gone. The color of their skin – normally blue – was now gray, and their formerly white bellies, head, and wrist fins were now light gray.

And their green eyes...were now blood red. One of the Digimon stood and said, "_We are Scubamon, the viral cousins of Divermon. We can breathe normally underwater, negating the need for an air tank._" The standing Scubamon limped over to Kari and fell to the sand. "_Thank you for coming Child of Light...for we are in dire need of help._"

Kari shivered at the raspy voice of the Scubamon. It was one of the many identical voices that had spoken to her mind in the bathroom. She could feel the desperation in their voices...so why was she so uneasy around them?

Was it because of this...place? "First of all...where am I?"

The Scubamon got back on his feet and gestured toward the ocean (Kari could now see that this Scubamon was several inches taller than the others; a mark of seniority or leadership?). "_This area of the world borders a great body of water called the Dark Ocean...and as you can see, it stretches far beyond the horizon._"

"Dark Ocean?" The mere name chilled her bones. "How come I've never heard of this place?"

"_Most stay away...few spread word of it._" The Scubamon turned toward Kari with a twisted expression that could best be described as a 'smile'. "_But we call it home._"

Kari looked at Scubamon oddly; how could anyone live in a dreary place like this? "But why did you call me? Why did you bring me here?"

The Scubamon pointed at the fog in the distance. "_Look._"

Kari looked at where the Scubamon was pointing. What was there to see? Nothing but fog-

Wait. She saw a small object sticking out of the fog...and it was spire-shaped. A Control Spire. _So that's it...the Emperor's come here._

Kari turned around to face the Scubamon. "I'll help out anyway I can. Can you take me there? That way I can see whether or not I'll need to call the others."

The Scubamon nodded. "_Of course. Follow us across that sandbar...it will lead you to our home._" At that, all of the Scubamon lazily got to their feet and limped along with the lead Scubamon across the sandbar that stretched across the sea. Kari could not help but latch on to the lead Scubamon's shoulders as they crossed the sandbar through a layer of fog.

And as she continued on...she couldn't but feel that chill again.

----

TK warily entered the waterlogged girl's bathroom (he was a boy, after all). Patamon looked down at one of the stalls to see Gatomon staring at a puddle of black water. "Gatomon, what are you doing?"

Gatomon did not answer. Instead...she jumped _into_ it. Shockingly, she sank into the puddle, as if it were deeper than a centimeter.

"GATOMON!!!" shouted the two. On impulse, they stepped into the puddle after her. Just like her, they sank into it.

The three were now on the trail of Kari...despite the fact that the one masterminding the flood only intended for one visitor; the Child of Light.

----

/Sector 10-110-XI/

Davis snorted as he thought over what the others had said before he left for the Digital World.

Yolei: _But we don't have any proof!  
_  
Cody: _Besides, we'll need to do some damage control with the bathroom...and it wouldn't be wise to search endlessly without any clues._

"HAH!" Davis was almost ashamed with them. What was the point of searching for a missing friend if you didn't search as quickly as possible and as much as you could? Besides, he already had a clue!

Kari had been acting odd earlier after the battle at sector 10-110-XI...so logically, that would mean _something_ had to be there. Right?

"Davish?" said Veemon as he stared at the waterfall. "Are you worried about Kari?"

Davis stopped. "Veemon...don't you think the answer's obvious? Of COURSE I'm worried! Why do you think I'm searching?!"

"Searching for what?"

Davis and Veemon yelped as the swiveled around in a split-second to see Shaun and (Agumon) standing there. Davis blubbered, "S-Shaun? (A-Agumon?!) What are you guys doing here?!"

Shaun simply shrugged and replied, "We were coming to this sector after you guys left to mop up any stragglers...and we were about to leave when we saw you two here."

"Speaking of which," interjected (Agumon). "Why are you guys here anyway? I thought you were done with this sector for the day."

"We were...but we're to search for Kari," answered Davis.

That piqued Shaun's and (Agumon's) attention. Shaun calmly asked, "Why? Is she missing?"

Veemon nodded. "Yolei said that she found Kari's digivice in the girl's bathroom! Kari wasn't in there, and the entire place was covered with black water!"

Shaun and (Agumon's) eyes widened in response. Davis noticed it. "You know something about this...?"

Shaun frowned as he glanced at the nearby waterfall. "Yeah...I'm afraid he's making his move."

"Who?! Who?!" chanted Davis and Veemon.

Shaun's response confused Davis as much as it worried him. "The Lord of the Dark Ocean...he's after Kari."

----

Kari kept a firm hand on the lead Scubamon's shoulder as they trekked through the fog along the sandbar. By now, she couldn't see anything except the vague outlines of Scubamon...and the only sounds came in the form of water crashing against the sandbar and the steady _flip-flop_ of the Scubamon's feet on the wet sand.

To be truthful...it was getting a little monotonous.

"_We're here,_" said the front Scubamon. By now, the fog barrier was beginning to clear...and the Control Spire was becoming visible.

However, Kari soon saw that it wasn't a Control Spire at all.

Rather, it was obelisk-shaped structure made of brownish-gray stone. Inscribed on all sides were runs and pictures of a winged sea creature.

And that wasn't all that stood around there. Many stone buildings towered above the sea, all of them standing on the island of sand that was connected to the mainland by the sandbar. Each of the buildings was built using the Grecian design of architecture. Also, all of the buildings were condensed with moisture.

Kari suddenly felt a new kind of chill...an indescribable terror that seeped down into her very essence. Something was in this city...an absolute darkness deeper than the Emperor's ever was...or could be. "Scubamon...this is your home?"

The Scubamon nodded...and they all spoke in unison. "_No...this city is our Master's home...we are merely his servants. We are grateful that we even could be given a place in his household...and we are not his only servants. There are many more of us in this city._"

Kari gasped as all of the Scubamon simultaneously morphed into larger creatures. The Scubamon had barely reached the height of her chest; these new creatures were easily a whole foot taller than her. They had a hunchback's body, and their arms reached all the way down to their shins. Their hands were club-shaped, and the top of their heads was dotted with bony knobs. And their eyes...all black with white pupils. Their bodies seemed to be made of the same black water in the Dark Ocean...and aside from the eyes, there were no other body features.

The 'Scubamon' chuckled deeply – and evilly – as they said, in chorus, "_You will come with us...our Master has requested your presence._"

It was at this moment that Kari recognized them; they were the black creatures she had seen in gym class yesterday.

Kari screamed; two of the creatures grabbed her and dragged her towards the largest of the buildings...a great temple with the picture of the same winged sea creature embroidered on the pillars. 

Her scream echoed throughout the city.

----

TK coughed and hacked out a mouthful of water as Patamon shook the water off of his ears. "Man...who'd have thought one could drown in a puddle...?"

Patamon flexed his ears/wings before replying, "I certainly didn't!"

Gatomon, meanwhile, hadn't bothered to dry herself off; considering she was a cat that was rather strange. She just stared across a sandbar into the distance at the fog.

Then, there was an echo.

Gatomon's ears twitched as she bolted across the sandbar. "KARI!!!"

TK groaned as he bolted after Gatomon, with Patamon following. Gatomon had come here for a reason...and he was intent on finding out what. Was it...Kari?

----

"Whoa, time out Shaun! What do you mean that the Lord of the Dark Ocean wants Kari? Who is this guy anyway?" demanded Davis.

Shaun sat down on a nearby boulder, his mind trying to remember the information he had been told... "First, you need to know a little history about the Dark World."

Davis and Veemon blinked; Veemon raised a hand and asked, "What's the Dark World?"

Shaun sighed as his mind conjured up an image of the unholy realm. "The Dark World is basically the antithesis of the Digital World...a world of darkness and shadows. Like the Digital World, most of the Dark World is covered by water, and that whole body of water is known as the Dark Ocean."

(Agumon) quickly interjected, "Can I say the next part?"

Shaun blinked, and then remembered that (Agumon) had been told just as much as he had. "Sure."

The Rookie dinosaur cleared his throat and continued on. "The Dark Ocean, however, has a master. One who rules over the entire Dark Ocean and the very land that borders it. He is only an Ultimate Digimon...but like MagnaAngemon, he's capable of facing – and defeating – Megas. His name...is Dragomon."

----

"_We have brought her Master._"

Kari gulped as her eyes fell upon the slime-covered throne that stood over ten stories high; as high as a Control Spire. It was the creature – no, _beast _– that sat in that throne that filled her with a sense of absolute fear and revulsion.

He was the winged sea creature depicted on so many of the city's buildings. His arms and legs were actually a number of long, blue-gray tentacles bounded together by metal chains, leather bands, and golden circlets. Whereas the legs and left arm all ended in numerous tentacles, the right arm's tentacles merged into one large appendage at the end. The shoulders had three horns jutting out of them, along with two red marks that looked like glaring red eyes. Metal tubes jutted out of his lower back and snaked around the arms. Unlike his slimy, wet skin, the wings were composed of a hard, orange and purple leathery hide. A necklace of large purple beads encircled his neck. His head was like that of a squid's – an ovular shape with a bulbous forehead. However, he also had a jaw; the lower orifice hung low and was filled with razor-sharp teeth. The upper jaw was filled with razor-sharp teeth as well, but small tentacles were attached to his upper lip. Curved red markings adorned his forehead...and they matched his blood red irises. 

The creature laughed and spoke in a guttural and imposing voice. "I am Dragomon...Lord of the Dark Ocean. All that live in the sea are under my command...and I can exercise my control over the ocean with my Thousand Tides attack. But those who earn my ire will fall to the power of my Forbidden Trident!"

Kari froze; Dragomon was the _grossest_ thing she had ever seen. Dragomon saw Kari's reaction to him and chuckled. "Do not be afraid Child of Light...I do not intend to harm you."

Before Kari could say anything, the 'Scubamon' all bowed. "_We have done as you have commanded._"

Dragomon's eyes narrowed as his eyes fell upon the several dozen creatures that had retrieved Kari. "Well done Deadmon. But since you took longer than planned to bring the Child of Light here, you will have to be punished." As Dragomon spoke to the newly named 'Deadmon', his voice never became rattled with rage...and that scared Kari. The casualness with which he was speaking terrified her. The beast finally finished, "Now I order you all to die."

Kari gasped at the audacity of the order; surely the Deadmon would protest! Even more shocking was the Deadmon's reply. They bowed and said in unison, "_Yes Master. We obey._"

The let out one last raspy breath before disintegrating into thousands of particles, which soon disappeared into the air. Dragomon smiled. "There...they've been dealt with."

"You...you...how could you..."

Dragomon looked down at Kari, whose hands were clenched and her body shuddering. "How dare you...what did they do wrong?! Why'd you destroy them?!"

Dragomon chuckled as he picked up something that sat beside his throne; a large, golden trident. "My dear Child of Light, the Deadmon are precisely what their name is...dead. Not only are they almost physically dead...but their spirits, their very **_souls_** are dead. They only exist for one thing...to serve me."

Kari scoffed. "You monster...they have feelings you know! I could hear the pain in their voices!"

Dragomon shook his head as he held up his left hand. Two tentacles stood up, as if they were fingers. "Two things you must know; one," One tentacle went down. "They died of their own free will. They died because I told them to. So technically, I did not destroy them myself. Two," The second tentacle went down. "They _used_ to have feelings. The Deadmon are Digimon that have either been borne from darkness...but most of the time, the Deadmon are those who drowned in their despair before dying."

Kari's eyes widened at that. Drowned in their despair? "What...what do you mean?"

"The Digital World is not as happy as you wish - or percieve -it to be." He placed his left hand back at his side. "Like many of the humans in the Real World, most Digimon have no purpose in their lives. Many of them do not have partners like you, be they a friend, lover, or otherwise. In their loneliness, they became sad. The sadness gives way to despair, anguish, and misery. Some feel like they have to live out their lives like that. Others take their life to end it all. Nevertheless, they are reborn here...as the Deadmon." An ironic chuckle escaped Dragomon's maw. "You know, perhaps one could find a Deadmon that used be Apocalymon around here somewhere."

Kari was appalled by Dragomon. He spoke of such depressing matters so casually...as if he were comfortable with such things. And the way he assumed total mastery over the lives of the Deadmon...

_He's a monster. A true monster..._ "One thing...why did you bring me here?"

Dragomon grinned; he had been waiting for this question. "In all actuality, Child of Light...I need you."

That threw Kari for a loop. "Need me?! What do you mean?!"

"Let me explain. Contrary to what the Emperor thinks, the two prime elements in the universe...are Darkness, and Light. There can be no dark and deep shadow without the light that casts it. Without the darkness, the light would blind and smite everything with its pure, unadulterated brightness. In this Dark World, I am the master of the Dark Ocean...I am the pinnacle of darkness. But YOU," he said as he pointed his left hand at Kari. "You are the pinnacle of light, a physical manifestation of all the power the light has. Your power has emerged before...quite a few times as a matter of fact."

Kari knew what Dragomon had been speaking of. There had been the times when she had glowed; when a strange spirit had possessed her body during the battle with the Dark Masters. In the sewers of Machinedramon's city, when the Numemon looked up to her as a protector and a queen. To this day, she had always wondered why she had glowed...she had always assumed it was because of the Crest of Light. But now she was being told the power was her own...

"And since we are the pinnacles of both elements," Dragomon's voice interrupted her thoughts. "Combined, our power would be beyond compare."

Kari paled at those words. "You...you don't mean..."

Dragomon's face contorted into a malicious smirk. "Exactly. You will become one with me...and I shall have the greatest power in the universe. With the powers of light and darkness under my command, I'll quash everyone who still opposes me in this Dark World. Next will be the Digital World...then the Real World...and I will continue from there onward. Now..." His left hand reached for Kari's tiny body. "Become one with me, like you were meant to be."

_No...this can't be._ Kari became frantic as she suddenly felt weak in her knees. _Not here...can't be taken. Dragomon...and the darkness. The darkness...don't take me. I won't be taken! No...Tai...TK...Gatomon...help me...I don't want to be a part of him. I DON'T WANT TO BE TAKEN!!!_ "**STOP!!! LEAVE ME ALONE!!!**" At that, Kari glowed white with a brilliant radiance that seeped out of every nook and cranny of Dragomon's temple.

Dragomon hissed as the light burned at his skin. _I can't let her light deter me now...in order to absorb her power, I have to first deal with the pain!_ Despite the intense sears on his body, Dragomon continued reaching his tentacles forward to grasp the Child of Light.

----

All the Deadmon who were looking at Dragomon's temple at the moment hissed and self-deleted on the spot; they couldn't stand the light as well as Dragomon could.

However, there were three heading towards the temple.

TK, Patamon, and Gatomon to be exact.

TK gasped as he looked at the light. "That light...is that coming from Kari?!"

Gatomon nodded. "It is." She knew that light meant that Kari was in trouble...and she needed help. However...that light was Kari's power. And it gave Gatomon power as well.

Gatomon digivolve to......Angewomon!

The beautiful female angel was back. A pink ribbon with runes inscribed on it twirled around her arms and ended at her feet with feathery-like extensions. White leather covered all of her body except her entire right leg, portions of her hips and belly, her right arm, and the area around her collarbone. Golden plates shaped like curved angel's wings covered her breasts. Two pairs of gray-purple leather bands wrapped around her lower ribs and right thigh. The leather on her left leg merged with a zip-up white boot with a gray sole and high heel, and a golden circlet wrapped around her shin. Her right boot was different; it only went up to her ankle, and white feathers protruded from it. On her right arm was a glove that went up past her elbow and had miniature wings sticking out of it. Sticking out of her back were four pairs of white angel wings, and a steel helmet with a cross-shaped visor adorned her head. Her ears were feather-tipped cat ears, and flowing blonde hair rolled down her back. With a calm, smooth voice, she said, "Angewomon is back...and whoever's trying to hurt Kari will pay." With that, she flew off towards the temple.

Patamon blinked as the angel flew off. "Wow...never thought we'd see Angewomon again."

TK nodded in agreement, but he knew that if the light had called upon Angewomon...something very serious was happening. "Come on Patamon...we need to help her. Digi-armor Energize!"

Patamon armor-digivolve to......Pegasusmon: Flying Hope!

TK mounted his flying steed and they both flew off after Angewomon.

----

Dragomon's tentacles were about to wrap around Kari's body when Angewomon burst into the temple with a flash of pink light. The winged sea monster growled as he clutched his trident. "Who dares enter my palace?!"

Angewomon's wings flapped as she hovered in midair, glaring defiantly at Dragomon. "I dare. Release my friend Dragomon."

The Lord of the Dark Ocean chuckled as he pointed at Angewomon with his trident. He stood to his full height, making him an even more daunting sight; one could argue that VenomMyotismon wouldn't have had the same commanding presence that Dragomon did. "So...I suppose the Deadmon didn't fully close the portal after bringing her here."

Angewomon growled. "You're the one who's behind Kari's feverish feelings this past week."

Dragomon smiled as he replied, "Indeed I am. And don't think you can act like some heroine and save the day. You think you can actually get her out of the Dark World, much less get out of my city? The city of Cthulu? What makes you think you can even escape without being destroyed?" All the while, Kari had not stopped glowing.

Angewomon noticed Dragomon's perspiration...and smirked. "I can see that Kari's light is weakening you. You can claim all the power of darkness that you want, but all shadows are destroyed by the harsh light of day. You will never claim my friend...but her light is my strength in this dark hour. And it will prove your undoing!" Angewomon held her arms straight up as a pink circle erupted from her wrists. "Heaven's Charm!"

The pink halo began absorbing all of the light that Kari emanated. The girl moaned as dizziness set in...and all of her light suddenly blinked out as she lapsed into unconsciousness.

"Don't worry Kari...your light is my strength," whispered Angewomon to herself as the wings on her left glove turned into a bow of sorts. White lightning erupted from the pink halo, turning into the bow's string and the arrow itself. "Celestial Arrow!!!" She drew the string taut as she took aim. "You wanted the power of my partner's light? You'll get it!" Then she let it go.

Dragomon roared in anguish as the arrow pierced his shoulder. The light had burned before...now it was downright agonizing. Out of the corner of his eye...he saw another child – the Child of Hope, he now recognized – ride in on his partner...and pick up the Child of Light.

"**NO!** FORBIDDEN TRIDENT!!!" Dragomon's golden trident flared with green electricity as he held it forward; the energy within crackled outward and struck Angewomon, sending her flying. The angel groaned as she turned and fled; her partner was rescued, and her job was done.

Dragomon growled as he ran out of the gargantuan doors of the temple and took flight; he then took a perch upon the same spire that Kari had seen over twenty minutes ago. Dragomon seethed as he watched the Child of Light escape; this was his only opportunity to get a head start on his opponents! "I will not be denied! THOUSAND TIDES!!!"

As the Lord of the Dark Ocean, Dragomon controlled the mighty tides of the waters.

The sea was at his beck and call.

And it answered.

Dragomon would make sure that the Child of Light would not be harmed by the ocean...but the other three would die a crushing death.

----

Kari moaned as she dizzily awoke; was this what being part of a beast felt like?

"Hey there."

Then she realized that wasn't the case. She sat up to see TK holding her, protecting her...as he had four years ago. "TK...Pegasusmon..." She gasped as she saw the angel flying beside her. "Angewomon! You too?!"

Angewomon smiled as she nodded. "Glad to see you awake."

TK smiled as he let Kari be picked up by Angewomon. _Good...she's safe._

That's when he heard a strange sound...the rushing of water.

He tilted his head to see the biggest tidal wave ever seen.

It was easily taller than Spiral Mountain. He could see that most of the coastline had now been exposed; a rocky outline - more like cliffs - was now visible right in front of the beach. But this tidal wave was dangerous; if they were caught by it, they would be painfully crushed by all of its tremendous force.

Kari yelped as she saw the wave herself. "Oh no!!! We're going to get crushed!"

TK turned around and yelled, "Fly faster Pegasusmon! It's catching up!"

"I hate to break it to you TK, but I am going as fast as I can!" pleaded Pegasusmon.

The cliff was coming up; they would be paste before they even reached the shore.

----

Davis grumbled as his fists clenched. "This Dragomon guy is bad news...we have to find a way to the Dark World!"

Shaun cupped a hand around his chin, deep in thought. "...we can't open a portal on our own...we don't have the dark power to do so. But maybe...maybe we can existing portal. Davis, do you know of any place where the denizens of the Dark Ocean have tried to reach Kari?"

Davis' shoulders sagged. "Sorry...outside of the bathroom back at the school, I don't know."

Veemon eagerly raised a hand. "Well, Kari was staring at that waterfall earlier!"

Shaun looked at the nearby waterfall...and smiled. "Yeah...a prime place for the Dark Ocean to try and reach her. Davis, we have to use our D-3s to force open the portal! Hopefully the barrier between the two worlds is still weak there!" He turned to (Agumon). "Warp digivolve in case someone unpleasant decides to break out."

(Agumon) nodded.

(Agumon) warp-digivolve to......(Wargreymon!)

Davis turned to Veemon. "You too!"

Veemon armor-digivolve to......Flamedramon: The Fire of Courage!

The two Digimon maintained offensive battle positions as the two boys held their D-3s out. Both of them shouted, "DIGIPORT OPEN!!!"

Two streams of blue and orange light (respectively) erupted from the D-3s and dug into the waterfall...and believe it or not, a dark vortex opened up.

----

The connection between the two worlds was reopened.

TK and Kari blinked as a white vortex opened up in front of them. Pegasusmon and Angewomon had no time to react before flying straight into it.

The tidal wave crashed down five seconds later, carving away most of the cliff side. Any Deadmon that had been in the way were instantly pulverized.

Dragomon sighed as he felt the presence of the Child of Light fade away. They had escaped.

Dejected (and still hurting from the arrow wound in his shoulder), Dragomon returned to his temple. His one opportunity to procure the Child of Light was gone.

The Emperor would soon be back on his feet with a vengeance, and three other foes would eventually push their plans for world domination forward. During that time, the Child of Light would be out of his reach.

No matter. He would bide his time and heal. He would fortify his already mighty oceanic defenses and prepare. Once the Emperor and the other three foes had been dealt with, he would make another attempt at the Child of Light.

And when he succeeded, no one would be able to stop him.

----

Davis and Shaun blinked as Pegasusmon and Angewomon came flying out of the portal at high speed, nearly crashing into the ground as they did. A giant smile erupted on Davis' face as Kari hopped off of Angewomon. "KARI!!! You're okay!" That smile was replaced by a confused frown when TK hopped off of Pegasusmon. "TK...where'd you come from?"

Pegasusmon answered for TK. "We went to rescue Kari." Davis fumed at that. _No fair! I wanted to rescue Kari!_

TK saw Davis and Shaun's D-3s and drew a conclusion. "You guys opened the portal, didn't you?"

(Wargreymon) nodded. "They did."

TK smiled, he thought that was the deal. "In any case, thanks. We were about to be crushed by Dragomon's tidal wave when your portal popped up out of nowhere."

Davis just shrugged it off; he wanted thanks from Kari, not TE...er, TK. "Eh, whatever..."

Shaun frowned as he processed the new information. _Dragomon's tidal wave...not good. I was told that Dragomon didn't even appear when Kari had been taken...great. Another change._

Flamedramon, meanwhile, had to resist the temptation to ogle Angewomon. To put it frankly...she was drop-dead _gorgeous_. _Wow...and partners represent their partner's true selves. Now I know why Davis likes Kari so much._

However, as all this was happening...a Dark Ring spy camera was floating above them, transmitting everything...including an image of Pegasusmon.

But even as all this was happening, no one - not even the Dark Ring - saw the small, black object that floated out of the dark vortex as it closed. Moments later, it zoomed away towards the Emperor's Base.

----

/Monitor Room, Emperor's Base, 4:01 PM/

"TK'S PARTNER?! **ALIVE?!?!?!**"

The Emperor leapt from his stone throne in shock. All the previous week, he had been plotting. Plotting for a way to deal with (Wargreymon), whom had so mercilessly killed MagnaAngemon several days ago.

But now, with this new footage...was it possible that TK's partner had been reborn already?

Maybe...but now his curiosity had been piqued. He quickly tapped in a few commands on the main monitor's keyboard, bringing up the footage a Dark Ring had taken during the battle between MagnaAngemon and the Digidestined last Monday on the 6th of September.

He watched it. He finally noticed that Shaun had gone off to the side during the battle. "What's this...? Let's zoom in." A few more taps of the keys. Shaun was placing down a metal box...a video projector?

He continued watching...even after Shaun had left. The Dark Ring had automatically made the decision to watch the Digidestined...and the Emperor gasped when he watched the Digidestined find Patamon sleeping upon the same metal box. He then watched as TK read the letter aloud.

By the time he turned off the monitor, the Emperor was fuming mad. He had been deceived...and all this week, he had been letting them get away with destroying his Control Spires! "Deceive me will they...WORMMON!!!"

Wormmon slithered into the Monitor Room, his body having healed from the Emperor's beating last week. "Yes?"

The Emperor pounded his fist into the stone throne's left armrest, causing a large dent in the side. "I want you to mobilize our forces...prepare our backup regiments for active duty! I want all sectors that have been neutralized under my control by tomorrow! Then I want every other sector taken over by next week!!! Do you understand my orders?!"

Wormmon meekly nodded. "Yes sir...I'll get right on it." He then crawled out, leaving the Emperor to seethe. _Trick me will you? Fine then...you wanted a fight? You'll get a war instead._

As he stormed toward his Computer Room, the black object zoomed into his base...and merged with the electronics of his computer.

The moment the Emperor accessed his computer - to begin devising his plan - he saw a new file. It was titled 'Chimera'. "Huh...I don't remember doing this...oh well. I probably just forgot." During the past week - while he had been holed up in his base out of fear of (Wargreymon) - he had spent a lot of time on his computer devising plans to eliminate the Digidestined. But in his state of mind, he had been unable to concentrate.

As he opened up the file...his mind became shocked...then happy. "This...this plan...yes!"

The Emperor laughed as he continued reading the file. He knew what to do now!

----

/School Computer Lab, 4:19 PM/

Yolei had been overjoyed to see Kari okay. By now, the principal had discovered the broken girl's bathroom. Luckily, no connection between the bathroom and the Digidestined had been established. By now, Yolei had left for home to deal with her wet clothes. Cody had left because he had a curfew to deal with.

Davis had stood behind to play a bit of soccer (and ask to walk Kari home later). Shaun had stood behind in the Digiworld.

That left TK and Kari alone in the computer lab.

"TK."

TK turned to Kari, who was looking tentatively at a blank computer screen. "Yeah?"

She held her hand close to her chest; her eyes trembled as she spoke. "I...I want to thank you TK."

TK smiled as he cradled the snoozing Patamon in his arms. "Hey, it's no big deal! You're my friend...I wouldn't let anyone take you away from here."

"That's the thing." Kari turned towards TK with a smiling countenance. "Even after all these years, you're still there for me. I can still remember how you watched over me while I was still getting used to the Digital World...and even now, when Dragomon had me in his clutches, you were there for me. It's just..." Her smile grew wider as she prepared to finish her confession. "...good to know that you're still the great friend you've always been."

TK's reply was a smile; a smile so big that it seemed even the Dark Ocean wouldn't be able to swallow it. "Kari...thanks."

The two friends gave each other a hug; a sign of their love for each other as friends, and nothing more.

Tell that to Davis.

He had just returned from the soccer field to the computer lab to ask Kari if he could walk her home. The sight of them hugging told him enough; walk home alone.

Davis walked away with sagging shoulders. _She likes TU more than me..._

"Davish?" Demiveemon poked his head out of Davis' backpack to see a sad partner. "What's wrong?"

Davis stuttered and quickly covered up for his sadness with a fake smile. "Ah-ah, it's nothing! Just feeling tired from everything that happened today!"

Demiveemon sighed. "Okay..."

Davis didn't want to lie to his partner. But he didn't want his sadness to become that of his partner's.

----

/The Dark World, Isolated Island/

The island was home to an extinct volcano. Inside the cavernous volcano was one resident...soon to become two.

A pulsating purple sac suddenly burst open; a whitish liquid suddenly oozed outward from the burst sac...along with a woman. She landed on the hard, rocky floor in a fetal position, her body totally naked save for the ooze on her body and the long white hair covering her breasts. She sat up with a startled breath and asked, "Wha...where am I?"

The first volcano's resident chuckled. In a vigorous, masculine voice, he answered, "You are in my temporary home. And I am your creator."

The woman sat up, using her slender arms to cover her chest. She kept legs crunched together to try and stay as warm as she could. "Who...who are you?"

The figure chuckled. "Like I said, I am your creator. I used parts of my own data to create you, along with some of the power of the Dark Ocean's water."

As her infantile mind started to focus, she stood, no longer caring for modesty. She stood with her arms straight, her pale white-gray skin glistening at the various bits of ooze covering her. Her fists were clenched, and her frame rigid; a sign that she was ready to attack at a moment's notice. Her yellow eyes hardened as she said, "Why did you create me?"

The other one grinned. "I have a plan in the works...one that will land me in prime position to take over all three worlds. That's why I created you...to assist me in taking control."

She nodded, understanding her place. "What is my name?"

"You are Arukenimon. Your clothes are behind you."

Arukenimon turned around to see a red and purple dress, complete with a hat and purple shades. She turned back to her creator and asked, "May I know the name of my creator?"

The creator stepped forward. He was tall, easily over nine feet. Dark-gray leather covered every part of his body except the mouth. His arms went down to his shins. Black leather bands wrapped over his waist, left thigh, and left wrist. Brown leather bands wrapped around his left knee and left hand. Brown bandages covered is entire right arm from the elbow down, and his right hand's index finger was colored bright red. An orange mark looking like a bat covered his chest and left boot. His leather wings had holes in the skin, and the mark of a skull adorned his shoulders. Long horns protruded from his temples, and his skin was pale. His red eyes gleamed with malevolence.

He smirked and answered his creation. "I am known as Devimon."

----

To be continued...

Next time...

Episode 16: Return of the Beast King

Author's Notes: 27 pages! Yikes! And this episode catapults my story over 100,000 words! WHOOPEE!

See you next episode! Same website! Same story!


	16. Return of the Beast King

Standard Disclaimer: If lawsuits were a video game, then it would be the equivalent of _E.T._ for the Atari. In other words, I avoid it like heck by saying I don't own Digimon!

Author's Notes: Well...a story that's over 100,000 words. Heh...that's close to 300 pages. This could be called a full-length novel now! Well...not really...

**_BECAUSE IT'S NOT DONE!!!_** (dramatic organ music plays)

Now on to the reviews!  
  
Anthony1: Glad you think my rewrite was better than the show's...and as for the misspelled words, I didn't intend for you to take it so seriously. It's just that I had nothing else to say. Oo;

Magnus1: Okay, now I'm happy you think Shaun is being written better, but I have to disagree with part of your review. I'll give you the 'outsmarted' bit, but 'outmuscled'? (Wargreymon) would've been dead long before Shaun's plan could've been set into motion had the other Digimon not had his back. Besides, I don't recall Sonocomon fighting any better or worse than the other Armored Digimon before the advent of (Wargreymon). But hey, it may just be me.

Oh, and thanks for pointing out that line. It should've been 'her'. ;

Digi fan: Thanks for the compliment!

Now...begin!

* * *

"This is Gatomon speaking. Kari was acting odd all week after we saved MagnaAngemon, and one day she got sucked away into a world of darkness! I followed her there along with TK and Patamon, and we encountered the Lord of the Dark Ocean, Dragomon, who wanted Kari's powers. Kari's light allowed me to digivolve to Angewomon, and we managed to escape Dragomon's temple. Luckily, Davis and Shaun opened up a portal that allowed us to escape...otherwise we'd be dead right now!"

* * *

Episode 16: Return of the Beast King

* * *

/01-111-BETA, 1:04 PM, Saturday, September 11th/

The Gazimon town had done rather well since the Emperor's last visit. Tourism was up, and there was a general sense of tranquility in the air; ever since the Digidestined had returned, the Digimon had been able to live their lives in relative peace.

However...that would not last.

A sudden explosion rocked the town. All of the residents stopped what they were doing to gaze at the cloud of smoke that had arisen from the explosion's source. The scarred Gazimon that had been part of the prison outbreak a couple of weeks back (see Episode 4) stormed out of his home and yelled, "What the heck is going on?!"  
  
A visiting Gizamon pointed his yellow paw at the smoke cloud. "Something just blew up over there!"

Explosions rocked the entire city moments later.

* * *

The Emperor watched stoically from atop an Airdramon as the Gazimon city was bombed to smithereens. The assault was being done by forty Champion Digimon, all of them of the same kind.

They were like tanks. They had black treads circling their metal axles, providing a form of locomotion. Green, bulky steel served as the armor for their lower bodies. However, unlike their purely mechanical lower bodies, their upper bodies were made of flesh. Their orange flesh was visible along the abdomen and chest, as well as the upper arms. However, thick, green gauntlets covered their lower arms all the way to the wrists, each one of them sporting a cannon. Their heads were covered with green steel as well, with only their fierce red eyes (which were now completely red due to the Dark Spirals on their left arms) and lower jaw showing. On their forehead was a horn...well, in all actuality, it was another tank cannon. With a deep, abrasive voice, they all shouted, "WE are the Tankmon! If you want to be pulverized, look no further! Our Tank Blast and Hyper Cannon attacks will blow you to bits!"  
  
All forty of the Tankmon had a letter branded onto their chests. Ten were branded with the letter 'A'. Another ten with the letter 'B'. Ten more with 'C', and the final ten with 'D'.

Their purpose? It was their group sign.

"Tankmon Team Alpha! Advance forward and fire upon the highest reaches of the town!" ordered the Emperor.

All of the Tankmon with the 'A' branded on their chests advanced ahead of the others. They stopped about fifty yards away from the town's edge, raising their cannons to a fifty-degree angle. "Tank Blast!" Explosive shells were fired from all three of the Tankmon's cannons, all of them landing near the town's highest vicinity. The explosions caused rock and debris to rain down upon the denizens inhabiting the lower portions of the city.

"Team Alpha, keep firing! Team Delta, fire at the base of the town! Don't let anyone escape!"

"Aye aye, Emperor!" The Tankmon of Delta Team moved ahead of Alpha Team to within twenty yards of the town's entrances and exits. They immediately opened fire on all points of entry and exit. "Tank Blast!"  
  
Tank shells exploded around the town gates. Digimon caught in the crossfire or in the explosions were deleted instantly. Due to the way the town was built (it was built on a rocky hill with outcroppings blocking the sides of the town), the only way out was either through the top...or the bottom. And the Tankmon's barrage had nullified any chance of escape.

The Emperor remained impassive as he shouted his next orders. "Team Bravo! Team Charlie! Fire at the rest of the town! Kill them or flush them out into Alpha or Delta's firing zones!"

Team Bravo and Team Charlie aimed their head cannons at the town; yellow-orange energy began to collect in their cannons as they all shouted, "Hyper Cannon!" Streams of yellow-orange energy erupted from the cannons, etching new lines into the town. Buildings fell, Digimon screamed, and explosions sounded as the Gazimon's town was torn to shreds by the Tankmon assault.

All the while, the Emperor watched on.  
  
His conquest of the Digital World had just entered a new phase...

Total war.

* * *

/10 Minutes Later/

The Gazimon town had been totally obliterated.

The Tankmon of Alpha and Bravo Teams were now scouring the ruins, searching for any survivors. All survivors were under the Emperor's order to be brought to him for enslavement. The Airdramon that the Emperor had ridden in on was flying over the town, keeping track of the entire operation. The Emperor himself was on the ground by Team Delta.

A Veggiemon moaned as the Emperor placed a Dark Ring around his belly. The Digimon struggled momentarily before all movement ceased. It then raised its head to reveal all-red eyes. "I live to serve the Emperor."  
  
The Emperor grinned for the ninth time since the assault had ended. "There...that's more like it. Next!" The Veggiemon hopped away to join the other eight new slaves as a Gazimon was brought forth. This Gazimon was bruised, and blood was leaking from a laceration on his right shoulder. The Emperor took note of a scar running along his left cheek. The Emperor smiled evilly this time. "Well well...if it isn't the little Gazimon who helped the Digidestined in their jailbreak last time!"

The Gazimon leader spat the Emperor; a globule of spit landed on the Emperor's left cheek. "Payback for the scar your slaves gave me," said the Gazimon spitefully.

The Emperor scowled; seconds later, he grabbed the Gazimon by the neck, holding him in midair. The Gazimon struggled and kicked his feet, trying to use his one good arm (the left one) to pry the Emperor's hand off. The Emperor's grip, however, remained rock hard.

Then he grabbed Gazimon's neck with his other hand, strengthening his grip on the little Rookie's throat. And then he began choking. Hard. Gazimon's eyes bulged as his windpipe began to constrict. He tried to yell, but it only came out as a muted, croaked whisper. "Please...stop..."  
  
Yet the Emperor kept constricting.

Harder.

And harder.

Finally, Gazimon went limp as his heart stopped. The Emperor smirked as he tossed the lifeless Digimon aside as though he were worthless garbage. As the body was deleted into numerous particles, the Emperor said, "And that was payback for the Digidestined's deception last week...and revenge for my humiliation will soon follow!"  
  
The Emperor enjoyed a good laugh as smoke rose from the ruins of the town.

All that was left of the once beautiful town was a hellish wasteland.

* * *

/Computer Lab, 1:27 PM/

The screen that showed the destruction of sector 01-111-BETA was minimized, replaced by the image of Shaun. **"That was footage recorded by one of Gennai's cameras in the area. As you can see, the Emperor's discovered my little trick...and now he's angry."**  
  
Davis, TK, Kari, and Cody had sat down for the last ten minutes in total silence, watching the footage of the Emperor unleashing his wrath upon the Gazimon town. Shaun had stopped the footage right after the Emperor had strangled Gazimon to death. The boys' fists were clenched, while Kari was trembling with sadness. "All those poor Digimon..." mumbled the Child of Light.

Davis pounded his two fists together and shouted, "Come on! Let's just go for the Emperor right now and give him his just dinner!"  
  
"That's _desserts_ Davis," corrected TK. Nonetheless, his expression contorted into one of rage. "But he's right. We can't let the Emperor do this!"  
  
Shaun nodded in agreement. **"I totally agree with you, but the Emperor's not taking any chances with this. All of his offensive armies are concentrated on retaking sectors that he's lost in the past few weeks, and all POWs are being enslaved and sent to reinforce the other sectors. This isn't just a simple conquest anymore...he's declared a total war on the Digital World."**

Cody tried to stop his trembling, but to no avail. The Emperor was doing whatever he pleased, running rampant and stomping on all of his foes. He was a tyrant...yet he was also a petty criminal at the same time. Cody burned with fury at the Emperor's actions. _Ken...you will pay for this_. "One question though, weren't you able to try and at least help out in the defense of the Gazimon town?"

Shaun sighed with annoyance. **"Look, I know you guys are upset with this whole situation, but I had just gotten back from helping a clan of Greymon fend off one of the Emperor's offensive Tyrannomon teams in sector 00-011-LAMBDA when this footage came in! The Emperor's just got too many forces attacking at once!"**

Davis immediately got out of his chair and commandingly shouted, "Then let's take the fight to the Emperor! We'll just split up and take out the weakest sectors, and when the Emperor comes to take care of those, we'll move on to the next weakest sectors! He'll eventually get fed up with us and come to take us out then and there! That's when we'll end this whole war, a final battle, winner-take-all!"  
  
The others paused to take in the plan. TK finally said, "You know Davis, that might work."  
  
Davis grinned widely as he boasted, "Well, Tai didn't make me leader of this outfit for nothing!"

Shaun looked away from the screen momentarily; he appeared to be typing something on a keyboard. **"Okay...I'm sending you one of Gennai's programs. It'll allow that computer to use Gennai's cameras and scanning instruments to get live information concerning a sector; weather, temperature, number of Digimon, etcetera, etcetera. This way you'll be able to find out which sector is weakest in a snap."**

TK smiled as the program was uploaded from the Digiworld into the lab computer in the Real World. "I always knew Gennai was smart about the Digital World...but I bet Izzy would flip if he knew everything Gennai knew about computers!"  
  
Shaun smirked and replied, **"I don't doubt it...by the way, where's Yolei? She seems to be missing."**

Davis sighed with disdain as he said, "Believe it or not, she's with Mimi in the Digiworld...and they're on a tour."

Shaun sweatdropped at Davis' answers. **"They're what?"**

* * *

/Sector 10-010-SIGMA, 1:28 PM/

Mimi sighed as she relaxed in the red leather of the booth chairs. "Wow...this restaurant's quite luxurious!"  
  
"You said it!" agreed Yolei.

The area they were in was a lush valley filled with rainforests and a large moon-shaped lake in the middle. However, the big feature was something else; a small clearing by the lake held a cylindrical building. This building was rather renowned throughout the region due to what it was; a restaurant.

More specifically, Digitamamon's Restaurant.

"Soup's ready!" yelled a high-pitched, weasel-like voice. Out of the kitchen stepped a five-foot...egg. Two green legs with reptilian skin stuck outward from the bottom of his shell, and there was a small section of gray eggshell missing from the top-center section of the shell. Inside that was a black mass with two beady eyes. And somehow...the Digimon was holding two bowls of soup with no hands (hey, stranger things have happened). "The name's Digitamamon, restaurant owner and your host!" He placed the two bowls of soup down in front of the two girls. "Oriental soup with special seasonings and ramen mixed in! Eat up!"

Yolei wielded a nearby spoon and took a sip of the yellowish broth...and squealed. "AWESOME!!!"

Mimi giggled as she sipped her soup. "Told you Digitamamon had good food."

Hawkmon and Palmon suddenly pounded the table. "Hey! Where's the breadsticks?!"  
  
Digitamamon's veins pulsed as he whirled around and yelled, "**THE BREADSTICKS ARE STILL COOKING! BE PATIENT!!!**" The two Rookies cringed...as did Yolei. _Boy, talk about a 180 in attitude!_ After that little outburst, Yolei was wondering just how much of an 'old friend' Digitamamon really was...then again, Mimi had never said Digitamamon had been an old friend anyway. She had just said he owned a good restaurant.

Digitamamon ran into the kitchen...then walked back out one minute later with steamy breadsticks. "Here's the breadsticks! The main course shall arrive in a few minutes!" With that, he zoomed back into the kitchen.

Palmon and Hawkmon eagerly munched on the appetizing breadsticks as Yolei sipped down the last of her soup. "Hey Yolei, is Digitamamon an old friend of yours?"  
  
Mimi shook her head innocently. "Actually – according to Matt and Joe – he started as something of a rotten egg; forgive the pun.""Forgiven," replied Yolei. "But what do you mean? You're saying he was an enemy?"

Mimi nodded. Yolei's jaw dropped; they were in the restaurant of an old enemy!!! _And a crotchety scrooge to boot._ "But...why are we here then?"

Mimi smiled as she slowly waded her spoon through the remains of her soup. "Well, I honestly think Digitamamon's turned over a new leaf. I mean, with all the bad guys running throughout the Digiworld back then, you'd have a good reason to be cranky! Besides, he's a businessman...and he needs to make money."  
  
Yolei sweatdropped at Mimi's cheerful answer. _Boy, she certainly feels comfortable about eating at an old enemy's restaurant._ "Okay...I'll take your word for it." _At least he's a good cook. _

"And here comes the main course! Two orders of chicken alfredo for the lovely ladies, one tray of numerous fruit seeds for the bird, and a pot of soil for the plant! Enjoy!" Digitamamon cheerfully brought the food over, although Hawkmon and Palmon sweatdropped at being called a 'bird' and a 'plant', respectively.

That's when the serenity of the meal went down the tube.

A purple energy orb crashed into the restaurant, causing debris to fly everywhere. When the smoke cleared, Digitamamon screamed. "NO!!!"  
  
Mimi hurryingly asked, "What's wrong?!"  
  
Digitamamon was weeping over the broken plates of food he had been preparing to serve. "Good food! Wasted!!!" Yolei sighed with annoyance. _He sure has his priorities straight._

Palmon looked outside and pointed one of her green roots/fingers at the source of the blast. "Guys, I think I know who did that."

A fifteen-foot tall gorilla stood outside near the lake. Its fur was colored a grayish-white, while the skin of his abdomen, chest, face, forehead, left hand, and feet were colored a dull violet. Wait, what about the right hand, you might ask. The right hand was actually a gray cannon. Numerous segmented tubes stretched from the ape's lower arm into the cannon, indicating that the Digimon's very essence powered the cannon. His lower canines were about an inch longer than the rest of his teeth, and his blood-red eyes glared at the Digidestined with mercilessness. If one would factor in the Dark Spiral around his right arm, as well as the lack of a Control Spire in the area, one could figure that he was a scout...for a possible invasion in the future. In a rumbling voice, the Digimon roared, "I am Gorillamon, a Champion Digimon with enough strength to spare! Be warned that none will survive if caught by my Primate Cannon attack!"

Gorillamon aimed his cannon once more at Digitamamon's Restaurant. "Primate Cannon!" A purple orb with a white center erupted from the cannon, rocketing toward Digitamamon's Restaurant. Thankfully, the kickback from the cannon threw Gorillamon's aim off; the shot hit the ground ten meters behind the restaurant.

Palmon and Hawkmon assumed battle positions between Gorillamon and the restaurant. Mimi and Yolei took out their digivices and shouted, "Digivolve!" and "Armor Digivolve!" respectively.

Palmon digivolve to......Togemon!

Hawkmon armor-digivolve to......Halsemon: The Wings of Love!  
  
Gorillamon growled as he aimed his cannon at Halsemon. "Primate Cannon!"  
  
"Split up!" shouted Togemon as she dived to the left. Halsemon took flight – avoiding Gorillamon's attack in the process – as his eyes flared red. "Eagle Eye!" Red lasers zoomed toward Gorillamon, who dove to the right to avoid the lasers. 

"How about some Needle Spray?!" Togemon spread her arms out and let the needles on her body fly out at Gorillamon. The ape moaned as needles impaled the left arm he had put up to defend himself. "You'll pay for that! Primate Cannon!"

* * *

Rustle. Rustle. Rustle.

The sound repeated itself a countless number of times as his giant feet ran through the forest. The figure was fast...too fast to be human. The sound of the rustling grass as his feet fell upon it was light...so light that one could've thought he was sneaking instead of running.

Then, the quiet sound of his sprint through the dense forest was interrupted by something else.

Boom!  
  
The figure immediately stopped as his ears twitched. An explosion. That's what he had heard...but from where? He turned around...then he heard it again.

To the south. He could smell several different things...a lake...two Digimon he had never smelled before...but two were maddeningly familiar. _Where have I smelled those scents before?_  
  
Then the answer crossed his mind. _Those two?_ His mind focused as he heard a third explosion. A low growl emerged from his throat as he burst off for the source of the explosion. _Hold on Mimi. Hold on Palmon. I'm coming!_

* * *

"Primate Cannon!"

Halsemon winced as the blast sent him reeling. Gorillamon had proven to be surprisingly agile, and the constant barrage of purple orbs from his Primate Cannon had taken their toll on Halsemon and Togemon.

Mimi screamed as Gorillamon kicked Togemon in the gut. "Togemon!!!"

Digitamamon weighed the options in the mind. His orders...

He had to join the battle....but his conscious screamed at him. He hesitated.

Then... 

"FIST OF THE BEAST KING!!!"  
  
A fiery lion's head suddenly erupted from the nearby foliage, colliding with the Dark Spiral. It cracked...but it wasn't enough to destroy it. Everyone turned their attention to the foliage as a large figure leapt out of it and into the sky. The figure's body was blurred by the sun's light, seeing as how the he had leapt directly in front of it.  
  
Gorillamon squinted as the sunlight momentarily blinded him.

And that was all it took.

The figure unsheathed a sword from a scabbard slung around the back of his waist, and held it in one hand. He descended rapidly...and as he passed Gorillamon, he sliced the Dark Spiral off with one clean swing.

Gorillamon's consciousness returned to him moments later. "Oh...my head...gotta get home..." He then ran off, seemingly eager to return to his home.

As Gorillamon left, the others turned their attention to the mystery figure. Mimi and Palmon gasped as they saw who it was.

A tanned body covered with rippling muscles and light brown fur. Black denim pants with black belts around the ankle bottoms. Gigantic feet with terribly sharp, black claws. A large sword made of sterling silver and steel gray. A sword scabbard attached to his black leather belt. A red collar around his neck held a green emerald in a red frame. His calm jade-colored eyes were sharp, yet calm, and all the while all knowing of what was going on at the moment. His arms were long and muscular, and his nails were sharpened to a razor-like perfection. The black leather bands around his left hand and left arm. The gray scars along his biceps and feet. His long tail with yellow fur at the end. His nine-foot tall frame. His wild, yellow mane.

He was back...an old friend that aided the Digidestined many times before, and had helped Mimi and Joe defeat Metaletemon four years ago...at the cost of his life. Mimi never thought that she would see him again. 

It was Leomon.

Mimi's eyes suddenly started watering. It was...Leomon... "Leomon...is it really you?"  
  
Leomon knelt down beside the girl and lightly hugged her. "Yes Mimi...it's me. It's been a long time," he said in a majestic, deep voice.

Mimi started sobbing out loud into Leomon's shoulder, her tears moistening the Champion's hard skin. "I...I never thought I'd...s-see you again..."  
  
Leomon gently patted the girl's back. This was definitely like the old Mimi he had known. "That's the thing about Digimon being reborn...it may take minutes...or years. It all depends." His eyes fell upon Palmon. "So Palmon, I see you've managed to stay safe from the Emperor's dark devices."  
  
Palmon nervously laughed as she replied, "Well...I used to be his slave. That is until the new Digidestined freed me!"  
  
_New Digidestined?_ Leomon's eyes finally fell upon Yolei and Hawkmon, which caused him to gasp. _Another human?!_ He got to his feet and walked over to Yolei, standing at his full height. He looked down upon Yolei and calmly asked, "Are you one of the new Digidestined?"

Yolei was rather terrified at the moment. She had a fierce looking Digimon looking down upon her, and he looked strong enough to bend a thick metal beam. _And this guy is an old friend?!_ After Digitamamon, she was wondering...was Leomon an old enemy? Stuttering, she answered, "Uh...y-yeah."

Leomon knelt down to look straight into her face. "And what is your name?"  
  
Yolei began sweating; his face was only inches away from hers, and he looked much more intimidating up close. "Uh...Yolei Inoue."

Leomon nodded as he stood back up, turning his gaze to Hawkmon. "And I assume you are her partner?"  
  
Hawkmon nodded and bowed to Leomon. "Hawkmon is my name. A pleasure to meet you sir."

Leomon blinked at Hawkmon's reply. "Such mannerisms."

Hawkmon smiled. "I'll take that as a compliment."  
  
Leomon stopped himself from chuckling as he turned to Mimi. "I would say that I would like to chit-chat, but now is not the time...I must know the identities of the new Digidestined, as well as all that has happened since you have returned."  
  
Mimi grinned as she sweetly replied, "Only if you tell me what you've been up to since your rebirth!"  
  
Leomon smiled. "Agreed."

Digitamamon grimaced as he watched the Digidestined speak with Leomon at one of his intact tables. It had gone wrong...he had been supposed to...

His restaurant...

No. He knew that his past choice had been wrongly made. He couldn't have condemned the Digiworld's saviors...not for all the money in the world...

Well, maybe.

But alas, he had to accept his penalty.  
  
"Uh, excuse me, but I have to go pick some new mushrooms to replace the lost ones! Be right back!" Digitamamon waddled out the door...but then poked his head back in for one last statement. "But I expect payment for the food!" He then ran back out.

Yolei silently seethed. _We didn't even get our food and he still expects us to pay?! That greedy miser!_

Yolei's bodily movements – subtle though they were – expressed her anger towards Digitamamon's greedy ways.

Leomon read every single one of them.

* * *

The Emperor looked down at his gauntlet with displeasure. His sensors on the Gorillamon scout in sector 10-010-SIGMA had just been destroyed. Therefore, that meant the Dark Spiral that the sensors were built into was destroyed.

Digitamamon had been ordered to back him up...an Ultimate and a Champion versus an Armored Champion and a Champion. A very winnable situation.

Unless...

"Airdramon!" The Airdramon he had rode in on set down in front of him. "I have business to attend to elsewhere. I'm placing you in command of this operation. Have Teams Alpha and Bravo establish a perimeter defense around the town's ruins, and I want Charlie and Delta to continue searching for survivors! When no more survivors can be found, you will wait for my return."  
  
The Airdramon bowed his head in acknowledgement. "Yes master."

The Emperor tapped in a few commands on his gauntlet, and he teleported back to his base. Once there, he immediately opened a digiport to sector 10-010-SIGMA.

* * *

Digitamamon yelped as the TV nestled under a shrub. The area Digitamamon was now in was smack-dab under a tree canopy, providing a dark blanket of shadows that inhibited the sunlight. Mushrooms were plentiful here...but this was not Digitamamon's reason for coming.

The TV's light faded to reveal the Emperor. The silhouette of darkness that surrounded the Emperor heightened Digitamamon's fear. "Uh...Emperor. How nice of you to come-"

"Can it," strongly interrupted the Emperor. "You were supposed to aide Gorillamon in destroying the Digidestined. Those were my orders to you."  
  
Digitamamon remembered those words he had been told. Yesterday – just after the Emperor discovered Shaun's deception – the Emperor had come to him.

"_I'm aware that you're rather famous for your food, and I'm very sure that at least one of the Digidestined will visit you in the future. Should that happen, you will partner up with any of my slaves in the sector. You will then destroy them. Fail to do so...and every single restaurant chain you've ever built in the Digiworld will be destroyed. And I will make you watch."_  
  
Digitamamon remembered those words well. He had been fully prepared to do what he had been told to do when the two human girls had entered his restaurant earlier that day...but after hearing them talk, and watching their partners fight to free Gorillamon...he had hesitated. "But sir...Leomon suddenly came and broke Gorillamon's Dark Spiral before I could do anything!"

The Emperor momentarily halted his tirade at that. Leomon...he had not been aware of the former Digidestined ally's rebirth...and it was arguable that Leomon was one of the Digiworld's most proficient masters of close-quarters combat. The Emperor smirked as he finished his pause. "Nevertheless, you should've intervened. You know your punishment."

Digitamamon sighed. His restaurant was a goner. "But still...the Digidestined are worth more in the long run than my restaurant." There. He had said it, and to heck with the consequences.

The Emperor sighed. "Such foolishness...and by the way, I wasn't telling you the whole truth yesterday."  
  
Fear flickered throughout Digitamamon's mind. "What...what do you mean?"  
  
The Emperor pulled something out of his pocket and enlarged it with a push of a button. It was a Dark Spiral. "I told you that I would make you watch as your restaurant was destroyed...but I neglected to mention that _you_ would be the one destroying them!!!" With a flick of his wrist, the Dark Spiral entered the black space inside Digitamamon's shell.

"NO!!!" screamed the egg-shaped Ultimate as his mind slowly gave way to the Emperor's control...and in moments, his yellow, dot-like eyes became red, angular eyes that glared at the Emperor. "Master...what are your orders?"  
  
The Emperor smiled. "Kill the Digidestined. Kill Leomon...and then destroy your restaurant."  
  
Digitamamon nodded. "I will obey."

* * *

/01-111-BETA, 1:42 PM/

Airdramon shielded his eyes as the Emperor appeared out of the Digiport. "Master...we have done as you have commanded. All survivors have been accounted for."  
  
"Excellent." The Emperor let Airdramon bring him to the top of the hill, where all the debris had been cleared away as he had ordered it so. "Now to add another Spire to my collection."  
  
As he said this, a black pellet erupted from his gauntlet and embedded itself into the ground, growing into the mighty Control Spire in moments.

Sector 01-111-BETA was his once more.

* * *

/10-010-SIGMA, 1:53 PM/

Mimi giggled as Palmon skated across the lake water, with her roots surrounding Hawkmon's body as he towed her along. _Digital water-gliding!_

Meanwhile, Yolei was helping herself to the last of the breadsticks inside the restaurant, which now need a facelift due to Gorillamon's earlier attack.

"Yolei."

Yolei nearly jumped out of her seat...but she saw it was only Leomon. "Oh...hi," she said nervously. For a big guy, he sure can move quietly.

"Tell me," said Leomon, his eyes eyeing Yolei for any body movements she would make. "What do you think of Mimi?"

Yolei sighed as she gazed out at Mimi, who was laughing at the Digimon's antics. "Well...I think she's a really swell kind of girl! She's easily to get along with...and she has great hair!"  
  
Leomon nodded. That answer was truthful enough. "What about Digitamamon...what do you think of him?"  
  
Yolei tried her hardest not to scoff. "Eh...he's a little...iffy." _More than just iffy..._

A scowl on her face. A ticked off look in her eyes. Leomon could tell she wasn't telling him everything. "What about me?"  
  
Yolei froze. Leomon was an old friend, judging from what she had heard during Leomon and Mimi's conversation just a short while ago. She couldn't afford to get on his bad side. "Well...you're nice...for a big guy."

The nervous pauses. The attitude of total appeasement. Leomon frowned as he stood up over Yolei. "You're not being entirely truthful."

Yolei gulped as Leomon towered over her. "Um...what do you mean?"

Leomon sighed as he sat down beside Yolei...and he stilled towered over her by a good three feet. "Listen...you need to be more sincere with your thoughts and feelings. Now, I'm aware some things need to be kept hidden...but you shouldn't be afraid of what other will think of what you say."

Yolei looked into Leomon's eyes, and saw a hidden wisdom...a wisdom that made Leomon who he was. "But...how did you know I thought Digitamamon was a total jerk, or that you're slightly creepy-looking when you're standing as tall as you can?"  
  
Leomon now wore a slight grin; that was more like it. "I have a thing for reading body movements. Your body told me what your mouth wouldn't."

Yolei couldn't help but feel a sense of awe at Leomon's expertise. _Wow..._ "So...what are you suggesting?"

"Take Mimi for example," said Leomon as he pointed out the window at Mimi, who was still having a good time. "She's an optimist at heart. Occaisonally, she'll down in the dumps when things seem hopeless, but she's always cheery. The reason for that," Leomon turned his gaze back to Yolei. "Is because she never keeps anything hidden from her friends. She has nothing to hide...so she can't stew over those things, and let the feelings behind them build up. What I'm trying to suggest...is to be more sincere with your thoughts and feelings. You'll be better off for it."

Yolei sat back and reflected on Leomon's words. Her life had revolved around mincing words and being careful with what she said...a lot. She lived life with three siblings; of course she would get mad at them at one point or another. However, she had been taught to hold it in...and be nice about it. That's how she had lived. But now? Perhaps it was time for a change. _Be more sincere..._ "Leomon...thanks. You're definitely more than meets the eye."  
  
Leomon smiled as he stood back up. "Thank you Yolei. I only hope you learned something."  
  
The peaceful learning experience...was suddenly shattered.

"**YAAAH!!!!"**  
  
Mimi's scream alerted both Yolei and Leomon. "MIMI!!!" shouted Yolei. Leomon growled and unsheathed his sword as he leapt through the broken window, rolling along the ground, then getting to his feet to face his opponent, who had just head-butted Hawkmon and Palmon into the ground.

The opponent in question was Digitamamon. "Okay Digidestined! Time for you to pay your bill!" yelled Digitamamon as he prepared to attack the two Rookies once more.  
  
Yolei gasped as she watched Digitamamon's rampage. "That...JERK!!! He really is a rotten egg!"  
  
"No." Leomon growled as he saw the red glow of Digitamamon's eyes. "He's under the control of a Dark Spiral!"

Yolei blinked as she looked at the egg Digimon's body. "But...where is it?"  
  
"I don't know, but I know it's there!" Leomon reared his right fist as orange energy gathered in it; his sword was in his left hand. "Fist of the Beast King!"  
  
Digitamamon laughed as the orange lion's head roared towards him. "Fool! That's nothing compared to a healthy serving of...NIGHTMARE SYNDROME!" It suddenly seemed as though Digitamamon's face leapt out of the shell, like a black ghost with a toothy mouth and red eyes. Leomon put up his sword in defense...but the attack swallowed him up, as well as the orange lion head.  
  
The body of Leomon disappeared with the black mass of the Nightmare Syndrome, which then condensed into a dot no bigger than a tennis ball...and then the ball exploded, spewing Leomon against the ground. The black mass returned to Digitamamon, who giggled with glee. "Aw, couldn't take a full course?! Then you should go on a diet!"

Mimi shrieked as Leomon struggled to get up. "LEOMON!!!"  
  
Leomon grunted as he got to his feet. "Mimi...the other two Digimon are still too tired from the battle against Gorillamon! I must fight for you, Yolei, and your partners! Fist of the Beast King!"

"Back for seconds? Nightmare Syndrome!"

Leomon groaned as the black mass consumed him and threw him into the restaurant's wall.  
  
By this time, Yolei had already gone into the restaurant to get food for Hawkmon and Palmon. And right now, she was angry. "How dare he?!" she yelled to herself as she grabbed an armful of breadsticks and fruit from the pantry. "How dare the Emperor make Digitamamon do this?!"

When she came back out, Digitamamon's foot was over Leomon's head. Mimi was whimpering as she yelled, "Please Digitamamon! Stop it! You don't have to do this!"

Digitamamon snickered as he strengthened his leg, causing Leomon to wince at the pain. "Stupid little girl! I've been ordered to kill, and I shall do so! And I shall now crush Leomon's head...LIKE AN EGG!!! Hee hee hee!!!"  
  
That cut it.

**"YOU JERK!!!"**

The silence suddenly seemed overwhelming as everyone – even Digitamamon – turned to Yolei, who had an armful of food...and pulsing veins. She was _MAD_. "How dare you?! Even though you're under the Emperor's control, it takes a real jerk to act like this!!!"  
  
Even Digitamamon seemed to be at a loss. "Uh-"

"Here we are, just sitting down to eat at YOUR restaurant! Mimi treats like an old friend, and all you give us is a cold shoulder! And now you're threatening to kill us...some 'old friend' you are!!!"  
  
Digitamamon tried to regain his composure. "But...I was ordered-"

"CAN IT!!! So what if I think you're a jerk?! It may be just the Emperor's Dark Spiral, but who cares?! I still think you're acting like a monster!!!"  
  
Digitamamon tried to retort. "Now see here-"

Yolei's tirade was now stemming into deeper territory...beyond just mere rage at Digitamamon. "I don't care if you agree with me! I'm through with twiddling my thumbs and not hurting other people's feelings! I live with two older sisters and one older brother, and when they do something annoying or tick me off, I feel like going stark crazy!!! There, I said it! And while I'm at it, I might as well say that Cody's a little too strict on rules, TK's a swell guy, Kari could use some more backbone, and Davis acts like an overconfident, egotistical jerk too much!"

* * *

/Sector 11-000-UPSILON, Now/

Davis suddenly tripped on a rock.

Which was odd, considering that the barren desert plain he was on had no other rocks around it for miles around.

Davis, for once, had managed to pair up with Kari on a sector. TK and Cody had agreed to take out a Control Spire together, while Kari had opted to go with Davis to sector 11-000-UPSILON. Unfortunately for Davis, any opportunity to talk with Kari had been nullified by the presence of three Darktyrannomon. They had arrived fifteen minutes ago.

Now, the sector's Control Spire was destroyed, and the Darktyrannomon were free.

And just as Davis had gone to finally talk with Kari...he had tripped.

Over a rock.

The only rock for miles around. _STUPID ROCK..._ He tried not to scream.

Flamedramon tried not to chuckle as he said, "Bit of bad luck there, eh Davis?"  
  
Kari and Nefertimon were also trying hard to stifle their giggles. Kari suddenly had an idea. "Say Davis, do you think this means someone just talked about you behind your back?"  
  
Davis groaned as he replied, "Kari, if this kind of thing happened to everyone who talked behind my back, I'd be dead by now."

* * *

/Sector 10-010-SIGMA, Now/

"So what if I hurt someone's feelings?! I'll just apologize and move on, but it won't change how I feel! I'm done hiding, and I'm through not being sincere with others!!!" The last part...Yolei said it so quietly; it was in total contrast to her previous rant. "_And to myself..."_  
  
A green glow suddenly came from the lake. Everyone stopped what they were doing as they stared into the crystal-clear waters of the lake.  
  
Suddenly, a glowing green object hovered out of the lake...and towards Yolei, who lackadaisically let the food drop from her arms; her eyes were mesmerized by the glow.

The object settled into her hands...and the glow ceased.

The object looked like a green bud of a flower that had yet to bloom. The bud itself sat on top of what looked like a four-bladed shuriken. And on the front of the 'bud' was the tear-drop-shaped Crest of Sincerity, colored in a dark shade of green.

It was the Digiegg of Sincerity.  
  
Hawkmon finished munching down on one of the fallen apples. "Yolei, use it to make armor-digivolve!"  
  
Yolei nodded as she held the Digiegg of Sincerity into the air. "Hawkmon! Digi-armor energize!"  
  
Hawkmon armor-digivolve to......Shurimon: The Shinobi of Sincerity!  
  
In Hawkmon's place stood a humanoid figure roughly eight-feet tall. His entire body was wrapped in white ninja garments. Around his neck was a scarf made entirely of a vibrant green leaf. His entire head was wrapped in white sheets, with eyeholes cut in for his yellow eyes; however, a black mask around his eyes with blue lenses prevented those yellow eyes from being seen. Around his waist was a belt made of red silk. However, his arms were actually springy vines with three-bladed shurikens attached to them. His feet were not the same, they were like normal human feet, except completely wrapped up in skin-tight white cloth. On his back was an extra-large, four-bladed shuriken that had the Crest of Sincerity embroidered on its center. Then, with a quiet voice, he said, "I am Shurimon, a skillful shinobi with great mastery over the arts of ninja combat and stealth. Beware of my Double Star and Swirling Shuriken attacks, and my special technique shall turn the battlefield into one that is advantageous to me!"

Digitamamon raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Special technique? What are you talking about?!"  
  
Shurimon contorted his arms into a strange stance...then his legs. Finally, he said one phrase.

"Shadow of Leaves."  
  
Immediately, trees erupted from the ground, each and every one of them supporting winding branches, thick leaves, and a combination of shadows and sunlight that would provide excellent cover...if used correctly.  
  
And Shurimon definitely did. "Catch me...if you can." He immediately leapt up into the branches, not making a single sound as he did.  
  
Digitamamon gulped; the moment Shurimon had entered the canopy...he seemingly disappeared. COMPLETELY. _But that's impossible! How can he disappear like that?!_

He suddenly heard a sound...from behind him! He whirled around and shouted, "NIGHTMARE SYNDROME!!!"  
  
The black mass enveloped a tree branch...but no Shurimon. Digitamamon growled as he turned around...to see Shurimon _right behind him_. "BUT...HOW-?"

"Diversions can be quite useful. DOUBLE STAR!!!" Shurimon's 'hand's' began spinning rapidly before his arms extended; this caused the two shurikens to collide with Digitamamon's shell, sending him flying backwards.

The egg-shell was now scratched in two places. Digitamamon snarled as he yelled, "Nobody tarnishes _my_ shell! Nightmare-"

"Fist of the Beast King!"  
  
Digitamamon was cut off as the blast collided with his back. Leomon – who had also used the new environment to his advantage – leapt down from a tree and shouted, "SHURIMON! CUT OFF THE DARK SPIRAL!!!"  
  
Shurimon's adept eyes squinted...and he suddenly realized where it was. It was..._within_ Digitamamon. "Clever place to put it...Double Star!"  
  
Shurimon's left arm extended _into_ Digitamamon's shell.

* * *

Digitamamon was a rather strange Digimon in some respects. After all, he had yet to fully hatch...yet he was an Ultimate.  
  
If one thought of it like that, one would have to be fearful...of what would happen should the Digimon ever hatch.  
  
But that kind of pondering was for later.  
  
Now, Shurimon's arm was zooming through what looked like an alternate universe, complete with galaxies, planets, and stars. In the center of that alternate space was the Dark Spiral.

Shurimon's arm sliced cleanly through it. With a jerk of his arm, Shurimon pulled his left hand out of the space within Digitamamon.

Digitamamon moaned as the Emperor's control over him vanished. Shurimon sighed as he turned towards Yolei. "It has been done." He immediately dedigivolved to Hawkmon, upon which the trees brought forth by the 'Shadow of Leaves' technique disappeared back into the earth.

Yolei stood in stunned awe. "Hawkmon...that was the coolest!" she exclaimed with glee.

Hawkmon chuckled as he replied, "Think nothing of it."

Leomon smiled as he began walking away. "It was wonderful meeting you Yolei, and it was great to reunite with you Mimi. Nonetheless, I must continue my search for Ogremon; we have our fated duel to finish." Leomon burst off into a sprint, disappearing into the foliage.

Mimi waved goodbye to her old friend. "Bye Leomon! It was great to see you again!" She then knelt down beside Digitamamon, who was finally getting back to his feet. She then sweetly asked, "So...do you mind telling us why you attacked us? I'm sure you had a good reason."

Digitamamon sighed as he began trudging back to his restaurant. "Okay...follow me."

* * *

"And the Emperor threatened to destroy my restaurants if I didn't assist him...but I decided not to."  
  
And that was Digitamamon's story. Mimi smiled as she said, "I understand...you worked hard to make this restaurant successful. I know how some people do things they don't like in order to save the things they love."

Digitamamon was on the verge of sniffling. "You...you are too kind." He turned to Yolei and admitted, "I am sorry for earlier...you guys didn't deserve it. This meal's on me!" He immediately ran into the kitchen. Three minutes later, he came out with a four bowls of soup and four sodas. "Dig in!"

Hawkmon and Palmon wasted no time in eating their soup. Yolei smiled as she sipped her soda. "You know...you're not such a bad guy yourself, Digitamamon."  
  
Digitamamon chuckled. "Yeah..." However, his scrooge-like ways came out once more. "But no free refills!"  
  
Yolei facefaulted onto the floor.

* * *

/The Emperor's Base, 2:01 PM/

The Emperor sighed as the sensors on Digitamamon's Dark Spiral stopped sending information to his base's computer terminals. That meant he had been freed by the other Digidestined.

However, footage from the battle was just coming in...and Leomon was no longer the surprise of the day. "So, Yolei has obtained a new Digiegg..."  
  
Problematic? Yes. Annoying? Absolutely. But lethal to his plans? No.

For you see, the Emperor had two projects under way.

Project #1's goal was to give his base flight. And once the anti-gravity modules were perfected and installed, his base would become a roving monolith of destruction.

Project #2...was far more important.

The latter project's goal?  
  
Construction of the ultimate Digimon...one that could hold up against MagnaAngemon and win.

And once both projects were completed, no force in any world would be able to stand up to him.

* * *

/The Dark World, Isolated Island, Devimon's Volcano Lair/

Arukenimon looked down at herself. Her red dress was a button-up one that stretched all the way down to her ankles. Her arms were clothed with purple gloves that went up to her biceps, and a red-and-purple scarf wrapped around her neck and draped around her shoulders. Her dress also had a large collar that covered the lower half of her face from a casual observer's point of view. She wore a large red hat with a purple rim that shaded her face, and her purple sunglasses prevented her eyes from being seen. "Master Devimon," she said as she turned around to face the dark monster. "When shall your plan be set into motion?"  
  
"Silence Arukenimon," sternly replied Devimon as he glanced at the air. He had seen it...

There. A small stream of data was swirling through the air in the volcano. "Odd...it is rare to see unformatted data just floating around like this..." A cruel smirk crossed his face as he used his power to draw the data to him. "This could be useful."

The data started orbiting his right hand as his left fingers scratched open a fresh scar along his thigh. A small stream of data began to trickle out of the wound...and Devimon directed it towards his right hand. His data merged with the unformatted data, causing a fusion of the two. The data stream turned into a stream of pale, shimmering barcodes that circled his hand endlessly. "Now for the final ingredient."  
  
He looked over to a small puddle of black water near the edge of the volcano crater. It was water from the Dark Ocean that he had gathered himself one week ago. It was part of the same water that he had used in creating Arukenimon.

He delved his barcode-covered hand into the puddle and immediately pulled his hand back out. The barcodes swirled around inside the puddle...and the water suddenly morphed into a blue sac similar to that that Arukenimon had been born from. Devimon chuckled. "Good...you will be having a sibling soon, Arukenimon."  
  
Arukenimon looked at the blue sac with a small degree of apprehension. "When shall this...'sibling' hatch?"  
  
Devimon sat down as he ripped off a brown bandage on his right arm, using it to cover his newly opened wound. "You took about five days to hatch. However, this time we have an unformatted data stream added to the mix...so the results will be different. For better or worse."

* * *

To be continued...

Next time...

Episode 17: An Ogre in Little Edo

* * *

Author's Notes: 23 pages in THREE DAYS!!! NEW RECORD!!!


	17. Extreme Measures

Standard Disclaimer: I-don't-own-Digimon-mon...digivolve to...No-lawsuits-mon!

Author's Notes: I wonder how well this story would translate to TV...well, dubbers would probably butcher a lot of things.  
  
Anyhow, onto the reviews!  
  
Anthony1: Well, the Emperor IS willing to resort to more extreme measures in terms of conquering territory and capturing POWs...but killing the Digidestined? He's been trying to do that since they declined his offer in Episode 5!

Bohemiat: Yay! New reviewer!!!

...what's that you say? Being TOO descriptive?!  
  
Oo; That's new. I've heard of a lack of description...but too much?  
  
Well, if you've seen the show...why the heck do you read the descriptions anyway? You already know what they look like (with the exception of (Wargreymon's) color change and Shurimon's total redesign)! Basically, the descriptiveness is for those who haven't seen the show.

Silver Warrior: Huh, was wondering where you were for episode 15. oO; But yes, it is now OPEN WAR!!! And you'll see more of that...in THIS EPISODE!!! (Dun-dun-DUN-DUN-DUN-dunnnnnnn!!!)

Now...begin!

PS: I've made the decision to change the title and the plot of this episode...somewhat. It'll still take place in the same location, but as you can probably guess, Ogremon will not appear in this episode. That will be reserved for a later chapter.

* * *

_The Digidestined thought the Emperor had resorted to extreme measures before..._

_They haven't seen anything yet._

* * *

"This is Mimi. The Emperor's gone crazy! Now he's declared a total war on the Digiworld...not that I would know, seeing as how I was eating at Digitamamon's Restaurant with Yolei! A Gorillamon attacked us, but Leomon of all Digimon rescued us! Then Digitamamon got enslaved by the Emperor and nearly killed Leomon when Yolei got on a RANT! After that she got the Digiegg of Sincerity, and she used it to get Hawkmon to armor-digivolve to Shurimon who saved the day! Life in the Digiworld just never gets any easier..."

* * *

Episode 17: Extreme Measures

* * *

/Sector 01-111-NU, 2:32 PM, Saturday, September the 18th/

Shaun gasped for breath as the group of five Gekomon ran past the alley he had chosen to hide in. With a sigh of relief, he slumped against a garbage can as he reflected on what had happened...

The Gekomon and Otamamon that populated the entire city of Little Edo were after him. The sewer system was full of them, so he had to keep on the surface, where their numbers were less.

However, the surface had one thing the sewers couldn't hold...ShogunGekomon. Even he was scouring the city for him.

He had been chased for almost two hours now...and he was reaching the edge of his endurance.

"Symphony Blast!"  
  
Shaun gasped as an invisible wave of air rushed down the alley towards him.

He had been spotted.

* * *

Now you might be wondering how Shaun got himself into such a big mess...and also, why his partner wasn't there.

Let's turn back the clock, shall we?

* * *

The hunt began at 1 PM...

But in all actuality, the plan for the aforementioned hunt was created an hour before Shaun ever arrived in Little Edo.

The Emperor had been contemplating his options...

* * *

/The Emperor's Base, 11:51 PM, Earlier that Day/

The Emperor smiled as he thought of how things were going. His base would be ready to fly within a few short hours...

Until then, he had to keep the Digidestined busy...especially Shaun, who never left the Digital World anyway.  
  
With a few quick keyboard taps, the Digital World map was pulled up on one of the monitors in his Monitor Room. Shaun's digivice signal was currently being transported from sector 01-110-NU...and he was heading to sector 01-111-NU, which was immediately nearby.

Ken smirked with delight. He had to make some arrangements in 01-111-NU.  
  
_

* * *

_

/01-110-NU, 12:31 PM/

Shaun sighed as he stood on the ridge overlooking 01-111-NU.

Well, more specifically, the city that comprised most of 01-111-NU.

Little Edo...the Digital World's equivalent of Tokyo during the age of samurais, shoguns, and swords. All of the buildings were built with wood, giving the entire city a feel of monotony. Blue shingles covered each and every roof...but only one building broke the sameness; a Shinto-style palace over ten stories tall, with one roof for every five stories.

It was the palace of ShogunGekomon, lord of the Gekomon and Otamamon. Although ShogunGekomon had been a one-time foe of the Digidestined (probably more due to being cranky upon waking up than actually disliking the Digidestined), that phase had quickly passed. Now ShogunGekomon maintained a somewhat distant, if neutral relationship with the Digidestined (save for Mimi...ShogunGekomon disliked her for two reasons; because his servants adored 'Princess' Mimi, and because she could sing better than him).

Shaun planned to make a quick stop there to help reinforce anti-Emperor sentiment and strengthen support for the Digidestined. A whole city full of pro-Digidestined, anti-Emperor Digimon would certainly be a thorn in the Emperor's side.

Speaking of Digimon, where was Sonocomon?  
  
He was at Gennai's, sleeping. Why, so late in the afternoon?

* * *

_/Flashback to Last Night/_

"I'll beat the final level on Legendary, no matter how long it takes!" exclaimed (Agumon) as he grabbed the Xbox controller.

* * *

Shaun chuckled; when he had woken up, (Agumon) was still in front of the TV playing Halo. _He's determined; I'll give him that. _

Deciding not to pontificate on (Agumon's) absence anymore, Shaun slowly started descending along the ridge via a small path that was etched into the cliff side.

But still...he felt rather strange without the little Digimon by his side.

* * *

/01-111-NU, Little Edo, 12:53 PM/

Shaun hurriedly ran into the restroom, his bacon and cheese omelet from earlier that day finally catching up with him.

When he went into a local sushi bar to use the restroom, the Gekomon and Otamamon were socializing as normal.

However, in the seven minutes Shaun was in the restroom, Dark Spirals swarmed over the entire city.

And had the restroom door not been soundproof, Shaun would've heard the denizens of Little Edo scream in terror.

* * *

Standing upon the ridge Shaun had stood on just a short while ago, the Emperor held a large box full of miniaturized Dark Spirals. With one hand, he grabbed a handful of Dark Spirals and threw them into the air. They enlarged automatically, and they immediately began scouring for the nearest Digimon.

Those Digimon happened to be in Little Edo.

The Emperor smirked as the populace's screams reached his ears. _Just you wait...I'll make sure you won't escape this town alive!_ With a few taps on his gauntlet, the Emperor teleported back to his base.

* * *

/01-111-NU, Little Edo, 1:00 PM/

Shaun sighed as he exited the restroom. "Man, I hate number two..."  
  
As he reentered the sushi bar, he stopped.

The bar was completely empty.

With a puzzled look on his face, Shaun looked outside.  
  
Nobody was out there either.

It seemed like the entire city had been deserted.  
  
_Okay, this is weird...and troubling._ An entire city's worth of chatty Gekomon and Otamamon simply vanishing? Not a good sign.

Just as he pulled out his D-Terminal to contact the other Digidestined...

"Symphony Blast!"

A blast of air hit his hand, causing his D-Terminal to drop to the ground. With a wince of pain, Shaun looked at the source of the attack.

There was a Gekomon in a window...with a Dark Spiral around his horn. The little bipedal frog glared at him with blood-red eyes as he wiped off the rim of his horn.

Then another...and another...then two more...then five more...

Then the Otamamon began appearing. They were little more than purple tadpoles with webbed hands. However, around their bellies were Dark Spirals.

Soon, an entire mob of Gekomon and Otamamon had him surrounded. And they ALL had Dark Spirals on their person.  
  
Shaun couldn't believe it! _The Emperor managed to get Dark Spirals on ALL of them?! _He realized the severity of the situation in a hurry; it would only take a few seconds for a torrent of the Gekomon's Symphony Blast and the Otamamon's Aqua Bubble attacks to tear him apart.

He had to move...FAST.

"Symphony Blast!!!"  
  
"Aqua Bubble!!!"  
  
With a quick step backwards, Shaun ran back into the sushi bar. Moments later, the front wall of the sushi bar exploded in a combination of air and bubbles.

A Gekomon ran in to find the boy's body...only to find him scurrying out one of the bar's side windows. "He's getting away!!!"  
  
As Shaun ran into the alleyway, he heard a booming voice. _That voice...oh no, ShogunGekomon!!!_  
  
ShogunGekomon was a tremendous sight to behold. He easily stood over sixty feet tall...but it was debatable whether or not his fat, yellow belly was wider than his height (not really. :P ). A circlet of green leaves surrounded his pudgy neck, and two sousaphones hung over his shoulders. A small red stalk with purple hair stuck out the back of his head...and the Dark Spiral happened to be on that very stalk. His red body, however, couldn't compare to the blood-red eyes that now glared at the enslaved masses. "LISTEN UP!!! Spread out and find the boy! Go into the sewers and post guards at every exit pipe! Make sure he doesn't escape this city!!! If you find him, bring him to me! The Emperor said he'll have a surprise waiting for both us AND the boy in two hours if we don't get him!"  
  
_A surprise?_ Shaun knew that meant something bad...but what? Little Edo was far too big to destroy with a simple Tankmon assault...so what?

He'd have to figure it out later...he had to run.

* * *

/The Emperor's Base, 1:04 PM/

With a cackle, the Emperor pulled up his 'surprise' onto the main screen. "You've survived a lot Shaun...let's see if you can survive this!"

It would be ready shortly after a trip to the Synthesizer Room...it would put his production plants out of order for the better part of three days, but it would be worth it to take out even one of the Digidestined. Even though his Synthesizer Room was powerful, some things were just beyond its capability to produce...like, say, a death ray or a machine that created miniature black holes.

Thankfully, what he had in mind was just under the limit of the Synthesizer's capabilities.

His surprise...well, let's just say it wouldn't be very pleasant for Shaun...OR for Little Edo.

* * *

/01-111-NU, Little Edo, 1:07 PM/

"Aqua Bubble!"  
  
Shaun dove into the nearest house as the bubble zoomed past where his head had been. He had to lose the Digimon tailing him!!!

He quickly ran upstairs and jumped out of the window into the next house...

Only to land in a house with two Gekomon. "...uh oh."  
  
"Symphony Blast!!!"

The blasts collided with his chest, sending back out the window and down to the street below. It was only in the last second that Shaun managed to flip around and land on his hands and knees...but it still hurt.

Shaun had to find another way out...it wouldn't be long before the two Gekomon got down to the street...

There. A manhole cover. Without hesitation, he pulled it open and clambered down the ladder into the dimness of the sewers.

However, in his panic, he had made one fatal mistake...

He had left the manhole cover open.

* * *

/Local Park, Odaiba, 1:14 PM/

And while all this was happening, the other Digidestined were having lunch in one of Odaiba's many parks.

Davis eagerly munched on a sandwich as he complimented, "Kari, you sure make great sandwiches!"  
  
Kari sweatdropped as she sipped her orange juice. "Actually, my mom made those."  
  
Upamon suddenly yelped as he wagged his tongue around as if it were tail on fire. "HOT HOT HOT HOT HOT!!!"  
  
Cody sighed as Upamon doused his mouth in a nearby pond. "I TOLD you not to use so much Tabasco sauce."

TK sighed as Patamon ate the chip he was about to eat. "Patamon, don't you have your own bag?"  
  
The flying pig shook his head. "Already ate mine!" TK sweatdropped as Patamon dove into his opened bag of potato chips.

Yolei, however, was busy keeping Poromon away from her brownies. "THE BROWNIES ARE NOT THE MAIN COURSE!!!" Poromon moaned, "Aw, come on Yolei!"  
  
They were in a fairly secluded corner of the park, sitting under a throng of cherry blossom trees. Although it wasn't the most popular spot in the park, it sat on top of a small hill in the park's very corner, offering one thing the Digidestined desired...privacy. Especially considering their Digimon's presence.

All in all, they were enjoying themselves...taking a break from fighting today.

However, had Shaun's D-Terminal not been separated from him, they would've already left to help him.

* * *

/01-111-NU, Little Edo Sewer System, 1:19 PM/

Shaun's feet made large splashes as he ran through the one-foot-high waters of the sewer system. Judging from what he had heard from ShogunGekomon's orders, the sewers would be full of Gekomon and Otamamon, searching for him en masse.  
  
He couldn't stay down here long; he had to find another exit and get back above ground.

Then he heard distant shouts from behind him. He turned a corner and looked behind him to see one Gekomon clambering down a ladder to join a group of five Gekomon.

"Hey!" shouted the descending Gekomon at the group. "My hunting partner and I saw this manhole cover opened! He's probably down here!"

Shaun froze; he had left the manhole cover _open_?! _I can't believe I made such a stupid mistake!!!_ Shaun quickly ran along the small sidewalk that lined the walls on both sides of the sewer tunnels; this way, his noise would be minimized.

Then again...

He had to pause and think of what was going on. Even now, he could hear the steady _flip-flop_ of webbed feet echo throughout the sewers; both on the sidewalk and in the water. Noise would be his radar...if he could differentiate between the variety of sounds reaching his ears.

Suddenly, he heard a sudden increase in volume...to his immediate _left_. He whirled around to see shadows being cast by figures walking past the small lights that were wired along the tops of the sewers. _Gekomon!_ _They'll find me before I can reach another tunnel!!!_

He had to do something..._anything_...

But what?

* * *

One of the Gekomon heard a sudden splash. It came from around the right bend they were about to reach. "Hey! I heard a splash around the right bend!"  
  
The group of nine Gekomon ran at high speed, their webbed feet making wet imprints on the sewer's sidewalks.  
  
They rounded the corner...and saw nothing.  
  
The lead Gekomon growled. "He can't have gotten far! Three groups of three, now! Split up and search those three tunnels!" He pointed at the next intersection, where the tunnel split away into a tunnel that went forward and to the left and right. "Stay on the sidewalk to reduce our noise!"  
  
They Gekomon complied. Three went forward, three went right, and three went left.

Another minute passed...and inside the tunnel that the splash occurred, Shaun emerged from under the water, gasping for breath. "Man...this stuff stinks." Shaun was thankful that the Gekomon had opted for the more tactically sound option of running along the sidewalks...had they gone in the water, their feet would have touched him...

And, well, he'd have been in deep trouble.

Shaking off as much of the water as he could, Shaun got on the sidewalk and ran off down the left tunnel the Gekomon group had just passed.

He had to get out of this sewer soon...he wouldn't be having any more lucky breaks if he stood around in the sewer for too long.

* * *

/01-111-NU, Little Edo Sewer System, 1:35 PM/

Shaun sighed as he clambered up a ladder. He had managed to avoid any more confrontations like when he had first entered the sewer...but now he had to be careful. He couldn't climb out in front of a group of Gekomon or Otamamon, now could he?

With a cautious movement, Shaun poked his head out of the sewer and into the air.

All clear.

He clambered out of the manhole, leaving the manhole cover as it was. After all, Gekomon had already used it...if they saw it closed after they had opened it...that would mean their target had gone that way.

Before anyone could see him, Shaun charged into the nearest building, slowly looking as he did.

No one was here.  
  
He went upstairs...to find no one.

Good. He could take a small break here...to calm down...and think.

He had to think of his priorities first. The obvious one was escaping...but it wasn't. He had dropped his D-Terminal...and he needed to get it back. If he lost that, he lost the Digiegg of Wisdom.

That meant he had to go back to where he started.

Then he heard voices coming from the street below him. He cautiously peeked his head out to see two Otamamon conversing as they searched.

The lead one said, "So, you were part of the initial contact team?"  
  
The one behind him nodded. "Yeah! I even managed to get a look at the guy as he ran! If I recall...he dropped something."  
  
"Really? What happened to it?"  
  
The second one shrugged. "Eh, ShogunGekomon took it back to his palace. He said it would make a nice souvenir."  
  
"Heh, that's our boss for ya!"  
  
The two shared a general round of laughter as they walked on. Shaun frowned as he pulled his head back in, reflecting on the info he had just obtained.

His D-Terminal was in ShogunGekomon's palace.

He _had_ to get it.

Without it, he was cut off from the others.

His priorities were clear; obtain his D-Terminal, contact the others, and escape from Little Edo. Later on, he would return with the others at full strength and free every single Digimon in the city.

So now he had to get to the palace...the streets and the sewers were all filled with Digimon hunting for him.

So he had to stay up. The distance between the houses was no more than several feet...well within the distance of a running jump.

Without wasting anymore time, Shaun walked back to the window, climbed out, and shimmied up a pipe to the tiled rooftop. He got on top, moved back a few feet...and ran.

And jumped.

He made it.

And he kept going.

Running and jumping, running and jumping, not missing a beat. At this rate, he would reach the palace with little chance of being spotted by the town's relatively short Digimon. At this rate, he'd reach the palace in about ten minutes.

But as he continued at his brisk pace, something in his mind bothered him...what was it...

The surprise. ShogunGekomon had mentioned the Emperor having a 'surprise' for them in case they failed to capture him in two hours...that would be at about 3 o'clock sharp.

Something was egging Shaun in the wrong way about this...what on earth was the Emperor planning?

* * *

/The Emperor's Base, 1:41 PM/

The Emperor sighed as six Goblimon carried his surprise out of the Synthesizer Room. Sparks were now flying out of the small conveyor belt hatch, not to mention a bunch of smoke. On the screen, 'OUT OF ORDER: SELF-REPAIRS INITIATED' was displayed in large red letters.

But no matter. At 2:55, he would send his surprise to Little Edo. It would take five minutes to arrive there...at 3:00 PM. Exactly two hours after he imprisoned every single Digimon in Little Edo.

If at all possible, he hoped that ShogunGekomon would contact him once Shaun was captured; he had used a lot of Dark Spirals, and he'd hate to waste them all if the Child of Wisdom failed to be too elusive to capture.  
  
But still...Shaun's downfall meant that his enemies' 24/7 presence in the Digiworld would be nullified. Then he'd only have to deal with the Digidestined for at least about an hour every day; they couldn't afford much more than that.

The Emperor smiled as he followed the Goblimon out of the Synthesizer Room. Fate was finally beginning to smile on him.

* * *

/01-111-NU, Little Edo, Outside of ShogunGekomon's Palace, 1:45 PM/

Shaun slowly slid down a house's gutter pipe; he was very close to the palace now.

The street he was on was clear. Shaun quickly moved into the next alley, intent on entering and exiting as quickly as possible.  
  
As he neared the alley's exit, a cluster of Gekomon and Otamamon were patrolling the street. _Darn...this won't be easy._ He had to make a diversion.

He delved into the nearest trash can and looked for something hard...a bottle, a moldy rock, anything-

There.

Amongst a bunch of paper trash, he saw an empty bottle of sake. That would definitely suffice. Taking it out of the trashcan, he clutched it tightly as he watched the cluster of Digimon prepare to pass the alley.

Finally...he chucked it...back _into_ the alley.

The glass shattered on the ground twelve meters behind him.

As he had hoped, the cluster stopped and looked back into the alley. An Otamamon whispered, "You hear that...? Could it be the target?"  
  
A Gekomon thwacked the Otamamon on the head. "Of course it is! Who else could it be?!"  
  
Another Gekomon asked, "But we were ordered to patrol this street no matter what!"  
  
The first Gekomon shouted, "It'll only take a few minutes!"

As the cluster approached the alley, Shaun pressed himself against the wall, his breath held in his lungs as much as he could. If they spotted him now...

They passed him, heading toward the source of the noise. Taking no chances, Shaun immediately got up and ran towards the palace. By the time the patrol unit had returned, Shaun was already up the gutter pipe and on the first roof of the palace.

* * *

/Gennai's House, 1:49 PM/

Gennai sighed as his microscopic cameras installed throughout Little Edo transmitted him images of the entire spectacle.

The relentless searching by the Gekomon and the Otamamon.

Shaun's desperate attempts to draw attention away from him.

Gennai groaned as he looked at (Agumon), who had remained asleep no matter how hard he had tried to wake him. _What a time to pull an all-nighter (Agumon!)_

* * *

/01-111-NU, Rooftop of ShogunGekomon's Palace, Little Edo, 1:51 PM/

Shaun squinted as he tried to look through the palace windows. 

He was looking at ShogunGekomon's throne room...but he couldn't make out anything on the inside. He had to go in.

With careful precision, Shaun slowly opened one of the small windows. Thankfully, it was unlocked. Then he slipped inside...

Only to nearly fall to his doom. He would've fallen over sixty feet to the ground below had he not grabbed one of the horizontal beams that stretched along the wall under the windows. _Look before you leap you idiot!!!_  
  
Shaun quietly shimmied along the beam until he reached a vertical post that stretched all the way from the floor to the ceiling. Shaun grabbed it and slid down, finally taking this chance to look at where he was.

He gulped as his eyes looked at the massive figure of ShogunGekomon, sitting silently on his throne. Beside his throne was a small table with two Gekomon guarding it silently from the front...and on it was Shaun's D-Terminal.

_Bingo!_

ShogunGekomon suddenly glared down at an Otamamon that had just run into the throne room. "Have you found the kid yet?"  
  
The Otamamon shook his head. "No sir. A few of the units said that they heard some strange noises along their patrol routes, but nothing beside that." As the Otamamon spoke, Shaun quietly crept behind the table and swiped his D-Terminal.  
  
ShogunGekomon scowled. "HURRY UP!!! The Emperor's going to be mad if we don't find that child before 3 o'clock!"

"Yes sir!" yelped the Otamamon as he scurried off. ShogunGekomon sighed as he watched the Otamamon run off. "Stupid Digimon...bet I could find that kid quicker than them."  
  
At that moment, two Gekomon walked into the throne room, looking at the two Gekomon guarding the table. "Hey guys, time to switch shifts!"  
  
The two Gekomon at the table nodded. "Okay." As the two Gekomon let the other two take their positions, something caught his eye...a new picture?  
  
No...pictures didn't move! He squinted hard...and gasped. The boy was shimmying along a beam towards an open window. "BOSS!!! THE KID'S UP THERE!!!"

"WHAT?!" roared ShogunGekomon as he stood up and looked at the window. Shaun was now climbing out of it.

Shaun grimaced as he tried to get back out. _Oh man, busted!!!_  
  
ShogunGekomon looked down at the table and gasped; the D-Terminal was gone! "You lunk-heads! You let him get his D-Terminal!!! GET HIM!!!" ShogunGekomon looked at Shaun and aimed his sousaphones at him. "Musical Typhoon!"  
  
Then ShogunGekomon broke out into a song.

"The Emperor...! He is the one, he is the boss! He'll have our heads, if we don't get you...YEAH!!!" At the final word, two blasts of air roared from the two horns, hitting the window at high speed.

The window shattered...as did part of the wall around it. Shaun yelped as the air from the attack carried him along and onto the adjacent rooftop. Shaun groaned as his chest hit the house's roof, impulsively placing a hand on his ribs. _I hope that's a bruise and not a fracture..._

Well, he had his D-Terminal nevertheless. He had to get somewhere and deliver a message.

* * *

/01-111-NU, ShogunGekomon's Palace Courtyard, Little Edo, 2:09 PM/

ShogunGekomon charged angrily out of his throne room and into the courtyard around the front of his palace. "**EVERYONE!!! FIND HIM NOW!!!**"

Every Digimon in the city heard him. They increased their efforts threefold.

And above the city, a Dark Ring was keeping watch of it all.

* * *

/The Emperor's Base, Monitor Room, 2:10 PM/

50 minutes until his surprise would wreak havoc on Little Edo.

But this little of bad news he was witnessing would prove his surprise to be a wasteful one. If Shaun managed to contact the others and have them get him out in time...

No. He had to prevent that.

He quickly pulled up the Digital Grid; all of the sectors around 01-111-NU were in his control. "Perfect."  
  
He quickly opened up his gauntlet and executed a command. This one would utilize the energy of his Dark Digivice in a certain area...and it would only work if spires surrounded the sector in all directions.

After a few minutes, his gauntlet pinged. The program had been activated.

The program in question...was a scrambler. It would use his Dark Digivice's power like an electro-magnetic scrambler...effectively canceling all electronic signals coming in and out of the area.

Including Shaun's D-Terminal.

However, he'd have to disable it before he sent his surprise...otherwise, it wouldn't reach Little Edo at all.

But even if Shaun did send a message in time...the other Digidestined would be too late to save him.

Once his scrambler activated, sector 01-111-NU appeared as nothing more than static on his screen.

* * *

/01-111-NU, Old Warehouse, Little Edo, 2:13 PM/

Shaun sighed as he looked at his message.

* * *

_To all Digidestined,_

_I'm in Little Edo at 01-111-NU. HELP!!!_

_Shaun_

* * *

Short and to the point. He set it to send to All and selected 'SEND'.

However, when 21% of the delivery had been complete, his screen suddenly washed over with static. "What?! NO!!!"

Unbeknownst to him, the Emperor had cancelled his delivery.

With a groan, Shaun decided to wait a few minutes and try again.

Unfortunately for the Emperor, Shaun's message got through...to one person.

By the time 20% of the delivery had been completed, Shaun's message had been completely sent to one D-Terminal and was being sent off to the next when the Emperor's scrambler activated.

The one D-Terminal that got it...was Davis'.  
  
And he had left his D-Terminal at his apartment.

* * *

/Local Park, Odaiba, 2:15 PM/

By now, the picnic had ended.

Davis was on his way home (and his attempt at asking Kari to walk home with her had failed again; she had opted to walk home with TK), Demiveemon in tow. Davis was grumbling. "Stupid TS, always getting to walk home with Kari..."  
  
As he neared his apartment door, he looked down at his arms, which held Demiveemon. "Remember; stuffed animal."  
  
"Got it Davish!" Demiveemon immediately went stock still as Davis walked through the front door. Jun was on the couch, watching a local chanell with the giddiness of a fangirl. "Ooh Matt..." she moaned as she watched his band play on TV. "What a hunk..."  
  
Davis groaned as he walked past her and into his room. _Sheesh...I swear, I don't understand her. _As he walked into his room, the first thing he heard was a loud beeping sound.

It was his D-Terminal, sitting on a table by his bed. "Oh yeah, I left it here...no wonder I couldn't find it." He grabbed it and flipped it open, letting Demiveemon fall on the bed softly. "Who's it from Davish?"  
  
Davis looked at the new message quietly...

* * *

_To all Digidestined,_

_I'm in Little Edo at 01-111-NU. HELP!!!_

_Shaun _

* * *

"Help?" Davis wondered why that's all Shaun put down...usually he was more descriptive than that.

Unless...he was in really big trouble and didn't have time for a long message. "Demiveemon, we have to head to the school. Hop in my backpack!"  
  
Demiveemon contorted his face into an icky face. "Eww...but you haven't washed that old sock smell out yet!"  
  
"There's no time!" Demiveemon sighed as he hopped into Davis' backpack. Without stopping – not even to tell Jun where he was off to – he ran out the front door.

Jun raised her eyebrow as her brother left the apartment. _Sheesh...I swear, I don't understand him._

* * *

/01-111-NU, Old Warehouse, Little Edo, 2:27 PM/

Shaun growled as the static blared throughout the confines of the warehouse. "Man...what's going on?"  
  
Then he heard something...from outside. _"Hey guys! I heard something in there!"_

Shaun gulped. _Uh oh._ He quickly turned his D-Terminal off and started looking for an escape path.

There was none. No way out.

"SYMPHONY BLAST!!!"

The warehouse door was blown open as six Gekomon looked inside. They saw nothing but boxes and older jars. The Gekomon, however, knew better; their orders were to leave no stone unturned.

So they started overturning boxes all over the place.

Unbeknownst to them, Shaun was propped up on the top doorpost, his body hugging the wall as hard as he could. He tilted his head to see all of the Gekomon searching frantically for him. _It's now or never!_  
  
He jumped down and ran out.

However, the noise attracted the Gekomon. "Hey, something ran out the door!" All six of them ran out to see Shaun turning a corner. "WE FOUND HIM!!!"

Shaun grimaced as he heard the six Gekomon's horns blare loudly. He knew what it meant.

'We found the target.'

* * *

/End Flashback, 2:32 PM/

And now we are here.

Shaun had hidden behind a trashcan...and he had been spotted.

A Symphony Blast was now on its way to him, preparing to pulverize him.

With great haste, Shaun got up and ran off as the trashcan received a new dent in its side. He turned right.

Five Gekomon.

He whirled around for the left path.

Five Otamamon.

He took the left.

"Aqua Bubble!"  
  
Shaun winced as the bubbles hit his skin; they felt like a bunch of rubber bands slapping him. _Oh well, not as bad as the Gekomon._

He ran into the nearest house, which was thankfully empty. He immediately ran upstairs, went out the window, and clambered up a pipe to the rooftop.

Moments later, two Otamamon peered out the window. "Where the heck did he go?!"  
  
Shaun was right above them on the rooftop. His chest heaved up and down as he struggled to get his breath. 5 minutes of continuous running had really taken a toll on his already tired body...

He couldn't take much more.

* * *

/Odaiba School, Front Courtyard, 2:37 PM/

Davis ran hurryingly inside the school. Thankfully, the high school soccer game against a rival school had kept the school open after hours.  
  
He quickly made a beeline for the computer lab. Since he had gotten the message, it was logical that the others had gotten it as well.

Hopefully he would have help in rescuing Shaun...from whatever was happening.

* * *

/Computer Lab, 2:39 PM/

Davis frowned as he entered the computer lab.

It was completely empty. "Guess I'm the first one here."  
  
He quickly stepped up to the computer that was used for trips to the Digiworld and turned it on. Davis sighed as he waited for the machine to boot up.

* * *

/01-111-NU, Little Edo, 2:41 PM/

Shaun looked at the main bridge that connected Little Edo to the mainland. It was at least a six-minute run away...through open territory though. He'd be spotted in no time.

He had to take the long route.

Shaun began running and jumping along the roofs, heading for the exit. This way would take a little longer...but that was fine by him.

Then his eye caught something.

A guard tower about fifty feet away.

And the two Gekomon in the tower had spotted him.

_NO!!!_  
  
"Everyone! BLOW THAT HOUSE DOWN!"

Shaun gulped as over one hundred Gekomon and Otamamon circled the house and charged the attacks. "No..."  
  
"Symphony Blast!"  
  
"Aqua Bubble!"  
  
With the pulverization of the house's base, it all came crashing down, carrying Shaun with it.

* * *

/Computer Lab, 2:45 PM/

"Finally!"  
  
Davis quickly looked through the start menu for the Digital Grid program...programs...accessories...

There. A white square that had the letters DG next to it. He clicked on it, and the program opened up. "Okay...where's this...01-111-NU..."  
  
After a few minutes of searching, Davis found it.

Oddly, it was covered with static. "What's this?!"

Demiveemon hopped out of Davis' backpack and looked at the screen. "Looks like the stuff I saw on your old TV."

* * *

/01-111-NU, Ruined House, Little Edo, 2:49 PM/

The destruction of the house had caused the dirt roads around the house to kick up, forming a large dust cloud that didn't fade for three minutes.

When it finally faded, the Gekomon and Otamamon scoured the house's ruins frantically.

However, they couldn't find the boy.

* * *

/The Emperor's Base, Launch Bay, 2:54 PM/

The Emperor turned off the scrambler.

It was time for his surprise to leave the base. He sat safely behind an impervious glass shield...to protect himself. He flipped a switch on the console in front of him, starting the countdown.

An artificial voice blared out of the intercom. **"T-Minus 30 seconds till launch."**  
  
The Emperor smirked as he watched the metallic restraints detach from his surprise. "Ho ho ho...if only I could be there to witness the look on his face when this reaches Little Edo."  
  
But he couldn't. He'd be annihilated along with them.

However, as he looked at his gauntlet's screen, he saw that the only Digidestined in Little Edo was Shaun. He smiled as the countdown receded.  
  
**"T-Minus 20 seconds till launch."**  
  
No one would be able to save him in time.  
  
The launch bay opened up as his surprise was moved forward by the automated launch ramp. The coordinates automatically locked on to 01-111-NU.

"**T-Minus 10 seconds till launch."**  
  
The Emperor smirked as thrust was propelled out of the back, building up to a tremendous speed that would immediately send his surprise flying. Thankfully, the glass prevented the heat from reaching him. It also dimmed the tremendous light coming from the tail end.

And his surprise...

Was a full-scale nuclear warhead.

"**Launch."**

The clamps released themselves...and the missile went flying.  
  
The Emperor cackled as his warhead rocketed into the atmosphere. "HA HA HA HA HA!!! TRY AND SURVIVE **THIS**!!!"

* * *

/Gennai's House, 2:55:01 PM/

Gennai blinked as his cameras watched the missile launch from the Emperor's base. "That...but...HE CAN'T BE SERIOUS!!!"  
  
Gennai immediately contacted Shaun.

* * *

/01-111-NU, Little Edo Sewers, 2:55:12 PM/

Shaun winced as he pulled a splinter of wood out of his left arm. It was fortunate for him that the house's collapse had caused such a giant dust cloud...it had enabled him to crawl from the wreckage into the nearest sewer.

Suddenly, his D-Terminal beeped. _It's working again?_ He opened it up to see Gennai's face. "Gennai?"  
  
**"GET OUT OF LITTLE EDO NOW!!!"**  
  
Shaun winced at Gennai's outburst. "I've been trying to do that for the past two hours...but why the sudden shouting?"  
  
**"Remember the Emperor's surprise? It's on your way to Little Edo now, and it'll be there at 3!"**  
  
"What is it?"  
  
Gennai sighed as he wiped the sweat from his forehead. **"Would you believe that it's a nuclear warhead?"**

"**WHAT?!!**" Shaun couldn't find any other words to describe his shock. A nuclear warhead? How could the Emperor have gotten that? _HOW?!_ "But...what..."  
  
**"Listen! If you want to save your hide, get to the nearest Digiport!"**  
  
The connection was immediately cut as Shaun pocketed his D-Terminal. He had to move.

He made for the nearest ladder, climbed up it, and started running for the main road.

Once there, he began running toward the main bridge.

However, he was immediately spotted.

* * *

/01-110-NU, 2:56:30 PM/

Davis and Veemon looked down the ridge at Little Edo with uncertainty.

Fearing something odd was happening in 01-111-NU, Davis had gone to the adjacent sector; 01-110-NU.

Now he they were on a ridge overlooking Little Edo...and Davis saw something big and red in the city heading for the main bridge. "Um...who's that big guy?"  
  
Veemon squinted and said, "ShogunGekomon...and I think that guy near the bridge is Shaun."  
  
"Shaun?!" Davis now understood what the trouble was; with a big guy like that after him, who would have time for a big message? "Okay Veemon, let's do a little rescuing! Digi-armor energize!"  
  
Veemon armor-digivolve to......Raidramon: The Storm of Friendship!  
  
After Davis mounted Raidramon, the quadruped bounded off for Little Edo.

* * *

/Gennai's House, 2:57:41 PM/

"WHAT?!"  
  
Gennai, having finally gotten (Agumon) awake, had just finished explaining the situation. "Yes (Agumon), I'm not kidding."  
  
(Agumon) suddenly felt horrible; he should've been with his partner this whole time instead of sleeping! "I need to go!"

Gennai sighed. "Just be careful; I don't want you to die as well." He manually opened a Digiport to 01-110-NU.

(Agumon) jumped in without hesitation.

* * *

/01-111-NU, Little Edo, 2:57:59 PM/

Shaun grimaced as he turned to see ShogunGekomon trailing him, along with nearly every Gekomon and Otamamon in the area.  
  
He had to get out...he had to...

ShogunGekomon suddenly sang. "Look at me...! I am going to catch this boy, oh yes I am...oh yes I am...YEAH!!!"

Shaun flipped head over heels as the two blasts of air completely shattered the ground behind him, sending him flying head over heels.

When he landed on the ground with a THUD, his chest aching again, he knew...with a sudden terrifying clarity, he knew.

He wouldn't make it out of Little Edo in time.

ShogunGekomon and a horde of Gekomon and Otamamon stood over him, grinning malevolently.  
  
Shaun just closed his eyes. No reason to watch the missile come...

"THUNDEROUS ROAR! **HAAAA!!!**"  
  
_Wait, that's not a nuclear explosion..._ He opened his eyes to see streaks of blue lightning send ShogunGekomon to the ground. The Gekomon and Otamamon were sent scurrying as Raidramon landed beside him. Davis extended his hand downward. "Need a lift?"  
  
Shaun smirked as he clutched Davis' hand. "You know it."

Once Shaun was on Raidramon, the Armored Champion immediately took a 180 and dashed off. Davis grinned as Raidramon crossed the bridge. "We're in the clear!"  
  
Shaun shook his head. "No we're not."

* * *

/The Digital World's Upper Atmosphere, 2:59:21 PM/

The missile's guidance systems zeroed in on the very center of Little Edo.

Its cargo would completely devastate it.

* * *

/The Border between 01-110-NU and 01-111-NU, 2:59:34 PM/

Davis blinked as he saw a long object suddenly roar out of the clouds. "THAT'S IT?!"  
  
Shaun nodded. "Yeah...we won't be able to escape the blast range in time..." Great...not only was he going to die...but some cruel twist of fate had landed Davis to die with him.

"SHAUN!!!"  
  
That voice. Shaun and Davis looked up to see (Agumon) on top of the ridge. "You need help?!"  
  
There was no time for wisecracks. "**FORGET THE QUIPS!!! ARMOR-DIGIVOLVE!!!**"

(Agumon) armor-digivolve to......Sonocomon: The Speed of Wisdom!  
  
Sonocomon sped down and grabbed Raidramon around the stomach as he hovered over the ridge. "Hang on tight!"  
  
Shaun and Davis braced themselves as Sonocomon breached the sound barrier, going super-fast through the air.  
  
As they zoomed away, the nuke zoomed toward Little Edo.

* * *

/01-111-NU, Little Edo, 2:59:50 PM/

ShogunGekomon cursed as his target zoomed away. "NO! They're getting away!"  
  
A Gekomon, however, was too busy screaming at the sky.

Everyone turned their heads skyward to see an object flying towards them...and they all screamed. ShogunGekomon realized what this was. "THE EMPEROR'S SURPRISE!!!"

Everyone began fleeing.

It was for naught.

Seconds later, the nuclear warhead detonated one hundred feet above Little Edo's midpoint.

* * *

Apocalypse.

That was the first thought in Davis' mind when he heard the mind-numbing explosion from behind him. He dared to turn around to see.

A mushroom-shaped cloud now billowed over the area where he had just rescued Shaun. Fire rolled through the cloud as a wave of fire and radioactive air rolled through the air around the sector.

It was by no means a huge nuke...but then again, there's no such thing as a small nuke.

Shaun didn't dare look back.

By the time Sonocomon stopped, they were in sector 01-100-MU. They were well beyond the blast area...and they were safe from radiation as well.

However, they were not in the mood to speak. Shaun flipped up his D-Terminal and wordlessly sent a message to the Digidestined.

* * *

_To all Digidestined,_

_Come to the school computer lab. We have a meeting to attend._

_Shaun_

* * *

Oh yes, did they ever have a meeting to attend. Shaun dialed Gennai's house next. "Gennai?"  
  
**"Yes?"**  
  
"Can you take a Mechanorimon and check out ground zero?"  
  
**"Sure."**

* * *

/01-111-NU, Little Edo's Remains, 3:15 PM/

The Mechanorimon's lone eye remained open as Gennai piloted it through the remains of Little Edo.

The remains were little. All that was found were several shards of burning wood. The sewer system had collapsed upon itself. All that remained of the Digimon were shadows charred into the ground.

As for the environment outside of Little Edo...well, it hadn't fared much better. Every place within one mile of Little Edo was burned to a crisp. The radiation would spread farther than that.

Gennai sighed as he the images were transmitted to the computer in the Odaiba Computer Lab. "You getting this?"

* * *

/Computer Lab, 3:16 PM/

Shaun spoke silently into his D-Terminal. "Yeah."  
  
TK, Kari, Yolei, and Cody sat in muted horror as Gennai transmitted the images of what remained of Little Edo. Davis didn't need to see it...nor did he want to.

Shaun forced himself to see it. To remind himself of what had just happened.

_The Emperor was willing to kill me so much that he nuked an entire city of Digimon to try and get me._

This was never supposed to happen...never. Not in a hundred years. So much death...

And all because the Emperor wanted him eliminated.

Cody trembled as his rage against the Emperor grew. _He's so dead-set on eliminating us that he'll kill innocent Digimon to do it?! He has no honor!!!_

Kari's paled expression just stared at the screen in silence. "Why...?"  
  
Yolei just shook her head in disbelief. How could someone be so heartless? How?!

TK's hands closed into fists as he resisted the urge to punch the screen. "We're dealing with pure evil here...who else could do something like this without a conscious?!"  
  
The Digimon just sat back on a nearby counter, letting their hatred for the Emperor grow. Gatomon's claws extended on impulse the more she thought about it. "When I get my paws on him...I'll do much more than scratch him."  
  
Davis just pounded the countertop in disgust. "We need to just find his base and take him out there! Simple as that! Otherwise this'll happen again!!!"  
  
Shaun sighed as he stopped away from the computer, facing the corner. "I don't know what we're going to end up doing...but the Emperor's going to be brought down..."  
  
He pounded his fist into his hand.

"HARD."

* * *

/The Emperor's Base, Main Balcony, 3:20/

The Emperor smiled as he looked at the blue sky. "Let's see if they can bring me down NOW."

With a slow rumble, his base lifted out of the ground and into the sky. It looked like a rocky bean missing part of its top. The missing part gave way for a flight deck of sorts. And now, the Emperor was standing on a balcony overlooking the deck.

Soon, his base hovered over 300 feet above the ground. It slowly began moving northward.

The Emperor giggled with glee as his base took flight. "YES!!! Now I can rule with an iron fist from the heavens themselves!!!"

Although he knew Shaun had survived the nuclear explosion (much to his initial chagrin), it didn't matter. The purpose for the two-hour hunt had been served; his base was now mobile.

Now that the first project was complete and successful...it was time to begin the second project.

_Soon Digidestined_, thought the Emperor as he stood highly over what would soon be his new kingdom. _Once I complete Project Chimera, you will all die!_

* * *

To be continued...

Next time...

Episode 18: The Reliable Sea Guardian

* * *

Author's Note: The Emperor's callousness knows no limits, eh?  
  
Tune in next time!


	18. The Reliable Sea Guardian

Standard Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon. Although I bet (judging from reviews) some of you wish I did.

Author's Notes: Boy, the Emperor's nuke threw you ALL for a loop! Man!

Bohemiat: Hmm…inability to complete sentences without random pauses…yep, you're shocked. (And for some reason, FFnet erased your review. O.o; )

Duke Devlin: HA! I wish! (laughs) It'd be nice to have been a driving force behind the production of Season 2…but alas, my age was still in the single digits by the time Digimon hit America.

Anthony1: I see you're rather impressed with the last episode's intensity…

Well folks, you haven't seen anything yet!

BEGIN!

One Last Note: This chapter has more violence than previous chapters, so some might perceive as a PG-13 chapter. No bad words, just more violence. I still consider it PG…but some might consider it PG-13. Oh well.

-

_Some movies try to create horrific characters that will haunt your dreams for days…or weeks._

_What if you were to go face-to-face with them? _

By the end of this episode, the Digidestined will be able to answer that question for you.

-

"This is Shaun speaking. Would you believe the Emperor enslaved an entire town to hunt me? Would you believe he nuked said town two hours later to get rid of me? Would you believe I narrowly escaped with my life? Would you believe the Digidestined are now supremely ticked off at the Emperor? Would you believe the Emperor did ALL THAT just to keep us off his back long enough to complete the modifications to his base? Well, you should; all of it happened."

-

Episode 18: The Reliable Sea Guardian

-

/Sector 11-011-ALPHA, Emperor's Base, September 20th, 12:02 PM/

The Emperor smiled as his base hovered over the large river that winded through the sector's coniferous forest.

His base's flight had a dual purpose; the first was to establish fear throughout the Digital World.

The other was more practical. On the rear of his base was a slot shaped exactly like a Control Spire. Every five hundred yards, the mysterious workings of the Synthesizer would produce another Control Spire. The Spire would then be deposited out of the slot and onto the ground behind the base. This resulted in numerous spires per sector, and it also meant more spires could be produced daily.

Everything was going great. His base's ability to fly had served as a right hook to the Digidestined's blind side. He was now producing more spires than the Digidestined could destroy. Despite their rage at his nuking of Little Edo, he had them against the ropes.

_And once I complete my knockout punch that is Project Chimera_, thought the Emperor with a smirk as the sunlight reflected off of his purple shades. _The Digidestined will be unable to recover! Even (Wargreymon) will be helpless against his might!_

The Emperor laughed as his base moved on.

-

Fast forward.

Almost two weeks have passed since the destruction of Little Edo and the Emperor's completion of his base's anti-gravity pods. Ever since his base took flight, more Control Spires had been appearing than the Digidestined could knock down.

The Emperor's base was obviously a primary target, but Gennai's cameras had revealed the existence of defensive turrets – a new addition to the Emperor's arsenal. Also, two squadrons of Airdramon always maintained defensive parameters around the base. And since the base practically exuded the Dark Digivice's dark energy…(Wargreymon) was out of the question as well.

In short, a frontal assault would've been suicide.

So, during the past two weeks, the Digidestined had been doing two things; destroying as many spires as they could, and trying to find a way to take down the Emperor's base.

The first objective had been no problem…but number two was proving to be impossible. They couldn't find anything powerful enough to bring down the Emperor's base.

However, on this day, Shaun had contacted the Digidestined with urgent news.

The news?

Well…let's watch, shall we?

-

/Sector 10-110-PSI, October 2nd, 3:09 PM/

Shaun and (Agumon) turned around to see the sector's Digiport flash brightly. The flash faded to reveal the five other Digidestined – Digimon included – in a dogpile.

"GET YOUR FOOT OFF OF MY FACE DAVIS!" yelled Yolei.

Davis grumbled as he pulled himself up. "Not my fault."

Everyone looked at Shaun and (Agumon) with concern. TK spoke first. "So Shaun, you said you had urgent news to share with us."

Shaun nodded. "First, I have a question; have any of you heard of a certain Digimon named Whamon?"

TK and Kari gasped. Whamon was a whale Digimon that had been of a big help during the days of the first Digidestined. Whamon had helped the Digidestined get the tags, transport them to the Server continent, and defeat the Dark Master Metalseadramon…at the cost of his life. Kari hurriedly asked, "You've seen him? He's been reborn!"

Shaun nodded again. Patamon tried to keep from slipping off of TK's head as he asked, "But what does this have to do with your news?"

"Actually, quite a bit," replied Shaun as turned back around. The area they were in bordered theSouthern Ocean, which bordered Folder's southern shoreline.They were around the southeastern edge of Folder, and a large forest stretched into the horizon about fifty yards behind them. The shore was comprised of rocky cliffs that stretched downward for about fifty feet before meeting the ocean. "You see, with his base up in the air, the Emperor has been able to conquer more territory. This included the southern shores of Server near where Whamon used to live. As a result, he had to move here, to Folder."

While the Digidestined growled at the Emperor's latest misdeed, Cody asked, "You still haven't answered Patamon's question."

(Agumon) sighed with exasperation. "We're getting to that." Shaun continued on. "Whamon happened to move to this area of the sea…and upon moving in, he found something strange. Whamon contacted Gennai – how he did, I do not know – and told him about this strange thing. I came here with (Agumon) to investigate…and we found something very interesting."

"What is it! What is it!" chanted Veemon.

Shaun walked towards the edge of the shore and stomped on a small, dome-shaped rock that stuck out of the ground. To the others' shock, the rock went _into_ the ground.

What happened next was nothing short of surreal.

Part of the cliff wall actually parted, revealing a set of metal tracks that went deep into the ocean. A dull rumbling was soon heard that grew louder and louder…and eventually, something could be seen emerging from below.

It came out of the water slowly, revealing itself to be an elevator platform with a dome of thick glass surrounding it. When it came to a stop, an electronically controlled door that was welded into the dome opened on its own.

As the others gaped at the dome, Shaun continued his explanation. "You know how the Emperor said he's been here since after the end of Apocalymon?"

Hawkmon nodded. "Indeed we do." Yolei's mental gears turned as she then said, "That would make it about four years. Why?"

Shaun answer had profound implications.

"The base the Emperor uses now…he didn't even start _building_ it until over two years ago."

Everyone remained silent at what Shaun meant. Gatomon already knew. "So…you mean he had to have had a different base before…are you saying?"

"Yeah," answered Shaun. "This elevator may lead to the Emperor's first base."

-

The Emperor's first base. No one knew what lay inside. But they had to find out…the base might've contained knowledge that would prove useful in their battle against the Emperor.

So they boarded the elevator platform. With a press of the 'Down' button, the door closed. Then, with a creak that sounded like rusty metal scraping, the dome went down into the water. A sudden silence over whelmed them as they went under into the serene world of the sea.

Gatomon's paws shuddered as she stared at the vast ocean. "I hate water…"

Veemon patted her on the back. "Don't worry Gatomon! It's not like the dome's gonna break!" Gatomon sweatdropped; that didn't ease her fears at all.

Armadillomon squinted as they descended further into the darkness. "Hey…are those lights supposed to be there?"

Everyone looked down to see a ring of powerful halogen floodlights illuminating a hexagon-shaped structure. At each of the structure's vertices was a tunnel that led to a pod. Even from here, one could see the large rotating fans in each one of the pods.

Yolei saw the fans and realized what the pods were. "Those pods…those are turbines for hydroelectric generators. BIG ones."

Shaun nodded. "It would explain why the lights are still on; an endless source of power. I hope the power's still on inside, however."

The platform reached the sandy floor of the shore; it then began moving laterally towards the base, perfectly parallel to the ocean floor. The platform then rotated around 180 degrees, positioning the door so that it faced the base.

Then, with a soft thud, the elevator door met another door on the side of the base. A series of clicks sounded as the two doors connected with each other.

A release of air was heard as the door opened.

The Digidestined tensed up; they half-expected the ocean to come rushing in to smother them. Instead, all they saw was a large, white room.

With great caution, the Digidestined entered the room. There was another door, but it was sealed shut.

Suddenly, the door closed forcefully behind them. Yolei frantically pounded on it. "LET US OUT!"

Suddenly, visible streams of air entered the room, changing the pressure within the room. Everyone suddenly felt a tad dizzier. Davis shook his head and asked, "Dude, what's going on?"

Shaun answered quickly. "We're at least several hundred feet below sea level. The pressure down here is so tremendous that this structure would easily cave in without a sufficient amount of internal pressure. That's all that's happening; the room's being pressurized so that this room won't lead to a weakness in the overall structural integrity of the base."

The explanation satisfied Davis. Once the air stopped flowing in, the opposite door opened, revealing a massive room.

They stepped through.

-

/Unknown Sector, Gennai's House, 3:23 PM/

Gennai stared quietly at the computer screen. In moments, the five differently colored dots in sector 10-110-PSI disappeared off the screen. Now that they were in the sea, they were officially 'off the grid'.

"Be careful…" he muttered.

-

/Off the Grid, Unidentified Structure (Emperor's Base?), Elevator Hangar, 3:25 PM/

The room they were in was nothing short of humongous. A large room that stretched a few dozen feet high was covered all over with dust-covered metal. Gratings could be seen throughout the room, serving as access points for electronics or heating vents. However, the room's condition was evident. Several conduits and pipes were hanging out of the walls and ceiling, their inner wirings hanging limply. Numerous robot drones lay on the ground, powerless: apparently, their batteries had run out of juice.

More important, however, were the two doors. One staircase on the left lead to one, while a staircase on the right side of the room led to another.

Kari shivered as she rubbed her arms gingerly. "Man…it's cold in here…"

(Agumon) exhaled a large puff of air to see his breath crystallize. "She's not kidding. We need to find a way to heat this place up!"

Shaun agreed heartily. "Okay…our first priority is to find this place's heating controls. Then we try to find this place's control center. After that, the group that found the control center will find directions to anything that we can use against the Emperor; the other group will then have those directions transmitted to them via D-Terminal to find whatever the group in the control center found."

"Wait, hold up!" yelled Davis as he motioned with his hands to stop everything. "What's up with this whole 'groups' thing?"

TK looked at the doors and understood. "He means splitting up. We'll be able to cover more ground that way."

For some reason, splitting up seemed like a bad idea. "I don't know…this whole place feels like a scene from an old movie I saw once; the guys who split up in that movie ended up being eaten!"

Everyone stared oddly at Davis. Finally, Yolei said, "Gee Davis…you see too many movies."

Shaun wasn't sure. Now that Davis was talking about it…he felt something odd about this place. Still, two groups of three were still formidable. "Well, three people in two groups are still formidable. I'll head through the left door. Yolei, Cody, you come with me."

Yolei and Cody nodded as they followed Shaun up the left stairway. Armadillomon waved to them before he entered the door. "See you guys later!"

The door slid open automatically when Shaun stepped in front of it. Once his group had passed the door, it slid shut behind them.

Kari looked at TK and Davis. "Guess the second group's us."

Davis realized something; this was his chance to prove himself to Kari! _Okay Davis, you've gotta show that you're in control, and able to take charge! If I do good…maybe she'll hug me like she did him._ Davis still had a sour memory about Kari and TK's hug after the Dark Ocean incident. He puffed his chest out slightly and said, "Okay guys! Let's go through that door!"

TK and Kari looked oddly at Davis as he semi-walked, semi-marched up the stairs. So did Gatomon, Patamon, and Veemon. Veemon turned to the other two Digimon and asked, "Is that some kind of new fad?"

Gatomon and Patamon shrugged. They simply followed TK and Kari through the right door, which slid shut behind them after they entered it.

-

The corridor Shaun, Yolei, and Cody found themselves in was well lit. The floor was basically a large metal grate that made a hollow ring as their feet stepped on it. Along the walls were numerous pipes and wires. They continued walking through the corridor until they reached another door. It too slid open once the proximity sensors were triggered.

They were now in a circular junction that split off into numerous corridors. Like the original room, the junction's condition was very decrepit. Pipes and wires were cut and dangling in midair. Part of the floor's grating was torn open in several places. Some of lights were broken and sparking.

But something about the condition of the room rubbed Shaun in the wrong way…the holes in the floor's grating…and the cuts in the pipes were too clean to be normal…what-

"Look! Arrows!" shouted Cody as he pointed a section of the wall. It was true; words were painted on in white, with white arrows pointing in the direction the room was. The directions were arranged from top to bottom.

Control Room -

- Heater Controls

- Turbine 'A' Access

Shaun mentally whooped for joy. The Control Room was nearby! "Well, looks like we've got a quick lead…let's head to the Control Room."

(Agumon) tugged Shaun's pants leg before he could move. "What about the heat? Kari was complaining about the cold, remember?"

Hawkmon nodded in agreement. "It would be wise to heat up this base. Working conditions would be much more suitable to us if we turned up the temperature."

Shaun had to admit that they were right. It _was_ rather cold…and he had said just minutes ago that the first priority would be turning up the heat. "Okay. We'll turn up the temperature first. Then we head for the Control Room."

Yolei sighed with relief. "Finally, warmth!"

Even as they turned left and walked down the corridor with the words 'Heater Controls' painted on the walls, Shaun couldn't shake off the bad feeling he had about the mess in the junction.

He subconsciously placed his hand in his pocket…making sure the Desert Eagle pistol he had brought with him was still there.

It was.

-

Davis glared at the door in front of him. "Darn you! OPEN UP!"

TK and Kari sweatdropped…but Davis did have a point. After leaving the room they had split up in, Davis' group had walked down the well-lit corridor until they had reached the door they were at now. And this door refused to open.

Davis growled as he tried pushing it to the side; manually opening it didn't work.

Veemon smirked as he tugged at Davis' ankle. "Let me handle it! Vee Headbutt!"

With a hard collision, Veemon burst through the door.

What was on the other side was nothing short of bizarre.

The entire room was frosted over with a frost-like coat. It appeared to be a mess hall of sorts: tables, refrigerator, chairs, etc. However, cold jets of frigid air were being blown into the room…well below zero.

Kari started shivering on impulse as she covered her arms. "We can't go through there! It's too cold!"

TK turned to Davis and said, "We need to find another door in there."

Davis silently fumed. _I know THAT Mr. Obvious!_ Nevertheless, he turned to the mess hall and looked around…

There. A door at the opposite end of the room. "Veemon! Charge through and do a Vee Headbutt!"

Veemon bobbed his head up and down in concurrence. "Don't you worry Davish!" The enthusiastic Rookie quickly ran – well, slid – through the room, building up his momentum a she reached the door. "Vee Headbutt!"

CRASH!

The door busted open with a mighty crash. Veemon looked back into the mess hall and waved his arms. "Bring her on through!"

TK clutched Kari's left arm as he calmly said, "Hold on Kari; we'll get you through in no time."

Davis couldn't help but quietly growl at TK. _Look at him! Well he'd better think twice before I let him take all the credit for helping Kari!_ He clutched Kari's right arm. "Don't worry Kari; we'll be on the road to warmth lickety-split!"

Kari warmly smiled at the helpfulness of the two boys. "Thanks guys…let's just get through there as soon as possible."

On the count of three, the three children rushed through the mess hall, nearly slipping as they did. Gatomon and Patamon followed them from behind.

In a few seconds, they had cleared the mess hall.

Little did they know that they had just passed one of the horrors that would hunt them later that day.

They also would've been horrified to know that they had begun the process of freeing it when they opened the doors…for they had been closed for a reason.

To seal _it_ in.

-

Shaun, Yolei, and Cody looked throughout the room in astonishment. Large canisters were being filled with seawater, and the electrical furnaces beneath the canisters heated the water to boiling point; the steam would then be passed through to the ventilation systems to bring heat to the entire base.

Well, that would be the case if the furnaces were on.

(Agumon) looked at the set of red levers between two canisters. One large word was painted onto the metal above the levers.

'FURNACE'

And the levers were all up…in the 'off' position.

They would rectify that. Shaun exchanged a glance with the others as he said, "Yolei, help me pull the levers down. The rest of you, make sure the furnaces turn on."

"Aye, aye!" replied the three Digimon and Cody. Shaun and Yolei walked over to the levers and began pulling them down, one-by-one.

And one-by-one, the gigantic electric coils beneath the canisters began glowing red. Hawkmon flapped his wings in jubilation. "We have heat!"

Once all the levers were turned on, they double-timed it out of the heating control room; it was already getting stuffy in there from the coils. Shaun waited until the door closed behind before saying, "Okay…it may take a few minutes, but the heat will come back. Now we head for the Control Room."

They silently walked on towards the Control Room, oblivious to the fact that they had hastened the freedom of _it_ by lowering the mess hall's lever.

-

Kari sighed as she quickly rubbed her hands over her arms at high speed. "I hate the cold…"

Gatomon shook the frost off of her paws as she concurred, "No argument here."

Patamon suddenly spoke up. "Hey, look at this!" Everyone looked at the wall Patamon was looking at. There were white words along with arrows, which served as a directory.

- Robot Recharge & Rest Station

Prisoner Block -

"Prisoner block?" repeated Kari. "The Emperor had prisoners here?" It would make sense…after all; this _was_ the Emperor she was talking about. "We have to check out the prisoner blocks before we move on…"

Davis, ever eager to please, was already walking toward the staircase at the right end of the corridor. "Let's go guys!"

Veemon rushed after his partner in a hurry. "Wait for me Davish!" TK, Kari, and their partners weren't that far behind.

-

Shaun, Yolei, Cody, and their partners stepped into the Control Room. They now faced a large computer console with multiple monitors. Armadillomon whistled as he looked at all of the electronics. "Fancy machinery here."

Cody nodded as he sat on a dusty box nearby. "Makes you wonder how he paid for it all."

Shaun wasn't paying attention. He had now pulled up a chair and was now trying to find something…anything to help.

He accessed the computer's Start menu with the mouse…then Programs…then he halted when he saw a folder that read 'Entry Logs'.

He opened it up, and he saw a whole list of data logs, each complete with a certain date. _Jackpot_. "Let's see here…" He double-clicked on the first one as he leaned back in the chair.

A window immediately consumed over three quarters of the screen as he saw the image of the Emperor appear. He could be seen sitting in the same chair Shaun was now sitting in…although a lot of robotic drones were welding something together in the back of the room.

**"This is Entry Log 1…my new base is still under construction, but now I have made enough progress to make an entry in my new computer database. Two of the hydroelectric turbines have been fully completed, with four left to be made. Soon, the heating system will be completely installed, but I have yet to install my security systems. No matter…it'll soon be completed. End log."**

By now, Yolei and Cody had started watching the feed beside Shaun. "Yolei, send a message to the others; tell them we found the Control Room."

Yolei nodded as she pulled out her D-Terminal.

-

_Hey guys, we got to the Control Room. Head through the left door in the main hangar and you'll find directions at a circular junction._

_Yolei_

-

As Yolei sent the message, Shaun said to himself, "Now…let's see here…skip ahead a bit…"

This time, the Emperor was sitting in his chair…holding a Dark Ring.

**"This is Entry Log 73…my device has been completed. The Control Spire amplifies my Dark Digivice's power, and this ring will act as a conduit for that power. Now, manually enslaving Digimon with my Dark Digivice is a thing of the past…now I just have to test it. End log."**

Shaun went to the next one.

-

The door slid open as Davis, TK, and Kari stepped off of the spiraling staircase. Inside was a long hallway full of barred cells on either side of the wall.

The noise immediately roused the Digimon. One of them said, "Hey, did I just hear the door open?" They all went for the cell bars, and they gasped at the sight of the children. Some of their remarks were derogatory – after all, their last human contact was with the Emperor – but mostly, it was a general cry for freedom.

The noise also prevented them from hearing their D-Terminals' beeping.

Gizamon, Goblimon, Gazimon, Elecmon-

"Hey! It's the flying bat pig!"

Patamon seethed as he protested, "Hey! I am not a flying bat pig!" 

However, TK blanched. He recognized that gruff and crude voice. He ran further down the hall and stopped when he saw the giant form standing in the cell.

Muscular green body. Red leather bands around the left fist and right arm. Bony studs on his body. Black leather shorts that were ragged at the knees. Hulking, clawed feet. The sharp, bony spikes sticking out of his upper arms. Long, gray nails. A gaping maw with extra large incisor teeth sticking out the side of his mouth. Glaring purple eyes. Furry, light-gray hair. Curved, black horns coming out of his head. A bone club in his right hand.

It was Ogremon. Former enemy from File Island, ally from the Dark Master battles. His hand clenched the bar as he saw TK and the other children walk up to his cell. "Say…if it ain't the little guy! You've certainly grown."

TK smiled as he touched Ogremon's giant fist. "It's good to see you again Ogremon…how long have you been down here?"

"Over two freaking years!" roared Ogremon.

"TWO YEARS!" exclaimed Gatomon. "But you should've died of starvation by now!"

Ogremon pointed to the back of his cell. A device in the wall suddenly glowed as it deposited a plate of fish and a cup of purified seawater onto a tray. "The base kept depositing food and water in this place, but I've gotten so bored! I was wondering if anyone would ever come back to this dump!"

"Wait a tic," said Kari. "You're saying the Emperor left you all behind?"

Ogremon shrugged. "All I remember is that around two years ago, we all heard gunshots and strange screams."

The children and their partners seemed to go silent at that.

-

**"This is Entry Log 78. I have begun the project posthaste. It's rather ingenious really…creating my own Digimon. Since the Dark Rings are still untested, I have another idea…I'll infuse the Digimon with the data of a Control Spire, resulting in my Dark Digivice's power flowing directly through it. Project Alien will be completed soon…and woe to the rest of the Digital World."**

"Project Alien?" repeated Shaun, his mind suddenly sent reeling.

"Sounds very unpleasant," confessed Hawkmon. Yolei could only nod.

Shaun, however, knew it was more than unpleasant. Ever since Whamon had contacted Gennai about the strange underwater structure, he had known something odd was happening. The Emperor's first base never existed before. Why did it exist now? And now the whole deal with Project Alien…

He moved onto the last entry log. When he started it, it showed the Emperor pacing back and forth in front of the monitor, his face dripping with sweat. In the background, one could hear muted gunshots and odd shrieks.

**"This is…oh, who cares! Project Alien has been completed, but it was a complete disaster! Alienmon went completely berserk and started attacking my drones as soon as it escaped from its tube! The Terminator Units are trying to flush it into the mess hall, and then I'm going to lock it down and completely freeze the room over…hopefully, Alienmon will be frozen as well."**

In the background, one could see Wormmon yelling, **"Hurry up Ken! We need to get out of here!"**

The Emperor ignored his partner. **"I'm heading for the surface. I've been constructing another base on the mainland of Server, but now it'll become my primary center of operations. Maybe one day, I'll return to this old place and reclaim Alienmon…then I'll wreak terror upon the Digital World. End log."**

The window disappeared as the screen returned to that of the desktop. Shaun just sat back and reflected. _Alienmon? Terminator Units! What the heck is going on here!_

Suddenly, the image on every single monitor was replaced by the face of the Emperor.

-

/The Emperor's Base, Monitor Room, 3:51 PM/

He had been quite surprised, truthfully.

He had performed a check of the sectors, trying to find the location of the Digidesitned. They weren't there – even Shaun – but their last recorded place was 10-110-PSI. His face hardened as he realized what was right next to the sector.

_So, they're off the grid…_

A sudden thought came to his mind…and it all came together.

The old prisoners. The Terminator Units. Project Alien.

A wicked grin came to his face as he attempted to connect to his old base's systems. He had a little game in store for them…

Meanwhile, Wormmon stood to the side, staring sadly at the Emperor. He hated that look. It always meant someone was about to suffer.

-

/Off the Grid, Emperor's First Base, Control Room, 3:52 PM/

Shaun, Yolei, Cody, and their partners paled as the Emperor's face appeared on the monitors.

The Emperor chuckled as he saw the surprised looks on their faces. **"I take you're shocked. As am I…I had completely forgotten about the dump you're standing in."**

Shaun scowled as Yolei yelled, "What is that you want!"

The Emperor smiled as he folded his hands together. **"I'm going to give you a sporting chance to escape. But…I doubt you will. You see, my three Terminator Units are waking up at the moment, and once they clothe and arm themselves, they will hunt you down…but I'm being generous."**

With a touch of several buttons on his gauntlet, the Emperor instantly opened all of the cells in the base's prisoner block.

**"The imprisoned Digimon have now had their cells opened. They'll mostly be fodder for my Terminator Units…but they could be useful shields for you."**

Cody's rage against the Emperor continued to grow. "You dare tell us to use innocent Digimon as body shields!"

The Emperor smiled at Cody's righteous anger. **"Noble intentions…such grand lies. But there's one more thing I must know…well, two, as a matter of fact. I would assume you've split your group, but please clarify which door that other group went through. And the second thing is whether you turned on the heaters or not."**

(Agumon) answered for the others. "The other group went through the right door…and yes, we have turned the heaters on."

What happened next only added to the strangeness of the whole trip to the base.

The Emperor laughed. Actually, it was more like an insane giggle.

Finally, he stopped and said, **"You fools…you have awakened Alienmon. Before Project Chimera, there was Project Alien…and Project Alien shall destroy you all…if my Terminator Units don't do it first. And I have one more explosive horror waiting in the wings…so long…"**

The image faded into blackness.

At that moment, a loud shriek echoed throughout the entire structure.

-

Every single cell in the prisoner block suddenly opened…much to everyone's confusion. Davis stared oddly at Ogremon and asked, "Hey, what happened?"

Ogremon shrugged.

That's when a loud shriek echoed throughout the entire base. Every single one of the prisoners froze when they heard that shriek…as did Ogremon, who frowned. "That scream…haven't heard it in over two years now…"

Gatomon grimaced as she turned toward the staircase. The shriek had come from there. "You mean the screams that accompanied the gunshots from two years ago?" Ogremon nodded.

A Gazimon shuddered as he suddenly panicked. "That does it! Let's get out of here!"

That was the catalyst. Aside from Ogremon, the prisoners went for the prisoner block's two exits; the stairway Davis' group had used, and the stairway on the opposite side of the long hallway.

TK didn't feel like going back the way they had come. "Guys…let's go on the other stairway."

Even Davis had to agree. Whatever had made that noise was something he wanted to avoid.

So they walked up the opposite staircase, with Ogremon accompanying them.

They were walking straight for another horror.

-

/Off the Grid, Emperor's First Base, Supply Room, 3:53 PM/

Normally, one would presume that a supply room would contain all manners of supplies, be they culinary, hydro, mechanical, or technological in nature.

This one had all of the above. Boxes of prepared food. Canisters of fresh water. Spare parts and replacement pipes. Backup robots to replace broken ones.

However, there was something far more sinister in there.

At the very back of the room were three cryogenic pods.

And all of them opened simultaneously as frigid air escaped from the pods' confines.

Three figures stepped out of the mist. All of them were naked; a precaution taken to prevent freezer burn. Their physique was muscular, their frame was over six-feet tall, and their faces were stoic – completely absent of emotion. Their blue eyes were piercing and cold, and their brown hair was spiked up. In short, they looked like perfect copies of each other.

The three male figures walked over to a nearby row of six storage lockers. The first two had labels saying 'T-1'. The next two were labeled 'T-2'. The last two were labeled 'T-3'.

They opened the first of their respective lockers. Inside each of them were identical wardrobes. A black leather jacket. Denim pants colored brown. Black combat boots. Fingerless gloves made of black leather. Black shades that covered their eyes entirely.

The only difference in wardrobe came in the form of the white T-shirts they wore under their jackets. A different number was on each of the shirts. The first male's – T-1 – shirt had a black '1' on it. T-2's shirt had a black '2' on it. T-3 had a black '3' on it.

Once they finished clothing themselves, T-1, T-2, and T-3 looked much more imposing. They looked, dark, cold, and detached; the perfect look for a killer. They were the Terminator Units.

They then opened their other lockers, revealing what could be described as an image more horrific than the Terminator Units themselves…

Their arsenal.

T-1's weapons locker revealed four different weapons, with plenty of ammunition to back them up. A silver-colored Colt .45 long-slide sat on top of the locker shelf, and it had a laser-sighting device to help pinpoint targets. He also had a 12-gauge autoloader SPAS 12 shotgun, capable of firing numerous shotgun shells without reloading or pumping. Another deadly weapon was the Uzi, an Israeli-developed weapon that was regarded by many as one of the best guns in the world; capable of firing 9mm bullets at 600 RPM, the Uzi rarely jammed or broke. To complete the ensemble, T-1 had an AR-180B Assault Rifle. T-1's weaponry was very well balanced, although the Colt allowed for long-distance sniping if necessary. He grabbed extra ammo cartridges and shotgun shells, and then stuffed them into a backpack before putting it around his back. He slung the AR-180B and SPAS 12 around his shoulders, he placed the Uzi in a pocket inside his jacket, and he put the Colt inside his left pants pocket.

T-2's arsenal was well rounded as well, but it favored close quarters combat. His first weapon was a 12-gauge Remington pump-action shotgun. He also had two handheld HK MP5 SMGs (submachine guns), capable of firing a devastating stream of bullets. Finally, he had an M16A3 rifle that could fire single shots or go full-auto. It, like the T-1's Colt .45 long-slide, had a laser-sighting device that allowed him to snipe targets from long range. He slung the Remington and the rifle over his shoulders, and put the two SMGs in his pants pockets. He grabbed a belt full of pouches, and then strapped it around his waist. T-2 immediately began stuffing the pouches with ammo cartridges and shotgun shells.

However, it was clear that T-3 specialized in handling heavy weaponry. He grabbed a large pack that had a whole belt of 34 mm bullets trailing out of a slot and slung it over his back. Then he grabbed the end of the bullet belt and stuffed into a monstrous weapon: the GE Mini-134 minigun. Even though it fired at 600 RPM like the Uzi, its 34 mm bullets could make mincemeat out of anything. The next weapon catered to explosives: an M-79 Grenade Launcher, capable of firing highly explosive 40 mm grenades. He strapped a belt around his waist and dedicated all but four of the twelve pouches to explosive grenades. Two of the remaining pouches held gas grenades. Why? Well…it would become apparent shortly. However, if T-3 had to resort to close-quarters combat, he had two Glock 20C pistols in his jacket's two pockets. They fired 10mm rounds, and his belt's last two pouches held extra cartridges.

T-1 pulled the AR-180B and SPAS 12 off of his shoulders and held them with one hand each – the AR-180B in the right and the SPAS 12 in the left. His voice – which sounded deep and detached – spoke clearly. "Protocols dictate our mission: termination of all intruders."

T-2 grabbed his Remington shotgun and pumped it, causing a _click_ that would have satisfied him…if he cared. Which he didn't. He spoke just as deeply and just as cold as T-1. "Protocols indicate that the prisoners are targets. Termination is deemed necessary."

T-3 held the GE Mini-134 minigun with both hands, holding it at waist level. "Previous combat parameters indicated Project Alien as a hostile enemy. Current protocols do not verify Project Alien's FOF status. Must presume that previous mission parameters apply. If encountered, terminate."

T-1 placed a fresh cartridge in his assault rifle and put all new shells into his shotgun. "Search."

T-2 made sure that the SMGs were fully loaded before placing them back in his pockets. "Locate."

T-3 placed fresh cartridges into both Glocks before pulling his minigun off of the floor, where he had just put it down. "Terminate."

T-1 walked on ahead towards the supply room's only door. T-2 climbed up a nearby ladder onto the catwalks, gaining access to the large shafts that connected to numerous access points all over the base. T-3 opened a panel in the floor, revealing a ladder that led to the quick-access walkways.

The Terminator Units had split up.

Their mission: termination of all life forms in the base.

-

/Off the Grid, Emperor's First Base, Mess Hall, 3:56 PM/

It had finally been freed from its icy prison.

Two years ago, it had been trapped in the mess hall. The Emperor had rerouted numerous cryogenic fumes to the mess hall in hopes of freezing it.

It had worked, and the Emperor had left it there to wither away.

But then, Veemon had broken open the doors.

The temperature in the room had started to go up.

But the heaters were what really did it; it had been frozen right next to a heating vent, in a secluded corner of the mess hall. That had been the reason Davis and the others didn't see it when they had passed through.

Now, it was free.

With a stretch of its limbs, it shrieked loudly, telling everyone that it was free.

The creature was easily over eight feet tall, even when standing on its crouched legs. The entire skin was colored black, and it felt gooey and scaly. Around the joints and the ribs, the skin became thinner, causing the bones to make visible bumps on the creature. Numerous, ribbed tentacles were sticking out of its back, and the ends of the tentacles were shaped like toothy maws. Its long, sinewy arms ended in bony, four-fingered hands. A number of grooves were on its tail, which was easily as long as the creature was tall. Its tip was sharpened beyond belief, and it was barbed on both sides; this meant a painful death if anyone was skewered by it. The most distinguishing feature was the banana-shaped head, which was easily over three feet long. Its toothy mouth opened up to reveal a _second, even smaller_ mouth inside! A greenish liquid dripped from its mouth, which dripped onto the floor, causing it to sizzle and melt: a sign of acidic qualities.

With a feral growl, it glanced at the door that led to the Prisoner Blocks.

It heard noise. Footsteps.

Food.

Alienmon hissed as lumbered over to the door; it had been two years since it had hunted…

And it was hungry.

-

The hunters had made themselves known: the Terminator Units, and Alienmon.

The hunted were now identified: the prisoners, and the Digidestined.

However, history has proven that the tactics of the hunted have been able to survive against the ruthless ferocity of the hunters.

Will the same hold true here?

Or will the predators overwhelm and annihilate their prey?

-

A Gazimon led the charge up the stairs to the mess hall. "Come on slowpokes! Last one out's a rotten Digitamamon!"

He never made it past the mess hall.

Alienmon roared as it charged into the hallway, its mouth drooling acidic saliva. The Gazimon and the prisoners behind him froze at the sight of the grotesque monster. "Wha…what is that thing!"

Alienmon struck first. Its tentacles grabbed Gazimon and thrust the little Rookie into its mouth. Gazimon screamed as the acidic saliva ate away at him…and as Alienmon bit into his body, the acid began melting his insides. It was a very horrific way to die.

The following prisoners paled as Alienmon ate Gazimon alive. Then, with a hiss that only a wild creature without bounds and restrictions could pull off, it advanced.

The prisoners did an about-face and ran back down the stairs, screaming all the way.

Alienmon pursued them slowly. It enjoyed a meal that was doused with fear.

-

Meanwhile, the staircase Davis, TK, Kari, and Ogremon had gone up led to a T-intersection. Like the previous corridor, white words and arrows served as a directory.

Supply Room -

- Main Access Room

Davis looked left. Digimon were fleeing that way. He looked right. Digimon were fleeing that way as well. "I opt we go right to the supply room! There's bound to be something there we can use!"

Before the others could agree or disagree, they heard gunshots. Veemon yelped. "What was that!"

TK blinked as his mind tried to recall what kind of gun Shaun used…

A Desert Eagle firearm. The gunshots he heard sounded nothing like Shaun's Desert Eagle. They were too rapid in succession-

BLAM!

And that gunshot just sounded like a shotgun! TK paled as he heard the gunshots from around the corner. _What…what's going on!_ Had TK heard the Emperor's transmission, he would've known it was one of the Terminator Units. 

At this point, the Digimon that had taken the right path began running back around the corner to the T-intersection. A passing Goblimon screamed, "RUN! THAT HUMAN'S GONNA KILL US!"

The Digidestined blinked at the mention of 'human'. Ogremon turned to TK and asked, "Uh, are there more of you guys running around here?"

TK nodded. "Yeah…but I don't think that human they're talking about is a Digidestined!" _If it is a human_, thought TK with a sense of skepticism.

The last Digimon to appear was an Elecmon. He was backing away from…something. "Please…don't kill me!"

BLAM!

Elecmon was instantly killed by a point-blank shotgun blast. One second passed between death and deletion. Kari screamed at the grisly sight. "AAH!" She wanted out of this confined base!

Finally, the attacker stepped around the corner.

-

T-1's vision was painted in vary shades of red, and he constantly got numerous read-outs concerning the origin of sound, current level of power, and other numerous things.

As he turned the corner, the seven figures in his line of sight were outlined in white.

_(OGREMON: CHAMPION)_

_(DAVIS MOTOMOIYA: DIGIDESTINED)_

_(VEEMON: ROOKIE)_

_(TK TAKAISHI: DIGIDESTINED)_

_(PATAMON: ROOKIE)_

_(KARI KAMIYA: DIGIDESTINED)_

_(GATOMON: CHAMPION)_

_**TARGETS** **CONFIRMED**_

T-1 raised his AR-180B as the targets ran down the corridor and ran around the left corner.

Then he pulled the trigger.

-

Kari nearly soiled herself when she heard the whistling sounds of bullets passing her head. She barely passed the corner when the wall behind her became whittled with bullet holes. "……." She couldn't even bring herself to speak, for her trembling was great.

Davis growled as his impulses screamed at him to take revenge on the one who nearly killed Kari. "Come on guys! We can't run like cowards!"

Gatomon sweatdropped out of exasperation. "Uh, Davis…in case you haven't noticed, that guy has guns. BIG guns. Guns that will shred us into pieces if we get in his line of sight!"

Ogremon chipped in his advice as well. "The cat's got a point. I know I'm sounding like a coward, but we should just run from that guy!"

"They're right; we need to find the others, regroup, and escape this place if we can!" yelled TK as he grabbed Kari's hand. "Come on Kari, let's go," said TK, his voice becoming soothing. Apparently, he was trying to calm Kari down enough to get her moving.

That's not how Davis saw it. _HE'S HITTING ON HER RIGHT NOW! The gall of that guy!_ Well, he certainly wasn't going to have any of that! He hurriedly shouted, "Alright, alright, let's just go already!" As Davis ran down the corridor toward the Main Access Room, Ogremon scratched his head in confusion as he followed. "Does that kid change his opinions that quickly all the time?"

Patamon and Gatomon shrugged. They followed TK and Kari down the corridor, eager to evade the gun-toting man following them.

-

T-1 prepared to follow the Digidestined when his resonance sensors picked up sound coming from the staircase. He turned left and looked down to see Digimon moving up the spiral stairway.

He silently slung his AR-180B Assault Rifle over his shoulder, then used his now-free hand to pull out his Uzi.

The very first Digimon to appear (a Gizamon, mind you) in T-1's sight was immediately torn apart by a flurry of 9 mm bullets. It took the death of five more Digimon for the ones behind them to get the hint.

Go back down or die.

But as the Digimon ran back down into the Prisoner Block, they saw Alienmon waiting for them, its maw dripping with saliva.

A blast of acidic saliva was expelled from Alienmon's two mouths, hitting the ceiling at the base of the stairs. Melting metal and boiling pipes fell down, blocking the way.

The remaining Digimon that had not yet gotten out of the Prisoner Block were trapped.

Alienmon's face contorted into a cruel smirk of sorts as its tentacles lashed out against the hapless Digimon.

-

T-1 remained silent as the screams of the Digimon reached his ears. He felt no pity or sadness for the Digimon, despite the massacre they were experiencing.

T-1 knew Project Alien was the cause of the screams, but he knew it would be a waste of time trying to dig through. Plus, the annihilation of Alienmon was secondary to the Terminator Units' primary directive.

T-1 stashed the Uzi back into his jacket as he grabbed his AR-180B once more and continued trailing the Digidestined.

-

/Off the Grid, Emperor's First Base, Control Room, 4:07 PM/

Shaun, Yolei, and Cody remained silent as they processed everything the Emperor had just told them. Terminator Units…Alienmon…one last horror…

A game of death…

Yolei growled as she yelled, "That jerk! Where does he get off!"

Shaun quick began a search for files relating to 'Alienmon, Project Alien, Terminator Units, and explosive'.

He got three results.

_Project Alien: Notes, Results, and Final Evaluation of Alienmon_

_Terminator Units_

_Trinitrotoluene Explosives_

Shaun opened the first one. "Well…look at this." Everyone looked at the summary of the file.

-

_**PROJECT ALIEN** _

_Project Alien is the Digimon Emperor's first attempt at making an artificial Digimon. The result of this endeavor (Alienmon) is a ferocious Digimon of the Ultimate level. Drawing inspiration from a popular science-fiction movie, the Emperor created Alienmon to be the ultimate Digimon. With inhuman strength, surprising agility, acidic spit and blood, and an intimidating image, Alienmon is arguably the most powerful Digimon in the Digital World at the moment. Its attacks are Tentacle Lash and Acid Spit. Unlike most Digimon, however, Alienmon does not speak; therefore, it does not need to announce its attack before firing it._

_-_

The file went on to explain the intricacies of harvesting raw data, cultivating it, then splicing it with the data of a Control Spire. It came with pictures, formulas…and – at the end – it described what went wrong.

None of that concerned Shaun. He just needed a clear idea of what they were up against. "Okay…we're up against an Ultimate level Digimon that's really strong, rather agile…it has acid for blood and saliva…and it's really ugly to boot."

Armadillomon nodded in agreement. "No kiddin'! You could crack a mirror with a mug like that!"

Shaun moved on to the next file.

_-_

_**TERMINATOR UNITS** _

_Similar to Project Alien, the Terminator Units were inspired by a popular action-thriller movie. The Terminator Units are cybernetic organisms; an ultra-hard metallic endoskeleton surrounded by living tissue. The Terminator Units were designed with the visage of a human to instill fear of humans in Digimon. Equipped with a database filled with knowledge concerning the use of firearms and battle techniques, the Terminator Units are unstoppable cyborgs of destruction. The three Terminator Units are designated as T-1, T-2, and T-3. T-1 uses a mixture of short and long-range weaponry, T-2 specializes in close-range combat, and T-3 excels at using heavy weaponry._

_-_

Hawkmon frowned. "They sound unpleasant."

"No kidding!" exclaimed (Agumon). "I'd hate to run into them!"

Shaun sighed as he moved on to the next file. "Unfortunately (Agumon), we just might run into them." He moved onto the last file.

He had started a search for 'explosive' for a reason; the Emperor had mentioned an 'explosive' horror. After what had happened at Little Edo, Shaun wasn't going to take any chances with explosives.

He calmly read the file…then he gasped when he saw the very end of it.

_-_

T-2 stepped out of the access shaft calmly. His body now stood upon the metal grating that comprised the ceiling of the Control Room.

His eyes glanced down through the cracks. He could see the three children and their partners accessing the Emperor's database.

He aimed his foot at an intersection of the grating's joints, raised it, and prepared to break through.

_-_

"What is it Shaun?" asked Yolei as she glanced at screen.

Shaun paled as he pointed at the last part of the file; a note written by the Emperor.

_-_

**_TRINITROTOLUENE EXPLOSIVES_**

_Emperor's Notes: I have devised a fail-safe using numerous charges of the explosive. Should my base fall into the wrong hands, or something goes so wrong that I have no control over the situation, I will remote-detonate a ring of trinitrotoluene charges that are attached to the outside of the base, as well as the turbine pods. This will result in an explosion that will obliterate the entire structure._

_-_

"Guys," said Shaun as he numbly turned away from the computer. "Do you know what trinitrotoluene stands for?"

Yolei gasped when she realized it. "TNT!" Everyone else gasped as they comprehended the situation; the entire base was sitting on a gigantic bomb!

The Child of Wisdom nodded. "Yeah…if the Emperor detonates those explosives, the pressure will overwhelm the base; the whole structure will crush like a tin can, and so will we!"

**"Very perceptive."**

Shaun whirled around to see the Emperor's face. He scowled and calmly shouted, "How! How could you enjoy this?"

The Emperor giggled as he sardonically shrugged. **"Oh, I don't know…"**

Yolei screamed, "YOU SICKO!" Cody yelled, "How could you commit such atrocities!"

The Emperor smirked as he pressed a button on his gauntlet. **"Unfortunately, I had designed those explosives to detonate 30 minutes after I pressed the detonation button…and I can't change it from here. Oh well, life goes on."**

(Agumon) gulped; he had a feeling that he knew what the Emperor was getting at. "What…are you getting at?"

The Emperor smiled as he pressed a button somewhere off-screen. **"It's 4:10. You have 30 minutes to get out before the trinitrotoluene detonates. Ciao…oh, and by the way, look behind you."** The Emperor grinned as his image disappeared.

One second later, T-2 burst through the ceiling and landed on his feet behind them. The Digidestined impulsively jumped as the Terminator Unit stood at his full height. He pumped his Remington shotgun and aimed it at Yolei.

"DIVE!" yelled Cody. Just as they hit the floor, the shotgun round shattered the large monitor. T-2 pumped the shotgun as he aimed for Shaun.

"Diamond Shell!"

Armadillomon curled into a ball and rammed into T-2's back, sending him the floor. Shaun took the opportunity to get off the floor and yell, "MOVE!"

By the time T-2 was off the floor, (Agumon's) Pepper Breath had welded the door to the Control Room shut.

-

/T-Minus 00:29:02, Emperor's First Base, Elevator Hangar, 4:10 PM/

Shaun, Yolei, and Cody ran into the large hangar; it was the same room they had entered the base in. Shaun pulled out his D-Terminal and began typing in a message. "We need to have the others get here…before this place explodes and implodes!"

Yolei sweatdropped. "This might not be an appropriate time, but isn't that sort of an oxymoron?"

Before Shaun could come up with a light-hearted retort, a loud noise penetrated the silence in the hangar.

They looked on the opposite side of the hangar to see a trapdoor open up. Climbing out of the hatch was T-3…carrying a GE Mini-134 minigun.

Everyone paled as the third Terminator Unit aimed his minigun at them. They dove behind the left stairway's railing as the bullets tore into the wall. They began crawling up the stairs, trying to ignore the thunderous sound of the 34 mm bullets making dents into the solid stair rail.

Then the bullets stopped. Armadillomon dared to ask, "Is it over?"

Shaun poked his head over the rail to see T-3 pulling out a different weapon…an M-79 Grenade Launcher. "DUCK!"

T-3 inserted a grenade into the launcher and aimed it above the stairway.

Foomp.

BOOM!

The fiery explosion created a shower of debris that motivated them to move faster. However, Cody and Armadillomon were forced to move back down the stairs; otherwise, they would've been seared by a majority of the debris.

T-3 inserted a gas grenade this time. He launched it towards the bottom half of the stairs, causing a cloud of knockout gas to spread throughout the stairs. This forced Shaun, Yolei and their partners to go further up the stairs. Unfortunately, this forced Cody and Armadillomon off of the stairs.

Now they were in plain sight.

Oddly, the T-3 didn't aim his grenade launcher at the two. He inserted another explosive grenade into the launcher and aimed it…at the inside of the airlock.

Shaun gasped as he saw the third Terminator Unit do this. "NO! **DON'T!**"

Foomp.

Despite the fact that the sound of grenade being launched sounded strange and slightly hollow, it sounded like a death knell.

BOOM!

With a thunderous explosion, the hull was breached. Water began rushing in as red alarms began blaring throughout the entire room. A computerized voice suddenly sounded over the room's intercom. **"WARNING! HULL HAS BEEN BREACHED! PRESSURE INTEGRITY COMPROMISED! SEALING ALL BULKHEADS AND DOORS!"**

T-3 grabbed his minigun in the other hand and disappeared back into the hatch. He closed it behind him, moments before an extra, airtight covering sealed over it.

Shaun felt mortified as he saw the door beside him begin to close over with an airtight bulkhead. In that instant, he had to make a decision.

Shaun grabbed Yolei and pulled her through the door. (Agumon) and Hawkmon slipped under just before the airtight door closed over the regular one.

"**CODY!**" shrieked Yolei. She slapped Shaun…HARD. "WHY'D YOU LEAVE HIM!"

Shaun sighed as rubbed the part of his face where she slapped him. "I had a choice to make…and as far as I'm concerned, either choice was a bad one. Either we all die in there…or just him." Shaun clenched his fist; the Emperor's 'game' had forced him to make such a terrible decision. The Emperor would pay! DEARLY!

Yolei couldn't stop her tears as she slumped to her knees, sobbing loudly. "He was my friend…why…?"

Click.

Everyone froze.

Behind Yolei stood T-2. The door to the Control Room was torn off of its hinges; a dent in the shape of a fist was visible on its frame.

And now, the cold barrel of his Remington shotgun was pressed against the back of her head. The T-2 remained silent…then he spoke for the first time since leaving the supply room.

"Game over."

BLAM!

-

/T-Minus 00:26:33, Emperor's First Base, Elevator Hangar, 4:13 PM/

Cody quivered as the ocean water rushed in and washed over his legs. It was so cold! Armadillomon gulped as he backed away from the oncoming water. "Oh boy, this isn't good!"

Cody couldn't believe what was happening. The doors were sealed shut, the water was coming in even faster…and he was going to die.

It wasn't fair…why? He should've been able to do more…he should've tried to go through the smoke! Or something! Anything to keep up with them! Now…

_It's typical_, thought Cody with a frown._ It's because of things like this…why can't I be reliable to the others? Or to my partner? Heck, I can't even rely on myself to stay ALIVE!_

His mind wandered back to a Kendo lesson from yesterday…

-

/Cody's House, October 1st, 5:21 PM/

Cody took his men (the face mask, in case you don't remember; link to kendo term site is in episode 4) off as quickly as possible; he needed to wipe the sweat off of his brow!

Mr. Daniel Hida watched quietly as Cody wiped the sweat off of his face. "Grandson…you have a question."

Cody blinked. "Huh?"

Daniel smiled as put away his sparring gear. "I can tell from the way you move…you're anxious to ask me something, but you don't know if you should ask. Go ahead! Ask! Do not be afraid to ask for answers. Those who don't seek answers for questions that plague them are nothing more than fools."

Cody feebly nodded; his grandfather's gaze never failed to unnerve him…yet it also managed to relax him at the same time. "Well…some friends of mine at school…I want them to rely on me. Whenever they have problems, I want to be reliable to them…how do I do that?"

Mr. Hida chuckled as he sipped some prune juice from his cup. "Oh Cody, I used to feel that way when I was growing up…how do I become reliable to those I love and care for? The answer is surprisingly simple."

Cody paid close attention.

"The answer is simple…do not fail when it counts."

-

Cody growled as he racked his brain for an answer to his Grandpa's enigmatic answer. "Don't fail when it counts! I already did!"

Armadillomon looked solemnly at Cody. "Ah Cody…ya haven't failed yet."

Cody uncharacteristically snapped. "NOT FAILED! THE OTHERS ARE MOVING ON WITHOUT ME! I'M ABOUT TO DIE! HOW IS THAT CONSIDERED 'NOT FAILING'!"

Armadillomon didn't flinch. "Well, we ain't dead yet, are we? As long as we still got breath, we've still got a chance to make it out of this mess! Just keep thinking about it!"

In this moment of panic and confusion, Cody finally understood.

"The answer is simple…do not fail when it counts."

It was now that it counted. Armadillomon's life and his life were at stake. And soon, his friends' lives would TRULY be at stake.

By then, he'd be around to help them.

All of a sudden, Cody felt something bump into him. He looked down at the now chest-high water at the floating object. He suddenly gasped in astonishment. _This…!_

At that moment, another part of the wall burst open, letting more water in. Cody gasped at the onrushing tidal wave of water.

In moments, he was submerged.

In fifteen seconds, the entire hangar was filled with water.

-

/T-Minus 00:25:47, Emperor's First Base, Main Access Room, 4:14 PM/

Davis whistled as he glanced around the room they were in. "Big place."

The room was just as large as the elevator hangar, but infinitely more complex. Ladders leading up to the access shafts above the ceiling. Ramps going down to the floor and ramps going up above the ceiling. Ladders going down below the floor, leading to walkways and tunnels that stretched throughout the entire base.

Ogremon grumbled as he scratched his head in confusion. "Which way do we go!"

TK glanced at some words on the wall. "Hey, it says that door over there leads to the Control Room! Maybe Shaun, Yolei, and Cody are that way!" The Child of Hope pointed at the door at the end of the walkway they were on.

Davis grimaced; TK had a good point yet again. "Well, let's go!"

Suddenly, the door slid open.

A frantic Gazimon ran out of that door. "DON'T GO THAT WAY! One of those gun-toting humans just broke down a door! Now he's after me! AH!" The Gazimon's conical lenses and hysterical speech indicated one thing: insanity.

The Gazimon ran past them…and through the door they had just entered. Kari screamed, "WAIT! There's another one of those guys!"

BATTA-BATTA-BATTA!

A three-bullet burst from the AR-180B. Kari cringed at the sound of the bullets hitting Gazimon.

Gatomon pointed towards a ladder down at the far end of the room. "Over there! We can't go through the doors, so we take the ladder down below!"

Just as they ran off the ramp, T-1 walked into the room, AR-180B and SPAS 12 aimed at them.

Ogremon growled as he whirled around. "Okay, pretty boy! You wanna do this the hard way! My pleasure! Pummel Whack!" A wave of purple energy erupted from Ogremon's fist, crashing into T-1's midsection.

The Terminator Unit continued moving on. He put a new cartridge into the assault rifle and put them back in his sights. Davis quickly grabbed his D-3. "Digiarmor Energize!"

Veemon armor-digivolve to……Flamedramon: The Fire of Courage!

Flamedramon leapt into the air and landed behind T-1. As the cyborg turned around, Flamedramon kicked away both the SPAS 12 and the AR-180B in one clean sweep. "Ha! Let's how tough you are without your guns! Flaming Fist!" Flamedramon's fiery fist roared toward T-1's midsection.

The Terminator Unit grabbed Flamedramon's fist with both hands and threw him into the opposite wall. A very dazed Flamedramon slurred, "Hey…you're not supposed to do that…"

T-1 then retrieved his as-yet-unused weapon from his pocket; the Colt .45 Long-slide. He cocked the bullet into place by pulling back on the gun, loading the bullet into place. He placed his finger on the trigger, activating the laser-targeting device. A red light suddenly went from the device…and onto Kari's forehead.

Another split second later and Kari's head would've been the perfect imitation of an exploded melon.

But before that split second occurred, a tentacle impaled T-1 in the gut. He looked down at the tentacle without amusement…then he turned around to face Alienmon.

Davis, TK, Kari and their partners gasped at the sight of Alienmon. Patamon stuck his tongue out in disgust as he said, "Man…I think the winner of the ugly contest is visiting."

Alienmon shrieked as the T-1 pulled out his Uzi and opened fire. Yellow-green blood spurted from its wounds, and metal began to melt wherever the acidic blood spilled. Nevertheless, Alienmon kept its tentacle inside the T-1.

Gatomon quickly yelled, "Um, maybe we should escape while the impervious human and the freakish bug-thing are fighting." Nobody disagreed. Flamedramon was the last one down the ladder, and he took one last look at the T-1 and Alienmon before hopping down into the darkness below.

-

It was fortunate that T-2 had wasted one second to say 'Game over'.

It gave Shaun barely enough time to kick the shotgun away.

BLAM!

The wall received a new bullet hole. Yolei scampered between T-2's legs, and – as the Terminator Unit was bringing the shotgun back to bear – Shaun clutched his D-Terminal. "Digiarmor Energize!"

(Agumon) armor-digivolve to……Sonocomon: The Speed of Wisdom!

Sonocomon's hand was on the shotgun instantaneously. One second later, the shotgun barrel was pointing upward. "No pointing guns at my pals."

T-2 merely kicked Sonocomon in the gut. Sonocomon grunted as he collided with the wall behind him. "Man…strong stuff…" At this, T-2 moved forward and began strangling Sonocomon by the neck with one hand. In the other hand was his Remington shotgun.

Sonocomon's voice became strained as he tried to breathe. "Ah…ack!" Shaun drew his Desert Eagle and shot an entire cartridge full of bullets into T-2's back.

Six bullets. Six bullet holes. No actual damage to the cyborg. The strangling continued.

Then…the shotgun was snatched out of T-2's hand.

T-2 looked down to see Yolei sticking it into his gut.

BLAM!

Click.

BLAM!

Click.

BLAM!

Click.

BLAM!

Click.

BLAM!

Five shotgun blasts into T-2's abdomen. The sheer force behind the attacks jolted T-2, causing him to let go of Sonocomon's throat. When the Terminator Unit fell to the ground – apparently dead – Shaun, Sonocomon, and Hawkmon stared at the shotgun-toting Yolei.

"Yikes," said Shaun.

"Indeed," admitted Hawkmon.

Yolei let the shotgun drop to the floor, her face sweaty from the adrenaline rush. "Well…I was mad."

Shaun picked up the Remington shotgun and replied, "It saved our butts though. Now let's get out before he gets up."

"WHAT!" shouted Yolei as she ran after Shaun. "After five shells in the stomach!"

Shaun shrugged as he ran past the Control Room. "Well, he is a cyborg!"

-

T-2 slowly rose.

The shotgun blasts had caused bleeding on the stomach, but damage to the actual endoskeleton was little to none.

Seeing that his Remington shotgun was gone, T-2 pulled out his M16A3 rifle, setting it to 'Single Shot'. He activated the laser-sighting device, creating a small thread of red light.

He casually walked past the Control Room.

-

Shaun and Yolei looked at the ladder that went down below the floor. Sonocomon shrugged. "No where else to go…and there's still Alienmon to contend with."

Shaun sighed as he started going down the ladder. "I just hope it's not down here."

-

/T-Minus 00:19:49, Emperor's First Base, Quick-Access Walkways, 4:20 PM/

"Flamedramon! Little light here?"

Flamedramon's fist started glowing at Davis' behest. The dark corridors they were walking through were large enough for them…but the darkness around them was unsettling. What little light came from above the floor grating over them didn't help much.

Nevertheless, they were away from Alienmon…and one look at it was enough. Hopefully, they wouldn't find another Terminator Unit down there in the darkness.

Patamon gulped as he tried to find a light switch…or something. Anything to light up the metal crypt they were now walking through. "Guys…this place is scary…"

TK raised his eyes to see Patamon's little paws clinging to his hat. "Don't worry Patamon…we're going to be alright."

Davis froze. "Um…you might want to think again."

Ahead of them lay a corner. A sparking pipe gave off light, casting shadows around the corner.

And now, a shadow of a hulking behemoth was being cast.

The Digidestined were sweating now; they couldn't go back…not to that freakish Alienmon.

But they couldn't go forward either…not with one of those murderous men waiting around the corner.

Then, Gatomon blanched when she saw the man raise something…

His grenade launcher.

Before she could scream, a gas grenade was shot out of the launcher. It ricocheted off the wall, landing smack-dab in the middle of their group.

Coughing ensued. Moments later, they slumped to the ground, unconscious from the incapacitating smoke.

T-3 stepped around the corner, stowing his grenade launcher. He pulled out his two Glock 20C pistols, and walked toward the cataleptic Digidestined.

Using an explosive grenade with the launcher would've have caused more damage to the structure; the same risk was with the minigun.

He'd have to shoot them all in the head with his Glocks. No matter. At least he could guarantee their deaths; no one could survive a direct shot to the head.

He kneeled down in front of Davis and pressed his pistol against the boy's temple.

BLAM!

Blood stained the ground.

-

Alienmon looked back once more at its fallen victim.

T-1's skin and clothes had been melted away by the spit and blood of Alienmon. All that remained was the endoskeleton. And its head had been crushed, courtesy of Alienmon's tail.

However, the Terminator Unit had done harm to Alienmon as well; bullet holes were visible on its body, and one of the tentacles had been rendered completely useless.

Nevertheless, it still had plenty of fight left in it. Alienmon looked down at the floor…then melted a hole in it with a blast of acidic spit. It dropped down into the tunnel below, following the scent of the humans that had walked down that way.

-

Just as T-3 was about to pull the trigger, Shaun, Yolei, Hawkmon and Sonocomon came around the corner behind him. For you see, the ladder they had taken down into the quick-access tunnels had placed them behind the third Terminator Unit, and they had been trailing him.

Now, Shaun aimed the Remington shotgun Yolei had seized from T-2 at T-3.

BLAM!

Blood stained the floor…T-3's blood, that is. After all, his living tissue needed nourishment from blood. T-3 whirled around and aimed his pistols just as Shaun finished pumping.

BLAM!

T-3 was sent backwards by the blow.

Click.

BLAM!

Click.

BLAM!

T-3 was sent to the floor, his systems momentarily scrambled by a shotgun blast to the chest.

Shaun motioned to the others. "Come on, let's get them away from that Terminator Unit!" Shaun dragged Davis and TK around the corner. Sonocomon dragged Flamedramon and Ogremon around the corner, grunting as he did. Yolei picked up Kari and ran around the corner, while Hawkmon picked up Patamon in one arm and dragged Gatomon by the tail in the other.

By the time the T-3 had gotten up, his targets were gone.

He put away his Glock pistols and pulled out his minigun, walking after them.

Then…there was a hiss. Right behind him.

T-3 turned around calmly and looked at Alienmon, a vision of grotesque horror. Without saying anything, T-3 trained his minigun upon Alienmon and opened fire.

Alienmon unleashed a river of acidic spit.

-

As Hawkmon dragged Gatomon up the ladder and back onto the main level of the base, minigun fire could be heard below. Even the flash of the weapon could be seen. "Oh dear…apparently, our gun-toting hunter has encountered that 'Alienmon'."

Right now, Shaun, Sonocomon, and Yolei were busy trying to wake the others.

Davis blinked as he arose from the murky fog of unconsciousness. "Ooh…am I dead?"

Shaun shook his head. "Nope. You're still alive…and in the Emperor's first base." Davis groaned. "Aw man…glad to be alive, but I'm getting sick of this place!"

A couple of minutes passed before the rest of them were awake. Ogremon cracked his knuckles as he said, "Okay, so we're out of there; now what!"

Shaun looked at the hallway they were in. It led to the elevator hangar, but that was a no-go. However, two separate corridors split off from the hallway they were in…

He checked the words on the walls of both corridors. They both led to…

'Escape Shuttle Bay'

Shaun grinned. Perfect! The shuttle bay was their way out! "Hey guys…those two corridors head to the Escape Shuttle Bay. That's our ticket out!"

Everyone gave a sigh of relief; they were finally going to get out! TK looked at the two corridors and pointed out, "We should split back into groups and go down both corridors; that way nothing can surprise. After all, who knows what'll happen?"

Everyone (except Davis) agreed; T-2 was still out there somewhere, and there was still Alienmon to contend with. Shaun added, "Plus, we've got a time limit; the Emperor's set a whole ring of TNT charges that'll obliterate the base in less than twenty minutes! We'll be killed if we don't get out in time."

This added to the severity of the situation. They had to leave…now. Just as they were about to split back into their regular groups, Kari noticed something.

Cody and Armadillomon weren't there. "Hey…where are Cody and Armadillomon?"

Shaun went rigid. Sonocomon and Hawkmon remained silent. Yolei tried to stifle her tears…tears she thought she had spent just minutes ago. Shaun finally managed to say it. "We were in the elevator hangar…the third Terminator Unit split us up…then he blew the airlock apart. The bulkheads sealed shut…we got out…but Cody was too far away to get back in time before the room was sealed."

Kari gasped. TK paled. Davis' face hardened. Cody was dead…

Shaun, Yolei, Sonocomon, and Hawkmon moved down the left corridor. Davis and Flamedramon walked on into the right corridor. "Come on guys…let's go." Ogremon and Patamon followed them.

TK put a hand on Kari's shoulder to try and comfort her. "It's okay Kari…we'll make the Emperor pay for everything he's done." Kari numbly nodded as she followed TK and Gatomon.

So much death and destruction…

It seemed that the Emperor had become a much more ruthless enemy than Devimon…Etemon…Myotismon…even the Dark Masters…

When would it all end?

-

/T-Minus 00:15:34, Emperor's First Base, Escape Shuttle Bay, 4:24 PM/

The room was not as large as the elevator hangar, but it was big enough. Walkways led to the blue-painted shuttles, which were shaped like large arrowheads. There were a total of six slots for shuttles…and only one slot was vacant. Must've been the shuttle the Emperor escaped in, mused Shaun. "Take whichever one you want. We'll meet up on the shore."

TK opted for the one on the far right. Kari followed him, much to Davis' chagrin. He sincerely hoped there was enough room on the shuttle; he wasn't going to let TK sit alone with Kari!

TK opened the door to see an M16A3's barrel pointed at his forehead.

The T-2 had been waiting for them.

BANG!

Kari barely managed to pull TK away before his innards became part of the shuttle bay's upholstery. "RUN!"

Kari, TK, Patamon, and Gatomon all fled for the nearest door. T-2 casually pursued them despite the fact that his abdomen was torn apart and bleeding.

Davis was the only one who hadn't gotten in his shuttle yet. He saw the others run off from the second – and last – Terminator Unit. Davis growled as stuck his head back into the shuttle he had chosen. "Come on Flamedramon! We've got to go help them!"

Flamedramon mumbled, "Man…I want out of this place already…" He got out and followed Davis.

-

Shaun was about to strap himself in when he looked at his orange D-3.

The blue, green, and pink dots were moving away from the shuttle bay. Shaun's jaw dropped as he realized what this meant. _What are those guys doing!_

-

/T-Minus 00:13:42, Emperor's First Base, Hallway Junction 'B', 4:26 PM/

T-2 pursued the children around the corner.

TK and Kari were about to turn right onto the left corridor that led to the Escape Shuttle Bay…when several tentacles erupted from below the grating. Kari shrieked as the whole floor gave way.

T-2 was about to fire when a giant tail ripped through the floor behind him, pulling it down into the darkness. The Terminator Unit lost his balance as he slid downward.

TK yelled out of fear as he slid down. Patamon, Kari, and Gatomon yelled, "TK!"

Kari was about to slide down into the darkness as well.

A hand grabbed her and pulled her back up just before that. Kari turned around to see Davis and Flamedramon. Davis hurryingly held her hand tightly and ran back for the shuttle bay.

Kari screamed, "TK'S DOWN THERE!"

Davis protested, "We don't have the time Kari! The place is going to blow soon!"

Although it was a valid reason, Davis had an ulterior motive for getting Kari out of there without TK…

The deepest, darkest part of his heart was telling him to leave TK behind, so that he could have Kari all to himself.

And unfortunately, he listened.

-

/T-Minus 00:11:59, Emperor's First Base, Escape Shuttle Bay, 4:28 PM/

Shaun got out of his shuttle as Davis ran in with Kari in tow. Gatomon and Flamedramon were behind them. "Where did you guys go!"

Gatomon replied, "Another one of those gun-toting maniacs was waiting for us in the shuttle TK chose. We ran…but Alienmon tore the floor apart. That man was taken down below…but so was TK."

Sonocomon stepped out of the shuttle and asked, "Where's Patamon?"

Flamedramon nearly cursed when he saw that the little Rookie hadn't followed them. "DARN! He must've gone after TK!"

Shaun stepped up to Davis and looked at him in the eye…as if peering into his soul. "Why didn't you call for help? Why didn't you try and rescue him?"

Davis nearly flinched under Shaun's gaze, but he managed to say, "We wouldn't have been able to save him in time! This place is going to be blow soon!"

Shaun remained silent. Then he turned to Kari. "Wait for us. Davis and I are going to rescue TK." Ogremon ran after them. "Hey! Wait for me! I want to help to!"

Davis' jaw nearly dropped when Shaun and Sonocomon entered the door…and he nearly protested when Shaun turned and dragged him through. Flamedramon sweatdropped before turning to Kari and Gatomon. "Just hang tight."

Kari and Gatomon stood still as Flamedramon left. Kari silently mouthed, "Good luck."

After Flamedramon stepped through the door, he saw Shaun slug Davis with a right hook across the face.

-

After Shaun finished dragging Davis back into the corridor, he slugged Davis across the face as a look of pure contempt filled his face. "You disgust me…"

Davis winced as he tried to get up. "Wha…what did I?"

"**YOU KNOW WHAT YOU DID!** YOU LEFT TK BEHIND TO DIE AT THE HANDS OF THAT MONSTER!" roared Shaun.

Davis flinched as Shaun picked him up by the scruff of his shirt collar and held him against the wall. Flamedramon was about to separate the two when Sonocomon held him back. "Don't worry…there's a reason for this." Ogremon just watched in silence.

Shaun's eyes glared into Davis'. His voice became filled with a cold rage. "You don't think I know how you feel about Kari? You don't think I know how much you despise TK because of how much attention Kari has paid to him since he moved in!"

Davis didn't have an answer to Shaun's fury. "…"

"You listen to me…you may think getting TK out of the way in this fashion will leave your hands stainless? Heck no! You'll be just as guilty as the executioner!"

Davis found his confidence wavering. Had he made a mistake…?

"And suppose Kari starts paying attention to you again…will it be worth watching her cope with the sadness of losing her oldest friend!"

Davis nearly gasped; he hadn't thought about that…

No. He had…and he had blatantly disregarded it. He had willingly left TK behind to die.

"**IS IT WORTH IT!**"

"No…" choked out Davis as his arms went limp. Shaun glared at him once more. "We are going to save TK; we've already lost Cody. I refuse to let another one of us die!"

Shaun sighed as he let Davis drop to the floor. The Child of Wisdom leaned against the other wall as Davis sobbed. "What did I do…?" mumbled Davis. "What have I done…?"

Shaun pulled Davis to his feet. "You made a mistake. And you're going to rectify it, aren't you?"

Davis nodded. Shaun smiled as he patted Davis on the shoulder. "Now wipe those tears away; I don't think you want TK to see you crying."

Davis smiled as he wiped away the liquid from his face. He shook his head as he said, "Okay…let's go!"

Both Shaun and Davis slid down the ramp into the darkness below. Flamedramon and Sonocomon followed.

Ogremon scratched his head in confusion. "Those humans can sure change their attitudes in a hurry!" After shrugging, he jumped down after them.

-

/T-Minus 00:08:47, Emperor's First Base, Lower Level Storage Room, 4:31 PM/

TK kept Patamon's mouth shut.

Ever since he had fallen down in to the darkness, TK had taken refuge in the nearest room. It was a storage room of sorts, and TK had hidden in a crevice between to large shelves.

He heard gunfire and shrieks…then it had ceased.

Then the door had opened, and Patamon had flown in.

Moments later, the door had opened again. TK quickly placed a hand over Patamon's mouth as the ferocious monstrosity known as Alienmon crawled into the room, low growls emanating from its maw.

For over two minutes that seemed like forever, TK and Patamon had remained silent in the tiny crevice, hoping the horrific result of Project Alien wouldn't find them.

Suddenly…

"Fire Rocket!"

"Blue Dash!"

"Pummel Whack!"

Alienmon shrieked as a blue ray, purple wave of air, and three fireballs sent it into the wall. 

"TK!"

_That's Davis' voice!_ TK and Patamon emerged from their hiding spot to see Davis and Shaun behind the door, with Sonocomon, Ogremon, and Flamedramon in front of them. TK and Patamon bolted for the door as Alienmon got up and leapt for the door.

Davis pulled TK through as the door closed shut. Flamedramon used his fireballs to weld the door shut. "You all right TK?" asked Davis.

TK and Patamon nodded. TK, with a tone of gratitude, said, "Davis…thanks."

"No problem." They were jolted back to reality by the sound of pounding. They saw dents in the door they had just welded shut. Shaun quickly yelled, "Let's move!" Alienmon suddenly burst out, only to be knocked back in by Ogremon's club. "You guys go on ahead! I'll keep this overgrown bug busy!"

Before the three boys could protest, Flamedramon grabbed Davis and TK, while Sonocomon grabbed Shaun and Patamon. They both leapt up towards the hole in the grating above them. Shaun sighed as Ogremon disappeared from sight; he knew they wouldn't see him again.

It wouldn't occur to TK until later that Davis had gotten his name right for the first time since he met him.

-

His vision was scrambled and distorted.

T-2's legs were melted away, and his upper body was nearly torn apart.

Nevertheless, he still had mission protocols to follow. He raised his head to see six of his targets leaping upward to the hole in the grating. 

He raised one of his two HK MP5 SMGs upward and fired.

He couldn't tell if he hit the target or not…but it didn't matter anymore.

Alienmon advanced on T-2, confused as to how it had not finished the job last time. It would not make that mistake again.

With a blast of acidic spit, T-2 ceased to function. Like the other Terminator Units before it, T-2 had fallen to the mighty Alienmon.

-

Alienmon was furious.

It had been searching for its meal when foreigners had hurt it. After getting up, it had realized that its prey had escaped.

It would not get away.

Alienmon saw a large, green Digimon in its path.

Ogremon grinned as he clenched his fists. "Okay pal! Let's see you take this! Pummel Whack!"

Alienmon growled as it deflected the air blast with one of its tentacles. Then, it used its remaining tentacles to pierce Ogremon.

Ogremon screamed at the sudden pain. Moments later, Alienmon placed the ogre in its mouth.

With a sickening crunch, Alienmon bit off the upper half of Ogremon. It devoured the rest of the body before Ogremon's body could be deleted. Its hunger temporarily sated, it restarted its hunt.

After dealing with the last of the cybernetic hunter-killers, Alienmon expertly climbed up the ramp.

-

"AAAAH!"

Davis screamed as a bullet lodged itself into his leg. T-2's last act had resulted in a bullet in Davis' calf.

Shaun grimaced as Sonocomon set him down. "Come on TK, we need to get him into the shuttle. We don't have much time left!"

Davis limped as TK and Shaun helped him back into the shuttle bay. Oddly enough, Davis didn't feel upset that he had gotten shot. _If anything, I deserve it for leaving TK behind._

Before they entered the shuttle bay, they heard the scream of Ogremon. The sickening crunch that was heard moments later told them enough.

-

/T-Minus 00:04:03, Emperor's First Base, Escape Shuttle Bay, 4:35 PM/

Yolei and Kari turned around when the door opened. Shaun and TK both had an arm around Davis, giving him support as they walked into the shuttle. Flamedramon, Sonocomon, and Patamon were right behind them.

"Oh my gosh!" exclaimed the girls. Kari demanded, "What happened to Davis!"

Shaun answered, "The last Terminator Unit shot Davis in the leg." Davis grinned as he shook his hand – a gesture indicating that they shouldn't worry. "It's nothing…really!"

The shuttle's interior was rather spacious, with two benches on each side. The cockpit was comprised of only two things; a chair, and the 'Launch' button. Yolei sweatdropped at the lack of buttons; apparently, everything was automated.

The shuttle door closed as TK sat beside Kari. "Man…that was a close one." Kari immediately hugged TK. "Thank goodness you're alive TK." 

Davis resisted the urge to sigh as sat down on the opposite side of Kari. _Oh well…at least she's happy._

Kari then turned around and hugged Davis. "Thank you Davis…I'm sorry you got hurt…" If it was possible, Davis' face became redder than a tomato. He suddenly felt very light-hearted as he passed out from joy. Yolei shook her head with worry. "Hoo boy…"

Kari giggled at Davis' fainting. "Goofball." She turned to Shaun, who held up his hand before she could say anything. "No need for thanks Kari…and before you ask about Ogremon, he was eaten by Alienmon."

The girls paled. Kari just slumped back into her seat. Another one of her friends…gone.

Yolei shouted, "Everyone, buckle up! We're out of here!" She immediately pressed the launch button.

With a firing of booster rockets, the shuttle was propelled out of the base at high-speed. The loud noise of the rockets suddenly became quiet as they entered the water.

Gatomon wiped her face clean of sweat as she said, "We made it…"

"Yeah," said Shaun. "But at the cost of Cody and Armadillomon…not to mention Ogremon."

The others became quiet as they remembered. Cody and Armadillomon had drowned in the hangar…drowning was a horrible way to die. And Ogremon had been eaten…

For Shaun, Cody's death was even worse. This changed EVERYTHING. It wasn't as simple as a different event…this completely removed a page from-

"WE'VE GOT COMPANY!" screamed Patamon as he looked out of the glass porthole in the back of the shuttle.

To their shock and horror, Alienmon was swimming after them…and it was GAINING.

TK paled as he realized what this meant; if Alienmon caught up with them, he would melt through the hull! They'd be dead in an instant! "Guys…what are we going to do!"

Hawkmon shook his head. "I'm afraid our options are nonexistent at the moment."

"I'm sorry everyone," admitted Shaun as his head hung low. "I shouldn't have brought you here…instead of finding knowledge to use against the Emperor, we found death."

"It's okay Shaun. You didn't know." Kari's attempt at helping Shaun was futile; he didn't say anything in return.

Alienmon was only a few feet away from the shuttle…

"Oxygen Torpedo!"

Alienmon shrieked as five torpedo-shaped blasts of air collided against it, sending it flying.

Everyone blinked; what had just happened? Everyone looked out the window to see an unfamiliar Digimon advancing.

But once it got closer, Shaun knew whom it was. _It…it can't be!_

The Digimon looked like a living submarine. Its nose was a long harpoon, which was barbed on both sides of the rod. A rock-hard purple skin covered its underbelly and chin. A breastplate made of golden leather scales protected his chest. The rest of the body was covered in a white-colored armor. A red symbol was painted on the armor on both sides; it looked like three small triangles hovering over a diamond-shaped figure. Four light-gray fins extended from its body – two large fins from under the breastplate, and two smaller fins extending outward from behind the small, paw-like feet. A large rotor served as the Digimon's underwater propulsion system. Large, webbed ears extended out of t he armor covering the face. Calm, green eyes could be seen in the eye sockets. The oddest characteristic was that the top of the creature looked like a large cockpit. At last, the Crest of Reliability was embroidered on the Digimon's underbelly and his large, rear fin.

Nevertheless, the most shocking part was what was inside the cockpit.

Manning the control of two joysticks…was Cody Hida.

"CODY!" exclaimed everyone. They couldn't believe it! He was alive! The strange Digimon swam up beside and spoke in a familiar voice. "Come on guys! Let's go!"

That voice sounded like…Armadillomon? Flamedramon shouted, "Hey! That you Armadillomon!"

"Close but no cigar! The name's Submarimon! I'm the Reliable Sea Guardian, and now we've got to split!"

True enough. Alienmon had already recovered, and now it was swimming after them once more, seemingly oblivious to all the wounds it had received. It shrieked as it swam after them at high speed.

Davis choked out, "Man…what are we going to do about that thing once we reach the surface?"

"Don't worry!" answered Submarimon. "Just look behind you!"

They all did.

And they saw a tremendous figure advance upon Alienmon.

Aware that it was being followed, Alienmon tilted its head and roared at the newcomer…

The newcomer raised its tremendous jaws…

CHOMP!

…and ate Alienmon. The newcomer in question was Whamon, the giant brown and blue whale Digimon. Whamon chewed a few times and swallowed, seemingly oblivious to the acidic blood. Apparently, it felt like nothing more than hot sauce to him. "Mmm…tangy! Thanks for the meal kids!" With that, Whamon swam off.

Shaun couldn't believe the irony…Alienmon – a mighty Digimon that ate Ogremon and countless others out of the prisoner blocks – had been eaten itself.

"Oh, and are those red lights down there a good thing?" asked Submarimon.

"Red lights?" repeated Sonocomon. They looked down at the base, which was becoming harder and harder to see. However, there was a ring of red lights surrounding the base, as well as the turbine pods.

Shaun blanched; he had forgotten about the TNT charges!

-

Boom.

Underwater, the mighty explosives sounded muted. Their effect, however, was just as powerful.

The sides of the base were blown open by the trinitrotoluene explosives. The turbines became nothing more than shrapnel. The air within the base escaped quickly as the terrific pressure of the ocean finally crushed the base. Fire rose with the air bubbles, clouding the ruins.

The Digidestined didn't mind; they didn't want to see that base again.

-

/Unknown Sector, Gennai's House, 4:32 PM/

Gennai sighed as six colored dots appeared in sector 10-110-PSI. "They made it…"

-

/Sector 10-110-PSI, Shoreline, 4:33 PM/

Submarimon pushed the shuttle against the shoreline, allowing the Digidestined to get back onto the shore. "All ashore that's going to shore!" At that, Submarimon pressed himself against the shoreline and opened the cockpit to let Cody out. Once that was done, Submarimon dedigivolved to Armadillomon, who waddled onto shore. "Boy, that was fun!"

Shaun and Yolei were rather ecstatic to say the least. Yolei hurriedly asked, "Cody! How'd you get out of the hangar!"

"Yeah…we thought you had drowned," admitted Shaun.

Cody smiled as he pulled an object off the ground. It was shaped like a perfect gourd, with one side colored dark purple. On that side was the Crest of Reliability. On the other side were segmented sections of white. The red symbol was there, as was the glass of the cockpit. "The Digiegg of Reliability…it just floated into my hands inside the hangar. Then the water was about to overwhelm me, so I just used it."

Armadillomon grinned as he flexed his arms. "As you could see, it turned me into Submarimon, the Reliable Sea Guardian!"

"After that," continued Cody. "We decided to get some help…so we got some help from Whamon, who just happened to be returning from a late lunch. Then we saw your shuttle launch…as well as Alienmon, who swam after you as hard as he could."

"And you know the rest," finished Armadillomon.

Yolei just hugged Cody. "We're just glad to see you again!" Then she thwacked him on the head. "NOW DON'T SCARE US LIKE THAT AGAIN!"

Davis chuckled. "Knew it wouldn't take long for Yolei's lovey-dovey attitude to go away." He grimaced as he looked at his bleeding calf. "Now I just have to explain this to my parents…and Jun."

"That IS a problem," muttered Shaun as he knelt down and examined the wound. "Doesn't look that bad. Maybe you can get Joe to remove the bullet and bandage the woundonce you get back to the Real World."

"As for a cover story, we can just say Davis got into another fight at school," said Yolei with a wicked smile.

Davis sighed. "Gee, how wonderful." It would put a cramp on his soccer practice…but the day wasn't all bad.

He would be dreaming about Kari's hug for many nights to come.

-

/The Emperor's Flying Base, 4:39 PM/

The Emperor sighed. His first base had been destroyed.

His Terminator Units had been destroyed.

Alienmon had been eaten.

And the Digidestined had gotten another Digiegg.

Well, Ogremon and all those prisoners had been destroyed. That was a plus.

Despite the losses, he was close to completing Project Chimera…and that would prove to be a much more powerful Digimon than Alienmon.

-

/The Dark World, Isolated Island, Devimon's Volcano Lair/

The blue sac burst open with a flash of blue light. The figure that was in the sac resembled a male human being, if a little thin. Another odd thing was that his skin happened to be gray.

He shook his head and opened his large eyes…to reveal tiny, yellow pupils. He looked around in confusion. _Where…this isn't my tomb! Have I been removed from my homeland of Egypt?_

"Rise."

The man looked at the devilish man in front of him. "Who…are you?"

Devimon smiled. Off to his side stood Arukenimon. "I am Devimon. It is I who brought you to life."

The man blinked. This man had brought him to life… "I see…my family traditions dictate this: the dead are to serve those who bring them back to life if such a thing occurs."

Arukenimon raised an eyebrow. "What is this?"

Devimon knew. "It's just the data I used…no worries. Now…rise Mummymon."

The now-named Mummymon stood, and was handed his clothes by Arukenimon. _Mummymon is not my name…but my new master says it. So it shall be so._

Devimon smiled as his newest creation donned his clothes. His final servant had been completed…

One last step to go.

-

To be continued….

Next time…

Episode 19: Project Chimera

-

Author's Notes: 50 pages…my biggest chapter yet. It beats the previous one by about 20 pages.

Dang. And in three days. I doubled my previous record and then some!

Well…hope you guys liked the move references. :P


	19. Project Chimera

Standard Disclaimer: ARRR!!! ME SAY LAWSUITS BAD!!! ULTRA NO LIKE LAWSUITS!! DIGIMON OWNED BY TOEI! WHY ME TALK LIKE CAVEMAN?! ME NOT KNOW!!!

Author's Notes: Mostly good reviews...but I spy a few nitpicks!

Silver Warrior: Well of course it was going to be darker than usual: they're on the ocean floor! There's no sunlight down there! (shot for being too literal)

As for Ogremon...well, you never know.

And yes, an Ultimate could've beaten Alienmon with some effort; after all, Project Alien was started before the Emperor ever had to deal with the Digidestined.

Bohemiat: Ah...little too much suspense. Oh well...glad you think it rocked though.

Anthony1: Hmm...actually Cody disappeared past the halfway point of the story, not the beginning. And as for Davis' willing to leave TK behind, it was only an ulterior motive; however, he listened to the dark part of his hear that wanted that to happen. Hey, you said you wanted to see the after-effects of the hug from episode 15, and you did. :P

Now...begin!

PS: I'm doing this chapter instead of the FFX3 one like usual because I'm still planning out a bit for that chapter. That means more Digimon for you!

----

_The Emperor has declared total war on the Digital World._

_He's nuked a city._

_He sat back and watched as the Digidestined were hunted in his first base._

_However, what he's about to do will be the last straw...because he will strike closer to home than ever before._

_Literally._

----

"This is Veemon speaking! We discovered the Emperor's very first base under the ocean! We all went to investigate, hoping to find some useful stuff! What we found were gun-toting cyborgs, a freakish Digimon called Alienmon, and a bunch of bombs! We managed to escape the base before it blew, and the next thing we and Submarimon saved us! Boy, am I glad they didn't die!"

----

Episode 19: Project Chimera

----

/Western Ocean, Emperor's Base, Monday, October 4th, 12:21 AM/

It was late at night. The moon shined over the ocean, casting an eerie glow. However, the Emperor's base was floating over it. Right now, it was en route to a certain place in the ocean...

Why? All would be revealed shortly.

Right now, the Emperor was in his Monitor Room, contemplating his plan.

----

Thus far, the necessary pieces had been acquired.

Gabumon.

Palmon.

Biyomon.

Tentomon.

Gomamon.

Even now, he could hear their angered shouts from the prisoner cells below.

But he still had a few more pieces to collect...namely, Agumon, Gatomon, Patamon, and (Agumon).

Then he could begin the next phase of the Project.

With a gleeful grin on his face, the Emperor opened a Digiport...

To Tai and Kari's house.

----

/Emperor's Base, Prisoner Cells, 12:34 AM/

"LET US OUT!!!" yelled Gabumon. He banged his head against the walls repeatedly, but gave up after getting a headache.

"Could you not do that again Gabumon," moaned Tentomon. "You're starting to repeat yourself!"

Palmon sighed as she slumped against the dark walls of the cell. "My question is this; what does the Emperor want with us?"

That was a good point. If he had just captured them to enslave them again, they'd have been fitted with Dark Spirals by now.

But that wasn't the case.

Biyomon shrugged as she leaned against the cell bars. "We don't know...but whatever it is, it can't be good."

----

/The Kamiya Apartment, Odaiba, 12:37 AM/

Flash.

Gatomon rolled over, moaning as she tried to sleep. She was still tired from the events earlier that day (see last episode) to bother opening her eyes to see the sudden increase of light.

Had she not been so tired, she would have woken up immediately.

But she didn't.

And that would cost her dearly.

The Emperor walked silently towards the bed Kari laid in. He pulled out a bottle of spray and squirted it into her face, knocking her out cold instantly. Ken smiled as he went for Tai's room. _One down._

A few minutes later, he walked back in with an unconscious Koromon in tow. _Two down._

He grabbed Gatomon and slung her over his shoulder. He then pulled out his D-3 and reentered the Digiport.

Kari still slept, oblivious to what had just happened.

----

/The Takaishi Apartment, Odaiba, 12:59 AM/

TK's mom, Nancy Takaishi, slept soundly on her bed. She had stood up so late to do work that she hadn't even bothered to change clothes...or turn off her laptop.

Flash.

The Emperor walked silently out of Nancy's room and into TK's room. The two were sound asleep. With a quick spray of his special knockout mist, Patamon was guaranteed to be out for the next couple of hours.

He pulled Patamon off of TK's head and walked out of the room. He walked back into Ms. Takaishi's room and reentered the Digiport.

Now there was only one left.

----

/Sector 00-111-CHI, 1:12 AM/

Shaun and (Agumon) slept soundly against a nearby tree. In the sector, trees were scarce and tall grass was abundant. But in this sector of the world, the moon was not visible...so Shaun and (Agumon) were sleeping in complete darkness.

Flash.

(Agumon) slowly sat up. Since he had not been pushed as hard as Shaun had, he had been able to react to the flash that shone...even though his eyes had been closed. _Where was it from...?_

He headed in the direction of the TV, which sat about a good fifty yards away. His slowly walked through the tall grass, making a little noise as he went.

Then...a dark figure suddenly pounced on him.

"HEY-!" Before he could make another noise, the Emperor knocked him out with the same spray.

Ken Ichijouji smiled as he walked back to the Digiport, (Agumon) in tow. "The final piece...now to assemble the audience."

----

/Next Day/

/Odaiba Middle School, Computer Lab, 3:05 PM/

Demiveemon, Poromon, and Upamon watched silently as TK paced back and forth with worry. "Patamon was just gone! Vamoosed! I don't know where he went!!!"

Kari also said, "Same here...Gatomon and Koromon were gone as well. It's like they just...vanished."

Davis put on his thinking cap. "Hmm...aliens maybe?" As he walked around, he winced; his calf still hurt from the bullet he had gotten yesterday.

Yolei thwacked Davis upside the head. "Be serious."

"Hmm...what if the Emperor's behind it?" ventured Cody. "You never know...maybe he has wanted to capture them again."

TK nodded, but he said, "But he would've contacted us now if that was the case...he's a little showy with underhanded deeds like this."

Suddenly, a window opened on the monitor, revealing Shaun's face. **"Hey...hold on...where's Gatomon and Patamon?"**

"They've vanished! And so has Koromon!" answered Poromon.

Shaun sighed. **"Great...you guys too."**

TK paled at this. "You mean (Agumon's) gone too?"

Shaun nodded with disdain. **"It was too weird! I woke up earlier this morning, and he was gone! I went back to Gennai's...and he told me that the other Digimon were gone too."**

_Other Digimon?_ Yolei poked her face towards the screen and asked, "What do you mean?"

**"Gabumon, Palmon, Biyomon, Gomamon, Tentomon...they've all just disappeared! Gennai has no clue where they're at!"**

Silence fell over the group. Not only had TK's, Kari's, and Tai's partners been taken...but so had Shaun's and everyone else's...

Except for Demiveemon, Poromon, and Upamon...but why?

Suddenly...a new window opened up.

This time...it was the face of the Emperor that was showing. "Hello Digidestined."

Everyone's faces immediately tensed up at the sight of the Emperor. Davis grumbled, "And what do you want?"

Shaun glared and asked, **"And how did you know how to contact that computer?!"**

The Emperor just replied, "You don't need to know...the only thing you need to know is that you need to report to these coordinates, and soon."

A set of coordinates appeared on the screen; the Digidestined didn't know what to make of them, considering they didn't follow the status quo of 'Numbers-More Numbers-Greek Letter'. Shaun, however, managed to figure them out. **"So, you're at the western ocean..."**

The Emperor nodded. "Correct. It'll lead to my position...and you'd better do it if you want to see your partners again."

Kari gasped. "You did this?!"

The Emperor nodded. "And I'd prefer for you to come out to the western ocean and find out." The window the Emperor was in then cut off.

Shaun growled at the Emperor's audacity. **"That little...okay guys, come on to the Digiworld."**

Davis protested, "But it might be a trap!"

"We don't have a choice in the matter...we might as well go to where the Emperor told us to go," answered TK, his face hard and stoic. He was dead-set on finding out why his partner was taken during the dark of the night.

"**Okay guys...the coordinates are closest to sector 10-000-XI. I'll wait for you there."** The window closed on its own.

Cody pulled out his D-3; considering that they had to go along the ocean again, he was eager to pilot Submarimon again. "Well...let's go. Digiport open!"

Then they were gone.

----

/Off-the-Grid, Ring-shaped Island, 3:19 PM/

The Emperor smiled. The set had been completed.

The island he was at was actually more like a hollow column of sand that stretched all the way to the bottom of the ocean. Nine spires stretched around the ring, separated into equal distances from each other.

The strange sight, however, was that of nine Digimon embedded into the upper half of the Spires.

Agumon.

Gabumon.

Biyomon.

Tentomon. 

Palmon.

Gomamon.

Patamon.

Gatomon.

(Agumon).

Their hands and feet were inside the surface of their respective Control Spires, leaving only their heads and bodies hanging out of the Spire.

And now, the Emperor stood on the large flight deck of his base, which hovered over the ocean roughly 50 yards away. "At last...the pieces are here."

"You jerk! Why'd you kidnap us?!" demanded Gatomon. When she had woken up upon being thrown into the prison cells onboard the Emperor's Base, she had gone into a hiss fit.

The Emperor held up a hand to silence her. "We shall wait for the others to arrive. It would be a shame to reveal my plan twice."

Before any of the Digimon could protest, they heard a faint sound coming from the west. The Emperor tilted his head to the right to see Submarimon swimming over to their location...but there was something else.

Two rafts – each one made of six trees bounded together by vines – were attached to Submarimon by even more vines. Yolei, TK, Kari, and Shurimon stood on the left raft. Shaun, Davis, and Flamedramon stood on the other raft. And of course, Cody was piloting Submarimon.

The Emperor smiled as they approached. "Ah...they're here."

----

Shaun felt a distinct uneasiness at the sight of the nine Spires.

Remember... 

Something was egging him – _telling_ him – to recall something important.

Remember... 

It was there...he _knew_ it. But what was it?

_Dang it, remember WHAT?!_

Shaun cried out, "What have you done to our partners Emperor?!"

The Emperor simply replied, "Swim around the ring."

Submarimon did so. As he did, the children saw their partners. They were in the spires, facing inward. Even now, they could hear their cries for help.

"Help! Get us out of these things!" yelled Tentomon.

"EMPEROR!!! What are you doing to them?!" demanded TK, his eyes flaring with rage at the sight of Patamon.

The Emperor silently brought forth two Dark Rings. They hovered over the ring-shaped island and began projecting his hologram, thus resulting in an amplification of his voice. **"I'm sure you remember Project Alien, correct?"**

Yolei impulsively shivered at the memory of the horror-show-freak known as Alienmon. "Don't remind us!"

"**Well, I'm sure you realized that I failed to control him. Back then, my knowledge of enslaving Digimon was rather...limited,"** admitted the Emperor. **"But, that has all changed...and your partners are the key."**

Davis immediately yelled, "What do you mean by 'key'?!"

The Emperor smirked. **"Alienmon was flawed for a few reasons; my Control Spire data wasn't enough to control him, and I created his data from scratch. But now...this will be different. I will use my Dark Spirals instead, which have proven to be more effective conduits...and I will use preexisting data."**

Shaun suddenly paled as something clicked. _He...he can't mean..._

"**Now...Project Chimera will be fully realized!"**

_CHIMERA?!_ That released the floodgates. Shaun finally remembered...and as he did, he was terrified at what this all meant. _He...he can't be serious! He's actually using them as the monster's parts?!_ "You can't be serious!!!"

The other Digidestined looked oddly at Shaun, as they had not expected him to suddenly become frightful of this new development. Upset? Of course. Mad? Certainly. But afraid? No. Davis walked over to Shaun and asked, "Yo dude...what's up?"

The Emperor chuckled at Shaun's frightfulness. **"He's realized what I mean...my new creation will use the parts of YOUR Digimon!"**

The Digidestined gasped as they realized what Shaun was afraid of; not just because of the Emperor's plan...but because of what this meant for their partners.

"**Now,"** said the Emperor as he held up his Dark D-3. **"I shall need the parts of certain Digimon...now DIGIVOLVE!!!" **Unlike the Emperor's previous efforts at Digivolution, white rays erupted from his D-3 and touched all of the Digimon.

Agumon digivolve to......Greymon! 

Gabumon digivolve to......Garurumon!

Biyomon digivolve to......Birdramon!

Tentomon digivolve to......Kabuterimon!

Palmon digivolve to......Togemon!

Gomamon digivolve to......Ikkakumon!

Patamon digivolve to......Angemon!

Gatomon digivolve to......Angewomon!

(Agumon) digivolve to......(Greymon!)

**"And you need to go another step Greymon."** He pointed the Dark D-3 at Greymon. **"Dark Digivolve!"** This time, black rays erupted from the digivice and wrapped over Greymon.

Greymon dark-digivolve to......Skullgreymon!

Skullgreymon's dull green eyes glared at the Emperor as he thrashed about, trying to free himself from his bounds. The other Digimon tried to as well...but even with the advanced power of their higher forms, the Spires continued to keep an iron-hard grip on them.

"**And finally...we must bring in the very last piece of the puzzle! And TK...I'm sure you'll enjoy seeing who I'm about to bring out,"** replied the Emperor with a sadistic smile. TK could only guess at what he meant.

The Emperor pointed his Dark D-3 at the pool of water that lay in the center of the ring-shaped island. In all actuality, the pool stretched all the way down to the ocean floor...and lower, into the deepest, darkest waters of the ocean.

"**Now...Dark Portal, open! Open up to the Dark World!!!"** A dark beam emerged from the digivice's screen and it collided with the pool of water below. The water began spiraling around and around, like a whirlpool. The beam continued going down, making the whirlpool deeper and deeper.

Finally, the beam disappeared.

The portal had been opened.

----

/Dark World, Isolated Island, Devimon's Volcano Lair/

Devimon looked up. It was time.

Mummymon looked down in a puddle of water, looking at his reflection once more. He was wearing a set of blue pants, which was mostly covered over by his blue trench coat. His coat was tied to his body by a number of gray belts that looped through the inside of his coat. Thick, metal bands covered his wrists, and they had yellow dots on them. Similar dots adorned his coat in the area near the shoulders. He also wore a cylindrical hat with similar dots on it; this hat covered his face so much that only his left eye and a portion of his gray skin could be seen. To complete the ensemble was a metal cane with a red jewel embedded on the top.

He momentarily felt sadness at the sight of himself. _It is not the traditional garments I am used to...but these are the clothes my master requires me to wear. So it shall be done._

"Arukenimon. Mummymon. I must leave you two for a few minutes." Arukenimon and Mummymon turned to Devimon, who was looking out of the volcano's top. "The next phase of my plan is about to begin." He spread his wings and flew out of the volcano.

As he hovered over the volcano's mouth, he saw a whirlpool forming in the water. _Just as I had planned..._

With nary a thought, Devimon flew into the whirlpool.

----

/Off-the-Grid, Ring-shaped Island, 3:27 PM/

TK thought he was reliving a nightmare.

But he wasn't.

He was rising from the whirlpool in all of his terrible glory.

For some terrible reason he could not even fathom, Devimon had returned.

He floated above of the whirlpool, glancing around at the spires in silence. Then his eyes met the Emperor's. Devimon smirked...and went along with the act. "The Digital World...a very nice change of pace from that dark pit...now why have I been summoned here?"

The Emperor chuckled as he spoke, his voice still amplified by the Dark Rings. **"Well Devimon, I've brought you here to be the final piece of my project..."**

Devimon fake-scowled. "I've been called from my prison for this?! How dare you so casually tamper with the powers of darkness?"

The Emperor giggled at Devimon's retort. **"You had your day in the sun. You fell to the Digidestined. Now it is my turn...and if I want to use your dark powers, then I will!"**

He then held his Dark Digivice into the air, pointing it at the epicenter of the spires points. A dark orb slowly flew from the D-3's screen, situating itself at the epicenter. Then...dark tendrils struck all ten Digimon in the chest. The Digidestined's partners screamed. Devimon's face just twitched silently.

The Emperor then began reading off the parts as if he were delivering a grandiose speech...with a haughty voice to match.

"**The legs of Garurumon!"**

Garurumon suddenly roared with pain as his legs pixilated and; the data floated into the orb, causing it to grow slightly. The sheer shock that set in caused Garurumon to dedigivolve to Tsunomon, who had no legs to speak of. "Oh...that hurt..."

**"The body of (Greymon!)"**

(Greymon) roared in anguish as his very body disappeared in a flash of white. He too dedigivolved into (Koromon)...but the pain did not cease. "Agh...it hurts!!!"

Shaun's face went pale white...then red with rage. _How dare he...? How dare he hurt my partner like this!!!_

**"The carapace of Kabuterimon's head!"**

Kabuterimon howled as the tough, gray carapace that surrounded his head pixilated, revealing the soft flesh of Kabuterimon's head. He dedigivolved to Motimon, who just clutched his head. Although the pain was not as bad, he still felt vulnerable.

"**The wings of Birdramon!"**

Birdramon shrieked as her wings disappeared into the orb, which continued to grow larger with each consumption of data. She dedigivolved to Yokomon, who just clenched her eyes in pain.

"**The middle pairs of Angewomon's wings!"**

Angewomon yelped as her two middle pairs of wings pixilated and became one with the orb. To her, it felt like they had been ripped out of her very body. The pain caused her to revert to Gatomon; no doubt it was because she could handle more pain than the others could.

Kari couldn't stop her trembling at Gatomon's pain. _Why...? Why is he doing this...? It can't be just for power...this is too cruel to be just for power!!!_

**"The bottom pair of Angemon's wings!"**

Angemon felt a burning pain as his bottom pair of wings dedigitized and merged with the orb. He dedigivolved into Tokomon, who whined at the searing ache in his back. "Owww!!!"

TK felt a burning hatred for the Emperor now. His partner had been subjected to a horrible pain...all because of some Digimon he planned to create!

"**The horn of Ikkakumon!"**

Ikkakumon growled as his horn disappeared. Since the horn was not actually attached to his nervous system, the pain wasn't as great. He did, however, feel a dull headache and a sense of loss for his horn. He dedigivolved to Gomamon, more due to the loss of energy than the pain. "That lousy...GIVE ME BACK MY HORN!"

**"The thorns of Togemon!"**

Togemon suddenly lost all of her thorns...and now she felt very vulnerable. She dedigivolved to Palmon, who immediately moaned, "Those were like my clothes!"

**"The arms of Skullgreymon!"**

Skullgreymon roared as his arms broke down into numerous particles, merging with the orb, which was now bigger than a Greymon. Skullgreymon dedigivolved to Koromon, who moaned. "Man...good thing this form has no arms..."

**"And at last...the arms of Devimon!"**

Devimon remained silent as his arms disappeared and merged with the sphere. Devimon didn't say anything else as he descended back into the Dark Portal. As he did, he smiled maliciously. _You've sealed my return to dominance Emperor._

The Emperor cackled as the orb pulsated rapidly. **"The pieces have been gathered! Now...Project Chimera will be finally realized! Powers of darkness, infuse with my creation and empower him!"**

His Dark D-3 expelled a large ray of darkness that infused with the pulsating orb, causing it to crackle with black electricity. **"Now, come forth...CHIMERAMON!!!"**

An animalistic roar suddenly emerged from the orb as it burst into a thousand pieces.

The final result was a true monster...more so than even Alienmon.

It flapped all four pairs of its wings; Birdramon's flaming wings, and the angelic wings of Angewomon and Angemon. It hovered in place over the ring of Spires. The legs of Garurumon melded seamlessly with (Greymon's) body, whose chin melded with the carapace of Kabuterimon's head. Its mouth salivated as it glanced at the targets all around him...food. Its teeth gleamed in the light of the sun. Replacing Kabuterimon's flesh-like horn was replaced by the hard horn of Ikkakumon. Also, Togemon's thorns were now sprouting out of the back of Chimeramon's head, as if they were hair. His blood-red eyes glared mercilessly out of slots in the carapace. Finally, Skullgreymon's and Devimon's arms flexed as Chimeramon got used to them; Skullgreymon's were above Devimon's arms. Although the arms looked cumbersome and awkward, Chimeramon handled them rather well.

The Emperor chuckled as Chimeramon obediently flew over to him and held out his upper left arm. Ken smirked as he stepped onto Chimeramon's bony arm and walked up to his shoulder. His voice was still amplified by the Dark Rings. **"Behold the face of your destruction!"**

Chimeramon glowered at the Digidestined below them. "Rrr...HEAT-"

"**Stop Chimeramon! Don't destroy them,"** ordered the Emperor. Chimeramon growled as he closed his mouth out of obedience. The Emperor chuckled as he pushed a few buttons on his gauntlet. **"You see? THIS is my ultimate creation! Not even MagnaAngemon will be able to stop my mighty behemoth!"** He pressed one last button...and the nine Spires began to sink. **"I'll let your partners recover...it would be a shame to wipe you out right now. I'd rather watch you attack me with full force...and I'll watch with relish when you fail."**

Chimeramon landed on the flight deck of the Emperor's base, which promptly began moving off toward Server. The two Dark Rings flew back into the Emperor's hand, who began cackling as he moved off toward land.

As the spires continued to sink, one thing became apparent; they weren't sinking...they were _melting_. Black puddles expanded further outward as the spires continued to get smaller. Finally, the spires completely melted away, revealing the weakened and aching Digimon lying in puddles of black ooze.

Shaun remained silent as Flamedramon and Shurimon grabbed the Digimon from their puddles. He then turned to Davis, who was watching the Emperor's base leave. "Davis."

"Yeah?" Davis didn't turn around as he said this.

"Still feel up to fighting the Emperor now that Chimeramon's here? This new Digimon is a combination of various Digimon...and he is as powerful – if not a little more so - as MagnaAngemon, the most powerful Digimon we know of...even more so than (Wargreymon.)." Shaun stared at Davis quietly...wondering what his answer would be.

Davis turned and faced Shaun with a grin. "So what? We'll find a way to beat him anyway."

Shaun smiled. "Alright...once our partners recover, we take the fight to them."

Davis pumped his fist as Flamedramon and Shurimon hopped back on board, arms full with Digimon.

Once their partners recovered...they would indeed take the fight to the Emperor's home...just as he had to them.

----

/Dark World, Isolated Island, Devimon's Volcano Lair/

"Master Devimon!" exclaimed Mummymon as Devimon descended into the hollow volcano. As he descended down into the volcano, Devimon showed himself to have no arms. However, he seemed none too bothered about this...he actually seemed happy.

Arukenimon raised an eyebrow out of curiosity. "I take it you encountered something unpleasant."

Devimon shook his head as his malicious grin grew wider. "Not at all...as a matter of fact, the temporary loss of my arms only means my return to supremacy."

Mummymon and Arukenimon were confused. "But Master," asked Mummymon. "How so?"

Devimon sat down against the volcano wall; apparently, he still needed rest after the loss of energy he had gone through. "You will see."

----

/Sector 01-101-XI, Emperor's Base, 5:51 PM/

The Emperor's base hovered over a small plateau. The Emperor stood on the flight deck. Chimeramon stood on the plateau. The plateau itself overlooked a small town.

Why had he stopped here?

Simple...

To test Chimeramon's power. The Emperor looked down at Chimeramon from above and shouted, "Now Chimeramon! Unleash your rage on that town!"

Chimeramon growled with a feral craving. He was hungry...for food. For destruction. Chimeramon raised his mouth, which began to coalesce green energy into a ferocious green fireball.

"HEAT VIPER!!!"

A fiery ray erupted from his mouth. The ray crashed into the town, creating tremendous plumes of smoke and fire as it obliterated building after building. Screams could be heard as flames consumed the town.

The Emperor laughed as a hellish inferno engulfed the down. One attack had reduced the entire town to flames...and that was just the beginning. Chimeramon had much more to show...and he would enjoy every moment of it. He raised his head to the sky and shouted proudly, as if challenging God Himself. "THE DIGITAL WORLD IS MINE!!! NO ONE CAN DEFEAT ME NOW!!!"

As the Emperor boasted to the sky above, Wormmon watched on with worry from the door that connected the flight deck to the inside of the base. "Ken..."

That was it. He had watched his partner – his friend – fall into the clutches of darkness for too long. Worse...he had done nothing to stop it.

It was time to rectify that.

----

To be continued...

Next time...

Episode 20: Darkness Before Dawn

----

Author's Notes: Sorry. Took longer to write, and it was shorter than last chapter to boot. The creative juices weren't flowing as quickly for this chapter, admittedly.

Also, this chapter wasn't as full of action. It was more of a setup chapter to finally unveil Chimeramon.

But fret not! Next chapter, the Digidestined take the fight to the Emperor's base!

The Digimon Emperor Saga is reaching its climax folks...stay tuned!


	20. Darkness Before Dawn

Standard Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon...but it's nice to dream.

Author's Notes: Ah...the next episode ends the Digimon Emperor saga. After that will be a few episodes involving a stage of change and transition between sagas. As for what the saga will be after the Emperor...I'm sure some of you can guess. ;)  
  
Now to the reviews!

A Nony Mouse: (laughs) Well...hair-brained...interesting comment. Wow...haven't heard that one in a while. I'm glad you thought it was entertaining, but the whole thing with Alienmon and the Terminator Units spawned from the adrenaline rush I got after seeing Alien for the first time and watching Terminator again (I mean, it's not often you write 50 pages in 3 days.). Alas, that's the last time you'll see a movie reference of that magnitude.

But still...hair-brained? (laughs again) Not that I'm knocking against you or anything, it's just that I haven't heard that one in a while.

Anthony1: Well, it was as you said pretty much. And yes, Chimeramon is a bit different than he was in the anime; more powerful for one...and he'll have a little more character than he did in the show. How so? Well...just wait and see.

Bohemiat: I just hope this fic doesn't FLAT-LINE (shot for the pun).

Now...begin!

* * *

_The Emperor's ultimate weapon has been unleashed._

_Now he is convinced that he is unstoppable._

_Will that be true?_

_Or will the Digidestined be able to beat the odds once again?_

* * *

"This is the Digimon Emperor. I assembled the pieces for Project Chimera in the form of nine Digimon – the Digidestined's Digimon, to be precise. Then I summoned Devimon from the Dark World to serve as the final piece. Couple all of their body parts along with the dark power of my digivice, and you have the most powerful Digimon in the Digital World...Chimeramon!"

* * *

Episode 20: Darkness Before Dawn

* * *

/Sector 10-111-EPSILON, Friday, October 8th, 6:21 PM/

It was a rather large town, nestled between an ensemble of mountains that stretched throughout the EPSILON sectors. The native Digimon of the town were Gotsumon, Gazimon, and Veggiemon, with Gizamon and Goblimon traveling to and from the town as well.

As the sun set below the mountains, the town's denizens did not know that it would be the last time they saw it.

"Heat Viper!"  
  
A building was engulfed in green flames as the Digimon caught sight of a hulking figure perched atop a mountain...and hovering to a stop behind it was the Emperor's base.

A Veggiemon shrieked at the sight. "It's Chimeramon and the Emperor! RUN!!!"  
  
Now, remember how Digimon loved to gossip? Well, it had been six days since Chimeramon had been created; and during that time, word had spread quickly of the 'hybrid devil'. Only very few had survived to spread the word.

And now, he had come to this town.

The Digimon began fleeing.

Chimeramon's horn began crackling with dark electricity. His wings ignited into black flames. His whole body was submerged into darkness as he roared, "Shadow Viper!"  
  
All of the darkness on his body gathered into a single orb in his mouth, and he spit it out at the town. The orb immediately expanded into a 'shadow' version of Chimeramon, which fell upon the town and smothered it in a sea of black as the shadow expanded even further. In moments, a sea of darkness covered the whole town.

Moments later, the entire black sea condensed into a single orb once more. The town was no more. The Digimon were no more. Even the very foundation of the town was gone. It was as if it had been simply erased from existence.

Chimeramon summoned the orb back to him. He held it lightly in his hand and flew to the Emperor.

* * *

The Emperor watched with glee as Chimeramon compressed the contents of the entire town into a single orb. Such destructive power...and it wasn't messy at all. Not that he cared either way, but he liked how efficient Chimeramon was.

Chimeramon flapped his wings as he set down onto the flight deck where he stood. The hybrid Digimon held out his right Devimon hand, which held a black sphere no bigger than baseball. The Emperor grabbed and looked at it silently.

"In my hand is an entire town..." The Emperor then placed the orb on the ground...and smashed it with his foot. He smirked as he then said, "And with my foot, I crush it." He laughed to himself as he turned back to his creation. "Chimeramon...let's continue on."  
  
Chimeramon wordlessly took to the sky, leaving the Emperor to follow him.

Ken raised an eyebrow out of curiosity; Chimeramon usually responded in someway after he gave an order. _No matter...he's just eager to continue the destruction._ The Emperor quickly pressed a button on his gauntlet, reactivating his base's forward jets. With a silent lurch, the base continued hovering onward.

* * *

/Sector 10-111-EPSILON, Emperor's Base, Monitor Room, 6:26 PM/

Wormmon sighed as he watched the carnage. "Oh Ken...you've got to stop this."

He waddled away from the Monitor Room, his mind racing for a solution to his dilemma.

He knew that he was to blame...he had done nothing to try and prevent Ken's fall into darkness. He had just sat by wordlessly, serving him without question...for he had believed that was a sign of love to his partner.

But now he knew differently; he had to show his love by doing what was best for Ken...no matter how much he disproved of Wormmon's actions.

He made up his mind as he crawled into the base's Computer Room. He had to contact one of the Digidestined.

* * *

/Unknown Sector, Gennai's House, 6:37 PM/

Shaun leaned back against the wall, his mind racing for answers to his dilemma.

Chimeramon. He was obviously more powerful than he should've been...and he was even made from different Digimon.

Speaking of Digimon, all of them – with the exception of Gatomon, Patamon, and Koromon – had been at Gennai's house for the past six days, recovering from the ordeal of having their body parts removed. For some, recovery took longer, but they had all healed.

Right now, (Agumon) was snoring soundly beside Shaun's feet. Shaun couldn't blame him; having one's body removed while you were still alive was not a pleasant experience.

But back to Chimeramon...

He had watched the images from Gennai's cameras. Chimeramon continued to bulldoze his way through any town, village, or city that came in his path. And his path became the Emperor's.

Chimeramon had negated the use for the Airdramon; as a matter of fact, the Emperor had let Chimeramon have his way with them. Shaun had watched via another one of Gennai's cameras...it had not been a pretty sight. Nevertheless, the turrets still remained. A test firing of the cannons revealed that they fired dark energy, capable of making holes in cliffs and mountains. Although they weren't quite as destructive as Chimeramon's Heat Viper attack, they were enough to clip a Champion Digimon's wings, so to speak.

First things first. In order to get to Chimeramon, the Digidestined had to take down the Emperor's base first. Once that was (and hoping that the turrets were disabled by then) accomplished, they would get to work on whittling away at Chimeramon...if they could. _Gah...why does everything have to be so different?! At the rate things are going, it'll be past Halloween before we lay our hands on Chimeramon!_  
  
Beep. Beep. Beep.

Shaun blinked. His D-Terminal was beeping. He quickly pulled it out, flipped it open, and looked at the message.

* * *

_Dear Shaun,_

_I know this may seem odd, but here's some information that you might find helpful._

_Signed, Wormmon_

* * *

More surreal than the message itself was the data attachment included with it. Shaun opened it up...and blanched at the face.  
  
"GENNAI!!!"  
  
Shaun quickly ran into Gennai's Room...he had to show him this!

* * *

Gennai's Computer Room was basically just another room with a large supercomputer situated inside. However, it was VERY versatile; Gennai placed the D-Terminal into a small slot on top of the console and watched as the large monitor revealed all of the information that had come with the data attachment.

Specs on the turrets.

The current flight plan for the Emperor's Base.

Schematics of the base's layout.

Detailed files on Chimeramon.

Gennai blinked out of astonishment. "And you're saying Ken's partner sent this stuff?"  
  
Shaun nodded. "Yeah...he did." To be honest, he was surprised; he had known Wormmon was going to help...but in this magnitude? It had never happened before!  
  
_Oh well_, he thought with a shrug. _Beggars can't be choosers._ With this info, the Digidestined could plan...they could prepare an ambush. Catch the Emperor off guard.

But if the Emperor found out that Wormmon had sent this info...

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Shaun's thoughts were interrupted as his D-Terminal sounded off again. He pulled it out of the console slot and read the message.

* * *

_Yo Shaun! We're going to be having a meeting a log cabin on Mt. Fuji tomorrow! Izzy's going to be bringing his laptop, so you can contact us!  
  
-Davis_

* * *

Shaun blinked. Log cabin? Mt. Fuji? What was Davis talking about?

He then remembered. "Oh yeah...that place."

* * *

/Next Day/

/Vacation Log Cabin, Base of Mt. Fuji, Saturday October 9th, 4:45 PM/

Given the hectic lifestyle of a teenage band, the band members had to have a few hidden spots lying around to use whenever they had to relax...or whenever they were being followed by one too many stalkers.

For Matt, this log cabin was his preferred vacation spot. Since money wasn't a problem for him, he always kept it on reserve should he the need to use it arise.

But now, he had an ulterior purpose for using it; it was serving as a base of operations.

Well, not really in that sense.  
  
After Chimeramon had been unleashed, the Digidestined had concluded they would have to spend a lot of time taking him down...and there was a chance it would take more than one day to defeat him. And if they took any time off to rest up, Chimeramon would've healed from his injuries in no time.

It had taken some time, but they had gotten it done. Davis, Yolei, Cody, TK, and Kari's parents had agreed to let them go there after Saturday school ended for a two-day period of relaxation. Mrs. Kamiya had had Tai come along: her one condition on letting Kari go to the cabin. But Tai hadn't minded; he had intended to come along anyway.

The cabin was fairly nice; it had indoor wiring, as well as plumbing. The sleeping arrangements were moderately comfortable; two bedrooms, each with two bunk beds. The cabin's main living room had a large window that faced the adjacent crescent-shaped lake. There was a sofa, a futon, and a chair, as well as a coffee table. There was a refrigerator and a microwave in the small kitchen, as well as a pantry.

The surrounding area was heavily wooded, with a small clearing to the house's right, as well as a dirt road connecting the cabin to the main highway.

It was serene, out of the way, and secluded...

It was perfect.

From here, the Digidestined would be able to fight throughout the night.

* * *

Davis scoured through the pantry, looking up and down for something to eat. "Crackers...Cheetos...eew, Cheez-its...ah! Pringles!" He pulled out the cardboard tube and sat down on the sofa beside Demiveemon. "Want some buddy?" Davis pulled out a small stack of the curved potato chips and held it out to Demiveemon.

"You bet Davish!" Demiveemon quickly grabbed the stack and munched down on the chips one at a time. Davis helped himself to the Pringles as well.

Matt sighed as he pointedly asked, "Please don't get crumbs on the couch; the people I'm renting this place from expect it to be spic-and-span every time I leave!" He then looked at Gabumon, who was eating from a bag of pretzels and getting crumbs on the carpet. "Gabumon! That means you too!"  
  
Gabumon sighed as he apologized. "Sorry Matt."  
  
Izzy, meanwhile, was sitting on the chair, hunched over the coffee table as he typed away on his laptop. "Okay...I'm trying to contact Shaun...and there!"  
  
A blank window opened up, and then it resolved into the image of Shaun. **"Hey Izzy. I see you've finally managed to find Gennai's e-mail address."**  
  
Izzy smirked as he replied, "Yeah. He changes it more often than the cable company changes IP addresses! You coming over?"

(Agumon) poked his face into the screen as he said, **"Of course we are!"** Shaun held out his orange D-3 and said, **"Stand back. Digiport open!"**  
  
Izzy quickly turned his laptop around as a flash of bright light emerged from the LCD screen. When it faded, Shaun and (Agumon) were sprawled on the futon. "Man...I hate it when that happens," moaned (Agumon.)  
  
Izzy took note of the large brown backpack on Shaun's back. "What's in the bag?"  
  
Shaun sat straight up and replied, "Important information. Where are the others?"  
  
"Outside," answered Davis as he munched on his salty snack.

The others had been outside, just enjoying the environment around them (well, except for Tai; he had been climbing some of the nearby trees to get a better view). Once Shaun stepped outside, he called everyone to two picnic tables situated under a throng of trees.

"Okay Shaun, we're here because we've got to destroy Chimeramon," said Tai. TK then said, "You have any information we can use?"  
  
Shaun smirked as he slipped off his backpack and pulled out several papers. One large print had detailed specifications for the defensive turrets. On the largest print was a blueprint of the Emperor's Base, all the way down to the last door. A paper that had the Digital Grid printed on it had a red line stretching around several different sectors. Finally, there were numerous papers with detailed information on Project Chimera.

Cody raised an eyebrow out of skepticism. "This is a lot of stuff. Is it all legitimate?"

Shaun nodded. "It's all true. Got it straight from the Emperor's computer."  
  
Yolei blinked out of awe. "YOU got into the Emperor's Base?!"  
  
"Well no. I'm not the one who got the info from the computer," answered Shaun.

"Then who did?" asked Poromon.

(Agumon) replied, "Wormmon."

Wormmon...the name struck a bell in Gatomon's mind. Then she remembered. "Hey! He's the Emperor's partner!"

TK, Kari, Yolei, Cody, and their partners remembered that event; it was where they had first met the Emperor face-to-face before being put into a death trap (one which they were subsequently freed from by Shaun and Sonocomon in their first face-to-face appearance; read Episode 5 to find out more!) at sector 01-000-ALPHA. "Wait," said Patamon. "How can we be sure Wormmon's information's the real deal? I mean, he IS Ken's partner."  
  
"Well, Wormmon was the one who freed me from the Emperor's prison back when I was captured," said Koromon from his spot atop Tai's head. "I mean, he's a really nice guy once you start talking to him."  
  
Davis sighed as he admitted, "Well, I guess we can't argue with that."  
  
"Plus," added Shaun. "Gennai went over all of the info last night. There's a high probability that it's all true." He pulled out the turret specs and began speaking. "Well, these turrets don't utilize conventional ammunition...they actually fire dark energy pellets that are powered by the base's generator...giving it limitless ammunition."

Upamon tilted his head out of confusion. "But wouldn't it run out of power?"  
  
Izzy took a gander at the base's schematics and looked around until he saw a large room labeled 'generator', along with a few details. "Wow...apparently, this generator utilizes the darkness of the Dark World to power the base."  
  
Kari momentarily cringed at the thought. _A generator that's power by darkness...that doesn't sound good at all..._

"Yeah, but if we can just sever its connections with the rest of the base," said Shaun as he made a few gestures with his hands. "Then boom. Base goes down, no more turrets to worry about."  
  
"Yes, but there is one more problem; the Dark Digivice." Cody pulled out his yellow D-3 and set it to 'Detect'. Nine multi-colored dots – including Cody's – appeared on his screen. "The Emperor will be able to see us coming."  
  
Everyone sighed; Cody had a point. An ambush wouldn't work if the Emperor could 'see' them from a mile away.

"Don't worry everyone!"  
  
Everyone turned to Davis...who had a big grin on his face. "I've got an idea!"

Everyone stared at Davis; partly out of curiosity, and partly out of disbelief. Yolei accentuated this by saying, "You sure you're not talking about raiding the pantry?"  
  
Davis fumed as he yelled, "I'm SERIOUS! Just take me seriously for once! I know I may not be the best leader, and I may not be the brightest guy around!" _Don't we know it_, thought Yolei. "But I deserve to be heard out just as much as anyone else, okay?!"  
  
The others remained silent after Davis' outburst. He did have a point in a way; Tai HAD appointed him leader, and – even though the Digidestined weren't as dependent on the leader's decisions as much as with the first group – he had to have a say in things too.

Finally, Demiveemon said, "Well? Let's hear it!"  
  
Shaun finally piped in and said, "Yeah Davis. Go ahead and say it; we're listening."  
  
Davis grinned as he said, "Okay! I've been thinking on this ever since yesterday, so here goes!"

After Davis finished explaining his plan several minutes, everyone was astounded, even Shaun. _Wow_, thought the Child of Wisdom as he went over every detail in his head. _Why didn't I think of that?_  
  
Even Yolei seemed to be impressed. "Wow...that's actually a pretty good idea."

Tai, upon further reflection, realized something. "Well, if you think about it, it's sort of like a simply diversionary tactic in soccer; make your opponent look one way while you're doing something in the other."

"You're darn right!" exclaimed Davis.

"Well, we've got the plan...so let's just look over these papers a little longer and get going!" said Matt.

"Yeah!" exclaimed everyone.

Davis, TK, Kari, Yolei, Cody, and Shaun went over the blueprint of the Empeor's base for the next hour, trying to memorize it as much as they could. Then they went over the files on Chimeramon, trying to learn as much about the Hybrid Digimon as they could. To their displeasure, they learned that Chimeramon was capable of using the attacks of its individual parts as well – meaning that Chimeramon could use Harpoon Torpedo, Needle Spray, and so on and so forth.

Finally, they decided on where to place the ambush...and they decided to attack in the sector that the Emperor would reach at around 9:00 PM.

That sector was 01-000-ALPHA...the Valley of Death. In a way, it would be fitting to end their war against the Emperor then and there.

* * *

/01-001-ALPHA, Emperor's Base, Monitor Room, 8:51 PM/

The Emperor remained silent as his base crossed over from sector 01-001-BETA into 01-001-ALPHA. The base lurched northward as it made a beeline for sector 01-000-ALPHA.

Even though the Emperor had enjoyed watching Chimeramon wreak havoc on towns and cities throughout the Digiworld, it was time for business. He had to get to work on covering the entire Digital World with spires, starting in the ALPHA sectors. Once done with those, he would head eastward and begin on the BETA sectors, and so on and so forth until he covered the last of the OMEGA sectors.

After that, he would move onto the Real World...and then he would destroy the Digidestined and bring order to Earth. He would be the Emperor of Both Worlds...

It would be a great time indeed.

"Master."  
  
The Emperor turned around to see Wormmon in the door. "What is it Wormmon? I'm busy plotting."  
  
Wormmon cringed nervously as he pointed his front left foot at one of the screens. "Well sir, there are dots on the screen there."  
  
"Dots?" The Emperor turned and looked a screen of the Digital World Grid Map. Indeed...six multi-colored dots were on it. They were advancing into sector 01-000-ALPHA. "So...they've decided to fight me head-on. Very well...I shall oblige them."

The six turrets turned forward to face the incoming Digidestined. Once they were in range, the turrets would unleash a stream of dark energy on their foes.

As the stars began to appear in the darkening sky, one could see Nefertimon, Pegasusmon, Raidramon, and Shurimon zooming toward the base. Three of the turrets turned skyward, while the latter three aimed downward.

As the Emperor walked onto the flight deck to watch the oncoming carnage, he frowned. He only saw four Digimon. To make sure, he looked down at his Dark Digivice and set it to 'Detect'.

Sure enough, all six Digidestined were rushing toward him...even though there were only four. "Where are they?"

* * *

Unbeknownst to the Emperor, Shaun, Cody, Sonocomon, and Digmon were right below them. Having hidden in the sand for the past ten minutes, they had waited patiently for the Emperor to approach sector 01-000-ALPHA.

Once the Emperor's Base hovered above them, they pulled themselves out of the blanket of sand (for the record, they were using straws to breathe) and looked upward. Sonocomon grabbed Digmon as Shaun pulled Cody onto Sonocomon's shoulders. "Ready guys?"  
  
Sonocomon nodded. Digmon yelled, "You bet!" Cody nodded as well. At this, Sonocomon hovered up the bottom of the base, positioning Digmon so that he could drill through the rocky covering of the base's base (shot for pun). Once a large hole had been cut into the bottom, they clambered inside.

They were now in a small hallway that connected two different junctions. Shaun went over the base's blueprint in his head. "Okay Cody...do you remember the way to the generator?"  
  
Cody nodded. "I do. Digmon and I will take care of that."  
  
Shaun turned to Sonocomon. "You go with them and help out. Once the generator's offline, head outside and help the others." Sonocomon nodded out of concurrence as he walked down the corridor with Cody and Digmon. Once they were out of sight, he walked the other way.

He had a score with Ken to settle.

* * *

Davis chuckled as he patted his two pockets; both Shaun and Cody had given him their D-3s after having their partners armor-digivolve. After that they had gone off ahead to wait for the base to reach them. He just hoped they would be able to cut off the generator in time...those turrets did not look nice.

Then they fired.

"Scatter!" yelled TK.  
  
Just in time too; a bevy of shots coated by dark energy streamed toward them at high speed. The sophisticated targeting system quickly tracked the Digidestined's Digimon as they evaded.

Yolei grumbled from her position on top of Shurimon; they weren't going to get anywhere in this battle if all they did was evade. "Shurimon! Give us some cover!"  
  
Shurimon nodded as he jumped into the air, his leafy scarf fluttering in the wind as he did. He maneuvered his arms and legs into a strange stance. Finally...

"Shadow of Leaves."

Suddenly, trees sprouted upward from the desert, covering the harsh, sandy soil with a canopy of vegetation. The forest stretched throughout the sector, covering the entire area.

The Valley of Death had become a Valley of Life in a matter of moments.

Shurimon quickly dove back down into the trees. Nefertimon and Pegasusmon quickly dove down as well, flying under the blanket of the treetops. Raidramon was already down there. "Nice cover Shurimon!"  
  
Shurimon wordlessly nodded as he landed silently on a branch. "Let us split up. Hopefully my technique will give us some time to attack from different angles." The blue lenses of his eyes glowed briefly as he disappeared into the canopy, along with Yolei.

Nefertimon blinked in astonishment (which couldn't be seen, due to her facemask). "Wow. And I thought I was the quiet one."  
  
Pegasusmon neighed as he charged off into the woods. He tilted his head back and yelled, "Be safe everyone!"

This left Raidramon and Nefertimon alone, along with their partners. Davis looked to Kari and asked, "So Kari, do you think we should go together and attack at the same time?"  
  
Kari shook her head. Nefertimon then said, "Besides, we already agreed at the planning session to attack from different angles!" As Nefertimon took off in a different direction, Kari shouted back, "Take care!"  
  
Davis and Raidramon sighed; they had both been looking forward to working with Kari and Nefertimon. Raidramon looked at Davis and drearily said, "We can never get a break, eh buddy?"  
  
Davis just let his shoulders sag. "No point in moping over it now." He then got his bright demeanor back as he said, "We'll get plenty of chances after we whip the Emperor's butt and take down his freak-a-zoid Digimon!"  
  
"Right!" Raidramon bounded off in a different direction.

* * *

The Emperor cursed at the new forest that had sprouted out of the ground. Shurimon might not have been as physically strong as some of the other Armored Champions, but he was like a real ninja; skilled in stealth, devilishly clever, and VERY quick.

He just sighed out of annoyance. "No matter. I'll just switch the turrets tracking sensors from visual to thermal," He opened up his gauntlet and began pulling up the alteration code for the turrets. "Then it'll be open season."  
  
At that moment, the Emperor lost his footing. He hit the metal floor of the deck with a yelp, and his base suddenly started to sink. "What...what's happening?!"  
  
Even now, he could hear the dulling drone emerge from the turrets as they slowed to a stop; a sign that they were losing power. The Emperor hurryingly switched to the power status of his base...and to his horror, two words appeared on his gauntlet's screen.

'GENERATOR OFFLINE'

The Emperor paled. "WHAT?! But how?!"  
  
Then he realized it. The missing Digidestined...

_They tricked me...this whole frontal assault was all a diversion! I can't believe I fell for such a simple tactic!_ The Emperor was furious now. He would have their heads!  
  
But in his rage, something dawned on him; there was no way the Digidestined could've made such a plan without schematics on the base...and there was no way the Digidestined could've gotten those without accessing his main computer database!  
  
Unless... 

His mind had a flashback moment; he remembered how Wormmon had freed Agumon right before the completion of his Dark Spirals.

Wormmon.  
  
_Wormmon gave them those plans...that's the only explanation! That little scoundrel betrayed me!!!_

The Emperor growled as he stomped off of the flight deck and back into his base. He would make a quick stop at the armory before dealing with Wormmon...

But first, he had to let Chimeramon loose. He turned to a large red button on the wall beside him that read 'HANGAR OPEN'.

He slammed it angrily with his fist.

Moments later, he tumbled to the floor as the base made contact with the ground below, shaking the earth for miles around. After that, dull lights lit up all over the base; thankfully, the auxiliary generator was still running.

* * *

Chimeramon had been awoken by the sudden jolt of the base's impact with the ground.

He growled as he blearily rubbed his eyes; he had been sleeping for the first time in days.

He did not like his sleep being interrupted.

Then, he saw the hangar door open. He stretched his eight wings silently before flying out into the open air.

He stared down at the forest below and sniffed; he smelled familiar prey.  
  
"HEAT VIPER!!!"  
  
With a green stream of fire, Chimeramon began burning down the forest.

* * *

/01-000-ALPHA, Emperor's Base, Generator Room, 9:11 PM/

Cody had frowned upon first stepping into the darkness of the generator room.

The generator room had only one thing in it: a large stone column with thick wires connecting it to the metallic power outlets that sent its energy through the base. Slots existed on the column in numerous spots...and dark mist was coiling out from each one.

Cody had sneered as the chilling darkness permeated through the room. "It's sort of fitting, considering this is the Emperor we're dealing with."  
  
At the point, Sonocomon and Digmon had gone to work, cutting through the wires and destroying the power outlets. It had taken about ten minutes, but they had finally done it. Once they felt the base sink and crash into the ground, they knew they had accomplished their job.

Sonocomon grinned as he turned to Cody and Digmon. "Let's get out of this place and join the others. Speed Spin!" Sonocomon curled into a ball and drilled through the wall, creating a large hole for Cody and Digmon to get out of.  
  
Once they reached the end of it, they saw a burning forest.

* * *

Shurimon growled as he hopped above the canopy. His own forest had become a death trap! He tilted his head to face Yolei. "Yolei! I must dispel the forest; otherwise, our allies will burn to death!"

Yolei nodded hurriedly. "Don't worry Shurimon! The turrets have been taken care of now! Just get rid of this forest!"  
  
"That I will." He looked back down at the forest as the blue eye lenses of his black mask flared brightly. "Shadow of Leaves...be dispelled by the Light of Blue Fire!"  
  
A ray of blue light emerged from his eye lenses, washing over the entire burning forest. Everywhere his blue light touched, the trees shrunk back down into nothingness. As this happened, the fires dissipated, for they no longer had any fuel to burn.  
  
Soon, the entire forest was gone. The fire was gone.  
  
"AAH!" Well...actually, Davis' jacket was on fire right now. "Stop, drop, roll! Stop, drop, roll! Stop, drop, roll!" Davis finally managed to put the fire out, and his blue jacket with red flame designs (ironic, eh?) now had burn marks on it. Raidramon sweatdropped at this. _Yep...just not our day._

Shurimon, Nefertimon, and Pegasusmon gathered up with Raidramon. Moments later, Digmon and Sonocomon made their way over there as well. TK looked over to Cody and calmly said, "Looks like you guys got the job done. Is Shaun still inside?"  
  
Sonocomon nodded. "He's looking for the Emperor."  
  
Davis cracked his knuckles as he said, "Wish I could've gotten that part of the plan."  
  
You see, the Digidestined had made one part of the plan that would be part of the Digidestined's payback against the Emperor for what he had done to their partners over a week ago. The part would involve one of them fighting the Emperor one-on-one while they dealt with Chimeramon. Shaun was chosen for the role, simply because he had already fought the Emperor twice; plus, he had proven to be quite adept at fighting.

Shurimon turned toward the base...then scowled. "Our foe has come."  
  
Indeed. Chimeramon hovered over the fallen base, glaring daggers at the Digidestined.

Digmon eagerly let his drills spin. "Say guys, what say we give him a taste of the energy drill?"  
  
The other Armored Digimon smiled at this suggestion. The Energy Drill had been a joint attack they had first used against MagnaAngemon (see Episode 14). Raidramon looked over to Digmon as he asked, "Remember what to do?"  
  
Digmon nodded. "Don't worry! I remember clearly! Gold Rush!" Digmon's five drills fired off in a pentagon-shaped outline.

"My turn! Swirling Shuriken!" Shurimon pulled the large shuriken off of his back and threw it into the center of the drills.

"Cat's Eye Beam!" The yellow rays struck the shuriken.

"Equis Beam!" The triangular green beam hit the shuriken as well.

"Blue Dash!" Sonocomon fired his blue, supersonic ray out of his hand five times, hitting the backs of each drill.

"Thunderous Roar! **RAAAH!!!**" The mighty bolts of electricity struck all six projectiles – the shuriken and the drills. Finally, Sonocomon dashed around the drills, increasing the G forces until the drills merged into a singular point. The energy drill had been formed once more...but with a new addition; the sharp spikes of the shuriken spun around as well, giving the whole drill a serrated edge.

Sonocomon moved back to the others as the energy drill flew toward Chimeramon. Davis smiled cockily as he boasted, "Lets him stop that!"  
  
Chimeramon roared as he clutched the drill with his four hands. The force behind the drill slowly pushed him back...but he eventually stopped in midair, with the drill glowing in his hands.

Everyone gasped at the sight. Davis gaped, "WHAT?! He stopped the energy drill?!"  
  
TK paled at the sight as well; not even the energy stream from MagnaAngemon's Gate of Destiny had been able to withstand the power of the energy drill...and this one had the power of the entire group behind it.

Chimeramon opened his mouth as green fire gathered in it. He then turned the drill around, so that it faced the Digidestined. "Heat Viper!!!" His stream of green fire struck the back of the drill, coating it in green flames. The stream propelled the energy drill back at the group...and this time, it also had the power of Chimeramon behind it.

"RUN!!!" yelled Nefertimon. They all fled from the oncoming attack.

Then it hit the ground.

The sand near the site of impact immediately melted into glass as the heat and energy from the energy drill expanded outward. The shockwave knocked Raidramon and Digmon to the ground, while Pegasusmon, Nefertimon, Sonocomon, and Shurimon lost their balance in midair.

Kari gulped as Chimeramon flew towards them. _How are we going to defeat him?_

* * *

/01-000-ALPHA, Emperor's Base, Catwalk Junction C, 9:21 PM/

Wormmon had been tracking Shaun's progress via the cameras. He would soon enter this room. _I just hope he can help me help Ken..._

"So there you are."  
  
Wormmon whirled around to see the Emperor, looking at him coldly. "Oh, hi Ken. Aren't you supposed to be fighting your foes?"  
  
WA-KRACK!  
  
Wormmon winced as the Emperor's whip slapped his face, leaving a fresh red mark on his cheek. "Ken...?"  
  
"I know what you did Wormmon. You gave the Digidestined information about my base's layout...about my base's flight plan...you traitor." The Emperor slowly advanced towards Wormmon, who just stood there silently. "Why Wormmon? You're my partner. You're supposed to do things that are in my best interests; helping my mortal enemies doesn't quite fall under that category." As he said this, his voice showed no emotion...nothing but coldness.  
  
Wormmon quickly replied, "You're wrong Ken! You're not supposed to do this kind of stuff...I never did anything to stop you, because I thought I was supposed to support you no matter what! But I was wrong...I should've been trying to stop you!"  
  
Ken remained silent as his hand tightened around the whip.

"Ken...this isn't you...go back to the young boy you were when I met you. This isn't you!"

The Emperor ran for Wormmon and kicked him into the air, dropping his whip as he did. He then dove his fist into Wormmon's gut, driving him into the metal catwalk.  
  
A dull groan escaped Wormmon's maw as his stomach exploded with pain; that was one heck of a punch! He laid limply on the catwalk as the Emperor held a hand to his throat. "K...Ken..."  
  
The Emperor used his other hand to pull out a large combat knife: the item he had retrieved at the armory, along with his whip. Its jagged edges gleamed in the dull light of the large expanse that the catwalk extended over. "I should've dealt with you after you freed Agumon. Now...I shall deal with you once and for all."  
  
Then the Emperor saw a fist.

SLAM!!!  
  
The Emperor yelped out of the unexpected uppercut that sent him sailing four feet away onto the catwalk. He accidentally let his knife drop over the edge of the railing, causing it to drop dozens of feet to the metal ground below. Ken wiped the blood away from his nose as he looked at the source of the uppercut.

Shaun stared at him quietly. "So...I come this way only to find you about to kill your partner...just when I thought you wouldn't go any lower..."  
  
The Emperor growled as he yelled, "HE BETRAYED ME!!! I was only going to give him what he deserved...and soon, you will fall as well! ALL WHO OPPOSE ME WILL FALL!!!"

Shaun sneered as flexed his fingers. "Emperor...the pain you put our partners through has been the final straw. While the others deal with your freakish creation," Shaun cracked his knuckles to emphasize his point. "I fight you...and I'll kick your butt nine times over, one for every partner you used to create Chimeramon."  
  
The Emperor smirked as he got into a defensive stance. "Fine then...let's see you try."  
  
Shaun immediately charged forward.

* * *

/01-000-ALPHA, 9:27 PM/

"Needle Spray!" Chimeramon swung his hair around, causing a torrent of needles to shower Digmon and Raidramon.

Digmon quickly escaped by tunneling under the sand. Raidramon jumped away with only a few needles to show for it. Davis growled as he hopped off of Raidramon. "Okay pal, let's get you in a more suitable form!"  
  
Raidramon dedigivolved to Veemon as Davis held his D-3 forward. "Armor-digivolve!"  
  
Veemon armor-digivolve to......Flamedramon: The Fire of Courage!  
  
Flamedramon placed Davis on his shoulders as he threw three fireballs at Chimeramon. "Fire Rocket!"  
  
Chimeramon growled as he slapped away the three fireballs. "Meteor Wing!" Chimeramon flapped his Birdramon wings, sending a firestorm towards Flamedramon. He barely managed to leap away in time.

"Golden Noose!"  
  
Chimeramon yelped in surprise as the golden energy rope caught him by the neck, flipping him backwards and sending him into the ground. Pegasusmon and Nefertimon turned around to see Chimeramon get back up. "Rrr...Shadow Viper!"  
  
"LOOK OUT!" Shurimon wiped his arms around Nefertimon and Pegasusmon's bodies, pulling them down to ground level. It was in good time too; the Shadow Viper sped past where they had been hovering. TK sighed as he looked down at Yolei and Shurimon. "Perfect timing!"  
  
Before Yolei could reply, Chimeramon turned on them again. "Heat-"

"Flaming Fist!"  
  
Chimeramon groaned loudly as Flamedramon's fiery fist collided with his cheek. Davis stuck his tongue out at Chimeramon as Flamedramon landed beside the furry legs of Garurumon. "Some monster you are! Nyeh!"  
  
Chimeramon's eyes narrowed in rage; apparently, he took offense at this.

He grabbed Flamedramon in one fist and heaved him in the opposite direction...into the Emperor's Base.  
  
Unfortunately, Davis went with him.  
  
"DAVIS!!! FLAMEDRAMON!!!" yelled everyone out of worry.

But they didn't have time to worry; Chimeramon immediately turned on them.

* * *

/01-000-ALPHA, Emperor's Base, Catwalk Junction C, 9:30 PM/

To say the fight was fierce was an understatement.

The Emperor and Shaun exchanged a flurry of punches and kicks before the Emperor dove for Shaun's gut. Shaun was tackled to the ground, but he quickly pushed upward with his limbs, flipping the Emperor off of him. He quickly got back to his feet as the Emperor threw another punch at him. Shaun grabbed the arm and used the Emperor's momentum to throw him over his shoulder.

Ken flipped around in midair and landed on his feet by the whip, which he quickly grabbed. "Not much room to dodge here Shaun...let's see how much abuse you can take!"

Shaun knew that he wouldn't be able to dodge in such a narrow space...so instead of moving backwards to avoid any strikes of the whip, he ran _forward_, crossing his arms in front of his head.

By the time he had reached the Emperor, Shaun had two bloody gashes on his right arm, and one on the left. The Child of Wisdom quickly uncrossed his arms and grabbed the Emperor's right wrist, which held the whip. With a quick and precise twist, Shaun forced the Emperor's hand to unclench in pain, causing him to drop the whip over the side of the catwalk. "Now it's a level playing field." Shaun then punched the Emperor across the face with a left hook.

The Emperor quickly whirled around and hit the side of Shaun's face with the back of his heel, sending the Child of Wisdom backward. Shaun grabbed the rail to stop his movement, then he dove for the Emperor to pin him to the floor.

Unfortunately, the Emperor used his legs to move Shaun around; now Shaun was pinned by the Emperor, and he began choking Shaun with both hands.  
  
Shaun's teeth clenched as he grabbed the Emperor's hands and tried to move his hands away...he wasn't going to die like Gazimon did...

CRASH!!!  
  
The Emperor's head bolted upward as Flamedramon crashed through the wall, then crashed into the opposite wall. "What the...?"  
  
Shaun quickly moved his head upward, bashing the Emperor in the face with his forehead.  
  
"AGH!!!" The Emperor brought a hand to his face as a squirt of blood emerged from his nose. Shaun kicked the Emperor away before standing up. "Well, that was a lucky break..." But now his worry fell to Flamedramon...and he could've sworn he saw Davis with Flamedramon-

"HEAT VIPER!!!"  
  
Shaun ducked as a green ray of fire blew the hole open even more, and Chimeramon flew in to look for the prey he had thrown. The beast growled as his eyes fell on Shaun. "Rrr..."  
  
The Emperor wiped away the blood with his sleeve and stood up to triumphantly glare at Shaun. "So Shaun...you may think you have the upper hand...but I'll always have Chimeramon on my side! Chimeramon! Destroy him and that traitorous worm!!!"  
  
Chimeramon turned his eyes toward the Emperor, remaining silent as he glared at his creator.

"Chimeramon..." The Emperor's voice was laced with annoyance as he glared at the Ultimate Digimon. "Did you not here me?! I said DESTROY them!!!"  
  
Chimeramon growled maliciously as he swiped his hand at the Emperor, wrapping his left Skullgreymon hand around the Emperor. He then held his palm open in front of him, glaring daggers at the Emperor. Then, a hoarse, deep voice...

"You...do not order me."  
  
The Emperor paled. How?! How dare he disobey HIM?! "You DARE disobey ME?!"  
  
Chimeramon opened his mouth as green fire coalesced into it. "Heat Viper!"  
  
The Emperor gasped as he stared at the green orb of fire. His creation was going to kill him!!!

"Sticky Net!"  
  
The Emperor felt a sudden sense of vertigo as something grabbed him behind and pulled him down to the catwalk before he was incinerated. Chimeramon turned downward to face his opponent again.

The Emperor turned around upon landing on the catwalk. A strange, sticky silk was fixated on his back...and it was coming from Wormmon's mouth. "Wor...Wormmon?"  
  
Chimeramon interrupted the whole proceeding with a stomp of his foot, creating a huge dent in the catwalk. "Heat-"

Suddenly, the lights went out. The Emperor blinked out of confusion; had the auxiliary generator been taken out? His mind had a brief flashback as he went over what had happened...

A golden object had been discovered...and the Emperor had no idea had to use it...so he had used it to power his base; it had practically exuded power in the form of a golden aura...

His thoughts were interrupted by a golden glow that emerged from the second hole made by Flamedramon.

* * *

/01-000-ALPHA, Emperor's Base, Main Access Column, 9:40 PM/

Davis winced as he rubbed the back of his head. "Ow ow ow ow ow ow...that really hurt..."  
  
It had been fortunate for him that Flamedramon had protectively cradled him in his arms before he crashed into the base, otherwise, his body would've been crushed.

Davis sat up and took a good look around him. He was in a _tremendously_ huge column, with numerous catwalks stretching off to a number of doors; apparently this place was like a main hub that led off to the other main access junctions in the base. Also, a number of ladders allowed access to the different levels of the access column.

Davis looked ahead to see Veemon – apparently, the collision forced him to dedigivolve – getting up to his feet. "Man, this smarts! You okay Davish?"

Davis nodded as he stood up. "You feel up for another armor-digivolution?"  
  
Veemon shook his head. "Sorry Davish...I don't exactly have the stuff in me."  
  
Davis groaned. "Man, this really bites..." His voice trailed off as he looked at the large column that the catwalk they were on connected to. He saw a little panel on it...and...was that a golden outline he saw?  
  
He stepped toward the panel; he hadn't been seeing things. There WAS a gold outline. He silently opened the panel, and was nearly blinded by the bright gold light. Veemon – seemingly forgetting his tiredness – hopped over to Davis' side. "Ooh...bright."  
  
Davis reached inside and pulled out the object causing the glow. It was...a Digiegg. A GOLDEN Digiegg. It looked like a perfectly symmetrical block, with four sharp protrusions sticking out of the corners. Two 'feet' also stuck from under the block, and on top of the Digiegg was a crest; the crest looked like an angular 'M' figure that had three spikes sticking outward from the bottom points of the 'M'. Also, one spike pointed upward from the top of the 'M'.

Davis blinked out of amazement. "Wow...another Digiegg..." As he gazed at it, the lights all over the base winked out; the only source of light was now the Digiegg.  
  
Veemon blinked as he looked down at himself. "That's funny; I feel better for some reason!"

Davis smiled; this Golden Digiegg had reenergized his partner! "Alright Veemon! Wanna give this thing a try?"  
  
Veemon nodded excitedly. "You bet Davish!"

"Veemon...Golden Armor Energize!!!" The Golden Digiegg flared brightly as a golden glow surrounded Veemon.

Veemon golden armor-digivolve to......Magnamon!

Davis stared quietly in awe at the new warrior; Magnamon stood at about nine feet tall, approximately as tall as Flamedramon. Golden covered his legs up to his knees; an angular 'V' figure protruded out of the top of the armor, and his feet were covered by thick, blocky armor. Golden gauntlets covered his arms up to his elbows, and his hands had three fingers each. He wore an angular breastplate, and long, golden shoulder pads adorned his shoulders. On the underside of his shoulder pads were thrusters; obviously, his means for flight. Similar looking pads of armor surrounded his hips, with the front pad sporting the 'M' crest that was on the Golden Digiegg. Under the side of the two other pads were thrusters, similar to the shoulder pads. Also, the parts of his body that were visible – abs, biceps, and thighs – with defined and rippling with muscles. Finally, a golden mask covered his head; two spikes protruded from his cheeks, while 'V' shaped prongs stuck upward from the part of the armor that covered his forehead. His red eyes stared confidently at Davis as – with a bold, daring voice – he said, "I am Magnamon! Using the Digiegg of Miracles, I golden armor-digivolved into Magnamon! Beware my powerful kicks and punches, and stay out of the way of my Magna Ray!"  
  
Davis looked at his partner in awe. _Magnamon...Digiegg of Miracles...whoa..._

Magnamon looked back at Davis as his armor glowed brilliantly, providing light in the darkness. "I'll take care of Chimeramon...I'll get you outside first." Magnamon picked up Davis and flew out through the hole he had made just minutes before.

* * *

Chimeramon winced at the golden light that flew into the room and out of the base through the large hole. "Rrr..."  
  
The Emperor recognized the glow. _That golden object in the auxiliary generator...it was actually a Digiegg?!_  
  
Shaun was pleasantly surprised, but thankful nonetheless. _Oh, thank God...Magnamon's here._

Suddenly, dull yellow lights lit up all over the base; the backup batteries had been activated, which would provide for one hour of minimal power. Then, the brilliant gold light of Magnamon overwhelmed the dull lights as he flew back in, standing on the rim of the hole. "Now that my partner's safe...do you want to take me on Chimeramon?"

Chimeramon sneered as he flexed his limbs; his newest prey looked formidable.

Magnamon flared brightly as he charged for Chimeramon. "Alright you freak! LET'S DANCE!!!"

* * *

To be continued...

Next time...

Episode 21: Chimeramon Vs. Magnamon

* * *

Author's Notes: The final episode of the Digimon Emperor saga concludes next episode...stay tuned everyone!  
  
And here's a challenge to you; what popular video game character inspired Soncomon? First one to guess correctly gets a cookie!


	21. Chimeramon Vs Magnamon

Standard Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon. But with the power of the Internet on my side, I can sure as heck pretend. :P  
  
Author's Notes: Ah...some of you readers can remember when I first started this rewrite. I had said that the number of episodes of the rewrite would be shorter than my intended list. Now look: the Emperor saga has taken up 21 episodes like in the show, I didn't show Wizardmon's ghost like I had intended to a couple of years ago, and I'm spelling Chimeramon with 'Ch' instead of 'K' (what to do the dubbers think this is; Mortal Kombat?)!

Looking back on my old writing style nearly makes me sick now (no, seriously; I got dizzy when I looked back on my old writing style).

I originally started this fic as the New Digi-Episodes in 2001...but I continued it in late 2003...as Zero 2: A Revision.

Well...here's to many more episodes folks. Now to the reviews!  
  
Anthony1: Well, you'll just have to read on. And have you noticed that your reviews often sound like something the announcer would say?  
  
SR71will: You are correct! Here's a coupon to Ultra's House of Cookies, which is located in Antarctica. Have fun getting there! :P

Now...begin the climax!

* * *

_Chimeramon, the Hybrid Digimon of Darkness._

_Magnamon, the Armored Champion of Gold._

_Who will win?_

* * *

"This is Shaun speaking. Wormmon risked a lot to send some important information to the Digidestined, which we used immediately to plan one last strike on the Emperor's base. We disabled the turrets and cut off his generator, rendering his base flightless! But Chimeramon is one tough customer...he was able to reflect an attack that MagnaAngemon had trouble with! Just when things start looking bleak, Davis found a golden digiegg and used it to golden armor digivolve Veemon into Magnamon. Now we have a real fight on our hands!"

* * *

Episode 21: Chimeramon Vs. Magnamon

* * *

/01-000-ALPHA, Emperor's Fallen Base, Saturday October 9th, 9:42 PM/

Davis looked back as Magnamon flew back into the Emperor's Base to deal with Chimeramon. "Man...a third Digiegg..."  
  
In all actuality, he was astounded. If what he had learned thus far was true, that meant that a crest would have to exist for the digiegg to exist...

But...would that mean that a Crest of Miracles existed?

"Davis!!!"

Davis turned around to see the others run for him, with the exception of Shaun. TK reached him first and asked, "Davis...what was that bright light?"

Davis looked back at the base and answered, "It was my partner..."  
  
Yolei sighed out of exasperation. "Come on Davis, even you know that none of your partner's forms have a golden glow!"

In response to this, Davis said, "I...I found another Digiegg...a golden Digiegg."

Everyone gasped out of shock. Nefertimon exclaimed, "Another Digiegg?!" Pegasusmon then retorted, "But...how can that be?! I thought we found all of them!"

Cody suddenly found himself in deep thought. _This must mean that another crest exists somewhere out there...somewhere._ "Where did you find it?"

"Believe it or not...in there." He pointed at the Emperor's Base.

Before the others could gasp/double-take/retort at Davis' answer, a loud explosion destroyed the base's flight deck.

* * *

Magnamon flared brightly as he charged for Chimeramon. "Alright you freak! LET'S DANCE!!!"

Chimeramon roared at Magnamon as he charged for the small, golden fighter. The hybrid Ultimate reared all four arms and prepared to smash his fists into the tiny golden Digimon.

Magnamon's thrusters – which lay under the pads of armor around his hips' sides and his shoulders – flared brightly as he suddenly hurtled upward a couple of dozen feet, completely avoiding the incoming punches. He curled his three fingers into a fist as a golden aura surrounded his right hand. "Magna Punch!"

The punch connected with Chimeramon's chin, sending the giant Ultimate into the wall. Without pausing for even a moment, Magna charged forward as he locked his left leg and aimed it for Chimeramon's chest. "Magna Kick!"

The foot was covered over in golden energy by the time Magnamon's attack connected. Chimeramon grunted as his body was pushed even further into the wall...but he quickly countered with a surprisingly quick strike by his left Skullgreymon arm. This time, Magnamon grunted as his body was sent into the opposite wall. Wasting no time, Chimeramon freed himself from the new hole in the wall and flew at Magnamon.

Meanwhile, Shaun's rapt attention was focused on the battle taking place above him.

Magnamon.  
  
Chimeramon.

_Unreal...Chimeramon's more powerful than he should be...I don't know if Magnamon will be able to beat him...unless HE'S changed in some way as well..._

"You're a fool..."

Shaun whirled around to see the Emperor holding...his Desert Eagle pistol?! _No! He must've picked my pocket when I wasn't paying attention!!!_ Shaun grimaced as he looked down the barrel of his own weapon. "What do you plan to do Ken?"

The Emperor's two hands shook as he squeezed the gun's handle tightly. "I'm not Ken...I'm the Digimon Emperor. I am the ruler of this world! All Digimon are mine to command...and you Digidestined are nothing but weaklings fighting a useless battle! I WILL KILL YOU ALL!!!"

BLAM!!!  
  
Ken's first shot went off to the side, missing Shaun completely. The Child of Wisdom smirked at this. "I see now...you've finally realized your own weakness."

"SHUT UP!!!"

BLAM!!!  
  
This shot went wild as well; Ken couldn't seem to stop his hands from shaking! Shaun continued on. "Look around you; your base is crippled. Your defensive turrets are no more, and Chimeramon has turned on you. Any other Digimon you attempt to call will just be freed by my friends' partners...or destroyed by Chimeramon. Either way, you've lost control, Ichijouji."

"FOR THE LAST TIME! I'M NOT KEN!!!** I'M THE DIGIMON EMPEROR!!!"**

BLAM!!! BLAM!!! BLAM!!! BLAM!!!  
  
The first one missed. The second one hit the railing. The third one whizzed by Shaun's head, barely clipping off a part of his hair. The fourth one hit the catwalk floor harmlessly. Shaun quickly ran forward and gripped the Emperor's wrists, pointing the pistol into the air as he glared into the Emperor's eyes. "Chimeramon's rebellion has really shaken you. Face it Ken...you've lost this war."  
  
"NEVER!!!" Ken let go of the pistol as he ran in the opposite direction toward the doorway. He turned left down another corridor and disappeared from sight. As Ken ran, he pulled out his Dark Digivice. _It's simple...I'll just give Chimeramon a direct blast of energy from my Dark D-3! No Digimon can emerge from that without becoming my slave!_

Back on the catwalk, Shaun silently holstered his pistol as Wormmon worriedly said, "Oh Ken..."

"Don't worry Wormmon." The little Rookie looked upward at Shaun, who looked back at him with a reassuring smile. "The look in his eyes said it all...he's fighting himself. The Emperor is fighting the real Ken for control right now."

Wormmon seemed to smile at this. "Oh goodie...I know Ken'll win. He always wins!"

Shaun smiled at the small insect. "Yeah...I know he will." As Shaun turned his attention back to the battle, Wormmon couldn't help but wonder. _Boy, he sure is confident...it's as if he's known Ken for years with the way he talks about him!_

Suddenly...

"Magna Kick!"

The sudden downward thrust kick sent Chimeramon into the catwalk, breaking it apart like a twig. Shaun quickly grabbed Wormmon and leapt into the nearby doorway before the catwalk completely fell away. "Man...that was close."

Enraged, Chimeramon turned his mouth upward as green fire coalesced into his maw. "Heat Viper!"

Magnamon crossed his arms as the green stream of fire came for him. The push behind the attack sent him upward through several floors...but he finally reared one of his arms back. "Magna Punch!"  
  
The punch caused a reaction that resulted in a tremendous explosion. The explosion tore through the flight deck, which was right above Magnamon.

* * *

As green and gold energy plumed upward from the ruins of the flight deck, Sonocomon turned to the others. "I don't know about you guys, but I'm not just going to sit around while Magnamon fights Chimeramon on his own. Anyone coming with me?"

Shurimon silently disappeared...then reappeared beside Sonocomon. "I will assist."

Then Nefertimon stepped forward. "As will I...but we need someone to stay behind and protect the children."

Pegasusmon and Digmon both stepped backward toward the children. The flying horse quickly said, "I will stay behind with them. And I assume you will as well Digmon." The driller nodded. "You bet! Besides, I'm not really the kind to fight airborne creeps like 'Uglymon' over there."

Obviously, Digmon was referring to Chimeramon, who zoomed out of the hole in the flight deck towards Magnamon. Sonocomon turned to Shurimon and Nefertimon. "Let's go." Sonocomon dashed off toward the fallen base with a flash of blue light. Shurimon ran quickly along the ground towards the base, while Nefertimon flapped her wings and took to the air. As the three Digimon went to aide Magnamon, Kari sighed. "I hope they'll be okay."

"They'll be fine Kari," reassured TK.  
  
It wouldn't occur to any of them until much later that – despite the fact Davis had not told them the name of his partner's new form – Sonocomon knew Magnamon's name.

* * *

/Odaiba, Ishida Apartment, 10:01 PM/

Hiroaki Ishida was a tired man. He was currently in charge of security detail at the local TV network station (which had been repaired since the Odaiba Fog Incident, not to mention the battle with VenomMyotismon), and a job like that required a lot of things; constant checks on the security measures (key card locks, ID card locks, and the like), constant maintenance of the security cameras, etcetera, etcetera. It was a tiring job, and he had gotten home from a busy day no more than thirty minutes ago.

That's why he was less than pleased to open the front door (a steady knock on the door had resulted in his rising from the couch; he didn't like rising off of the comfy couch after a tiring work day) to see...none other than Jun Motomiya, one of the many girls on Matt's list of fans who were not allowed into the apartment. "Jun...please go home."

Jun sweetly smiled as she asked, "Is Matt in?"

Hiroaki shook his head. "No; he's at one of his 'vacation' spots. He's away for a break, so go away. I'm tired."  
  
Jun sighed. "Okay then...can I have the address? I want to see him."

Despite his tiredness, Hiroaki was still aware enough not to fall for that. "Sorry. You won't get it."

"Okay then," sighed Jun out of exasperation. "Actually...I just want to see my brother, Davis."

"Oh! That's completely different." Hiroaki quickly rummaged through a nearby coffee table drawer and pulled out a crumpled piece of paper. "Here. This is the address."

Jun grinned as she said, "Thanks!" Then she quickly departed.

Five seconds later, Hiroaki realized his blunder. "GAH!!!" Hiroaki contemplated chasing her down...but he knew he was too tired to catch up with her now. He would've normally caught such a trick...but the rigors of work had done too much to his wits that day. "Matt's going to kill me when she gets there."

Jun giggled as she walked away from the apartment, the address tucked away in her pocket. "That was pretty easy!"

Despite what Matt or Davis perceived, Jun was not stupid. She had known something was up when Davis and his friends from school caught a ride in Matt's van. It was a van she knew well; despite the recent paint job, she had known it to be the Teenage Wolves' old travel van.

So she quickly called her folks. Her mom had said Davis was going with his friends to some log cabin for a weekend of R & R.  
  
Jun knew something was up. Matt wouldn't just drag out the old van for something as simple as a weekend vacation.

The next step involved finding Matt. To do that, she had to wait for Mr. Ishida to get home from work.

And you know the rest.

Jun quietly waited at the bus stop until a bus came up. She showed the driver the address and sat down as the bus drove off for Mt. Fuji.

Thankfully, she had enough money to pay for the trip.

* * *

"Heat Viper!"

With a quick kick, Magnamon deflected the ray away before panels on his armor opened up. "Magna Ray!" Golden rays of light emerged from underneath the panels and struck Chimeramon, who shrieked as the light burned at his skin. Chimeramon quickly flew upward to avoid the attack.

Once he was out of the attack's range, Chimeramon swung his spiky hair around. "Needle Spray!"

Magnamon winced as some of the needles snuck past his armor and embedded themselves into his skin. "Okay pal...let's see if your needles can hold up to this!" He held his right arm forward; his golden gauntlet extended forward, covering his entire hand. Small barrels stuck out of the gauntlet, which were aimed directly at Chimeramon. "Magna Gun!"

Bullets coated with a golden aura shot out of Magnamon's gauntlet; he used his left hand to help steady his aim, because the kickback was rather strong. Chimeramon roared as he held his arms up to ward away the bullets. However, he was too large a target; a lot of the bullets hit him anyway.

With a tremendous bellow, Chimeramon aimed his horn at Magnamon. "Harpoon Torpedo!"

The one difference between this attack and Ikkakumon's was simply this: rate of fire. Literally dozens of the spike projectiles zoomed toward Magnamon, who quickly tried to dodge each and every one.

Unfortunately, one hit. The explosion was to the other torpedoes what a match was to a forest...except in this case, the forest was completely doused in gasoline. The resulting chain reaction of explosions lit up the entire night sky.

Before anyone could scream in fear at the explosive cloud of fire, Magnamon charged out of the cloud as more panels in his armor opened up. "Here's my response to that! Magna Missiles!"

Golden missiles were launched out of the slots under the panels, streaming toward Chimeramon quickly. He yelled in pain as the missiles exploded against his body. Out of rage, Chimeramon began prepping another Heat Viper. "Heat-"

"Blue Dash!"

Chimeramon's attack was cut off as a ray of blue energy struck the side of his face. He immediately turned to Sonocomon, who prepared to fire another one. Chimeramon growled as he prepared to fire on his new target. "Heat-"

"Swirling Shuriken!"

"Rosetta Stone!"

Chimeramon grunted as two tablets hit the back of his head and the metallic shuriken sliced across his leg. His eyes burned with a black fire as he roared. "ENOUGH!!! SHADOW VIPER!!!"

The shadow of Chimeramon roared as it flew at high speed towards Magnamon, who had no time to dodge or evade before he was consumed. Moments later, the shadow compressed into a tiny sphere.

"MAGNAMON!!!" shouted Davis as he quickly ran for the base...only to be held back by TK and Yolei. "Let me go! I need to help Magnamon!!!"

Yolei shook her head furiously. "Are you crazy?! If Magnamon couldn't beat him, what makes you think you can?! Don't commit suicide!"

Meanwhile, Chimeramon stared maliciously at the black orb in his left Devimon hand. He would enjoy crushing his troublesome prey.

Just when he was about to crush the sphere, its black color was completely washed over by a golden color. Chimeramon looked at the orb curiously.

Then it rammed into his forehead, sending him crashing. Metal and rock went flying as Chimeramon landed on the remains of the base's flight deck.

The surreal sight of the small, golden orb attack Chimeramon was too much for everyone.  
  
Especially Shaun. He had just walked out into the open to see the golden orb ram Chimeramon in the head. "Wha, bu...huh...?" 

Chimeramon winced as he stood back up, only for the orb to hit him once more in the head. Chimeramon tried to swipe away the little orb, but he continued to get bruises on every spot the orb hit.

Finally, it flew back a bit as it started to crack...

With a sound that sounded like breaking glass, Magnamon broke free of his orb. "Man...that was unpleasant." Davis whooped with joy as his partner broke free. "Booyah! Kick his butt Magnamon!"

Shaun looked at the Golden Armored Champion in awe. _Magnamon's definitely more powerful...he might be able to pull this off after all!_  
  
**"CHIMERAMON!!!"**  
  
Everyone turned their attention to the figure stepping out of the door that led to the balcony overlooking the flight deck. The Emperor stood there, holding his Dark D-3 up high. "Chimeramon! I am your master!"  
  
Chimeramon sneered as he prepared to attack his creator.

"As your creator, I order you to destroy the Digidestined! And to aid you against Magnamon...HARNESS THE POWER OF MY DARK DIGIVICE!!!" At that, a dark ray of energy erupted from Ken's Dark Digivice and merged with Chimeramon's body. The hybrid Digimon howled as dark energy began coursing through his body.

As the ray continued to pour energy into the monster, Digmon nervously pointed out, "Uh...is it my imagination, or is Chimeramon getting bigger?"

Digmon wasn't seeing things; Chimeramon's body slowly became larger as more dark energy poured into the artificial Digimon.

Suddenly, the Dark Digivice stopped giving forth energy. If it wasn't so dark, one would've seen that the dark gray body of Ken's D-3 was gone, replaced by a white body. The only dark color on the digivice now existed on the sidebars, which were still colored pitch black.

Perhaps it was a sign that the Dark Digivice had given away all of the dark power it contained to Chimeramon. The Emperor smirked as Chimeramon looked at his larger and stronger body. "I have given you a gift Chimeramon...now oblige your creator and destroy my enemies!"

Chimeramon turned to the Emperor...and malevolently smiled as his eyes gleamed in the darkness of the night. "Thank you...for the extra boost."

The Emperor paled at Chimeramon's reply. Even after that...he still wanted to kill him! _Impossible! He can't possibly still have free will!_ Devimon came to mind at the moment...and he suddenly realized what Devimon had meant.

His control over the powers of darkness was not as great as he had thought them to be.

Chimeramon held his four arms out as orbs of dark energy crackling with red electricity formed in each hand...and they continued to grow in size.

When each orb became as large as his own head, Chimeramon roared, "DOOMSDAY VIPER!!!"

Then he brought his arms together, smashing the four orbs together.

Suddenly, the entire sector was consumed by white.

All-destroying, all-consuming white.

* * *

/Unknown Sector, Gennai's House, 10:34 PM/

Gennai put on a pair of sunglasses as the flash of the Doomsday Viper attack came in from all the cameras surrounding sector 01-000-ALPHA.

As for the cameras in 01-000-ALPHA themselves...they had been completely vaporized.

The wizened old man sighed as he muttered, "...I hope they somehow survived..."

* * *

The Doomsday Viper was like a white dome the size of sector 01-000-ALPHA.

And it had completely leveled EVERYTHING. The entire desert floor in that sector had been completely melted into a flat sheet of glass. The Emperor's Base was now a blackened husk, a mere shadow of its former self.  
  
And Chimeramon hovered above it all.

After such an attack, one would have to be shocked to see any survivors.

But there were.

Surrounding every single Digidestined (Ken included) and Digimon (Chimeramon excluded) was a protective golden aura. A small lifeline of golden energy connected each protective aura with Magnamon, who was charging those auras with his own.

Pegasusmon blinked in astonishment. "Magnamon...he used his energy to form protective barriers around all of us!"

As Magnamon continued to show new abilities, Shaun couldn't help but be impressed...but he was also upset as well. _Chimeramon's gotten stronger, and so has Magnamon...when will the changes ever end?!  
_

The protective aura around faded as Magnamon stopped glowing.

Then he unceremoniously slumped to the ground. "Man...used too much power..." Magnamon looked up as Chimeramon stepped over to him. The hybrid Digimon grinned as he grabbed the golden fighter in his right Devimon hand and started crushing him.

Shurimon exclaimed, "Our ally is in danger! Quickly! Swirling Shuriken!"

"Blue Dash!"

"Ruby Claw!"

The metal shuriken, the blue laser, and the two jewel-like projectiles zoomed toward Chimeramon...

"Heat Viper!"  
  
...who promptly incinerated the attacks. Sonocomon sweatdropped. "Okay, that didn't work." Chimeramon turned back to Magnamon and resumed the crushing.

Davis growled; not at the situation, but at his own helplessness! Magnamon was their best hope now...and Chimeramon was crushing him. _No thanks to the Emperor's power up._

_Power up..._ "Hey guys...I've got an idea."

Everyone in the vicinity turned to Davis. Digmon quickly asked, "Don't hesitate! Spill it out!"

"You know how the Emperor used his Dark Digivice to power up Chimeramon?" As Davis explained his idea, he pulled out his blue D-3. "How about we do the same thing to Magnamon?"

Everyone looked at him silently. Then, Yolei turned to the others and nervously said, "Guys...I think this is a sign that the apocalypse is coming; this is the second time in ONE day that Davis has come up with a good idea!"  
  
"HEY!"

Kari couldn't help but giggle – even now, Yolei could find a way to tick Davis off – but she quickly regained her composure. "All joking aside, Davis has a good idea. We'll use the power of our D-3s to power up Magnamon."

As everyone pulled out their D-3s, TK shouted, "Let's do it! For Magnamon and every single Digimon the Emperor ever harmed!"

"RIGHT!"

The Digidestined pointed their D-3s at Magnamon before five rays of light sped through the air.

Blue.

Red.

Yellow.

Green.

Pink. 

Those five lights merged with Magnamon's being as he suddenly started growing stronger. "Whoa...what a rush!" As the power of the D-3s continued to empower Magnamon, Nefertimon, Pegasusmon, Digmon, and Shurimon dedigivolved into their previous forms.

Unfortunately, Gatomon was still airborne. "WHA!!!"  
  
Sonocomon quickly caught her and placed her by Kari's side. "There we go."

Meanwhile, Shaun watched silently as the power of the D-3s continued to recharge Magnamon. "So...they're all chipping in." Shaun pulled out his orange D-3 and shrugged. "What the heck...every little bit helps." He held his D-3 out as an orange beam of energy erupted from the screen, merging with Magnamon as well. As this happened, Sonocomon dedigivolved to (Agumon).

Chimeramon quickly brought all four arms up to try and squeeze the life out of Magnamon...but unfortunately for him, Magnamon's new strength was proving to be too much for the hybrid. "Alright you freak! Let's see how tough you are NOW!"

Magnamon – with a quick, outward thrust of his arms and legs – broke Chimeramon's hold on him as he started glowing brightly. "MAGNA...EXPLOSION!!!"  
  
Magnamon's response to Chimeramon's Doomsday Viper erupted to life quickly. Chimeramon wailed as the ever-expanding sphere of golden light push him away as the golden energy ate at him. Finally, Magnamon thrust his hands forward, concentrating the entire dome into a concentrated beam that sent Chimeramon crashing into the Emperor's base, creating another large hole in the side.

"WHOA!" Shaun nearly lost his balance as the portion of the flight deck no more than five feet away from him collapsed upon itself, creating yet another gap in the flight deck. "Man, I'd better get off of this base." With that, Shaun walked back inside and made his way for one of the exits.

Wormmon looked back at Shaun...then used a wad of web to swing downward into the hole. He had to do something.

Magnamon flew for the hole to try and find Chimeramon...after all, he couldn't hope for the monster's deletion just yet...

Could he?  
  
"HEAT VIPER!!!"

Nope, he couldn't. Magnamon quickly held his hands forward as a beam of green fire collided with him, pushing backward into piece of wreckage before it exploded in his face.

Chimeramon stepped out of the hole...but he was much worse for the wear. His left Devimon arm was hanging limply at his side, and burns marked his wings, hands, body, and legs. Part of the carapace on his head was cracked, and – the most gruesome of all – his left eye was missing.

But he had survived the attack nonetheless. Chimeramon growled as he glared at Magnamon, who was digging himself out of the wreckage. "You're beginning to annoy me...I shall eliminate you once and for all!"

"Sticky Net!"

Chimeramon howled as a wad of webbing entered the hole where his left eye used to be, stinging his vulnerable insides. He whirled his head around to see Wormmon, glaring atr him angrily. "You've gone too far...I won't let you hurt anyone else!"

Chimeramon roared with rage as he swept Wormmon into the air with a sweeping downward swing of his right Devimon arm. "Heat..."

"NO!!!" Magnamon quickly pulled himself out of the wreckage as he switched his right gauntlet into the Magna Gun...but it was too late.

"VIPER!!!"

* * *

The Emperor was mortified beyond rational thought.

How had it happened? How?

Rewind to one-and-a-half months ago, right near the end of August. He had been feared. Digimon quivered and ran at the very sight of him or his slaves. Most of the continent Server was under his control. Even his own slaves feared him; for if they failed him, he would not hesitate to delete them. He had been unstoppable.

Then THEY came.

At first, it had been amusing; the Digidestined had returned to deal with him, much in the fashion that the original Digidestined team had. He had regarded them as little more than playthings. After all, they were nowhere near as strong as he was.

Then the five children had discovered their own Digieggs. They had become more than playthings; they had become a nuisance. Still, he did not regard them seriously, even after his Control Spires were discovered. He figured that a decent trap would finish them off.

He had been correct. He had forced Davis – their leader – into surrendering himself for the others' safety. But he had no intention of letting any of them live...

Then the sixth one had appeared. Shaun, the mysterious teen that had come out of nowhere. After his death trap had been dealt with, he had tried to exploit their distrust of Shaun. He would've succeeded had Shaun not figured him out beforehand.

Then, even after he had taken Agumon, they became stronger. Not as a whole...but individually as well. Motomiya had obtained the Digiegg of Friendship, and Shaun revealed to the others that he had his own Crest.

Even after resorting to the mighty MagnaAngemon, the Digidestined had defeated him (no thanks to a little trickery on Shaun's behalf). Even after declaring total war on the Digital World itself, the Digidestined continued to defeat him. Even a full-scale nuclear strike on Little Edo failed to destroy even ONE of his Digidestined foes. Not even a trip to his first base (what with Alienmon, the Terminator Units, and all) had been able to do them in.

But he had his trump card with Project Chimera...but now; the mighty behemoth had turned on him. With Wormmon's help, the Digidestined had been able to permanently cripple his base. He was broken, weakened, and completely outclassed. As much as he hated to admit it...he'd lost this war. The Digidestined were the victors.

_No! I can't think like that! I will simply retreat for a while. I'll let the Digidestined destroy Chimeramon for me...then I'll regroup my forces. I'll build a new base and redouble my efforts! If it comes down to sneaking into their homes at night and slitting their throats, then so be it! I'll come out on top again no matter WHAT!_

..._no._

_Huh?_ The Emperor turned his head. "Who said that?"  
  
_Ken, you ignoramus._

_YOU?! Ha! This is my body. Ken Ichijouji no longer exists! Only the Digimon Emperor!_

_I've let myself be consumed by you and the powers of darkness for too long! If it hadn't been for Wormmon..._

_What? Do you actually feel sympathy for that weakling?!_

_He's the reason I still exist! And he's also the real reason behind your downfall!!!  
_

_That is why he shall burn!  
  
No...no more. I am not the Emperor. I am Ken Ichijouji! AND THIS IS MY BODY!!!_

"Heat..."

The inner battle between the Emperor and Ken halted as the tyrant turned his head to Chimeramon. Why was he aiming at the air?  
  
Then he saw the small figure in the air.

"WORMMON!!!"

Wormmon looked back at the Emperor sadly. A single pair of tears fell from Wormmon's blue eyes as he gazed sadly at the Emperor. _Bye Ken...I hope that when I see you again that you'll be back to the boy I became friends with._

"VIPER!!!"  
  
Wormmon's form was lost from view as the green ray incinerated him. Ken's eyes adopted a blank look as he looked at the small, blackened shell that was once Wormmon fall from the sky. "**WORMMON!!!**"

Without wasting any time, Ken's mind took over the body as he slid down the side of the crippled base, not even caring about the tremendous friction burn. He landed on the glassy desert floor with a hard _thud_, causing the glass underneath him to break as he broke off into a run towards the small Rookie.

Wormmon opened his eyes one last time as Ken ran towards him, desperation easily evident in his eyes, even with the shades on...

He smiled_. I knew you had it in you Ken..._

Then he thought no more.

Ken leapt for Wormmon as he deleted into nothing but free-floating particles. "No!!! WORMMON!!!" Ken couldn't hold his tears back as he watched his partner float away into the sky. Ken roared with anguish as he pounded his fist into the glass, breaking it apart. _No...don't leave me Wormmon...you've never left me before...I don't want you to leave...DON'T LEAVE!!!_

Meanwhile, Magnamon was furiously battling Chimeramon. Chimeramon tried to punch at him as best as he could, but Magnamon was too fast, too quick...and too angry. He was angry at Chimeramon for killing Wormmon – who had proven himself to be a good friend – but he was also angry at himself for being unable to do anything about it. "Magna Punch! Magna Kick! Magna Gun! Magna Ray!"

The assault of punches, kicks, bullets, and energy rays was overwhelming Chimeramon, and the hybrid knew it. He had to use the Shadow Viper attack...and this time, he would waste no time in crushing the orb. "SHADOW VIPER!!!"

The shadow Chimeramon howled out of eager anticipation as it flew at high speed towards Magnamon. The golden Digimon's eyes narrowed as he contemplated his next course of action. _It's risky...but it'll definitely end this battle_. "MAGNA PUNCH!!!"

Both of Magnamon's fists glowed brightly as he folded them together. The shadow beast roared as it neared him...

And then Magnamon swung his fists, hitting the shadow in the head. Amazingly...the blow reversed the shadow's course...and now it was on a collision course with Chimeramon himself.

"No! No!!! NO!!!" Chimeramon's cries were drowned out as the darkness overpowered and imprisoned him. The shadow compressed itself into an orb, which fell harmlessly to the ground.

Magnamon slowly set down beside the orb and picked it up, staring at it as a chuckle escaped his lips. "He was done in by his own attack..." Casually, he threw the orb into the base, causing a pile of debris to fall on it. "Magna Missile!!!" Panels opened up on his arm as missiles collided with the debris, completely destroying it.

The battle was over.

Sighing, Magnamon dedigivolved all the way to the first step...Baby.

* * *

The Digidestined blinked in astonishment as they saw Chimeramon fall prey to his own dark attack. As they watched Magnamon calmly eliminate the orb, Davis numbly said, "Guys...did we just win?"

TK nodded. "Yeah...Magnamon just beat Chimeramon...he did it!"

Gatomon smiled widely as she realized what this meant. "That means that the war's over! We beat the Emperor!"

A general cry of joy and celebration came from the entire group. Even though their fight with the Emperor had lasted only around a month and a half, the experiences that came with it made it seem much longer. The struggle had been fraught with a number of life-and-death experiences, but so much good had come from it.

And now, it was over.

Davis cheered as he burst off. "Come on guys! Let's go congratulate my partner!" The Digidestined eagerly followed.

* * *

Shaun stepped out of a door – which was awkward, since it was tilted at a 45-degree angle due to the base's orientation after the crash – and fell to the glass of the desert ground quietly. He made sure not to get his hands onto the broken glass below him as he walked over to the small Baby form of Veemon. "You sure gave Chimeramon what-for, eh?"

The small little Digimon looked like a blue cowlick with tiny red, button-like eyes. "Yup. Name's Chibomon, and as you can see, I'm a tiny little guy!"

Shaun chuckled; even Chibomon shared his Rookie form's sense of humor. "Yes, I can see that." He also saw the Emperor several yards away, standing silently over the spot where Wormmon's body had been deleted. _Man...looks like he realized what he's done...the hard way._

"Shaun!!!"

Shaun and Chibomon turned around to see Davis leading the others toward the ruins of the base. Davis excitedly picked up Chibomon as he exclaimed, "You may be smaller, but you're still the toughest mon around! Way to go buddy!"

Chibomon blushed at the praise. "Aw, you're too much!"

"Please...just be quiet..."

Davis blinked as he turned around at the sound of the quiet voice. To his surprise...it came from the Emperor. His expression turned dour as he glared at the Emperor. "So...looks like your reign's over."

"Please..." The Emperor let his shades fall to the ground as he turned to face Davis...and what Davis saw shocked him. The Emperor's eyes were filled to the brim with tears...and his eyes were filled with sorrow and regret. "Just leave me alone..."

As the others arrived behind Davis, the Emperor pulled a small PDA out of his pocket and pointed his black D-3 at it. "Digiport open." With a bright flash of light, the Emperor was pulled in to the PDA's screen. However, since his hand was holding onto the PDA, it was pulled into the Digiport with him. Once that happened, the Digiport closed automatically.

Cody cursed as he shouted, "Darn it! He got away!" He angrily turned to Shaun and Davis and demanded, "How come you let him get away?!"

Davis turned back to Cody and quietly replied, "Cody...Ken was...crying..."

That threw the others for a loop. Gatomon, however, sneered. "Let me guess; he was upset that his big plans were ruined."

"Didn't you guys see it?" Everyone turned to Shaun, who was looking at them with a raised eyebrow. "Guess not, judging from how far away you were...you see, Wormmon was killed."

Everyone gasped; not out of realization for why the Emperor was crying, but because Wormmon had proven to be a very helpful and friendly ally in the past day...if you don't count his time helping Agumon, that is. Kari sighed out of regret. _Another friend...gone._

Yolei sighed. "Man, that stinks...but why would that have anything to do with Ken crying?"

Shaun sighed out of exasperation. "Think about it; your own partner was just KILLED. And the thing is, it was by your own CREATION. Ken's creation killed his partner...think about it like that."

TK remained silent as he thought over what had just been revealed. He had endured something similar when Angemon had died after destroying Devimon on File Island. The sadness he had to go through (even if it only took ten seconds before he got his partner's Digiegg) was great...so he could sympathize. Even if it was the Emperor.

Shaun sighed as he pulled out his orange D-3. "Come on guys...let's head to sector 01-001-ALPHA. We'll use the Digiport there, since the one in this sector was vaporized. (Agumon), digivolve!"

(Agumon) digivolve to......(Greymon!)

(Greymon) digivolve to......(Metalgreymon!)

Shaun smiled. "Now that the base is down, the darkness it exuded doesn't have the dampening effect anymore. Come on guys, the ride will be our treat." (Metalgreymon) lowered his metallic left arm for the others to climb up on. "Hop on kids!"

Everyone walked onto (Metalgreymon), and then he lumbered off to the south, his giant feet leaving giant imprints in the glassy ground of the desert. High above them, the full moon shined brightly, providing light in the darkness.

As the Digidestined left sector 01-000-ALPHA, they left the war-torn Valley of Death behind.

* * *

/Base of Mt. Fuji, Outside the Log Cabin, 11:44 PM/

Jun poked her out of a bush as she smiled. The cabin was right in front of her. "Bingo."  
  
She quietly snuck over to a window and glanced inside to see Matt (Jun: My dream-hunk!!!) and his friend Tai hanging over a laptop computer where a red-haired boy was working on it. "That must be Izzy...Davis told me about him."

She turned away and snuck towards the front door. She would have to be quiet in order to do this.

Moments after she snuck around the corner of the cabin, a bright flash emanated from Izzy's laptop as the Digidestined fell on top of the three high school students.

* * *

/Ichijouji Apartment, Odaiba, 11:46 PM/

Ken sighed as he sat down on the bottom bed of the bunk bed. His Emperor's clothes were gone; all that remained was his Tamachi school uniform, his neatly combed hair, and his sorrow-filled purple eyes.

_Wormmon...I'm sorry..._

Ken sniffled as he laid down. He needed to sleep...and think.

* * *

/Matt's Log Cabin, 11:49 PM/

"So, Shaun stood behind?" asked Tai.

Patamon nodded. "Yeah. He said he was going to stay at Gennai's instead of spending the night here. Don't know why he would do that though."  
  
"He must have his reasons," droned Izzy as he yawned. "The important thing is that Chimeramon's been destroyed, and that the war's been won!"  
  
Cody shook his head. "Not quite. Ken managed to get away." Before Davis could retort, Cody continued. "However, he seemed upset over the death of his partner...at least, that's how Shaun put it."  
  
It would never occur to anyone that Shaun had not actually witnessed Wormmon's death at the hands of Chimeramon and his Heat Viper.

Davis yawned loudly as he slumped against the couch. "Can we talk in the morning? I'm really tired..."

Matt smiled as he stepped over to the futon. "Davis is right. We can talk about this in the morning. Till then, let's just chill."

The others couldn't argue with that. Ten minutes later, everyone was in bed. Davis, Cody, Izzy, and TK took the first bedroom. Kari and Yolei took the second one. Tai took the sofa, while Matt slept on the futon.

* * *

/01-000-ALPHA, The Ruins of the Emperor's Base, 11:54 PM/

Something suddenly moved under the pile of debris that Magnamon had blasted into oblivion.  
  
Out from under the pile of blackened debris came the sphere that held Chimeramon. It was cracked...but it still existed.

It floated into the air and slowly hovered all the way into the generator room. Despite the fact that the dark power no longer energized the base, the generator was still active.

All of a sudden, black lightning arched from the sphere and hit the generator, creating a large vortex where it had hit.

Out of the swirling black vortex stepped three large figures. A slender hand picked up the sphere and handed it to the horned, armless figure in the center. "I sense your data in this sphere."  
  
"Excellent Arukenimon." Devimon chuckled as his eyes gleamed at the sight of the orb. "Ha ha ha...those Digidestined fools made it even easier for me!"

Devimon laughed as Arukenimon and Mummymon looked at the ruins around them. His plan had finally entered its next phase...now he just had to assimilate Chimeramon's data.

* * *

/Matt's Log Cabin, 12:04 PM/

Jun snuck quietly into the living room as her eyes fell upon Matt. _Yes! He's asleep! _

Tai snored loudly as Matt just slept soundly on the futon. Jun quietly tiptoed past the couch and knelt down beside the futon. _This might be my only chance to do it before I get him to be my boyfriend...okay Jun, here we go!_

She leaned down and kissed him.

As she did this, Matt was in the process of kissing Mimi in his dreams. In his dream, he wrapped his arms around Mimi and kissed her passionately.

In real life, he wrapped his arms around Jun and kissed her passionately. Jun couldn't help but giggle. _Wow! What a kisser!  
_  
Unfortunately, this woke Matt up. He blinked once...then gaped at the girl he saw. It wasn't Mimi! "J...Jun?!"  
  
Jun nodded excitedly. "Yup!"  
  
Matt remained silent for a few moments.

Then he screamed.

"**AAAAAAAAAAAHH!!!!!"**

Minutes later, everyone was awake. The Digimon were still in the rooms, while Matt was busy dialing Davis' phone number; his expression indicated that he was enraged and not amused. As for Jun, she was tied up with a bunch of rope.

Matt growled as Davis and Jun's mom picked up the phone. "Mrs. Motomiya, can you come to the log cabin? I need you to pick up Jun...yes, and when you get here, tell her to QUIT STALKING ME!!! Here are the directions..."

As Matt relayed the directions, Davis chuckled as he stuck his tongue out at Jun. "Busted."  
  
Jun's eyes flared with fire as she roared, "SHUT UP DAVIS!!!"

"So Jun," asked TK with a sly smile. "How'd you find the cabin?"

Jun smiled sweetly as she answered, "Matt's dad gave me the directions."  
  
Matt sweatdropped as he made a mental note to call his dad after Mrs. Motomiya hung up.

* * *

/Dragomon's Palace, City of Cthulu, Dark World, 12:15 PM/

Dragomon sat in his throne as he looked at what appeared to be a giant chessboard. On one side were four pieces; one of the Emperor, one of Devimon, and two of strange, unfamiliar beings. On the other side was a gray piece that looked like Dragomon. In the dead center of the board was a white piece looking like Kari Kamiya; she represented the Digidestined. Right now, the Emperor piece was right in front of Kari.

With a flick of his tentacle, Dragomon knocked the Emperor piece over. "The Emperor has fallen..." He pulled the piece off the board and placed it on the side as he moved the Devimon piece forward, placing it two spaces away from the Digidestined piece. "And now, Devimon makes his move."

* * *

To be continued...

Next time...

Episode 22: Soul Trip

* * *

Author's Notes: I beat my second-best record! 23 pages in TWO days! Booyah!!!  
  
Well...the Digimon Emperor saga has ended. Ken has been crushed by Wormmon's death, and Devimon is making his move. Dragomon continues to keep a steady watch on the action from afar, and Matt will not be able to find enough mouth wash to clean the taste of Jun out of his mouth. :P  
  
See you next time!


	22. Soul Trip

Standard Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon. Simple, neh?

Author's Notes: Ah...the Digimon Emperor saga is over...now we are in a transition between sagas. The next saga will start soon!

But first, I have good news everyone! 'Zero 2: A Revision' has eclipsed 'The New Digi-Episodes' in reviews! Booyah!!!

Ahem...speaking of which, onto the reviews!

Anthony1: To answer your question, I will. You see, due to a lot of the changes that have come with this rewrite, I would naturally have to rewrite NDE as well. After all, in NDE, Devimon appeared in his newest form RIGHT AFTER the battle between Chimeramon and Magnamon. And remember; once I get to the end of the Gate Mountain part of Zero 2 (those who don't know, don't ask), the New Digi-Episodes will be deleted from

Lance Murdock: Welcome to Zero 2 Lance! I appreciate that you like the changes I've made, but let me warn you; Davis will endure SOME humiliation. The only assurances you have is that 1, the humiliation he endures will be nowhere NEAR as great as it was in the show, and 2, that his humiliation will not come from the Digidestined...well, with the exception of Yolei. She'll egg Davis on no matter what. :P

Miracles: Ah! Welcome back to Zero 2...hey...hey hey HEY!!! (quickly tapes Miracles' mouth shut and censors all of the plot info from his review) Mustn't let info get out. . ;

Anyhow, to answer your question, there will be some changes. Nothing EXTREMELY major, but the way some things are done will be changed.

Now with that settled...onward!

PS: There was a mistake in the last chapter. Instead of putting down 'Tamachi' in front of 'Ichijouji Apartment' near the end, I put 'Odaiba'. Also, at the last scene in the Log Cabin, I put down 12:04 PM instead of 12:04 AM. Apologies.

* * *

_The Emperor has fallen._

_But a new darkness is rising..._

_Will the Digidestined rise to the challenge? _

And will they get an unexpected ally?

* * *

Episode 22: Soul Trip

* * *

/Ichijouji Apartment, Tamachi, Monday October 11th, 12:23 AM/

A woman ran a hand through her ruffled brownish-red hair, which was unkempt. Her face was etched with weariness, and black spots underlined her eyes. Her frame was rather lean; a mere shadow of her former self. Her dark eyes were filled with grief, and her purple pajamas were wrinkled beyond belief; a sign that she had not slept well recently.

Her name was Keiko Ichijouji. She was the mother of Ken Ichijouji.

And as of now, it had been one month and nine days since her little pride and joy had disappeared. Search parties had been formed, and police were on the lookout everywhere. He could not be found anywhere.

Why?

That was something she always wondered about since Ken had disappeared. Why had he run away? What had caused him to do such a thing? And how had he been able to disappear so utterly and completely?

Keiko wrapped her arms around herself as she yawned. She had pondered those very questions ever since Ken had disappeared. And always, her answers were inconclusive. She just couldn't figure it out!

A small pair of tears dropped from her tired eyes as she mumbled, "Oh my baby...what's happened to you...?"

"You need to get to sleep Keiko."

Keiko turned her head to see her husband walked into the kitchen. Her husband – Kazuma Ichijouji – was a well-built man, if a little on the short side. He stood at 5'7'', which Ken was set to outgrow in a few years time. His hair was auburn-colored, with a tint of dark grey. His skin was reasonably tanned, but his face was filled with concern and weariness. He too wore pajamas, which were colored dark blue. He pulled up a chair next to the kitchen table and sat down next to his wife, looking at her with concerned blue eyes. "Honey...you really need to sleep."

"I can't! Not when Ken's still out there! Not when he's all alone...he might be..." The possibilities of what Ken was suffering through right now became as clear as the day to Keiko. "He might be..."

Kazuma sighed as he placed an arm around his sobbing wife. He hated to see her like this...ever since their son had vanished, things had gotten worse. Kazuma was saddened by his son's loss, sure, but Keiko was hit the hardest. Her belly used to be rounder, and her figure used to be more attractive – for lack of a better word – and in shape. Now she was lean and weak. Not only had she not slept much...but also, she had not eaten much. "Don't think like that...I know he's still alive. You know it, and I know it. But we can't find him if we're too tired to even look...let's just get into bed, okay?"

Keiko sniffled as her husband led her upstairs. "O...okay..." As they walked towards their room, Mrs. Ichijouji stopped in front of Ken's room. "Just...let me check."

Kazuma nodded. Every day, his wife would check Ken's room to see if he had come back. He stepped back as Keiko opened the door.

Moments later, his wife shrieked.

Kazuma caught his wife before she fell backward onto the floor. "Keiko! KEIKO! What's wrong?!"

Keiko stuttered as she nervously pointed into the room. "L-l-look!!!"

Kazuma turned his head to gaze into the room...and he gasped out of astonishment.

The computer monitor was turned on, casting an eerie light into the pitch-black room. The light illuminated the figure sprawled on the bottom bunk.

Ken Ichijouji. Their son.

"KEN!!!" they shouted simultaneously as they bolted into the room. Out of impulse, Keiko fiercely hugged Ken. "Oh Ken...you're safe...thank God you're back!"

But there was no response. Not even a whimper to indicate that he was waking up. Ken just remained silent. Keiko's initial joy faded away into a cautious worry as she gently shook her son. "Ken...please wake up...Ken..."

Kazuma kneeled down and placed his ear against Ken's chest.

Boom...boom...boom...

There was a steady heartbeat. "His heart's still beating...but I'm going to call the hospital. We can't take any chances!" With that, he whirled around and ran downstairs for the kitchen phone.

Keiko tried to restrain her tears as she gazed at her son's unconscious form. _Oh Ken...what's happened to you...?_

* * *

/Matt's Log Cabin, 1:14 AM/

"Mmm hmm mmm rmm MMM!!!"

Davis sighed as he glanced over at Jun, who was now gagged as well as bound by ropes. "Will you just quit trying to talk? We can't understand what you're saying anyway."

Jun glared daggers at Davis as she leaned back against the wall.

After the little ruckus earlier (in which Jun had kissed Matt; see last episode for more), Matt had called Mrs. Motomiya so that she could pick up her daughter, and Jun had been tied and gagged so she couldn't bug Matt before she was taken home. By now, everyone was having trouble sleeping, especially Matt; he wasn't going to sleep when Jun was nearby.

Yolei was sitting on the chair, and she was slowly dozing off. "Oh...sleepy sleepy..."

Izzy sighed as plugged a phone jack into his laptop and began configuring the dial-up settings. After a few minutes, he was on the Internet, browsing for information. "Let's see...latest news..."

Tai leaned back against the couch as he tilted his head toward Kari, who was getting a gallon of milk out of the fridge. "So sis, what are you and the others going to do next?"

Kari sighed as she wrote on a small sticky-note. She then handed it to Tai.

'NO DIGIMON IN FRONT OF JUN, REMEMBER?'

Tai chuckled nervously. "Oh yeah, right."

"Hey guys! Come look at this!" exclaimed Izzy in excitement.

Everyone (sans Jun) gathered around Izzy's laptop. He was on a local Tokyo news page, and there was one large headline on the main page.

'**CHILD PRODIGY KEN ICHIJOUJI FOUND!'**

Cody frowned. "Looks like he finally decided to come back."

TK nodded in reply; he too was wary of Ken's sudden return to the Real World. Then, something hit him. "Hey, wouldn't you think that Ken's parents wouldn't report this to the press until morning, when they can get more coverage?"

Izzy's face became coated with a stern frown as he continued reading on. "Actually, it's not that simple...apparently, Mr. and Mrs. Ichijouji found Ken unconscious in his bedroom." He turned to the others as he pointed to one line on the screen. "Apparently the doctors have concluded that Ken is in a coma."

* * *

/Local Hospital, Tamachi, 1:17 AM/

"_I'm sorry Mr. and Mrs. Ichijouji...but I'm afraid that your son is in a coma."_

Those words echoed through Keiko's mind time and time again as she sat in the chair adjacent to Ken's bed. Right now, he was lying in the hospital bed, his face completely placid and devoid of emotion. But his calm exterior belied his real condition.

Computers continued to give a steady readout of Ken's vital signs...but they merely hinted at his current condition.

A coma. Keiko was aware of how fatal comas were; some people would stay in a blank state of unconsciousness for days, months...even years. Some people never woke up. _Oh God...what if Ken never wakes up?_

That's what terrified her the most...the possibility that her son would be denied any chance at life.

She silently cradled her son's face as she sobbed.

Meanwhile, Kazuma Ichijouji was standing outside of the hospital room, his faced filled with apprehension and anxiety. _Please Ken...wake up...wake up...for the sake of your mother and yourself, please wake up!  
_  
What neither of them knew was that Ken was very much awake...in a sense.

* * *

/Ken's Subconscious, 1:21 AM/

"Oh...where am I?"

Ken stumbled through the darkness carefully, as if he were afraid of falling. His purple eyes – if they could've been seen – were glazed over, a sign that he wasn't fully 'there'.

"All of this darkness...is it from me...?"

Suddenly, the darkness vanished as the scene became something that seemed hauntingly familiar...but what? Where was he?

Then he remembered; it was the two-story apartment building in Tamachi that was his home. But everything seemed hazy...why?

His eyes fell onto a small child playing outside on the sidewalk leading to the apartment. It was a small boy; he couldn't have been more than three or four. His purple hair fell over his head like a dome as he constructed a tower out of blocks. Ken's face remained stoic as he looked at the child silently.

Then he suddenly realized it.

The child was _himself_. Ken Ichijouji as a child! _What...? Why am I seeing this...?_

Young Ken reached to add another block to the top of the tower when hesuddenly lost balance and fell over, causing everything he had been working on to fall over. As the little boy sat back up and saw the mess of blocks, he started crying.

Older Ken sighed as he looked down at his past self. _He's crying because everything he worked for is destroyed...if only he knew what he would eventually create..._

"You okay Ken?"

A face full of shock and astonishment immediately replaced the Older Ken's placid look as he looked for the source of the voice. _No...it can't be..._

But it was. Out of the apartment stepped a boy who was about four years older than Young Ken. His hair was a light shade of purple, which was fuzzy and stretched outward in all directions. He wore blue jeans made of denim, as well as a brown jacket over a green T-shirt. He walked out in nothing but his bare feet, and his concerned, blue eyes fell on Young Ken's sobbing form. He readjusted his large, thick-rimmed glasses as he knelt beside the sobbing boy and pulled him up.

With a warm smile, the boy said, "Cheer up Ken. If something breaks, just put it back together. No biggie!"

Young Ken looked up at the boy silently...then he smiled. He wiped the tears from his eyes as he said, "Okay Sam. Thanks a lot!"

Sam?

Yes. For you see...that boy, Sam...was Ken's older brother.

And Older Ken was absolutely terrified at the sight of him. _No...how? I saw him die!_

Suddenly, the scene changed again.

Now, it was one year later. Young Ken was drawing something on paper, while his parents – Kazuma and Keiko Ichijouji – were waiting anxiously at the front door, as if waiting for something big.

They had every reason to. Their son, Sam Ichijouji, had been on a national spelling bee contest on television. In the end, Sam had come out on top, trouncing even college-level students. After all, he had a high enough IQ to certify him as a Genius...and he was good at athletics to boot.

In short, Sam was as perfect a child as one could get.

Older Ken hovered above them all, watching as Young Ken finished his drawing. _I remember that drawing..._

It was a simplistic drawing, really; it was a simple portrait of their family drawn in crayons. But Young Ken had spent a lot of time on it...a sign that he loved his family a lot.

Then the front door opened as a nine-year old Sam walked in, holding a large, golden trophy. "To the victor go the spoils," said Sam with a degree of pride as he showed his parents his spelling bee trophy. Meanwhile, the taxi driver outside drove off; the sponsors of the spelling bee tournament had already paid his fee.

Keiko marveled at the trophy. "Wow...such a big trophy!"

Kazuma smiled as he ran a head through Sam's hair. "Well, what can we expect when our son's a genius?" Sam smiled at the praise, taking it in stride; after all, he was used to it.

Ken ran towards his mom and tugged her pants leg. "Hey mommy! Look at my drawing!" Keiko tilted her head a bit and replied, "Just a bit, dear." She then returned her attention to Sam.

Older Ken sighed as he watched his past self walk away slowly; apparently, he wanted to wait until his parents were finished lavishing Sam with affection.

Unfortunately for Young Ken, that was often. Sam – being the perfect child that he was – usually got most of the attention from his parents. The only time Ken ever got attention was when Sam was at school or away participating in academic or athletic contests. But if they were televised, Ken could forget trying to pry them away from the television.

Older Ken sighed. _They always paid attention to him...and never to me._

**_Exactly. That's why you realized how foolish they really were!_**

Older Ken whirled around, only to see nothing. Before he could even ponder the voice, the scene changed again.

* * *

/Matt's Log Cabin, 2:01 AM/

Davis yawned as he turned over in his bunk bed, wrinkling his white T-shirt in the process. No more than five minutes ago, his mom had taken Jun away (although she had been curious about the fact that her daughter was tied and gagged) from the cabin. Immediately afterwards, everyone felt the sleep hit them like a sledgehammer. One by one, they all went to sleep.

Now, Davis was sleeping in his bed, with Chibomon snoozing by his head. However, his mind was busy thinking about something.

It was the look that Ken had on his face before teleporting out of the Digital World. The look of sorrow and grief...such a look couldn't be faked.

_Does that mean...does that mean he's truly sorry for what he did? Maybe Wormmon's death triggered something in him..._

And there was also the fact that he was now in a coma. _What is that all about? Oh well...guess I'll find out sooner or later._

* * *

/Ken's Subconscious, 2:06 AM/

Older Ken smiled at the scene before him. Young Ken and Sam's legs were dangling off of the second floor balcony as they took turns dipping a small plastic dipper into a tube of soapy bubble mix, blowing bubbles after each time.

Young Ken giggled gleefully as a bubble six inches in diameter floated away for ten feet before popping. "Your turn Sam." Sam remained silent as he dipped the plastic stick into the tube and blew into the hole, creating a two-inch bubble that floated only three feet away before popping. Young Ken blinked out of disappointment. "Ah, too bad. Better luck next time."

Then, the strangest of all things happened.

Sam laughed.

Young Ken turned his head out of confusion as he stared at his older brother. "What? What's so funny?"

Sam stopped his laughter as he looked downward at his younger brother. "You know Ken...I may be a genius and an extremely talented athlete...but it's moments like these that can outweigh them all in importance."

Young Ken raised an eyebrow out of amusement. "Oh? Why's that?"

"Because," A smile came to Sam's face as he patted his younger brother on the head. "When I spend time like this with you, I feel like who myself. During times like these, I'm not Sam the Prodigy. I'm Sam Ichijouji."

Both Kens smiled. Older Ken sighed with contentment as he watched the two brothers blow bubbles throughout the lazy Sunday afternoon. Those had been some of the happiest times in his life.

_**But then...strife tore you two apart.**_

Ken whirled around again, only to see a different scene.

"STOP INTERRUPTING ME KEN!!!"

"I just want to know why you won't spend time with me anymore!!!"

Older Ken winced as he looked on. Now, he was looking at a different time period; now, Young Ken was eight, and Sam was twelve. Older Ken remembered this period of time well; Sam had become more distant from him as he became more involved with his work.

Also, it was a time when he had aspired to try and become as good as Sam. At this point in his life, Ken had begun going through Sam's older Algebra books and trying to understand them. It had been fairly easy at first – after all, the two brothers were rather good at absorbing knowledge – but now it was getting rather difficult.

So he gone on a logical course; ask his big brother for help.

Bad move; Sam had been working on his college entry exam. That's right; Sam was going into college early, even though his abilities outweighed 89 of Japan's college students. The stress with such a thing like an exam had been getting to Sam...

And Young Ken had decided to walk into their shared room while he was busy working. Sam had snapped...thus leading to this little spat.

Sam growled as he clutched his pencil tightly. "_Little brother_, I'm very busy! I have to turn in this entry exam in two days, and I don't have time for playing with you!"

Young Ken's eyes began to fill with angry tears as he yelled, "You never used to do that! Even when you were busy working, you always managed to find some time to play with me, even when my parents were too busy worshipping you!"

Sam sneered as he turned back to his exam. "That's the past Ken! Things are different now!!! And what was that crack about 'worshipping'?!"

Young Ken snorted as he indignantly replied, "Oh, like you haven't noticed? Ever since we were little, mom and dad ALWAYS paid attention to you! Sam this, Sam that, I always got TIRED of it! They worshipped you for your abilities, and they still do! All of Japan does!!!"

Sam's teeth clenched together as he yelled "Look, just because _I_ happen to be a big star doesn't mean you have to right to lash out at me! Or is it because you're jealous? ADMIT IT!"

"OF COURSE I'M JEALOUS!!! What do you think I've been doing this past year?! I've been trying to become as good as you...no...I'm trying to become BETTER than you, you big, stinking jerk!!!"

"**WHAT DID YOU CALL ME?!?!"** roared Sam as he jumped out of his chair and glared hatefully into Ken's purple eyes. His younger brother didn't flinch under his piercing gaze. With a resentful snort, Sam grabbed his jacket and stomped out of the room.

At this, Young Ken shouted, "Fine then!!! Walk away you coward!!! My life was horrible thanks to you anyway! I hope that you NEVER come back! **EVER!!!**"

As Sam angrily walked out of the apartment, Older Ken's eyes were dripping with tears at the scene. He remembered the argument very well...and he always regretted every single word he had said. "Sam...I didn't mean to say those things...I never did...I was just so mad..."

**_Of course you were. And it was because of him...and as you know, he got what he deserved._**

The scene changed again. Older Ken saw his younger self irritably walk along a sidewalk, sipping a grape slushie that he had purchased with some of his allowance. His argument with Sam had necessitated a trip to the nearest corner market to buy an ice-cold slushie...those always helped to calm his nerves.

Now that Young Ken thought about, maybe he had been too hard on Sam...

Then his eyes saw the crosswalk about fifty yards away. His eyes saw Sam preparing to cross the road. Hmph. _Guess he felt like blowing off some steam too._

Older Ken, meanwhile, was feeling odd as he stood on the opposite side of the road from Sam. He knew this event...he _knew_ it...

**_How could you forget? This is where that arrogant fool died._**

Older Ken's eyes widened at the voice's revelation. He was right..._this was the very day his older brother had been killed!_ "Oh no...that means-!"

Sam was in the middle of the road when the gray Hyundai car roared out of nowhere. It was fairly early in the evening, and it was Happy Hour at some places in town. And it was clear from the swerving that the driver wasn't entirely sober.

"NO!!!" Older Ken ran for his older brother as the car charged forward. Older Ken leapt...

And fell through Sam, as if he were an illusion. "Huh? What?!"

**_Say bye-bye._**

Older Ken whirled around just in time to see Sam turn his head to see the front end of the car.

WHUMP!

The collision sent Sam's body to the ground several feet away; the impact had completely crushed his ribcage, impaling his lungs in the process. Sam impulsively spat out blood as he screeched to a halt, his body sprawled on the asphalt of the road. The people passing by immediately stopped at the sight.

Young Ken remained still and silent through the whole event, his mind a blur. He somehow found himself kneeling next to his brother, even though his conscious mind didn't know how he had gotten there (he had run like the dickens, that's how!). "Sam...speak to me..." His voice was a quiet whisper.

But compared to Sam's voice, Ken might as well have been as loud as a car horn compared to normal speech. Sam's throat was clogged with blood as his vision began to darken. His blue eyes leaked with tears as he gazed at Ken through his broken glasses. His voice came out in a hoarse murmur. "Ken...I'm...I'm..."

Before he could finish his last words, his heart stopped. With a startling suddenness, his life was over.

Sam Ichijouji was dead.

Young Ken just silently wept, even as emergency teams arrived on the scene. How...how? His brother was invincible...he was the best at everything, even if he hated him for it. There was no way-

Wait. He remembered...their argument.

Then he realized it. He had wished that he would never see his brother again...

And a horrific, cruel twist of fate had made that impossible into a reality. Young Ken's eyes widened as a terrifying realization gripped at his heart. _I...I killed my brother..._

"NOOOOOO!!!!!!" Both Kens screamed simultaneously. Older Ken clutched his head as tears streamed from his closed eyes. "Why...why am I seeing this again?! I never wanted to relive this!!!"

**_You have no choice in the matter. I'm the one in charge of the picture show here._**

Older Ken growled as he tried to find the source of the voice. "COME OUT!!! Show yourself!!!"

**_In due time...now to show you something else. Here's when things get interesting._**

Then, the scene changed again. The horrific memory of his brother's death faded in one, quick flash of white.

* * *

/01-000-ALPHA, Ruins of the Emperor's Base, 2:31 AM/

Arukenimon slowly sifted through the remains of the broken Monitor Room in silence. "This must've been some place..."

Meanwhile, Mummymon was watching his master stare at the cracked orb silently. They were still in the remains of the Generator Room. "Master Devimon...may I ask what you are doing?"

The armless Devimon smiled suddenly. He was ready. "I'm just preparing myself for the ordeal." Before Mummymon could ask what he meant, Devimon quickly inhaled the orb.

Black lightning erupted from Devimon as he exploded outward in a horrific flash of – believe it or not – black light.

* * *

/Ken's Subconscious, 2:34 AM/

Ken blinked as he watched his younger self fondle the metallic covering of a digivice. "This...this is when that digivice came out..."

No more than two weeks after Sam's death, a digivice had come out of Sam's – well, now it was Ken's – computer. It had been the strangest thing; Ken had been working on his homework when it had just popped out of his .

It was the strangest looking thing, really; it looked like a square device that had bent-in corners. There were two buttons on one side, and one on the other, while the screen in the middle reflected the light.

Young Ken blinked as he impulsively put the digivice back to the computer, to see if it would go back in.

Moments later, a bright flash overwhelmed the young boy as he disappeared from the realm of the human world.

Older Ken watched as Young Ken fell out of a TV and landed on the grassy ground with a thud. _This place..._

Young Ken winced as he looked around him out of curiosity. He was in a large meadow of sorts; in the distance, he could see a rising mountain range, bigger than that of Mt. Fuji. "Wow...where am I?"

"Um...whoever you are, mind getting off of me?"

Young Ken looked down to see a small, green worm under his rump. "AH!!! GIANT BUG!!!"

The green worm yelped at the boy. "Owch! Please don't shout...it hurts my ears."

Young Ken blinked; the worm seemed to be rather good-natured. Cometo think of it, he sounded like that butler in the American _Batman_ cartoon. "Hey...who are you?"

The small bug-like creature dusted his antennae off as he replied, "Well, my name's Wormmon. What's yours?"

"Ken...Ken Ichijouji." Young Ken sat down beside this 'Wormmon'. "So...who are you exactly?"

The following hour had made the young Ichijouji boy extremely happy. After talking for a while – as well as walking through the beautiful meadow – Ken and Wormmon were best of friends.

Young Ken laughed jovially as he and Wormmon neared the same TV he had mysteriously popped out of. "It's been great speaking with you Wormmon...I haven't had much to be happy about lately."

Wormmon smiled happily as he replied, "I'm glad Ken...I haven't had anyone to play with in a while. I hope I get to see you again."

Young Ken grinned as he held the strange device in his hand. _Such a strange device...and it brought me a friend_. "Well Wormmon...I have to go. Hope to see you soon." Cautiously, the young boy placed the digivice against the TV's screen.

Wormmon closed his eyes as a bright flash took his friend away. "Well, you don't see that everyday." In all actuality, Wormmon had only been born only two weeks ago. Thus, he was not exactly privy to the nature of humans being in the Digital World.

As a result, he did not know that Ken Ichijouji was a Digidestined.

Young Ken groaned as he landed on his floor with a thud. Thankfully, his dad was still at work and his mom had gone grocery shopping.

In a way, he was thankful for that. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to meet his new friend.

"Wormmon..." Young Ken smiled as he went back to his homework. He'd have to visit that strange place next time his parents were out!

Meanwhile, Older Ken was crying. So many of his memories were coming back to him now...memories that had been smothered away because of his life as the Emperor. _These memories...why am I seeing them...?_

**_Oh, you'll see._**

The scene changed again. It was about three weeks after Ken's first trip to the Digital World, and his parents had stepped out of the house for a little while to have dinner. Ken was doing homework once more...and doing some Algebra-2 for the heck of it.

His parents were going to be gone for about two hours...so Young Ken decided to chance it. He reached into the desk drawer and pulled out the digivice as Older Ken stood behind him, invisible to the Ken within his own memories. "..."

Young Ken smiled as he pointed the digivice at the screen. After fiddling with the digivice, the eight-year old had discovered the proper words for opening the strange portal to the other world. They were 'Digiport Open'.

Young Ken pointed the digivice at the screen and said, "Digiport open!"

However...there was no flash of light this time. Rather, the computer screen was covered in blackness Young Ken was sucked in.

Older Ken gasped. He remembered this very well. _No...stay away! I don't want to see this!!!_

**_Too bad. You're going to see it anyway!!!_**

Older Ken's vision was drowned in darkness as he followed his own memory into the portal.

Older Ken shivered as his feet left large imprints on the gray sands. The colorless sky...the pale vegetation...the gray beach...the Dark Ocean...

The Dark World. Ever since he had first seen this place, part of him always feared this place.

For you see, this is where he first began his path toward becoming the Emperor.

Older Ken turned his face to see Young Ken standing in the dark waters, the small waves splashing against his feet. The small boy held the digivice limply in his hand...then he knelt down, letting the digivice soak in the dark power of the Dark Ocean.

Older Ken's eyes widened in shock as the digivice morphed into a familiar form...

The Dark D-3.

Young Ken pulled it out of the water and shook the black liquid off of it, seemingly in the dark about what he had just done. "Ew...it looks black..."

Older Ken didn't want to see anymore. He wanted to get away!

**_Wait. There's someone here I think that you'll recognize._**

Older Ken roared, "WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?! WHO ARE YOU?!!"

"Ken Ichijouji."

Older Ken paused; where had that new voice just come from?

He looked back at Young Ken...then gasped at the sight of the figure standing right behind the boy.

* * *

Young Ken blinked as his name was called out. He turned around to see a shadowed figure standing above him. All he could make out were two different features:

Large wings sprouting out of his back.

And two horns protruding from his head.

Ken gulped as he stuttered, "W-who are y-you?"

The figure responded with a deep – yet hoarse – masculine voice. "Who I am is none of your concern. It is you who is the important one."

Young Ken blinked out of confusion. "Huh?"

"You see Ken, I've been watching you from afar for a long time. I've been watching since before your brother's death, as a matter of fact." Both Kens momentarily winced at the mention of Sam's death. "But, it is also I who sent that digivice to you."

Young Ken's eyes were suddenly filled with happiness. "You sent this to me? Thanks a lot mister! Thanks to this thing – this 'digivice' – I've made a great friend..." The boy's eyes lit up at the thought of Wormmon, the little Digimon.

For you see, in Ken's previous trips, Wormmon had told him a great deal about Digimon and the Digital World. It was a great experience...if not helpful, now that Young Ken knew what his friend _was_.

The figure chuckled out of amusement. "Oh...that digivice is going to do much more than let you enter the Digital World...especially now that the Dark Ocean has transformed it into the Dark Digivice."

"Dark Digivice...huh? What are you talking about?" Young Ken was now confused; why would he want the digivice to do anything else? It was fine as it was.

"Oh, but you're wrong little one," said the figure, with a knowing smirk. "I know that you want much more than just a simple friend...you want your parents to love you just as much as they loved your older brother. But unfortunately...you are not as smart, nor as athletically capable as him. I speak the truth, do I not?"

Young Ken sniffled at the realization that he did indeed want more...even though Sam was no longer there to take attention away from him, the love he got was nowhere near as great as the amount of love Sam had received. A pang of jealousy rose in his heart as he quietly admitted, "Yeah...you're right...I do want to be as good as he was...but I just can't...he was too far ahead of me..."

The shadow sighed as he spoke in a reassuring tone. "There there. All is not lost...there is a way for you to surpass your brother."

Young Ken stopped sniffling as he looked up at nine-foot tall figure. "You...you mean it?"

"A few months ago, there was an infamous incident in the Odaiba district that I'm sure you're aware of."

Young Ken nodded. "You mean the Odaiba Fog Incident." A few months ago – when Sam was still alive – there had been a big commotion concerning a layer of fog surrounding the Odaiba district of Tokyo. That – coupled with monster sightings – led it to be called 'the Odaiba Fog Incident'. But immediately after the fog had lifted around the ruinous district, another world had appeared in the sky. There had been sightings of eight children floating into the air in a rainbow-colored column of light...but the most infamous of all was the sight of the aforementioned eight children fighting a mighty monster in a black hole in the sky. Even now, a lot of people still talked about it.

The figure smiled. "Yes...remember those eight children? They were the Children of Destiny...otherwise known as the Digidestined. That digivice signifies you as one of the Digidestined."

Young Ken blinked. "You mean...I'm like one those people who were sucked up in that rainbow?"

"Indeed. Their purpose was to defeat that monster in the sky...yours is entirely different."

"What...what do you mean by that?" As Young Ken said this, his right hand impulsively clutched more tightly onto the Dark Digivice in his hand.

"You see, young Ichijouji, the Digital World may look like a peaceful place, but it's far from being such. After the battle with that horrible monster in the sky, the previous Digidestined returned to their homes...but they left a horrible mess in the Digital World. The entire landscape of the Digiworld slowly reformatted itself as its denizens tried to return to their homes. Unfortunately, with the defeat of four tyrants known as the Dark Masters, that left a power vacuum. Many Digimon sought to fill that void. As chaos ravaged many of the Digital World's lands, the Digidestined did nothing to remedy it." The figure conveniently left out the fact that the Digidestined had been unable to come back because the Digiports had been closed off to them.

Meanwhile, Young Ken was becoming completely enraptured in the mysterious one's tale. "Go on..."

"But now that you're here, you can do what the previous Digidestined could not. It now falls upon you to restore order to a world filled with chaos! Finally, you shall achieve a greatness that your brother could never achieve!"

As Young Ken thought about it, the more appealing it sounded. Yes...he would do it! He would become a great warrior and bring order to the chaotic Digital World! "I'll do it! What do I do?!"

The figure turned around as he said, "A few things. One: you must realize that all Digimon are nothing more than creations of missing or broken pieces of data. As a result, they are the creation of humanity, so they are to obey your will. Two: you must do research. Research the previous Digidestined. Research as many Digimon as you can find. Find their strengths and weaknesses...then exploit them. Three: bring as many Digimon to your side as you can...and if they are unwilling, simply find a way to enslave them. And finally, four: Don't be afraid to use force if necessary."

Young Ken nodded as he tried to digest all of the information. "Okay...but what if I'm not strong enough to do all of that?"

The figure chuckled as he turned around and opened his hand, revealing a small, dark object in his hand. "Don't worry...this will help." The shadowy silhouette placed the object onto Ken's neck, which seamlessly entered his body without any noticeable pain.

Suddenly, a small degree of hardness came over Ken's eyes. The eight-year old looked back up at the figure as he said, "I feel...different."

The shadow smiled. "It will help you become stronger over time...and you will find it much easier to learn. Trust me...you will become greater than any Digidestined...you will be greater than even Sam. Now be off."

Young Ken smiled as he slowly disappeared back into the Real World.

Older Ken managed to see a malevolent smirk cross the shadow's face before he disappeared as well...but he hardly noticed. He had just watched himself – who back then, was so eager to outdo Sam – begin the path to damnation.

_**Now's the part where I start coming in...**_

Older Ken gasped. _You...you can't be...! _

**Of course. I am the Digimon Emperor.**

* * *

/Local Hospital, Tamachi, 3:04 AM/

Keiko sighed as she trudged out of the restroom and back towards Ken's hospital room. Kazuma turned his head toward his wife as she walked for the door. "Honey...I think we need to talk about something for a moment."

"Can't it wait Kazuma? I need to stay by Ken's side..." Keiko sniffled as she muttered, "After all, I haven't been by his side much anyway..."

Kazuma heaved a sigh as he stood up and leaned against the door in front of Ken's room. "So you have a feeling about what I'm talking about...it's about Sam."

Keiko shuddered slightly at the mention of her firstborn son. "Kazuma...why are we dredging up old memories? We have our son to worry about now..."

"But this concerns Ken!" Kazuma's attempted yell came out as a hoarse statement; even his vocal chords seemed tired. "Remember how Ken suddenly started getting smarter and more athletically adept after Sam's death?"

Keiko nodded feebly. "Yes...I remember. We were both so proud of him..." She slowly turned to Kazuma, who had a stern and sad look in his eyes. "I know what you're getting at..."

"You and I both know what we did was wrong." Kazuma turned his head to face the window that separated themselves and Ken's room. "We were distraught by Sam's death...and we both loved him because of his talent..."

Keiko wanted to deny it...but in her current state, she had no choice but to agree. "You're right..." She suddenly gasped. "Wait, you don't think-?"

"That Ken became more like Sam to get our attention? Yeah..." Kazuma clenched his fist as he growled, "And what sickens me is that we thought that we could replace Sam with Ken..."

Keiko slowly sat down in a hallway chair as she numbly said, "Kazuma...what kind of parents are we?"

"We didn't love our children for who they were...maybe that's why Ken ran away." Kazuma shook his head as he opened the door to Ken's room. "Honey...whenever Ken wakes up..."

Keiko nodded; she knew what her husband was getting at. "I know...we'll treat him like a son...not a celebrity."

Although the Emperor would've been shocked to know it, Ken's parents were not as foolish as he thought.

* * *

/Ken's Subconscious, 3:12 AM/

Older Ken watched silently as his past self changed dramatically in such a short time. His grades improved almost immediately...as did his choice of subjects. He went from Algebra-2 and biology to Calculus and physics within a few months. Also, his talent with a soccer ball was excellent.

It didn't take long for Young Ken to get noticed by the rest of Tokyo. He was hailed by his parents and the press as the next 'Ichijouji Wonder Boy'.

_**Ah, how gullible the masses are...**_

_Shut up._

_**Oh, but it's just getting better...**_

Older Ken remained quiet as he watched numerous events between that point in time and the reopening of the Digiports by the new Digidestined.

* * *

A nine-year old Ken knelt down against a throng of rocks as he peeked through a pair of binoculars as he watched a pack of Tyrannomon assault the natural home of a Veedramon clan. As he watched the tremendous battle take place, he was typing down notes on a portable laptop. "Hmm...attacks... battle tactics..."

Wormmon sighed as he watched his partner type down notes. "Ken...why exactly have you been taking down so many notes?"

Ken remained silent. In the past several months, Ken had been traveling to the Digital World, compiling data and information on every single Digimon he encountered. Appearance, bodily defenses, attacks, battle strategies, eating habits...everything.

Wormmon sighed. "Fine then...just keep working if you want to."

* * *

A ten-year old Ken Ichijouji smiled as he looked at his new outfit – which looked exactly like the Emperor's outfit – and said, "Perfect."

He turned to a porthole and looked outside as a bunch of Mechanorimon and Divermon (under the direct influence of his Dark Digivice; he had not yet completed his Dark Rings) were constructing his first underwater base. His hydroelectric generators were close to being finished...

But he had something else to see first.

He walked down one of the corridors to an empty room...save for one thing: a surgical table with a metallic endoskeleton on it. Covering parts of the body were sections of human skin, which had been genetically engineered using some of his own skin cells. In nearby tanks of gelatinous goop were the remaining pieces of human skin, waiting to be surgically grafted on.

"My Terminator Unit," said Ken with a degree of pride as he placed a hand on the metal frame. "Soon...you will let all Digimon know why humans are their masters..."

Meanwhile, Wormmon watched with worry.

* * *

An eleven-year old Ken Ichijouji grinned as his army stood at attention in front of him. Leading the pack was Matt's partner Garurumon; he had been the first partner to fall to the control of the Emperor's Dark Ring. _Soon...it will begin._

"Master." Ken turned around to see Wormmon looking at him with worry. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

"...I've never been more sure of anything in my life." Ken placed purple shades over his face and calmly said, "And remember...from this day forward, I am the Digimon Emperor." The now-named Emperor hopped onto Garurumon's back as he looked at his army: ten Tyrannomon, five Airdramon, five Snimon, and ten Kabuterimon. "Alright, my army...we move out for sector 01-000-BETA!!!"

The Digimon all roared in acknowledgement as Garurumon leapt out through the open door of the Emperor's land-based command center. The Emperor smiled; today was May 11th. Tomorrow would be his 12th birthday.

His birthday gift would be his best ever.

His gift?

His introduction to the Digital World's populace as the Digimon Emperor.

* * *

Older Ken slumped to his knees as the last image faded away into blackness. "Why...why are you showing me these images...?"

**_You haven't figured it out yet?_**

Suddenly, the Emperor appeared out of nowhere, standing tall in front of Ken. "You see, I'm showing you all this for one reason...to remind you WHY I'm here in the first place."

Ken grumbled out of anger. "I don't need you...I never needed you!"

"WRONG!"

Ken's lungs lost their air as the Emperor kicked him in the ribcage. "You're wrong Ichijouji! You created me to help you deal with everything! If it weren't for me, you'd still be the little boy who always fell behind those that were strongest!"

Ken whimpered out of helplessness...the Emperor was right. He did need him...

"And once I get my power back, I'll deal with the Digidestined once and for all! And don't worry...I'll do it quickly and quietly...while they're sleeping..."

Ken's closed eyes opened right then and there. No...all of the Digidestined...Davis, Shaun, Yolei, Cody, TK, and Kari...they had all fought their hardest to bring him down...he couldn't let all of their sacrifices go to waste!

"AGH!!!"

Ken blinked as the Emperor was suddenly sent to the floor, his hands clenching his midsection in pain. He looked up...and immediately wanted to look away. It couldn't be...

But it was. It was Sam, as he was when he had died. His blue eyes glared at the Emperor...then they softened as they turned to Ken. He held forward a hand and calmly said, "Cheer up Ken. He broke your life. Now you have to put it back together. No biggie!"

Ken smiled as he let Sam pull him up. Ken flexed his fingers as he said, "Nice line...but think of something more original." Then Ken launched himself at the Emperor.

Sam winced as he watched Ken fight the Emperor. "Dang."

The Emperor growled as he used his left hand to block a right hook. "You can't win Ken...I am the superior side..."

Ken smirked as he quickly grabbed the Emperor's left arm and twisted it into an unnatural angle. The Emperor screamed as bones broke. "You're wrong...you are me, and I am you. And if I to defeat myself to beat you...then so be it!"

Ken finished the battle by throwing the Emperor to the floor. Ken heaved as wiped the sweat from his forehead. "I used to need you...but no more."

The Emperor chuckled as he slowly began to fade away, along with the darkness surrounding them. "Keep telling yourself that...but never forget me. I am the dark part of your soul that will always exist...after all, you know as well as I do..."

The Emperor faded away into nothingness as the darkness was replaced with the light. His voice, however, echoed his last words.

"...that we are humans. And humans are corrupt by nature."

Ken sighed as his shoulders slumped, his sweat falling onto the nonexistent floor. "I did it..."

"You sure did." Ken turned around to see Sam Ichijouji walk toward him with a confident smile. "Hey."

Sam exhaled heavily as Ken grabbed him in a crushing embrace. Tears fell from his eyes as he choked out, "Sam...I'm s-so sorry..."

"About what?" asked Sam out of confusion.

"I...I wished to never see you again...and...and..."

Sam smiled as he let Ken cry into his shoulder. "Oh, that...don't worry about it. I kind of deserved it anyway."

Ken shook his head with haste. "No! Of course not! You're Sam Ichijouji...you were invincible...you were my brother...you didn't deserve it..."

"Ken..." Sam chuckled as he patted his brother's back. "I don't know if you ever thought about it...but I was a jerk. Sure, I had great athletic ability and a huge intellect...but you have something I never had. Kindness...the capacity to forgive...those were things I needed...but they were things I didn't want."

Ken sniffled as he wiped his eyes clear of tears. "But...Sam, I wanted to say I'm sorry for the things I said that day..."

"If anything, I'm the one who should apologize."

"Of course I forgive you..." Ken lovingly hugged his older brother with a wide smile. "I could never hate you...no matter how hard I tried..."

Sam smiled even wider as he hugged his brother back. "Well...if you want to apologize to me...do it by apologizing to the Digidestined."

"Huh?" Ken's eyes widened as he stared at his brother through tear-filled pupils. "But...how did you know?"

"Please Ken...you need to do this...because I know how much you want forgiveness from others. Don't wait too long...because if you don't prove yourself to them in time...you might not get the chance. Trust me...I know." Sam laughed as he thought about it.

Ken remained silent as he stared back at his brother. "Please...tell me...are you my brother's ghost? Or a figment of my imagination?"

Sam chuckled as Ken suddenly felt his body begin to wake up. "Well...I'll let you figure it out. Now wake up...our parents want to see their son."

Then the whiteness faded away as Ken opened his eyes.

* * *

/Local Hospital, Tamachi, 3:41 AM/

"Oh..."

Keiko and Kazuma froze; they didn't make that sound...

They looked at Ken to see his eyes staring them. "...hi."

Ken suddenly found himself victim to a crushing hug by his mother and father. Keiko wailed, "Thank God Ken...we thought you wouldn't wake up..."

"Mom...Dad...I'm sorry for running away...and making you worry..."

"...don't apologize. We're sorry for treating you like our meal ticket instead of our son," admitted Kazuma as tears fell from his eyes.

Ken's eyes suddenly became moist as he felt a great uprising of shame within his soul. How could he have thought them to be no more than fools? "I'm so sorry...I'm sorry for everything!" Ken buried his face into his mother's arms as he let loose a stream of tears so great that it couldn't possibly be from just running away...

When Ken said 'everything', he truly meant EVERYTHING.

His old hatred and jealousy for his brother.

His disgust at humanity in general.

His crimes against all Digimon.

His numerous attempts at killing the Digidestined once and for all.

All of the blood on his hands.

He was truly sorry for it all...and he was ready to pay any price for forgiveness.

As Ken wailed into his mother's arms, something was happening back at the Ichijouji household.

In Ken's room, his computer monitor flared brightly as an elliptical object appeared out of his camera, appearing on his bed silently.

It was a Digiegg; a white shell with pink hearts.

Apparently, Wormmon was ready to forgive.

* * *

/01-000-ALPHA, Ruins of the Emperor's Base, 3:49 AM/

Arukenimon walked back into the generator room as she stretched her arms. "Nice place...but it needs some serious revamping...Mummymon?"

Mummymon just stared upward at the hulking figure that now stood above them all. Arukenimon finally noticed the behemoth as her mouth fell open in shock. "Oh my..."

The evil one formerly known as Devimon chuckled as he looked down at his new body. "Finally...the ritual is complete...my new body is coursing with power!"

The evil one laughed heartily.

It was all going according to plan.

* * *

_This chapter is dedicated to my mother; a loving parent, and a newlywed-to-be._

* * *

To be continued...

Next time...

Episode 23: Friend or Foe?

* * *

Author's Notes: Heh. Beat my record already. 26 pages in three days.

Well, see you next time.


	23. Friend or Foe?

Standard Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon. But if I did...imagine the possibilities!

Author's Notes: Holy freaking crap! EIGHT REVIEWS?! O.O;

Er...well, onward!

Miracles: Well, Ken's parents didn't have any names in the anime, so I had to give them my own. Didn't realize that they all began with K until your review. :P

Anthony1: Well, now that I'm back from Colorado, the update times will be slower (what with a little brother, school work, my Xbox, etcetera...), but I will strive to try and get one episode out per week. And thanks for the congratulatory note for my mom.

Bohemiat: Hope you enjoyed your vacation. And I'm glad you liked the end of the arc!

SR71will: Thank you. And yes, I will DEFINITELY have to rewrite the first several of NDE.

Duke Devlin: Bleh...me-sa no like Days of Our Lives. Or any other soap for that matter. :P

But as for Dragomon, he won't be making his move until after Zero 2 ends. Dragomon's plan will be carried out in a different story.

Silver Warrior: Yeah; who WOULD want to sleep when Jun's around? :P But as for Devimon's new form...it's not Demon (pronounced the same, but I prefer the Japanese name). Rather, it's an entirely new Digimon...that appears in this chapter. ;)

Serena Hart: Welcome to Zero 2 Serena! I'm glad you've enjoyed this remake so far.

And one more thing: when I finish Zero 2, I will spend some time going back through and proofreading the entire story. So between the time of Zero 2 and my next story, I'll be proofreading this whole thing.

Oh, and I'm still going to write the tales of what Shaun did before meeting the Digidestined. So don't worry!

Now with all that out of the way...begin!

* * *

_Ken has proven that he wants forgiveness._

_But the important question is...will the Digidestined give it to him?_

* * *

"Everyone, this is Ken Ichijouji. For the first 21 episodes, I wreaked havoc on the Digital World, enslaved Digimon, and tried to kill the Digidestined. But in the last episode, I did some soul searching...trying to deal with the ghosts of my past...and the demons of my present. Now...I'm awake. And I want to help."

* * *

Episode 23: Friend or Foe?

* * *

Ever since the Emperor had fallen, the Digidestined had dedicated themselves to 'clean-up duty', so to speak. 

You see, despite the Emperor's downfall, a large number of Control Spires still dotted the Digital World's landscape; mostly on the continent of Server. The eastern continent of Folder, the northern continent of Desktop, and the southern continent of Backdrop had relatively little Control Spires in comparison. As a matter of fact, the Digidestined had completely destroyed the total of sixty-four Control Spires on the three other continents within the last four days. With Shaun's 24/7 presence in the Digital World, the three continents of Folder, Desktop, and Backdrop had been cleaned of all Control Spires relatively quickly.

However, they would have a bigger problem with Server; the Emperor's hold had been strongest there, and most of his former servants and slaves were still stationed there. What was worse was that – despite the draining of the Dark Digivice's dark power – the Control Spires continued to transmit power to the Dark Rings and Dark Spirals. However, after a battle yesterday – in which Patamon digivolved impulsively to protect TK from a DarkTyrannomon – it had been proven that their dampening effect on digivolution was gone.

Now today, they would begin cleaning up Server.

* * *

/Computer Lab, Odaiba, Thursday October 14th, 3:24 PM/ 

Davis sighed as he munched on a brownie while Demiveemon poked his head into a bag of chips. "Man...it's been easy street all week!"

"No kidding!" exclaimed the Digimon unanimously as they ate into another batch of sweet and salty snacks from Yolei's family store. The lavender-haired girl sighed as she dolefully bit into a pretzel. "There goes my weekly allowance..."

Kari giggled at this. "Yolei, don't worry about it. If you need a break, we can all help chip in with the snacks."

Yolei smiled as she reached into pocket and felt her dwindling money supply. "That would be awesome!"

Meanwhile, TK and Cody were conversing with Shaun via the Digital World Grid Map. In the miniature window, Shaun scratched his head as he yawned. **"Man...busy night last night."**

"No kidding. Gennai e-mailed Izzy about how (Wargreymon) tore through the rest of Folder's Control Spires yesterday," replied TK. After the inadvertent realization that the Control Spires no longer inhibited digivolution, Shaun had warp-digivolved (Agumon); (Wargreymon) had gone on a Spire-wrecking spree throughout the eastern continent of Folder.

"**So, have you guys decided where to start?"** As Shaun said this, (Agumon) could be seen snoring in the background.

"Hmm..." Cody pulled up the specs for sector 01-001-OMICRON. "Hmm...small village area, surrounded by a mountainous forest...village denizens are Gotsumon and Spire is in the center of the town, with more in the general area...the town is guarded by three enslaved Tyrannomon." Cody turned away from the monitor and turned to TK. "That sound good to you?"

Before TK could respond, Patamon – with a fudge ring around his mouth – landed on TK's hat and cheerfully agreed. "Sure thing! We can kick their butts easily!"

Shaun smiled at the little Digimon's eagerness. **"Alright. I'll try and wake (Agumon) up. Then I'll meet you guys there."** Shaun closed the link from his side, leaving the five Digidestined alone in the computer lab.

TK smiled as the window closed. They were finally cleaning up the mess the Emperor had left behind in the wake of his defeat. Soon, the Digital World would be at peace once more.

"WHA?!?!"

Cody's startled shout completely jarred everyone from what they were doing. Davis nearly choked on his brownie as he fell to the floor, taking his partner with him. Everyone gathered around the fallen nine-year-old as Yolei shouted, "You okay Cody?!"

Cody just pointed at the monitor. Everyone followed his finger...and they gasped as well.

On the Digital World Grid Map, every single sector was white.

* * *

/Ichijouji Apartment, Tamachi, Ken's Room, 3:30 PM/ 

Ken smiled as he closed the program. "It's been done..."

A small little insectoid creature hopped over to Ken's feet. His small, pale green head looked up at Ken innocently, with black, button-like eyes and light-violet, vertical maw. A small, brown strand of hair extended from his head, while a spiky brown cocoon surrounded his body. His small, stubby arms wiggled as – with a mannerly, but slightly scratchy voice – he said, "You mean it? The power of the Control Spires has been disabled?"

Ken smiled as he turned to Minomon his partner. Well, his partner's In-Training form anyway. "Yes...the Spires no longer have any power."

Four days ago, Ken had returned home early Sunday morning to his home from the hospital...and he had found Wormmon's Digiegg. Naturally, he had been overjoyed; his partner had been returned to him.

After that, he had resolved to help the Digidestined anyway he could...of course, he would do it from a distance at first. His first act had been working on disabling the digivolution dampening effect of his Spires.

Yes; he had been behind the disablement of the Spires' dampening effect. Even though he had used most of the Dark D-3's dark power to charge Chimeramon, some darkness still remained within the digivice – perhaps it was a representation of the dark part of Ken's soul. This meant that the Control Spires still retained their power.

Thus, he had begun making a program to completely disable the dark powers of the Control Spires. It had been completed two days ago; the Digidestined just hadn't discovered it until yesterday. After that, Ken had begun work on disabling the Spire function that exhibited control over Digimon via the Dark Rings and Dark Spirals.

Just several minutes ago, he had finished the program. Approximately two minutes ago, the program had been activated.

Now, all of the Spires were nothing but large targets. Without a source of dark power, they were useless.

Ken sighed with relief. _Good...my monoliths of darkness have been completely dealt with..._

"Ken?"

The second Ichijouji child looked down at Minomon, who tugged at his legs with a smile. "Isn't it time you see them?"

Ken's smile turned into a small frown at that suggestion. By 'them', Wormmon meant the Digidestined...

Was he even ready to face them? After everything that had happened?

"Come on Ken, you won't find out if you don't go!"

Sighing, Ken finally gave in to Minomon's request; after all, how could he resist? "Okay...we'll go."

He let Minomon hop into his arms before slowly walking out of his room. He still wore his Tamachi uniform; after all, he had returned to school immediately on Monday.

Speaking of which, Ken Ichijouji's return had been celebrated by the media, as well as his recovery from his alleged 'coma' (though we know better. :P ). However, Ken had publicly come out to say that, even though his memory of what he had gone through was fuzzy (he claimed that he couldn't remember; officials called it a memory erasure, a possible result of his 'coma'), he wanted some privacy from the media.

Thankfully, the public and the paparazzi obliged.

At school, he had caught up to speed quickly...even though he never got perfect scores as he had once done. Truthfully, he could've gotten perfect scores if he wanted...but he didn't want the attention. Thus, he had intentionally gotten some of the answers wrong.

As a result, his popularity and media coverage were downscaled drastically...and he would need the extra cover it afforded him if he was going to make it to Odaiba in one piece.

He stepped out of his room and headed for his parents' room. His mom stepped out as he prepared to knock. "Oh...hi mom."

Keiko smiled at her son. "Hello Ken. Do you need something?"

"I'm going to visit the school in Odaiba...you know, the place where I played my last soccer game?"

"Oh yes!" Keiko snapped her fingers as she remembered that school. "But why?"

"Well...I want to take a visit to that school. I want see that boy I accidentally hurt last time." Keiko knew that Ken referred to the goggle-boy that had a rather...embarrassing injury.

"Okay...but do you need something?" asked Keiko out of a little concern.

"Well...does my dad have any trench coats?"

* * *

Minutes later, a teen in a large brown trench coat walked out of the Ichijouji apartment. With the large, brown hat on his head, all but his eyes were recognizable. 

Ken smiled as he walked away toward the nearest bus stop. _Hopefully, I'll go unnoticed...and I hope Minomon won't suffocate in this coat._

* * *

/01-000-ALPHA, Ruins of the Emperor's Base, 3:41 PM/ 

The new form of Devimon chuckled as he stood in the darkness. He looked down at Arukenimon and Mummymon silently.

Mummymon stepped forward and meekly asked, "Master...you needed us for something?"

The new Devimon smirked. "Yes...you know why?"

Arukenimon stepped forward as well and asked, "What?"

The red eyes of the new Devimon gleamed in the darkness of the ruined generator room. "Your battle forms." Red bolts of energy leapt from his eyes, merging with Arukenimon and Mummymon, causing them to yelp at the sudden shock.

Arukenimon transformed into a giant, ten-foot spider. Her clothes transformed to fit her bulbous new body. Three legs jutted out from the bottom of her body on each side, each of them covered with white bandages. Her lower body – the abdomen – was shaped like a large orb, which was covered in red-and-purple striped clothes, pinned together with golden buttons. Her small, thinner upper body was covered with a red, sleeveless dress made of tough, red material. Her lithe, pale arms became drastically larger as her arms got closer to the hands, which extremely large; bigger than her head. Her lower arms were covered in gray bandages, and the back of her hands were embedded with a red ruby, as well as eight strands of gold metal. Concerning her head, it was now more deformed; her toothy mouth stretched from side-to-side on her face, while a red mask covered the upper half of her face, save for her large, yellow eyes. Also, two, angular horns stretched out and upward from her head; both horns were tipped with gold. Finally, her white hair was fuzzy, spiky, and stretched down to her upper back. The transformed Arukenimon looked down at herself in astonishment...and she spoke. "This body...I can feel the power of a Mega Digimon flowing through me!"

"Arukenimon...that is your true form." The new Devimon then looked at Mummymon's transformed body.

Mummymon looked down at himself quietly. His body was ten feet high as well...and save for his mouth and left eye, his entire body was covered in white, rotting bandages. Black belts with metal buckles surrounded his thighs and wrists. Thicker, more durable bands of black leather crossed his chest in an 'X' pattern, with slots for two small red and yellow striped canes. Also, a black belt wrapped around his waist. Small pouches were on the belt, each of them holding small, yellow, explosive projectiles. For what?

His gigantic gun. Seriously, his gun was longer than his arms; and his arms stretched down to his knees. The large, black gun was double-barreled, and there was a slot in the side for the projectiles on his belt. Black spikes hutted outward from his shoulders, and silver leg braces covered his shins. Finally, a purple bandanna surrounded his head. A look of sadness came into his yellow eye at the sight of himself. _I look like I did when I died..._ He then looked at the gun oddly, hefting it into the air effortlessly with one arm. _A strange weapon though..._

"Mummymon...you are now capable of everything your Ultimate form can do." The new Devimon smiled as he looked back at Arukenimon. "Now you both can transform at will...just think, and you will change. Arukenimon, your human form is required for this."

With a thought, Arukenimon's arachnid-shaped body transformed back into her 'human' form. "What now?"

"Now...I shall teach you about your Spirit Needle."

* * *

/Computer Lab, Odaiba, 3:49 PM/ 

"WHAT?!"

"You heard us right Shaun," exclaimed Yolei as she looked over the entire grid. "Every single sector in the Digital World just turned white!"

Shaun grimaced; he had been in the process of trying to wake (Agumon) up when the Digidestined had contacted him via the D-Terminal, telling him to get back on the video connection. Shaun had done so...only to find out some very interesting news. **"Odd...how the heck did that happen?!"**

TK shrugged. "We don't just screamed, and we looked at the monitor to see that everything was bone-white!"

"...**hmm...it doesn't make sense..."** Shaun could be seen in deep thought, his eyes narrowed and his eyebrows furrowed in concentration.

"Maybe all of the other Digimon decided to strike!" exclaimed Patamon.

Gatomon sweatdropped as she said, "All at once?"

Patamon snapped his fingers grumpily. "Darn! Good point."

Davis poked his face at the screen and asked, "Maybe (Wargreymon) did it!"

Shaun silently pointed a figure at the sleeping (Agumon) behind him. Davis nervously chuckled in response. "Oh yeah, right...you were trying to wake him up."

Suddenly, an idea struck Shaun. **"Guys...I have an idea."**

"Well don't just hog it! Spit it out!" demanded Yolei.

**"Well...Spires are made of data, just like everything else in the Digital World...and data can be erased in one fell swoop. You just need a certain kind of program...an erasure program. But to properly make one...you need to know what kind of data to strike. And the only person who knows the make-up of a Control Spire enough to make such a program is-"**

"Me."

The five Digidestined and their partners yelped as they suddenly heard the voice behind them. They turned around to see a dark-haired boy in a brown trench coat, staring quietly at them.

Everyone recognized him immediately. Cody stared hatefully into the purple eyes of Ken Ichijouji. "Hello...Emperor."

* * *

/01-000-ALPHA, Ruins of the Emperor's Base, 3:54 PM/ 

"The Spirit Needle technique grants life to Control Spires?" asked Arukenimon out of astonished curiosity.

"Yes," replied the new Devimon as his red eyes gleamed. "Your strands of hair give life to the dark data of the Control Spires...and the more spires there are, the stronger the creature. 1 Spire creates a Champion. 10 Spires create an Ultimate...and 100 Spires create a Mega Digimon."

Arukenimon reflected over this new information quietly. Her hair was the catalyst for a great power...the power to create mighty beasts. "So...I suppose I will be using this technique soon."

"As a matter of fact, you will use the technique now." As Arukenimon turned her face to see her creator, the new Devimon tore a hole in the air with his red finger, creating a vortex in the air. "This will lead you to sector 01-001-OMICRON. There will be many spires in that sector and the ones surrounding it...use 100 to create a Mega Digimon."

Arukenimon plucked 100 hairs out of her head and held the limp strands in her gloved hand. "I understand." She stepped into the hole, which closed behind her.

The new Devimon smiled. Once Arukenimon completed her task, he would 'enlist' the help of the Emperor.

* * *

/Computer Lab, Odaiba, 3:57 PM/ 

Ken was beginning to feel holes being burned into his body by the stares of the Digidestined. _This wasn't a good idea..._

Gatomon's fur stood on its end as she hissed. "Alright pal, why are you here?"

Ken gulped as he nervously said, "I...I came to...ask for forgiveness..."

Everyone blinked out of astonishment...although Davis didn't seem so surprised. _Ah HA! I knew it!_

But suddenly, Yolei yelled, "Give us one good reason why we should forgive you! You've nearly killed us on several occasions, you used our partners as parts for a freakish creation, you enslaved most of the continent Server, you BIT me in the ear...NEED I GO ON?!"

Ken visibly winced at the ranting. "I'm...I'm sorry about all of that...I...I just want to make up for everything I did..."

"Before we continue on with this, let me ask you this." Ken turned to Cody, who stared at him with a glare that could melt a hole through ten-foot titanium. "After every atrocity you put us and all of digital kind through...what makes you think we could even BEGIN to forgive you?!"

Ken sighed. He had known that they wouldn't be ready for him...but he had foolishly thought that they would be ready. _Why did I come here?_ "Truthfully...I don't think I have the right to ask for your forgiveness..."

Everyone blinked out of shock this time. TK was actually impressed. _Wow. Now that's honesty!_

Shaun looked on this whole situation and decided to change the subject. **"So, Ken...what's with the trench coat?"**

Ken suddenly jolted out of his depression at the sudden question. "Oh that...well, I'm still rather popular, and the paparazzi can be a pain...so I had to resort to this."

"**Ah..."** Suddenly, he saw a wiggling under Ken's coat. **"What the...?"**

"Hm?" Ken looked down and nearly laughed. "Oh my goodness, can't leave you in there, now can we?" Ken unbuttoned the trench coat, causing Minomon to plop to the floor with a thud. "Owie..."

Everyone gasped out of shock. Wormmon?! Kari leaned down to look at the little guy. "Wormmon...you're alive?!"

The little In-Training chuckled nervously. "Actually, I'm Wormmon's dedigivolved form. The name's Minomon, and it's nice to meet you!"

Demiveemon hopped off of Davis' hand and held a tiny hand out to Minomon. "Name's Demiveemon, but you can call me Demiveemon!"

Minomon smiled at Demiveemon's hospitality. "Alright Demiveemon!"

Soon, Poromon, Upamon, and Patamon hopped down to greet themselves to the little In-Training Digimon. Gatomon sighed as she turned to the others. "You're not going to convince me just yet."

The former Emperor sighed. _Oh well...four out of five Digimon is a good start...I guess..._

Suddenly, something struck Davis. "Hey...what did you mean when you said 'me'? Did you-?"

"Yes...for the last four days, I've been working on two programs...one that would disable the Spires' dampening effect on digivolution...and one that would stop their transmission of the Dark Digivice's power." Ken looked down at his D-3, which only had black handlebars; no black body. _Even though I used most of its power on Chimeramon...it still transmits the darkness within..._

"**Ah...so I assumed correctly."** Ken looked at the computer to see Shaun straining his face to look at him from the awkward angle. **"So you were the one behind this."** Shaun pointed to the left of his window, which was right next to the Digital World Grid Map on the monitor.

"Yes...I just wanted to do what I could to help..." Suddenly, for no apparent reason, Ken slumped to his knees, drawing out a bit of concern from the Digidestined. Small tears leaked from Ken's eyes as he feebly said, "It's like a bad dream – no, a nightmare – where you're this person that commits all of these atrocities...and then you wake up. And you find out that everything you did in that nightmare was real..."

Suddenly, a spark of humanity slowly woke in the Digidestined...some more than others. Davis suddenly felt sorry for Ken...even though he had once nearly killed him on several occasions. Apparently, Ken truly was sorry for what he had done...and he of all people knew what it was like to beg for a second chance.

Finally, Davis cheerfully said, "Well, welcome aboard!"

Cody, Yolei, and Gatomon – the most anti-Emperor/Ken people in the room – incredulously yelled, "WHAT?!"

* * *

/01-001-OMICRON, 4:06 PM/ 

Arukenimon held the limp hairs in her hand as she stood on top of the forested mountain, overlooking the village below her. Throughout the horizon, she could see the black obelisks stretching up to the sky. "So many...this is perfect."

She held her hairs up toward the sky. "SPIRIT NEEDLE!!!"

The hairs suddenly straightened and flew away, each one heading for one of the 100 Control Spires. The hairs flew into the Spires, causing ripples to form on the surface of the black obelisks.

Suddenly, every single Spire that the hairs merged with lifted into the air, coalescing into one spot in the sky above the mountain. Arukenimon smirked as the pulsating orb of darkness began to take shape. "Beautiful..."

The resulting monster was truly horrible. It looked like a samurai rider on a black horse. Golden armor covered the horse's shoulders, legs, and hooves. While the black skin of the horse showed itself between the armor, the horse's head was nothing but a bare horse head made of blood-red bones. The horse's pale, white eyes shined in the darkness within its head, while golden armor protected its crown. A red horn tipped with a razor-sharp knife completed the grim look. As for the rider himself, his body actually merged with the horse's body at the waist. Golden armor surrounded his sides, waist, and shoulders, while red leather protected the front of his body and his chest. A black leather belt tied the golden armor to his waist, and – and this was truly repulsive – human skulls were tied to the belt as well. His face was gaunt and as black as charcoal, including his teeth. His purple eyes gleamed malevolently, while a golden shogun helmet – with the symbol of a crescent moon on top – covered his head. His flowing red cape was stripped and in tatters, and it was stained with blood. Finally, both hands held swords; his left hand held a katana, while his right hand held a large, golden sword that crackled with electricity. The horse neighed as the rider – with a raging, unrestrained voice – roared, "I am Zanbamon! Beware the thunder of my hooves and the lightning of my sword, for you shall see doom upon my approach! My Cross Slash will eviscerate you, and my Electric Guillotine will behead you on the spot!"

Zanbamon growled as he turned to Arukenimon. His eyes revealed that he was hungry for battle...and he was a Mega. He could take on Arukenimon easily, even if she was another Mega Digimon.

But he wouldn't. Normally, Zanbamon was a foe that craved combat...but due to this Zanbamon's unique nature, he was a servant to Arukenimon.

Arukenimon pointed her finger at the village. "Attack. Create destruction...do what you do best."

Zanbamon smirked as he whirled around and charged for the village. His wrath would be made known.

* * *

/Computer Lab, Odaiba, 4:11 PM/ 

"Davis...HAVE YOU GONE INSANE?!" roared Yolei.

Davis didn't blanch under Yolei's roar. "Nope. I just think that Ken deserves a chance!" Ken's face brightened at this. He hadn't expected anyone to even consider giving him a chance...

"Think about it Davis," said Cody as he sat down in a nearby chair. "The last time Ken came to us like this, he nearly tricked us all into turning against Shaun. What if he's just trying to trick us like that again?!"

"And what if he isn't?" retorted Davis. "I think he genuinely wants to help!"

Gatomon sighed out of frustration. "Come on Davis...no one changes overnight. Trust me, I of all people know that." Gatomon resisted the urge to wince at the memory of her former life...in a lot of ways, she used to be like the Emperor when she had served as one of Myotismon's generals over four years ago. That was a large reason why Gatomon resented the Emperor...and the fact that he had enslaved so many Digimon didn't help her opinion of him either.

TK begrudgingly nodded; his logical side wanted to agree with Gatomon, but his belief that all humans had good in them disagreed. But Gatomon's evidence was too strong...and Ken HAD put on a very convincing act last time. "I'm afraid that I have to agree with Gatomon here...we just don't have a good reason to trust you."

"Cut him a break, TB!" yelled Davis as he protectively stood in front of Ken. "No matter how much you guys don't trust him, he deserves a second chance! I mean, come on! No body can fake the look I saw in his eyes after Wormmon died!"

Silence fell over the room.

Minomon nervously coughed as he said, "Er, mind not talking about my death? It was rather painful."

Davis sweatdropped. "Eh heh...sorry about that."

"No apology needed," replied Minomon.

"But seriously guys," Davis turned his head back to the others. "Give him a break! Sure, Ken might not have proven to be so trustworthy, but anyone can turn over a new leaf!" Davis then proudly patted his stomach as a wide grin crossed his face. "Besides, my gut says that he's for real...and I'm sticking with it!"

Kari was split on what to decide. Yolei was very passionate on the subject, and both Cody and Gatomon presented very good points. Plus, TK had agreed with them, and she trusted him with her life. And Shaun, who often proved to be very knowledgeable on such matters, had yet to take a side.

But Davis was the sole defender of Ken. Although Davis' judgment on the character of others wasn't always spot-on, he felt very strongly about Ken's turning over of a new leaf. Plus, his gut agreed with him...and in the time Kari had known Davis – which was about three years – Davis' gut had never been wrong.

Finally...she decided.

"Guys...let's give Ken another chance."

Everyone looked at Kari as she stood in front of Ken, alongside Davis. She smiled as she looked back at Ken. "After all, I've given Davis plenty of them in the past. Ken deserves one too."

Ken smiled at Kari; he had received another person's forgiveness. "Thank you..."

Davis grinned so widely that it was hard to tell where the smile ended and his face began. _YES!!! Score one for me!_ Davis prepared to yell 'In your face, TX!' as he stomped dramatically...

...and accidentally stepped onto Poromon's Twinkie. "AAAAH!!! MY TWINKIE!!!"

Slip.

CRASH!!!

Davis winced as his body lay on the ground, sprawled upside down against a nearby table. "Ow..."

Yolei resisted the urge to laugh. "Geez Davis, how do you make a fool out of yourself so often?"

"Shut it Yolei!" shouted Davis as he pulled himself to his feet.

Shaun good-naturedly shook his head before saying, **"Well...I'm going to defend Ken. I think he's deserved a second chance." **In all actuality – no matter how much Shaun disliked Ken for what he had done to their partners, and no matter how much he knew Ken was sorry – he had no choice but to defend him.

Otherwise...everything would change.

Minomon blinked. _Wow. 3 to 3 split vote. A lot better than I thought it would be!_

Suddenly, Upamon said, "Guys, there's a black spot on the screen!"

Everyone immediately ran to the monitor and looked at the grid. The sector in question was 01-001-OMICRON...and it was indeed black.

Slowly, everyone turned to stare at Ken, who impulsively backed away. "I...I don't understand...I'm not responsible for this..."

Cody scoffed as he muttered, "Yeah right."

Davis sighed as he held his digivice to the computer. "Come on guys, we don't have time to argue! Whatever's in that sector is bad news if it's causing that sector to be black! Digiport open!"

Before Yolei or Cody could protest the fact that Ken was coming along with them, the light of the Digiport overtook all six of them.

When it faded, they were all gone.

Shaun sighed as he closed the window. He had to get there as well.

* * *

/01-001-OMICRON, 4:17 PM/ 

"RUN!!!" yelled the stone creature – a Gotsumon – as the black rider roared through town, wreaking havoc and creating destruction every which way. Gotsumon and Gizamon ran away as fast as they could from the furious Zanbamon.

Zanbamon crossed his two swords and shouted, "Cross Slash!" He quickly uncrossed his swords, causing an X-shaped blast of electrical energy. The blast tore into the nearest stone building, causing it to collapse upon itself.

A Gotsumon squealed as he dashed away from the black rider. "Everyone, run!!!"

Zanbamon chuckled as his large, golden sword began to crackle with power. "Run all you want, but you'll never escape! Electric Guillotine!" With a quick slice of his large sword, a Gotsumon was beheaded. The body was deleted, but the head still remained alive...but it wouldn't be for long.

Zanbamon smirked cruelly as he kicked the head away. "No challenge."

Several yards away, a TV flashed brightly Davis, Yolei, Cody, TK, Kari, and Ken fell out of the TV in a dogpile, partners included.

Armadillomon groaned as he wiggled out. "Man, how many times are we going to do this?"

Gatomon growled as she pushed Wormmon away. "Get off!"

"Sorry," meekly replied Wormmon.

Yolei nearly shrieked as she saw that Ken had landed in an awkward position on her. "You pig! GET OFF!" Despite this, it was easy to see that her face was red.

Ken meekly retreated. "Sorry..." His face was red as well.

Suddenly, Shaun and (Agumon) appeared out of the TV as well, landing on their feet softly. Patamon glared at the two and exclaimed, "HEY! How come you two landed on your feet?!"

"Practice," replied Shaun. Then (Agumon) said, "Luck also factors in!"

Kari sighed as she laid on the ground; she had been unfortunate enough to have been the bottom one. "Everyone mind getting off of me?"

Then, something rolled into her field of vision and stopped inches away from her face.

Her eyes widened when she recognized it as the head of a Gotsumon.

"**AAAAIIEEEE!!!!!!"**

Everyone suddenly leapt back as Kari screamed. TK worriedly yelled, "KARI?! What's wrong?!"

Then they saw it. The head of a Gotsumon, which finally deleted after all of the life left it. Everyone was pale...who would do such a thing?

"Electric Guillotine!"

Everyone looked to their left to see the head of a Gizamon flying into the air. Their eyes whirled to the figure responsible...Zanbamon.

Shaun scowled. "Zanbamon...he's a Mega Digimon. And I bet he's the one causing the darkness in this sector."

"But how?" asked Ken out of shocked curiosity. "There's no way Zanbamon could duplicate the power output of a Control Spire!"

_Not normally...but there's a good chance that...is it possible that she's begun to make her move?_ Shaun pulled out his orange D-3 as he looked at (Agumon). "Let's see here...(Agumon), warp-digivolve!"

(Agumon) warp-digivolve to......(Wargreymon!)

The light blue armor of (Wargreymon) shimmered as he waited for Shaun's signal to attack. Shaun simply said, "Do it."

(Wargreymon) charged.

Zanbamon whirled around to see (Wargreymon) charge for him. He smirked at the sight of the incoming Mega. "Finally...a REAL challenge! Cross Slash!"

(Wargreymon) pushed his clawed gauntlets together as he began spinning. "Nova Force!" (Wargreymon) tore through the X-shaped blast, but Zanbamon leapt away before (Wargreymon) could even hit him. The black rider smirked as he twirled the swords around in his hands. "This'll be fun..."

Davis grinned as he pulled out his blue D-3. "So Veemon...ready for another dose of golden power?"

Veemon cheered; he was going to be Magnamon again! "You bet Davish!"

"Alright then! Golden Armor Energize!"

Veemon golden armor-digivolve to......Veemon?!

"GAH!!!" Davis facefaulted at this. "What's the deal now?!" Davis took out his D-Terminal and looked at the screen, pulling up the menu showing his Digieggs.

DIGIEGG OF COURAGE: READY

DIGIEGG OF FRIENDSHIP: READY

DIGIEGG OF MIRACLES: CHARGING (89)

"WHA? CHARGING?!" shouted Davis out of disbelief. Charging?! Since when did a Digiegg need charging?!

Well...it did make sense, considering how powerful the Golden Digiegg was. "Ah well...we're going to have to go the old fashioned way!"

Veemon armor-digivolve to......Flamedramon: The Fire of Courage!

Flamedramon's fists flared with fire as he charged ahead. "Save some for me (Wargreymon!)"

TK pulled out his digivice as he turned to the others. "Let's do it everyone!"

Patamon digivolve to......Angemon!

Hawkmon armor-digivolve to......Shurimon: The Shinobi of Sincerity!

Armadillomon armor-digivolve to......Digmon: The Drill of Knowledge!

Gatomon armor-digivolve to......Nefertimon: The Angel of Light!

As the Digimon charged ahead, Davis turned back to face Ken. "Will you be alright? I mean, you don't have a Digiegg with you..."

Ken slightly smiled as he pulled out his black D-3. "I have my ways...Wormmon, digivolve." Wormmon remained silent as his body was bathed in white light.

Wormmon digivolve to......Stingmon!

The Champion form of Wormmon was the tallest Digimon of the bunch; he was easily seventeen feet tall, taller than even (Wargreymon). His body was well built, muscular, and covered with a tough exoskeleton. His chest, upper arms, shins, and head were covered by green-colored armor, while his thighs, feet, and lower arms were covered by tough, black armor. Around his abdomen, there were two spots where his muscular gray skin could be seen. Also, two large, white spikes extended from each foot. His fingers were actually five long claws made of white bone. A large hole stuck out of the top of each hand, with a large spike inside each one. He had small shoulder guards with three spikes in each covering each shoulder. Four thin, insect-like wings protruded from the back of his shoulders, hanging limply behind him. Red hair stuck out from the back and sides of his head, while his long, angular antennae hung in the air. The antennae were striped with red marks. Finally, his large, red, bug-like eyes looked about with a purposeful stare; the yellow 'Y' mark on his forehead served as the final feature for the large Champion. Then – with the same mannerly voice, except bolder and more distinct – he said, "I am Stingmon, the mighty Champion with more than enough brains to match my brawn! If you dare cross my path, you'll have to say hello to my Striking Spike!"

Davis blinked at the sight of the large Digimon. "Whoa."

Ken smiled warmly. "Wormmon was kind enough to bail me out when I went to the Digiworld on Monday; I had to get some data from the Spires for the programs, and I encountered a rather enraged pair of DarkTyrannomon."

Stingmon didn't say a word as he charged into battle.

* * *

"Terra Force!" (Wargreymon) heaved the glowing orb at Zanbamon, who quickly brought his golden sword to bear. With a mighty swing, Zanbamon deflected the sword back at (Wargreymon) who quickly dodged his own attack. 

Flamedramon leapt into the air and flung three fireballs at Zanbamon. "Fire Rocket!"

Zanbamon easily evaded it. "Come now! I expected a challenge!"

"Then I shall oblige." Zanbamon turned around to see Shurimon perched on the rooftop of a building that still stood. "Swirling Shuriken!"

Zanbamon smirked as he held his katana backhanded and sliced through it before it even reached him. The two halves of the shuriken fell to the ground before the Mega's feet, cleanly cut into two.

Shurimon sweatdropped. _He is indeed a skilled adversary._

"Rosetta Stone!"

"Hand of Fate!"

Zanbamon silently winced as the two attacks struck his back. He turned around to see Nefertimon and Angemon hovering in the air behind him. "Pests. Cross Slash!"

Angemon and Nefertimon yelped as the X-shaped blast nearly struck them. Zanbamon's hooves crackled with electricity as he stomped the ground, causing small shockwaves. "Now you're making me testy...just you wait."

"Wanna bet?! Rock Cracking!!!"

Digmon created a tremendous fissure with his drills, which threatened to swallow Zanbamon whole. As quick as flash, he planted his two swords into the ground and vaulted away into the air before the ground gave way. Digmon blinked as Zanbamon landed safely on the ground, ten yards away from the fissure. "Dang, those are some strong arms!"

Zanbamon chuckled as electricity gathered in his hooves. "I am capable of much more than that...now watch, as I attack with my namesake! Murderous Horse!"

The horse head neighed violently as it continually stomped on the ground, sending out shockwaves the brought down more buildings, deepened the fissure, widened the fissure, and sent the Digidestined and their partners to their feet.

"W-w-we n-n-need to st-st-st-stop h-h-h-h-him!!!" stuttered Shaun as (Wargreymon), Nefertimon, Angemon, and Stingmon took to the air.

"N-n-no k-k-k-kid-d-d-ding!!!" replied Cody as he tried to get back to his feet, only to be knocked down once more.

Then, Zanbamon charged, his horse hooves creating strong shockwaves even as he charged for his nearest target...Ken.

Ken blanched as the katana came toward his midsection.

"Striking Spike!"

The ground between Ken and Zanbamon erupted as his right spike struck the dirt. Zanbamon reeled back, as did Ken. Stingmon growled he hovered protectively in front of Ken. "Let's see you do that again!"

Zanbamon smirked at the flying insect. "I don't need to touch him to attack." He stomped the ground, causing Ken to wobble wildly...and into the fissure.

Ken opened his mouth to scream...

But a gloved hand suddenly grabbed him, preventing him from falling into the eighty-foot, fifteen-foot wide fissure. He looked up to see Yolei looking down at him with a concerned, yet angry face. "Yolei..."

"Can it! I just don't want your parents to get upset," replied Yolei as she tried to pull Ken out of the fissure.

"OOF!!!" Stingmon groaned Zanbamon sent him flying into a nearby stone building with a strike by the blunt side of his sword. Ken suddenly paled as he saw Zanbamon prepare to impale Yolei's back with his katana.

As quick as a flash, Ken pulled Yolei away before the katana flew down, impaling the ground where her back had once been. Yolei shrieked as Ken bounded off of the fissure wall with his legs...twisted around in midair...and grabbed the lip of the fissure's other side.

Yolei blinked out of astonishment as Ken struggled to pull them out of the fissure. "Wow...that was...but..." She continued to try and find words as Ken pulled them out of the fissure and onto the stable ground on the other side.

Ken merely smiled as he looked at the stammering Yolei. "Let's just say that we're even." Ken then looked back at the battle.

Yolei couldn't help but blush. _Maybe...maybe he isn't THAT bad..._

* * *

"Blazing Cyclone!!!" 

Zanbamon crossed his swords, blocking Flamedramon's flaming body in its tracks. "Come now...surely you can do better!"

Flamedramon winced as Zanbamon knocked him away and into the ground, causing him to dedigivolve into Veemon. "Aw shucks!"

Zanbamon smirked...then he was kicked in the back by both Shurimon and (Wargreymon). He growled as his horse snapped angrily at the two Digimon. "Inferior combatants! Electric Guillotine!" Shurimon, with his great agility, quickly disappeared and reappeared on a nearby rooftop.

(Wargreymon) was not that quick.

CLANG!!!

(Wargreymon) groaned as Zanbamon pushed down on his gauntlets, his electrical sword sending shocking surges into his body. _Got to keep up...can't let him push further!!!_

Zanbamon smirked as he continued to push down, his purple eyes shining with malicious glee. "You are no challenge."

"You might want...change your mind," replied (Wargreymon) as he strained against the force of Zanbamon's powerful arms.

Zanbamon raised an eyebrow out of curiosity. "Oh really?"

(Wargreymon) tilted his head side. Zanbamon glanced to the side...

"STRIKING SPIKE!!!"

"GOLD RUSH!!!"

"DOUBLE STAR!!!"

Zanbamon roared in sudden anguish as a spike, five drills, and one spinning shuriken crashed into him and threw him away from (Wargreymon), giving him the time needed to get to his feet.

Zanbamon growled out of frustration as he held both of his swords tightly. "You will pay for that sneak attack!"

"You speak as if you fight honorably," said Shurimon as he stood the beam of a ruined house, his leafy scarf flowing in the wind. By now, all of the village's denizens had fled. "No...your murderous ways are anything but honorable!"

Zanbamon sneered at Shurimon. "You bleeding-heart fool...the only thing that matters is how much BLOOD IS SPILLED!!!" As his voice rose in volume near the end, he threw his katana...at Davis.

"DAVISH!!!" yelled Veemon as he ran toward his partner. He wouldn't make it in time!

All of a sudden...Davis' blue D-3 glowed brightly, as did Veemon.

Veemon digivolve to......XVmon!

Davis ducked as he prepared for the worst...

Then large, blue fingers flicked it away. Davis blinked as he looked up.

Standing in Veemon's place was a large, winged, bipedal dragon stood high above him, easily as tall as Stingmon. His skin was blue on every part of his body except from the bottom jaw down to his abdomen. A large, X-shaped mark was on his chest, colored gray. His muscles rippled and bulged over his entire body, a sign of his great strength. A pair of white wings protruded from his shoulder blades, which were made of tough leather. His claws were razor-sharp, as was the curved metallic horn on his head. A yellow 'V' adorned his forehead above his horn, and his red eyes glared at Zanbamon. "Alright pal, if you want to hurt my friend, you answer to XVmon! And if you don't like it, you'll have to answer to my X Ray!"

Davis' eyes blinked out of astonishment...then they became filled with a childish look of glee. _Cool! My partner became a Champion! And he's SO much cooler than Angemon!_ Even in battle, Davis tried to find ways to outdo TK.

Zanbamon growled as he held his swords tightly. "You fools...you shall not defeat me!"

XVmon chuckled. "Who are you fooling?"

"Face it...it's over! Everyone, ATTACK!!!" shouted Stingmon. "Striking Spike!" This time, Stingmon launched his two spikes out of the holes in his wrists.

"X Ray!" XVmon crossed his arms, and then uncrossed them as a yellow ray shaped like an X flew toward Zanbamon.

"Double Star!" Shurimon flung his left arm toward Zanbamon, then unhooked the vine-like fingers holding the shuriken, sending it flying alone toward Zanbamon.

"Cat's Eye Beam!" Two beams of yellow energy flew from the eyes of Nefertimon's mask.

"Hand of Fate! HAAA!!!" Angemon's fist glowed a bright yellow-orange as holy energy zoomed toward the murderous Mega.

"Gold Rush!" Digmon's five drills rushed (no pun intended) toward their intended target.

"Terra Force!!!" To complete the coup de grace, (Wargreymon) threw his gigantic orb of energy toward Zanbamon.

Zanbamon held his swords up in defense...but the attacks completely overwhelmed him.

Davis gave a whoop for joy. "Hooah! We showed him!"

Then...the smoke cleared...revealing a shocking sight.

It was as if Zanbamon's skin and armor had been melted away, revealing a black material underneath it. Ken's eyes widened at the sight. "He's...he's made of Control Spires!!!"

TK looked shock as a sudden realization came over him. The Spires in the area...there hadn't been any when they had come! _So this guy IS the one behind the dark power in this sector! But...why is he made out of Control Spires...?_

Zanbamon smirked at the Digidestined...then he crumbled into pieces.

The battle was over.

Kari blinked out of astonishment. A monster made out of Control Spires...was such a thing even possible?

Her eyes wandered around...then they fell upon a woman standing on the top of the nearby mountain. _Huh?_

Curiosity overtaking her, she pulled her digital camera up to her eyes...zoomed in...and took a few pictures.

As she looked away to glance at the digital image of her photos on the camera screen, the woman on top of the mountain – Arukenimon – turned away as her master opened up a portal for her.

She stepped in, and it closed behind her.

* * *

/Computer Lab, Odaiba, 4:51 PM/ 

By now, all of the Digidestined had returned from the Digital World, while Shaun had returned to Gennai's House. Now he was speaking to them via a video connection. **"So everyone...I take it Ken has proven himself?"**

"Of course!" said Davis as he cheerily smiled.

Yolei slightly blushed as she said, "Well...he did save my life."

TK replied, "He did help us out, and it wasn't him behind that Zanbamon freak..."

Kari cheerily said, "You already know my stance."

"Well..." Cody sighed as he resigned from his anti-Ken stance. "I'll let him in for the sake of the group...but don't expect me to get along with him."

Shaun sighed. **"Well, I suppose you can call that a yes..."**

Ken resisted the urge to cry. They were all willing to forgive him... "Thank you...everyone..."

Davis smiled as he patted Ken's shoulders. "No problem. What are friends for?"

Friends.

The word echoed throughout Ken's mind quietly as a smile came to his face.

"**So...Kari, do you mind showing those pictures you took?"**

Kari blinked as Shaun looked down at the camera dangling around her neck. "But...how did...oh never mind." She unclipped the camera from its strap and showed the picture of the pale woman to everyone. Then she showed it to Shaun, who shook his head with worry. **"I knew it. It's Arukenimon."**

"Aruwhatmon?" said Davis out of confusion.

Shaun sighed as he tried to refresh his memory. **"Arukenimon is an Ultimate Digimon with a unique ability...her hairs can give life to Control Spires. 1 Spire makes a Champion. 10 Spires make an Ultimate. And 100 make a Mega...and this is her, without a doubt."**

Ken grimaced. His former mistakes were being turned into monsters? _Great...my past sins just won't rest..._

Shaun just shrugged as he prepared to cut the link. **"Don't worry; we'll deal with her tomorrow. See you all later."** Then the video was cut.

Before anyone could say anything else, Ken was already putting his trench coat back on. Davis blinked as he protested, "Hey, you're leaving already?!"

Ken nodded as he put the hat on and stuffed Minomon into the folds of his coat. "Yes; my parents will get worried if I don't get home soon." As he turned for the door, he looked back one last time. "Once again...thank you everyone..."

Then he left.

Gatomon sighed. "Well...maybe he's not such a bad guy after all."

Cody, however, was still wary.

And unbeknownst to Shaun...Arukenimon was no longer the Ultimate Digimon she used to be.

* * *

/Ichijouji Apartment, Tamachi, 9:58 PM/ 

Ken prepared to lie down in his bed as Minomon looked up at him quietly. "So Ken...how do you think today went?"

Ken smiled. Truthfully, the day had gone much better than he ever could've predicted. All six of the Digidestined – well, maybe Cody wasn't truly ready just yet – had forgiven him...and his mistakes were going to be erased. _Nothing can go wrong now..._

How wrong he was.

Suddenly, his computer monitor shined with a black light as two large hands grabbed both him and Minomon. Before they could scream, they had been absorbed into the portal.

* * *

/Unknown Sector, Gennai's House, 10:00 PM/ 

"Shaun..."

Shaun looked away from his dinner at Gennai, who was staring at a computer monitor silently. "What is it Gennai? I just started eating my ramen!"

"A Digiport was just opened from 01-000-ALPHA..."

That made Shaun pause. The Emperor's Base was in the Valley of Death...but perhaps Ken had gone there to find something to totally eliminate his Spires with a program. "And?"

Gennai turned to Shaun, a grim look on his face. "It was forced open by something...this portal was not opened by a digivice."

Minutes later, a shout of 'Digiport open!' was heard as Shaun and (Agumon) left for 01-000-ALPHA.

* * *

/01-000-ALPHA, Ruins of the Emperor's Base, 10:03 PM/ 

Ken winced as he rubbed his head wearily. "Ow...my head..."

Wormmon looked around cautiously. "Hey...where are we?"

"Your base."

Ken and Wormmon froze at the voice. Ken looked around in the darkness...and recognized the general shapes.

The Generator Room.

"Who...who are you?!" demanded Ken with a nervous tone as he looked around, trying to find the source of the voice.

Then, Arukenimon and Mummymon stepped forward, both of them in their human forms. Ken paled and pointed accusingly at Arukenimon. "You're...you're the one who made Zanbamon! But why?!"

"I ordered her to."

Ken looked up...and gasped at the sight of the gleaming red eyes. And the voice...it was so familiar!

Then he recognized it. "D...Devimon?"

"No...I am much more now."

Then he stepped out of the shadows.

Ken screamed at the sight of Devimon's new body. He now had the body of Chimeramon, except there were some changes. For one, the body was larger...easily over sixty feet. Also, his entire body was devoid of any colors except for differing shades of black and white.

But the horned head of Devimon replaced Chimeramon's normal head, which was proportionately larger to fit in scale with his new body. His red eyes gleamed ominously as he smirked, staring at the frightened Ichijouji before speaking.

"I am much stronger...Chimeramon was capable of much more than he showed, but his feral mind was incapable of such a feat. But with my mind and my control over the powers of darkness...I am capable of Mega-level strength...and more." The new Devimon chuckled as he flexed his four arms.

"For I...am UmbraDevimon."

Ken and Wormmon backed away into the wall, trying to escape the menacing foe in front of them. UmbraDevimon smiled as two objects floated from behind his back and into the air. "Also...it's time for you to experience the power of the Black Gears. Your Dark Rings and Dark Spirals may have been impressive...but nothing can beat an original!"

Ken and Wormmon howled in pain as the miniature Black Gears flew at them and merged with the back of their necks. A searing pain erupted through their nervous system...

Then a red sheen came over their eyes.

* * *

/01-000-ALPHA, Outside of the Emperor's Base, 10:05 PM/ 

(Agumon) warp-digivolve to......(Wargreymon!)

"Okay (Wargreymon)...now be quiet." Shaun and (Wargreymon) cautiously crept for one of the holes in the side of the base, trying to find out the source of whatever had forced open a portal. Whatever had forced open the portal wasn't a lightweight...so they had to be prepared.

Suddenly, the wall beside them was blown open. Instinctively taking cover, they looked up to see Mummymon – in his battle form – walk out, holding his gigantic gun in one hand. Shaun blinked out of disbelief. _Mummymon too? He's here a bit early..._

Then Arukenimon walked out, in her spider mode. (Wargreymon) impulsively recoiled. "Eew..."

Then, Stingmon stepped forward, as did...the Emperor?!

_WHAT?!?! THE EMPEROR?! But Ken's changed!_ "Ken," calmly said Shaun as he tensed up. "Why are you here with these two?" _Then again...what if it WAS all a trick? No...he was too apologetic. Something doesn't add up!_

"Actually...I brought them here."

Shaun and (Wargreymon) looked upward to see the face of UmbraDevimon sneering at them. Shaun gaped at the sight. _What the...who is this guy?!_ "Who are you?!"

WHAM!!!

(Wargreymon) dedigivolved into (Agumon) from the sheer shock of the hit UmbraDevimon's fists had just given him. The new Devimon smirked as he looked down at Shaun. "UmbraDevimon is my name."

Shaun couldn't believe it...all the changes he had seen before had been NOTHING compared to this! This was the complete introduction of a new villain! _But...impossible! Things shouldn't have changed this much!!! It can't be!_

"Snake Bandage!!!"

Shaun and (Agumon) yelped as the rotting bandages of Mummymon tied them to the floor. UmbraDevimon chuckled as Arukenimon looked at them with a malicious anticipation. Mummymon looked at them with a morbid stare.

(Agumon) groaned as he tried to shake off the dizziness from the blow UmbraDevimon had given him. "Ow..."

Shaun's face paled as he looked at the three monsters above him. Then Stingmon and the Emperor stepped into view...and he was holding his whip.

Fear...utter, absolute fear. Fear that sprouted from within the essence of your very soul, because of your utter helplessness against foes that outnumbered you...and outclassed you in power.

That was a kind of fear Shaun had not felt in years. "What...are you going to do?"

UmbraDevimon laughed at Shaun's question. "Simple...I'm going to carefully turn you two into my message to the Digidestined. Once they see you after this...they'll know not to meddle in my affairs. Arukenimon. Mummymon. Emperor. Stingmon. Do what you will...just don't kill them."

They simultaneously nodded. Then they attacked.

Shaun and (Agumon's) screams echoed throughout the night.

* * *

To be continued... 

Next time...

Episode 24: The Rise of UmbraDevimon

* * *

Author's Notes: Yikes. Well, meet the new form of Devimon...UmbraDevimon (which is basically 'DarkDevimon', but Umbra is 'dark' in Latin. It sounds cooler! :P ). 

Next episode begins the UmbraDevimon Saga people!

Please read and review...and see you next time!


	24. The Rise of UmbraDevimon

Standard Disclaimer: I on't-day own-ay igimon-Day. Oei-Tay oes-day.

Author's Notes: Ah...the beginning of a new saga. (takes a big whiff) It smells like fresh-cut spring flowers.  
  
Now to the reviews!

... : Ooh; short name. O.o; Anyhow, welcome to Zero 2! And as for the Destiny Stones...they will NOT appear. I personally thought that storyline of season 02 was rather unintelligent; I mean, come on! Why would six stones – each and every one of them easily found and unguarded – be responsible for upholding the balance of the Digital World?

Well, that's how I view it.

NoRatCat: Glad you think this rewrite is better than the original TV show. Now if only I could turn this rewrite INTO the show. Imagine!  
  
Of course, FOX and Saban would never agree...maybe Cartoon Network would take it on their Toonami block!

Hey, you can always dream. :P

Silver Warrior: 'Whoa' indeed.

Miracles: Buddy...you assume WAY too much. You assume the Emperor will stay this way for a while...allow me to prove your assumptions wrong in this episode!  
  
Anthony1: (insert generic response here, as author is now writing the episode)

Begin!

* * *

_Shaun and (Agumon) have bared witness to UmbraDevimon._

_They have paid the price for that._

_Now...how will UmbraDevimon begin his ploy for power?  
_

_And how will he introduce himself to the other Digidestined?_

* * *

"This is Shaun speaking...Ken managed to prove his changed nature to us after a fierce battle against a Mega Digimon called Zanbamon...but as it turned out, that monster was made of Control Spires! Later that night, Gennai discovered that a digiport to 01-000-ALPHA was opened by force...and I went to investigate with my partner. I expected to find Arukenimon, the one behind the Control Spire beast...not only did I find her, but I found Mummymon, the Emperor, and a very lethal Stingmon...not to mention a completely new bad guy in UmbraDevimon...and I apologize for sounding so tired. I'm currently getting the stuffing beat out of me...OW!!!"

* * *

Episode 24: The Rise of UmbraDevimon

* * *

/01-000-ALPHA, Ruins of the Emperor's Base, Friday October 15th, 1:07 AM/

Shaun and (Agumon) couldn't scream anymore. They had screamed so much that their vocal chords had given out from the strain. Nothing but dull moans escaped from them now.

And at the moment, Arukenimon was using her sharp fingers to make new marks in (Agumon's) already bloodied skin. Stingmon was doing the same to Shaun, except he was using his sharp spikes.

The Emperor was walking away towards a TV, which was buried under a bunch of debris. UmbraDevimon turned away from the spectacle of Shaun and (Agumon's) torture to glare at his servant. "Where are you going?"

"To deal with the Digidestined once and for all...starting with the girl known as Yolei." The Emperor's tone was cold and emotionless...and in his hand was a small, razor-sharp knife.

UmbraDevimon remained silent. Then he said, "Very well. But only her. I want the others to face me before they die."

The Emperor wordlessly opened a Digiport and entered it, with only one thing on his mind...

The murder of Yolei Inoue.

* * *

/The Inoue Apartment, Odaiba, 1:11 AM/

Yolei sighed as Poromon snored loudly beside her head. _Man, how can such a refined Digimon snore so loudly?!_

Groaning, Yolei turned around and closed her eyes tightly, trying to ignore Poromon's loud snoring. After a few minutes, she finally managed to fall to sleep.

Moments later, the computer in her room shined brightly on the monitor screen. Seconds later, the light faded to reveal the Emperor.

The Emperor remained silent as he slowly advanced toward his target. His knife glistened as he walked by a window, which let the moonlight filter in. He silently whispered, "So...the cute little girl whom I bit...now I strike her down silently and without remorse. Rather fitting..."

He quietly edged over to her bed...then placed a hand over her mouth, causing her to suddenly jolt awake, eyes wide with shock and surprise.

Yolei's eyes opened quickly, and she nearly screamed with terror at the sight of the Emperor, hovering over her with a knife in his hand. However, the hand on her mouth prevented her from screaming. "MMM!!!"  
  
Meanwhile, Poromon continued to snore.

The Emperor leaned in close to her face, breathing quietly onto her as he held the knife centimeters away from her neck. "Scared little girl?"

Yolei slowly nodded. The Emperor was right...she was so scared that she couldn't move a muscle. She didn't dare struggle. She didn't even dare to try and speak.

"You listen here little one...my patience with you Digidestined has grown thin. That's why I'm going to finish you now...and I can't wait to see how the detectives will try and figure this case out...murdered girl, in her bed...but the murderer is nowhere to be found..." A cruel smirk crossed his face.

Yolei's eyes widened as she lay stock-still. He was going to kill her...he was going to KILL her! And after he had helped them no more than several hours ago...

_How could he? We trusted him...how?! How could he backstab us like this?!_  
  
"Since I'll try and erase your existence from my memory after all of this, I'll get some souvenirs to remember you all by...Davis' goggles, TK's hat, Kari's camera, Cody's kendo stick...and you?"

Yolei's eyes – as impossible as it seemed – widened even further when the Emperor kissed her on the lips. And as hard as she tried to fight it...she enjoyed it.

"My souvenir from you is the last kiss you'll ever have...now, you die." He pressed the knife against her throat...only one horizontal movement across it would split the skin open and send blood flying...

Poromon suddenly awoke. "HEY!!!" Out of the innate desire to save his partner, Poromon digivolved.

Poromon digivolve to......Hawkmon!  
  
Hawkmon leapt over from his spot on the bed, hitting the Emperor with his body and knocking him away. He stood protectively in front of Yolei and said, "Yolei, are you injured?"

Yolei immediately held a hand to her neck...and sighed with relief. "No, I'm okay..."

"So, my attempt has been foiled," mused the Emperor as he walked over to the computer. "Oh well...at least you'll have a hard time falling asleep for the next few weeks."

Yolei growled as she quietly said, "You piece of trash...how dare you try and trick us again?! You honor-less backstabber!"

The Emperor smirked. "Thanks for the compliment...now I must be off. Digiport open." Yolei and Hawkmon shielded their eyes as the Emperor disappeared in a flash of light. When the light faded, he was gone.

Hawkmon looked up at his partner, who was busy wiping her mouth with the sleeve of her pajamas. "Are you okay?"

Yolei shook her head. "No...I'm not."

Ken Ichijouji had proven to be a helpful ally several hours ago...if not a good friend.

But the Emperor had shown himself to her that night.

How? How could Ken fake all of that emotion from earlier? Was it all a very convincing act?

One thing was for sure though...something was going on. And there was no way the Emperor could be back without Ken doing something about it...right? _Gah...I'll just talk to the others about it tomorrow._

The Emperor had been right about one thing though.

Yolei couldn't get any sleep for the rest of the night.

* * *

/01-000-ALPHA, Ruins of the Emperor's Base, 2:01 AM/

The Emperor remained silent as UmbraDevimon glared at him. "So Emperor...the girl is still alive?"  
  
"Regrettably, yes."

UmbraDevimon smirked instead of glared. "Good...I'd rather them all be alive. Besides...it'll make things harder on you, now that you've tried to kill at least one of them."

The Emperor looked up at UmbraDevimon in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"You served your purpose Ken; you tried to kill one of the Digidestined in their sleep, and she'll tell the others without a doubt. Now sleep." UmbraDevimon's lower right hand motioned toward the Emperor and Stingmon. His red index finger glowed brightly...

And all of a sudden, the small Black Gears in Ken and Stingmon's necks disintegrated into nothingness. With the negative influence on them completely neutralized, their conscious minds roared forth and took control. The strain, however, was too great for their physical bodies.

They fell unconscious immediately after UmbraDevimon's influence on them vanished. Stingmon dedigivolved into Minomon, who lay still beside Ken on the cold, metal floor.

UmbraDevimon's red index finger continued to glow as he tore a hole through the barriers between worlds. On the other side of the small hole he had torn open was Ken's room. UmbraDevimon smiled as he grabbed both Ken and Minomon.

He carefully placed them on Ken's bed. Once he pulled his arms out, the hole closed immediately. UmbraDevimon turned and smiled as Arukenimon and Mummymon continued their torture of their two prisoners: Shaun and (Agumon).

_Ken has betrayed the Digidestined...and when I deliver these two tomorrow, it will completely divide my foes forever. Then I will crush them all, piece by piece._

* * *

/Ichijouji Apartment, Tamachi, Ken's Room, 6:34 AM/

"Oh...my head..."

Ken slowly sat up, rubbing his head gingerly. He looked around quietly...he was in his room. Minomon slept beside him on his pillow, snoring quietly.

Last night...something had happened...

Why couldn't he remember?

And why did he have a dull headache in the back of his head near the neck?

_Oh well...I'm sure it'll wear off._ With that, Ken got out of bed to prepare for school, none the wiser to what had happened the previous night.

* * *

/Later that Day/

/01-000-ALPHA, Ruins of the Emperor's Base, 2:45 PM/

"Snake Bandage!"  
  
UmbraDevimon smiled as Mummymon wrapped the unconscious Shaun and (Agumon) in bandages, turning them into mummies themselves. "Good...hand-wrapped gifts for the Digidestined."

Arukenimon dragged the two mummified bodies over to UmbraDevimon's feet. "What shall we do with them now?"  
  
UmbraDevimon smiled as his right hand's red index finger glowed brightly. "Just wait and see." Once the time was right, he would open a portal to the computer lab of the Odaiba school.

Then the fun would REALLY begin.

"Sir...wouldn't sending them through the Digiport in their condition kill them? The strain of transcending dimensional barriers could destroy them in their condition," said Arukenimon, her voice calm and composed.

"That's the beauty of it Arukenimon...I don't open a portal. I tear the barriers apart. There's no transcending of barriers...because there are none." UmbraDevimon smiled as he thought about the advantages his ability would bring him.

Oh, how glorious his rise to power would be.

* * *

/Computer Lab, Odaiba School, 3:00 PM/

The bell rung loudly as all of the elementary students – their time in the school computer lab was during afternoon hours – gathered their belongings and left the room. After straightening everything up, the computer lab teach, Mr. Yukami, left the room as well.

Exactly one minute after Mr. Yukami left, one of the computer monitors turned pitch black. Seconds later, two mummified bodies were thrown out of the monitor, landing with a _thud_ on the hard floor. The monitor's color reverted back to normal immediately afterwards.

Moments later, Gatomon hopped onto the outside windowsill with Demiveemon and Upamon on her back. Patamon and Poromon flew down onto the windowsill as well.  
  
Patamon peered into the window and squinted. "Hey...why are there mummies in there?"

Gatomon shrugged. "Beats me."

* * *

/Junction M-H, Odaiba School, 3:13 PM/

"I'm telling you, he tried to slit my throat!"

Davis tried to ignore Yolei's rant as they walked down the hall to the computer lab. _She just had a bad nightmare...that was all._

"Yolei, you sure it wasn't a bad nightmare?" said Kari, a look of concern in her eyes.

Yolei angrily pointed to a small mark on her neck; it was the spot where the knife had been pushed against her. "Does this look like a nightmare to you?!"

TK blinked at the sight of the mark. _That's definitely real...but if she's telling the truth..._

"Come on guys! Ken's innocent! He wouldn't betray us like that!" desperately yelled Davis. He was dead-set on believing Ken's innocence no matter what, and he didn't care what the others thought! _It has to be some guy impersonating him...it has too!_

Cody frowned as they neared the door to the computer lab. He desperately wanted to pin the blame on Ken...but that wasn't right. They needed concrete evidence first.

Then they entered the computer lab.

The sight before them was rather...surreal. Davis numbly pointed his finger at the two bandaged figures on the floor. "Are those...mummies?"

TK quietly nodded. "Looks like it."  
  
Davis immediately screamed. "AAAH!!! This computer lab's _haunted!!!_"

SMACK!!!  
  
Davis winced as his head met the floor, courtesy of a hard smack upside the head from Yolei. "Get a grip you idiot! Let's just take a look!" As she stepped over to the two mummies, it was easy to see that her experience last night had infuriated her.

Meanwhile, Kari was opening the window to let the Digimon in. "So guys, how was your day?"

"Just fine!" cheerfully exclaimed Demiveemon. Gatomon's eyebrow twitched as she glared at Demiveemon, who bashfully added, "Oh...and, I kind of nearly accidentally sort of pushed Gatomon off the roof and into the outside pool earlier."

Kari giggled as she ran a hand through Gatomon's slightly frizzy hair. "Well, it would explain why your fur's a little wet."

"Yeah, no thanks to him!" Gatomon yelled as she glared daggers at the tiny In-Training.  
  
Demiveemon looked downcast, but then Upamon happily said, "Cheer up! It was an accident; after all, she's a cat. She hates water!" Demiveemon smiled as he nervously rubbed the back of his head. "You think so?"

Meanwhile, Davis was poking the larger mummy. "Boy, I wonder who got these things?"

Yolei shrugged. "Who knows? Maybe the Mr. Tukiyo ordered them for a history lesson and didn't have room for them in his office."

As the others were debating the origin of the mummies, Gatomon's nose suddenly wiggled.

Blood.

She smelled blood...

Coming from...the mummies...

"Guys...I smell blood from the mummies," she said gloomily.

That caused everyone to freeze. Cody quickly began ripping open the bandages of the larger figure while Gatomon ripped open the bandages of the smaller one.

When the bandages were completely torn away, everyone gasped at the sight.

Shaun and (Agumon) both laid on the floor, their bodies completely bloodied from head to toe. The Child of Wisdom's clothes were torn and ripped, with his skin torn all over him. Claw marks, spike marks...his entire body was stained with blood. And Cody paled when he looked inside his mouth; the inside of his mouth was cut, as if by a tiny blade. As for (Agumon), his entire body was scarred as well...

But one of the things they shared was whip marks.

"Whip marks..." Cody's eyes hardened as he turned to Davis. "Does Ken seem innocent now?"

Davis didn't have an answer for Cody. His gut screamed at him to retort Cody's question...somehow...some way...ANY WAY! "...how can you be sure those are from the Emperor's whip?"

SMACK!!!  
  
"Who else do we know that uses a whip?" angrily demanded Yolei as Davis coddled his new head injury on the floor.

"E...Emp...eror..."

Everyone paused. Shaun had just spoken. They turned around to see Shaun speaking...despite the fact it sounded hoarse and weak. It was sort of odd, really...Shaun had been a figure of strength and authority amongst the Digidestined, and his knowledge of the Digital World was invaluable. To see him look so vulnerable, so near death...it felt a little odd, to be honest.

Blood leaked from his mouth as he spoke. " He lapsed into unconsciousness. (Agumon) dedigivolved all the way to (Botamon), his body unable to hold it together anymore. "Bo..."

Suddenly, the magnitude of what Shaun had just said hit them. Emperor...Arukenimon...did that mean those two had done this to him?  
  
If that was true...then the two had partnered up. Cody glowered as his mind raced for answers. "Obviously, Shaun was telling us who did this to him...and if that's the case, the Emperor and Arukenimon are working together against us. The Emperor had tried to kill Yolei last night, but it backfired. And somehow, they managed to do this to Shaun and (Agumon)..."

_Yeah, but they won't last if we stand around like this!_ TK's face hardened as he turned to the others. "We can speak to Ken about this later. Right now, these two need help. Davis, you and I carry Shaun out front. Cody, call 911. Kari, you take the Digimon away from the school and into the Digital World; (Botamon) will heal faster that way. And Yolei...try and see if you can contact Ken. We need to talk with him."

Yolei cracked her knuckles. "Gladly."

Davis remained silent as he and TK dragged Shaun out. Cody left with Upamon to find a nearby phone booth. Kari gathered the remaining Digimon up and opened a Digiport to sector 01-100-OMEGA. They all disappeared in a flash of light, leaving Yolei alone with Poromon.

She growled as she pulled out her D-Terminal and began typing in a message.

Once Ken arrived...she would give him a piece of her mind!

* * *

/01-000-OMEGA, 3:17 PM/

Kari looked at the area around her silently. Large, red mountains seemed to stretch high above into a cloud barrier. Also, there seemed to be little footholds, marks, or potholes in the side of the mountains. As she looked up at it, a gust of wind blew past her, kicking up a bunch of sand. As the rocky wall stretched on for miles and miles away, so did the flat desert that accompanied it. Thankfully, the cloud barrier around the mountaintops prevented any sunlight from coming down upon her, making the environment rather cool. But still, she felt a strange chill in the air.

She turned to face the other Digimon, who were getting a feel for the area. "So Gatomon, where are we?"

Gatomon looked at the mountainous wall silently before answering. "The End of the World."

The others looked at Gatomon in astonishment (except for (Botamon)) obviously; he was unconscious in Kari's arms). "THE END OF THE WORLD?!"

Veemon immediately went crazy. "Help! We're all gonna die!!!"

SMACK!!!  
  
Gatomon's sweatdropped as Veemon fell to the ground, a paw mark on the back of his head. "Not like that! I mean it's the literal end of the world! A super-tall wall that separates the beginning and the end of the Digiworld."

Patamon pondered this in his head momentarily. "So you're saying that it separates the OMEGA sectors and ALPHA sectors from each other?"

Gatomon nodded. "Also, the OMEGA sectors are home to a strange phenomena called 'wormholes'."

"Wormholes?" repeated Kari out of blank surprise. "As in holes that transport people to different places, like a portal or a gateway?"

Gatomon nodded. "Yes...that's right. Back when I was working with Myotismon," Her fur slightly raised at the mention of the cruel tyrant. "He had been trying to find a way to use those wormholes to get to the Real World. Instead, this is where he found the cards that he had later used to open the ancient portal in his castle."

Kari went over the info in her head from the standpoint of a computer. In a way, the wormholes were like e-mail programs that sent anything over far distances in a short amount of time. She suddenly paused; why was she thinking from the standpoint of computer software? _This kind of thinking is something Yolei or Izzy usually does!_ Shrugging it off, Kari turned back to Gatomon and said,"Anything else about this place Gatomon?"

"Well, he had been working on something before beginning preparations to enter the Real World...but I'm not sure what it was. All I know is that it had to do with the Dark World."

Kari cringed in fear as the images of the Dark Ocean and Dragomon entered her mind. "How?"

Gatomon shrugged. "Don't know. But I remember Myotismon telling me that the dimensional barriers between the Digital World and the Dark World are rather thin here."

_Well, it explains why I feel this chill running down my spine_, thought Kari with a shiver.

Suddenly, the ground beneath them gave way.

"QUICKSAND!!!" shrieked Kari as she was swallowed.

Gatomon's eyes looked at the center of the sandy whirlpool...then she froze when her eyes saw a white dot in the middle of the sand, which continued to grow. It was a wormhole! "No! It's a wormhole! Another one just opened up!"

They all screamed as the white vortex swallowed them. In a few minutes, it closed, leaving a giant crater in the desert.

* * *

/01-000-ALPHA, Ruins of the Emperor's Base, 3:20 PM/

Arukenimon's eyes widened as a white vortex opened up in front of her. "What the...?"

All of a sudden, a girl and four Digimon were dumped onto the dusty ground in front of her. The vortex closed immediately afterward.

She immediately recognized the scent of the (Botamon), who was looking slightly bruised. "So...you dedigivolved to save yourself. And you've brought friends this time."

"Perfect...one of the wormholes in the OMEGA sectors must have brought them here." Arukenimon turned around to see UmbraDevimon, whose smile was gleaming malevolently at the group. Then his red eyes fell upon Patamon. "So...if it isn't the little pig who defeated me last."

Patamon shook his head as the others got up from their positions on the floor. "Ow...where are we?"

"My new headquarters."

Everyone looked up to see UmbraDevimon looking down at them. Patamon squealed out of fear at the sight of monstrous behemoth. "D-D-D-Devimon?!?!"

UmbraDevimon smirked as Mummymon – in his mummified, gun-toting form – aimed his arms at Kari and the Digimon. "No. I am UmbraDevimon...and I will make sure you all suffer. Especially you Patamon...you will be made into an example, just like Shaun and his partner."

Kari gasped as she looked down at the unconscious (Botamon). "You...you did those horrible things to Shaun and (Botamon)?!"

UmbraDevimon nodded. "Indeed...thankfully, you won't suffer as greatly as they did...but I won't make any guarantees with Patamon..."

"Snake Bandage!!!"

All of them were bound. Arukenimon morphed into her spider form as she stood over the prone forms of their captives. "What shall we do with them Lord UmbraDevimon?"

"Leave (Botamon) alone; any abuse now will kill him, and I don't want that...not yet anyway." UmbraDevimon cruelly grinned, baring his sharp teeth at his foes below. "Just beat the others into submission...but Patamon is a special case. Try to be thorough with him."

Arukenimon smiled as she clenched her fists together. "I'll leave the little bat-pig to you."

Mummymon nodded as he walked over to the bandaged – and therefore immobile – Patamon. He ignored the cries of pain from the other captives as held his gun up and pulled one of the yellow projectiles out of his belt. Its tip was colored fiery red, and he put in a slot on his gun. He cocked the weapon and aimed it at Patamon.

Patamon gulped as the barrel of the gun was aimed at him. "Um...what are you doing?"

"Normally, the projectiles will explode on contact...but I have some special ones that do certain things. This capsule turns my weapon into a flamethrower...it'll be good at torturing you." Mummymon placed Patamon several yards away from the other captives, then he stepped ten feet away from the immobile Rookie. His yellow eye revealed a small hint of compassion as he thought, _Forgive me little one...but my master wills me to torture you. And I must obey him to the best of my ability._

Then he pulled the trigger.

Flames roared over Patamon's head. The flames didn't touch him... but the intense heat was overwhelming. It was searing. And it was making the young Digimon scream with agony.

And as all of this was carried out...UmbraDevimon smiled.

* * *

/Sidewalk, Three Blocks from Odaiba School, Odaiba, 3:25 PM/

Ken – once more wearing a trench coat with a large hat – walked off of the bus and onto the sidewalk. His destination was Odaiba School...

He had intended to go there anyway, but a message he had gotten from Yolei had hastened him to get there as quickly as he could.

* * *

_Ken,_

_Get to the computer lab at my school. Now._

_Yolei_

* * *

_I wonder what Yolei needs me for_, thought Ken as he crossed the crosswalk. Now he was only two blocks away from the school. However, something was bugging him about Yolei's message...

For some reason he couldn't put his finger on, Yolei's message had had an aura of menace to it...but why?

_Oh, snap out of it!_ Ken shook his head repeatedly as he took control of his thoughts. _You're just imagining things..._

Minomon suddenly poked his head out of the coat and quietly asked, "Ken, are we there yet?"

Ken quickly held a hand over his partner's head to prevent anyone else from seeing him. Then he whispered, "Yes Wormmon; we're almost there. How's your head doing?"

"I still feel a little hint of a dull ache, but otherwise I'm fine. You?"

"I'm fine." Another thing; Ken and Wormmon both had had headaches upon waking up earlier that morning, and neither of them could remember what had happened the previous night. _What happened to make us lose our memory...?_

Another block was cleared.

Then his eyes fell upon flashing red lights. He squinted his eyes...and blinked when he realized it was an ambulance. _What's going on...?_  
  
Then he paled when he realized that the ambulance was sitting in front of the Odaiba School. _Oh no..._ A crowd of students had gathered around, waiting to see who was going to come out on a stretcher.

Then he remembered Yolei's message. _Was it about this?_

Then he saw a team of paramedics rushing someone out on a wheeled stretcher. To Ken's surprise, TK and Davis were running beside the paramedics.

And the one on the stretcher...was Shaun.

Ken nearly gasped as the paramedics carried the stretcher into the ambulance, while TK and Davis clambered into the back. A paramedic closed the back doors and hopped into the front passenger seat before the ambulance roared off for the nearest hospital.

_Oh God...what happened to him? _

Ken immediately walked into the school, completely oblivious to the confused and bewildered students conversing about what had happened to the boy.  
  
He had to see Yolei in the computer lab.

Now.

* * *

/Computer Lab, Odaiba School, 3:41 PM/

Ken silently stepped into the computer lab. To his surprise, the window shades were closed and the lights were off. Some of the computers were still on, but all of the monitors had been turned off. "Hello?"

Minomon poked his head out of the trench coat and – once he was satisfied the coast was clear – hopped onto the floor. "Where is everyone?"

"I don't know Minomon..." Ken, despite his changed nature, was still a very adept fighter. And something about this whole scenario was telling him to prepare himself...but why?

Slam.

Click.

Ken and Minomon turned around to see Cody standing in front of the door. He had closed it, and then he had locked it. Upamon was sitting beside him silently. "Cody? What are you doing here?"

Cody remained silent...but the hateful glare in his eyes told Ken that something was wrong. Also, the look in Upamon's eyes said that the little In-Training was bewildered about something that was about to happen. "Cody...what's going on?"

Cody merely pointed over Ken's shoulder.

Ken turned around to see Yolei holding a chair.

SMASH!!!  
  
Ken yelped as the lavender-haired girl brought it down upon his head. "AGH!!!" The skin on his forehead burst open, causing blood to spill on the floor. Ken's vision swam as Yolei kicked him in the side.

"Ken!!!" yelled Minomon out of worry.

Minomon digivolve to......Wormmon!

"Don't make me hurt you Yolei!" shouted Wormmon as aimed his mouth at the girl.

She didn't answer with words. She answered with a kick at Ken's ribs.

"Fine then! Sticky-"

"Do not make me strike you down." Wormmon froze; he looked behind him to see Shurimon standing there silently. "Now be still; your honor-less partner has betrayed the Digidestined. Yolei is simply dealing out punishment."  
  
"Betrayed?! Ken wouldn't do anything like that!" As Wormmon pleaded, his mind was in a tizzy; why would they think Ken betrayed them? What had he done to do this? He had apologized, and he had helped them yesterday? What had incited this premeditated attack on his partner?!

"Yes...he would," panted Yolei as she momentarily stopped her assault, her eyes hatefully glowering at Ken's prone body, his hands covering his bleeding forehead. "He tried...to slit my throat last night...as the Digimon Emperor!"

Ken's eyes dilated at her words. No...that was an outright lie! "You're lying...the Emperor's no more. I've personally seen to it! And why would I do such a thing like that?!"

"Perhaps your dark side is still prevalent in you," said Shurimon, his voice calm and composed, yet laced with mercilessness. "Besides, I saw you in Yolei's apartment as well. Are you saying are eyes were fooling us?"

Wormmon silently raised an arm and suggested, "Erm...maybe it was a nightmare?"

Yolei angrily pointed to her neck; the spot where the knife had touched her was there in the form of a pale red mark. "This is where he tried to slit my throat!!! That doesn't come from a dream pal!"

"I don't know who did that! But it wasn't me!!!" angrily retorted Ken. A small tear escaped his right eye as he calmly – and with as much composure that he could muster – said, "Look...I just want forgiveness...I did not do this crime that you speak of..." Ken winced as he tried to sit up; his ribs felt like they were badly bruised.

Cody simply sneered as he quietly said, "My personal opinion of you is rather low Emperor. I honestly didn't want you to join the group, but I kept my mouth shut for the sake of the group. Guess I should've said something before all this happened."

Those words stung Ken's soul...but he would weather it. He had given Sam his word... "Please...let's just get back to the important subject at hand: what happened to Shaun? I saw him get taken to the hospital on my way here. What happened?"

"He and his partner were heavily injured," replied Shurimon, who still stood over Wormmon and Ken. If his visor were gone, his glaring eyes would've been seen. "We saw whip marks on him. And some of the wounds looked like they were made by Stingmon's spikes."

"Hold on, are you saying WE'RE responsible for what happened to them?" hastily replied Wormmon, his voice laced with a hint of incredulousness. After all, he would definitely remember something like that!

"I don't see you denying it," retorted Cody.

Ken quickly yelled, "Well now we're denying it! We didn't do that to them!"  
  
Meanwhile, Upamon was just watching on in confusion. In truth, he didn't know what to make of it all...he wanted to believe Ken's innocence, but he decided to just wait it out.

Yolei, on the other hand, was outraged. Shurimon and she had seen the Emperor try to slit her throat the previous night! After something so blatant, how could they even THINK that they were innocent?!

Ken, conversely, was completely bewildered. How could Wormmon and he had done something so cold-hearted and not remember anything about it?

Remember...

_WAIT!_ Ken suddenly froze as the realization hit him. _My headache...my inability to remember anything from last they be connected?_  
  
Then his D-Terminal beeped.

* * *

/Outside the Emergency Room, Local Hospital, Odaiba, 4:04 PM/

"So...you're saying his name is Shaun?"

TK nodded as the hospital official checked some notes. "Yes sir."

The bald official looked over the notes as he read them off. "And he's from the U.S. state of Colorado...and he was born in Okinawa. He came to Japan over a year ago, and you met him near the end of August. You say he's lived on the street ever since you've met him, and that you found him in your school's computer lab...am I going right so far?"

TK nodded. "Yes sir." TK glanced over at Davis, who was sitting at a nearby bench. Before the notes had been given, Davis had told TK what to say about what Shaun had been doing ever since they had met him. After all, they couldn't exactly tell the hospital official that their friend lived in an alternate world. If Davis can be given credit for any one thing, is that he's good at making up stories.

"Okay...so you find him wrapped up in bandages, you rip them open, and you find him looking messed up." The official gleaned over the notes once more and raised a curious eye to TK. "Why exactly didn't you invite him into your household? If he's as good a friend that you say he is, I'm sure you would've given him a place to stay."

_Stay calm TK; just tell him what Davis said to say if he asked this._ "He didn't want to impose. No matter how many times I tried to convince him, he wouldn't come."

The official sighed as he scratched his brown mustache; his narrow green eyes kept going over the notes as he quietly muttered, "Stupid homeless kids; never wanting to impose...it's stupid..." He looked back up at TK and said, "Thanks for the help; I'll have the people at 'Records' try and contact any Okinawa hospitals we can reach. Plus, the police representatives are looking for answers on who this kid is...after all, you know how much this reeks of attempted homicide."

TK nodded once more. Even though the official didn't realize it, he didn't know how close to the mark he had been; TK felt that Shaun had been the victim of an attempted homicide...even though TK had a very different idea about who was responsible.

TK sighed as he slowly trudged over to Davis' side and sat down in an adjacent chair. "Boy...this is something we don't need..."

"Tell me about it. I just hope he'll make it..." As he said this, Davis looked over at the white double doors at the end of the hall. The letters 'ER' were painted on in red. Shaun was beyond those doors. _Man...I hope he comes out okay._

TK frowned as he thought about Shaun's wounds. Whip marks...pointed marks...but that didn't explain the claw marks...they were too small to be from Stingmon...so it had to have been Arukenimon. The strange woman-like Digimon that Shaun had spoken of before falling unconscious...but something bothered him.

Where had Arukenimon come from?

"Ken didn't do it."

TK's thought processes were interrupted by Davis, who was staring at him intently. TK sighed before saying, "Look Davis...the evidence against Ken is too strong. Some of the marks were with whips, some looked like they were made by Stingmon's spikes, and those claw marks probably came from that Arukenimon Shaun mentioned before he passed out."

"So what?! Ken and his partner didn't do it! End of story!" Davis grumbled as he crossed his arms angrily and turned away. Was he the only one that believed Ken's innocence?!  
  
TK sighed heavily as looked away from Davis and toward the ER. He wanted to believe Ken...but he couldn't play the game of bias or favoritism. Not in a case like this.

Suddenly, a gray-haired surgeon wearing green doctorial robes walked out of the ER. He pulled a paper-thin breathing mask off of his face and looked at the two boys quietly. "Good news or bad news?"

TK mentally groaned; the doctor's tone didn't sound good at all. "Good news first. Makes the bad hurt less."

"Okay," replied the doctor as he pulled off his green hair net, which was mandatory for all surgeons. He readjusted his thick glasses before reading off of a clipboard. "Well here's the good news; his injuries are mostly external. There are a few hairline fractures in the humeri, the radii, and the ulnae, but they're no bigger than a few centimeters. Nothing but producers of pain. And according to our diagnosis, he's been whipped, and he has small marks on his body that look like they were made from spikes. There are also claw marks that indicate a mauling of some kind, but thankfully there's no internal bleeding. In my professional opinion, the one – or ones – behind these injuries were experts on how to torture with driving the victim to death."  
  
TK blinked. How was any of this good news? _Well, I guess not dying is good enough..._ "And the bad?"

The doctor sighed once again; he really hated this part of the job. "Well, he's lost a lot of blood. Not enough to be fatal, but he won't be moving for at least a week; not until all of his blood has been replenished."  
  
TK sweatdropped. That was the bad news?! "Uh...okay...the good news sounds more bad than the bad news actually..."  
  
The doctor chuckled at TK's reply. "Here's how I look at it; what would you think sounds like better news? That you're not going to die, or that you won't be moving for at least a week?"

"...point taken." When TK thought of it like that, the doctor had a point; he'd prefer not dying to a week's worth of movement.

The doctor, satisfied that he had explained enough, went off to get cleaned up; after all, the boy he had just operated on was rather messy.

TK sighed as he sat back down. Davis glanced at his rival (of sorts) and asked, "What now?"  
  
TK quietly replied, "We wait."

* * *

/01-000-ALPHA, Outside the Emperor's Base, 4:11 PM/

Ken, Yolei, Cody, Digmon, Shurimon, and Stingmon crept along the outside of the fallen base quietly. Ken was tense...and after reading the message he had received, he had good reason to be.

* * *

_Dear Ken,_

_After doing a little digging, I found out that your D-3's signal was radiating from sector 01-000-ALPHA last night. And Shaun never returned to my house after he left...so you might want to think about what you were doing there last night. _

_Signed, Gennai_

_P.S: I know what happened to Shaun and (Agumon), so don't bother replying to apologize. Just get there and find out what happened._

* * *

Although Yolei and Cody had immediately tried to pin the blame on Ken in the face of this evidence, the former Emperor had not wasted any time trying to refute them. Instead, he had opted to go to 01-000-ALPHA to find out WHY he had gone there last night.

Even if Yolei and Cody hadn't agreed to come (although they had begrudgingly come along anyway; their reasoning had been that they couldn't trust him alone at his old base), Ken would've gone anyway: after all, he had a strange feeling that the answer to his memory loss lay at his old base.

So here they were; sneaking around the Emperor's old base, looking for whatever made Ken and Wormmon lose their memory...oh, and whatever had drawn Ken to go there last night.

Ken remained silent as he looked back at the others. "Let's try and be quiet...I have a bad feeling about this place..."

"No DUH. It's your old base, you moron," sarcastically – and angrily – replied Yolei. Ken resisted the urge to glare back at her; she was still disinclined to trust him, obviously.

Cody pulled out his D-3 to verify that all of their D-3s were indeed with them; specifically, the Dark D-3. He sincerely hoped that Ken still had his digivice with him...if not, then why would he come to the Digital World unless he was using it for something else?

When he activated his D-3, a yellow, red, and black dot appeared on his screen...but so did a pink dot. Cody blinked out of shock; the pink color meant that Kari was there! "Guys...Kari's here!"

"WHAT?!" exclaimed everyone, astonishment evident on their features.

Then, a white figure was thrown through the crumbling wall, landing beside their feet with a _thud_.

With one quick look, they could tell it was Gatomon. However, she was covered with bruises from head-to-toe.

Everyone paled as Gatomon lay limp on the sandy ground. Moments later, Veemon and Kari were both thrown out; both were in similar condition. In Kari's arms was (Botamon), although he was still unconscious and relatively untouched compared to the others.

"KARI!!!" shrieked Yolei as she knelt beside the heavily bruised girl. "Kari...what happened...?"

Kari weakly opened her eyes...and choked out, "It's...Umb...ra..." Then she fell unconscious.

"Umbra?" repeated Ken. "Umbra is the Latin word for 'Dark'...what does she mean? It's 'Dark'?"  
  
"Oh...she means something else entirely."

The three children and their partners turned around at the voice. Their eyes met the terrifying visage of Arukenimon's spider form. She chuckled maliciously as she threw the object in her claws at them.

That object was Patamon, who was burned beyond recognition. Before Cody could catch him, the little Rookie dedigivolved to his Baby form: Poyomon. The little Digimon landed in Cody's arms, quivering uncontrollably. Even now, the pain remained...even though the physical injuries were gone, save for a few bruises.

Ken suddenly had a flash of insight. "You did this...and you did it to Shaun and (Agumon) as well!"

"We cannot take all the credit." The new voice belonged to Mummymon, who stepped out of the darkness behind the broken wall and faced them quietly. "At least, not for the first two victims: you helped us with him."

Ken and Stingmon gasped. Yolei – her focus on Kari and the others momentarily forgotten – angrily turned to the two and yelled, "I KNEW IT!!!"

"They're lying!" Ken couldn't believe it...he wouldn't! Even if he had done it, why wouldn't he be able to remember it?! "If we did help them mutilate Shaun and his partner, we would've remembered it!!!"  
  
Then they all heard laughter.

"Silly Ichijouji...you cannot remember because last night's memories were erased."

Then, out of the darkness of the base, came UmbraDevimon. The mere sight of him – a fusion of Devimon and Chimeramon – scared Ken out of his wits. For one, it was his old creation...and also, a powerful lord of darkness was now controlling it. "No...it can't be...you were stuck in the Dark World..."

UmbraDevimon smirked as Mummymon's arms rose and took aim for the Digidestined. "Thanks to Project Chimera, I was able to break free...and as for your little memory loss, blame it on my Black Gears." A multitude of Black Gears swirled around his lower right arm as he continued his explanation. "You see Ken, I brought you and your partner to the Digital World last night for the sole purpose of driving a wedge between you and the Digidestined. I used my Black Gears to control you...to bring out your dark sides. When you served your purpose by attempting to kill Yolei, I neutralized the Black Gears within you. This resulted in a quick transfer between your enslaved mind and your conscious mind, culminating in a period of unconsciousness accompanied by memory loss. In a way, it's intentional...all the better for the drama that followed. They all blamed you for the Child of Wisdom's injuries, and you claimed innocence."

The Digidestined that were still conscious couldn't believe it. This monster so casually toyed with their emotions...and he played with their anger against Ken!

At the moment, Yolei and Cody felt a sudden pang of guilt over their biased hatred against Ken. UmbraDevimon had tricked them, yes...but they had been all too eager to believe that he was guilty. They had been nothing more than marionettes...playing according to the will of the puppet master...and the puppet master had been their anger.

"Ken..." Yolei shamefully looked at the former Emperor with a repentant look in her eyes. "We're sorry for blaming you..."

Before Ken could even reply, Shurimon interrupted. "I don't mean to be rude, but apologies can wait! We have a monster to fight!"

"RIGHT!" concurred Digmon and Stingmon. The three Digimon leapt toward the horned behemoth.

"Swirling Shuriken!"

"Gold Rush!"  
  
"Striking Spike!" Stingmon followed the shuriken and the drills toward UmbraDevimon, his left spike extended and ready hit.

UmbraDevimon only chuckled. "Fools..." He opened his maw and began collecting red and black fire into his mouth. "Dark Viper!"

A stream of dark fire, covered with red flames, roared toward the three attackers. The shuriken and the five drills were vaporized immediately, whereas Stingmon was pushed back into Shurimon and Digmon. An explosion erupted once they hit the ground.

When the smoke cleared, a glass-covered crater existed where UmbraDevimon's Dark Viper had hit. In that crater lay three comatose Digimon: Minomon, Poromon, and Upamon.

UmbraDevimon smirked as he looked at the frightened looks on Yolei, Ken, and Cody's faces. "Consider yourself lucky...I only used one-tenth of my full strength behind that blast. Mummymon!"

"Snake Bandage!"

Ken, Yolei, and Cody yelped as they were suddenly wrapped in bandages from the neck down. Arukenimon and Mummymon stood menacingly over them as UmbraDevimon issued one order.

"Beat them into submission."  
  
And they did so.

UmbraDevimon smiled as the screams reached his ears. In a way, it was rather fitting...the leader of the New Digidestined and TK Takaishi – the boy that had been responsible for his downfall so long ago – were the only two left.

_Yes...it's more fitting that they are the only ones to be spared of my wrath. Let the guilt of not being able to save these children from their fate burden them...yes. That will do nicely._

* * *

/Emergency Room, Local Hospital, Odaiba, 4:25 PM/

Shaun weakly opened one eye. He saw white walls...

Then he recognized where he was. An ER in some hospital...was he in the Real World?

Then he remembered. UmbraDevimon...

He sat up like a shot.

Then he sat back down; the pain shot through his body like a rocket. His whole body felt like rubber...and it wasn't exactly easy to move with all the bandages on him. With a pained grunt, he readjusted himself. _Oh well_, he thought silently. I've been through worse...

He tilted his head to see a nurse working on a small PC. Apparently, she was using it to send his medical files to the main hospital database. Shaun weakly choked out, "Excuse me..."

The blonde-haired nurse turned around in surprise. "Oh...the doctors told me you wouldn't be up for a while. What can I do for you?"

Shaun's brow scrunched as he tried to recall what had happened after the beating. He had been mummified...then a few moments of consciousness before fainting...at the school! "Did...anyone come with me...from the school?"  
  
The nurse looked out the window of the ER's doors. Some distance away, she saw a blonde-haired boy with a white hat, and a goggle-wearing boy with brown-maroon hair. "Hmm...oh yes! Two boys came with you from the school. One has a white hat, and one's wearing goggles."

"Can...you...send them in?" Shaun felt like cursing to himself...it hurt to even speak!

The nurse nodded quietly. She stepped out of the ER, leaving Shaun alone.

Fifteen seconds later, Davis and TK stepped in behind the nurse. "Anything else?"

Shaun nodded. "Can we...talk...in private?"

The nurse contemplated Shaun's request...but she decided to let him have it. "Very well." She then left the ER, leaving the three boys alone.

Davis was the first one to speak. "Dude...you okay?"

Shaun sighed as he looked at one of his bandaged hands. He glared hard at it; he wanted to burn the image of his failure into his head. "......I failed."

Davis and TK blinked out of confusion. TK was the first to recover. "Failed? What do you mean?"

"...I shouldn't have been so shocked...my shock caused this to happen...I didn't react in time...God...my failure might be fatal to the group..." Shaun's eyes looked far-off and glazed...was he off the deep-end, if only just a little bit?

"Dude, I don't know what failure you're talking about, but get over it!" Davis couldn't believe how odd Shaun sounded...he sounded like a completely different person! Then again, a person who'd been through such horrible injuries might change in some ways...

"You don't understand...he...he was too strong...and I didn't even anticipate his existence..." Shaun looked quietly at the two of them as a sudden thought came to mind. "...where are the others?"

"Kari was sent to the Digiworld with (Botamon) to help him get better," replied TK.

The wide look that Shaun's eyes suddenly took on frightened both of the boys. What did it mean...? Did it mean...something had happened? TK sternly asked, "Shaun...the Emperor didn't do this, did he?" TK's tone of voice was one of uncertain understanding...he understood that the Emperor was somehow not involved; however, he was uncertain about what Shaun had faced.

Shaun winced as he struggled to reach for his pocket. After some effort, he managed to pull out his D-Terminal. He quickly opened it and connected to Gennai's systems in the Digiworld. "Gennai..."  
  
Some static sounded through the D-Terminal's speaker, but the connection became stable moments later. Gennai's wizened voice came through after that. **"Well, it's good to see that you're still able to talk. What's up?"**

"Gennai, there's no time for formalities. I need to know how many Digidestined are in the Digital World right now," demanded Shaun.

"**Okay, okay! Don't be so pushy..."** Through the speaker, the three boys could hear the 'clickity-click' sound of Gennai pressing some buttons and keys on his computer console. **"Ah, here we go...well that's odd..."**

"What's odd?" repeated Shaun, his mind silently dreading the answer about to come.

"**According to my sensors, there are four Digidestined in the Digital World at the moment. Kari, Yolei, Cody, and Ken...and the odd thing is that all four are in Sector 01-000-ALPHA."  
**

Shaun paled in the face as his eyes widened out of muted fear. _Oh no..._ "TK. Davis. You two need to get to 01-000-ALPHA. NOW. The others are in danger."

"Tell us what's going on first!" irritably demanded Davis. He hated being left out in the cold when it came to information. "Who did this to you?!"

"There's no time to explain! Just hurry up and get them out of there!" He quickly brought the D-Terminal to his face and said, "Gennai. Target the PC nearest to my D-Terminal's location and set up a Digiport between it and 01-000-ALPHA!"

"**Can do Shaun! Give me a few minutes!"**

Although any computer with access to a network of any kind could have a Digiport opened in it, the destination was always randomized without a guidance program of some kind (such as the Digital World Grid Map program that Izzy created; a similar, albeit more advanced, program was used by Gennai and Shaun).

However, the powerful capabilities of Gennai's computers allowed him to do a lot of things...including the alteration of computers in the Real World.

A window that looked like the Digital World Grid Map suddenly appeared on the ER's PC. Sector 01-000-ALPHA blinked back and forth, signifying that it was the set location. Shaun glared at the two quietly. "Go...now."

Davis and TK begrudgingly nodded. The two pointed their D-3s at the computer and shouted, "DIGIPORT OPEN!!!"  
  
Shaun managed to say one last thing before the two boys entered the Digital World. "TK...when you see this new foe...keep a hold on your emotions."

TK didn't have any time to ponder Shaun's words before the light of the Digiport enveloped him. When the light faded, both Davis and TK were gone.

That's when the nurse ran back in. "Hey! I just saw a bright flash and...hey...where did those two boys go?"

Shaun looked at the woman with a look of confusion. "What are you talking about? Nobody ever came in here..."

The nurse sweatdropped as she went over the previous events in her mind. "No...I'm sure I brought two boys in here! You even asked to see them!"

Shaun shrugged. "Lady...maybe you're overworked. You look rushed...maybe you should use some vacation time. It wouldn't do you good to be tired on the job..."  
  
The nurse sighed as she turned around. _The boy has a good point...I HAVE been feeling rather rushed and tired lately..._

As the blonde-haired lady left, Shaun smirked. _Score one for me._

After a few minutes passed, Shaun made up his mind. He got out of his bed and walked over to the PC.

* * *

/01-000-ALPHA, Ruins of the Emperor's Base, 4:32 PM/

UmbraDevimon blinked. Two more entities had just arrived...

Arukenimon and Mummymon stopped their pummeling of the Digidestined at the sound of their creator turning away. Mummymon inquisitively asked, "Master? What troubles you?"  
  
UmbraDevimon's eyes narrowed as he seemed to look beyond a wall ahead of him. "The two others...they are here."

Davis and TK landed on their feet – believe it or not – inside a darkened room. With a quick look around, they could see that the Digiport had dropped them out through the Emperor's main computer. As a matter of fact, Wormmon had gotten the information for the Digidestined from that very database (for more details, read 'Episode 20').

Davis rubbed some of the dust out of his eyes as they readjusted to the darkness. "Man, it's dark in here!"  
  
"Well, this base doesn't have any power. What did you suspect?" replied TK as he tried to get a sense of his bearings.

All of a sudden, a bony hand tore away the wall in front of them. When the rubble and powdery filth cleared, the red eyes of UmbraDevimon stared at them menacingly. "Well...I was correct. The leader of the New Digitwerps and TK Takaishi. It's been a long time."

The mere sight of UmbraDevimon filled TK with a sense of implausible fear and shock. _No...no! It can't be! Devimon...he can't be back! He was trapped in the Dark World the last time I saw him! How could he have gotten here?!_

TK suddenly realized why Shaun had said what he had said; a confrontation with his first nemesis and Angemon's killer was bound to get his emotions ruffled up. "You...how come you're here?! How'd you escape the Dark World?!"

UmbraDevimon smirked. "Ah...the part where I reveal my big comeback strategy. I've been waiting for the proper audience." He stepped back a little to give Davis and TK a better view of his new body.

Davis and TK gasped at the sight. Davis stuttered, "T-t-t-t-that's Chimeramon's b-b-body!"

UmbraDevimon chuckled. "You catch on quickly...you see, most dark Digimon like myself are reborn in the Dark World...and it's like a hellish prison to us. Without aid of some kind, we cannot escape its boundaries. I myself pondered this for a long time while in that dark place...and that's when I began keeping taps on the Digital World. Imagine my surprise when I saw the presence of the New Digidestined...and the Emperor."

Davis grumbled as he interrupted, "Do you have a point to this?"

UmbraDevimon, in turn, laughed. _Such impatience! These brats haven't changed at all! How wonderful!_ "Patience young one. With the Emperor, I saw a way out. I had to formulate a plan...that plan was Project Chimera."

"WHAT?! But the Emperor was behind Project Chimera!" retorted a surprised TK.

"Wrong...where do you think such a complex plan arose from? Me...indirectly of course." Suddenly, a Black Gear emerged from within the Emperor's computer, twirling around UmbraDevimon's upper left hand. "You see, my Black Gears are rather malleable when it comes to their capabilities...I mentally programmed this Black Gear with the specs for Project Chimera. When I had finished, you were in the Dark World trying to rescue the Child of Light from Dragomon."

TK suddenly connected the dots. "No...the portal Davis and Shaun opened..."  
  
"You've gotten smarter; good." UmbraDevimon chuckled as the Black Gear suddenly stopped moving, hovering over UmbraDevimon's hand silently. "You are correct; I used the portal those two opened to slip the Black Gear through. From there, it merged with the electronics of the Emperor's main database. It didn't take long for him to discover the files for Project Chimera...but he never thought to trace the files' origin! Such a fool!"

"But it doesn't explain how you got out of the Dark World!" exclaimed Davis.

"True...it doesn't explain my plan fully. You see, during the process of mentally programming my Black Gear with the specs for Project Chimera, I also began the process of creating powerful minions. The first one was Arukenimon." UmbraDevimon pointed down to the red arachnid. "The second was Mummymon." He then pointed to the mummified Ultimate.

"You were the one who made Arukenimon?! How?!" demanded TK, shock evident on his features.

"I used pieces of my own data and the power of the Dark Ocean to create them! And they were a necessary part of my plan...you see, the barriers between worlds are malleable as well. You just need to know how to exploit the weaknesses of those barriers. When the Emperor gathered the data to create Chimeramon, he sealed my return to dominance."

Davis blinked out of confusion. "Uh...how?"

"My data existed on both worlds! My arms in the Digital World on Chimeramon, and my own body in the Dark World! With my essence on both worlds, I could open a gate from there easily...provided I had enough strength to break through. That strength came from Arukenimon and Mummymon. Once Chimeramon was destroyed, I took the opportunity to break free of that darkened world...and to my surprise, I found a present! I originally intended to draw the data particles of Chimeramon to myself, one piece at a time...but I find Chimeramon all wrapped up in a little sphere! That only made it easier..." UmbraDevimon chuckled as he spread his arms out, showing his entire form in all of its glory. "And after assimilating Chimeramon's data, I became UmbraDevimon!"

TK paled at the name. Then he felt compelled to look over the edge...then he saw the ruins of the Generator Room.

He gasped at the sight of the bodies on the ground. "POYOMON! KARI!!! EVERYONE!!!"

At the mention of Kari, Davis rushed forward. He too gasped at the sight of his friends laying on the floor, unconscious from the beating. "Oh, that's it! You're going down UmbraDevimon!"

UmbraDevimon laughed at Davis' audacious challenge. "You? Stop me?! I'd like to see you try!"

Davis quickly pulled out his D-Terminal and looked at his Digieggs.

DIGIEGG OF COURAGE: READY

DIGIEGG OF FRIENDSHIP: READY

DIGIEGG OF MIRACLES: CHARGED (100%)

Davis smiled. "Oh buddy, you asked for it now! Veemon! Golden Armor Energize!"

A golden light erupted from the screen, roaring past UmbraDevimon and toward Veemon. Suddenly, the little Rookie woke up as the golden light coursed over him, gradually healing his wounds. "Wow! Thanks for the boost Davish!"

Veemon golden armor-digivolve to......Magnamon!  
  
Magnamon flexed his muscles as he charged for UmbraDevimon. "Alright pal! Now you're in for it!"  
  
UmbraDevimon stretched his jaws, revealing the black and red orb gathering in his mouth. "Dark Viper!!!"

Magnamon yelled in pain as the fiery stream pushed him back and into the ground, kicking up a large cloud of dust. When it faded, Veemon was seen shaking his head. "Ow...that wasn't supposed to happen..."

"**WHAT?!!! NO WAY!!!** BUT...THIS IS MAGNAMON WE'RE TALKING ABOUT!!!" exclaimed Davis, his eyes bulging out of his head. He had good reason to; Magnamon was practically the strongest Digimon on the side of the Digidestined at the moment, with the possible exception of MagnaAngemon and (Wargreymon).

UmbraDevimon smirked. "That shot had four-tenths of my full strength behind it...now you know how outmatched you are." He turned around to face Davis and TK once more. "Go on...take them home with you. I only intended to make a message out of them...my message has been delivered."

Davis and TK growled at UmbraDevimon. Davis pointed his blue D-3 at Veemon and said, "Veemon...armor digivolve..."

Veemon armor-digivolve to......Flamedramon: The Fire of Courage!  
  
With Flamedramon's help, all of the bodies were gathered in front of the Emperor's old computer. TK looked down at Poyomon's quivering body as anger welled up within him. He hatefully glared at UmbraDevimon as he slowly growled, "UmbraDevimon...you will pay for this..."  
  
UmbraDevimon smirked at TK. "I look forward to seeing you try."

Davis held his D-3 toward the computer, and – once he was sure his hand was keeping a safe hold on Kari's arm – yelled, "Digiport open!!!"

The bright flash of light overtook them all. When it faded, all of the Digidestined were gone.

Arukenimon looked up at UmbraDevimon cautiously as she reverted to her human form. "UmbraDevimon...are you sure it was wise to let them leave?"

UmbraDevimon shook his head as his smirk grew wider. "Oh, don't worry...I still have one last thing to show them."

* * *

/Computer Lab, Odaiba School, 4:51 PM/

Everyone landed with a thud on the floor. Davis groaned as he got to his feet. "Man...that UmbraDevimon guy was unreal, hey TK?" No answer. "TK?"

TK was too busy thinking. Out of all the Dark Digimon that TK had encountered in the past, he loathed Devimon the most...mostly because he had destroyed his partner during battle. And now he was back...and he had done such horrible things to his friends. He will pay for this...he will pay!  
  
"Ohh...why does my body feel like rubber?" Yolei moaned as she slowly sat up, moaning from the bruises that had been inflicted upon her. Soon, everyone woke up.

Gatomon sighed as she looked at Poyomon. "So...UmbraDevimon decided to make an example out of him...just like he had done with Shaun and his partner."

TK slowly nodded as he cradled Poyomon in his hands. "He will pay for this..."

Ken slowly rubbed his sore head as he went over the information Davis had just told him concerning UmbraDevimon's arrival into the Digital World. _So...he was pulling the strings for so long...I can't believe I actually followed those plans to the letter..._

"Ken..."  
  
Ken slowly looked up to see Yolei, standing in front of him quietly. Her hands were trembling. "Ken...I'm sorry...after last night, I was so eager to pummel you into oblivion, without giving you the benefit of the doubt...or a chance to let you explain yourself...forgive me..."

Ken sighed as he stood up – albeit with some difficulty – and hugged Yolei quietly. "Yolei...forgiveness and friendship aren't one-way streets...it'll just take a little more time to pave the roads."

Yolei smiled as she hugged Ken back. _Thank you..._ Still, she resisted the urge to blush; after all, she was still hugging a cute boy (albeit a heavily bruised one).

She failed.

Cody, meanwhile, was holding Upamon in his arms, thinking about the events of the previous day furiously. _We were all caught off-guard by UmbraDevimon...because we were fragmented...and split apart. UmbraDevimon succeeded at driving a wedge between us...but it worked because we were willing to believe that Ken was guilty._

Kari was now wide-awake. Even though she had been part of the older Digidestined team, she had not been around during the time of Devimon. But what she had witnessed of the monster was enough to convince her that he was one tough customer.  
  
A sudden thought came to her head as she looked down at (Botamon), who was sleeping soundly on top of a nearby monitor. "Hey Davis, TK; how's Shaun doing?"

"Shaun's okay...he'll live. Last we saw, he was in the ER," replied Davis.

"**Not anymore."**

Everyone suddenly turned around to see the face of Shaun on the monitor that (Botamon) sat on. There were still several bandages around his face, as well as some bruises. **"Hello."**

"SHAUN?! What're you doing back at Gennai's?!" shouted TK out of exasperation. "I mean, going through the Digiport in that condition couldn't have been good!  
  
**"Eh, it hurt a little, but I'll live."** Actually it had hurt like heck...but he had had no choice.

"Why did you call us?" asked Cody out of curiosity.

"...**do you guys mind sending (Botamon) back here? I'll open a Digiport from here. Digiport open!"** Shaun stepped away from the screen as a small portal opened. Cautiously, Davis took (Botamon) and threw him into the portal.

FWOOMP!!!  
  
As the portal closed, the screen revealed (Botamon)...sticking to Shaun's face. Although his voice was muffled, he managed to say, **"Thinks goys...so long. See you whenever I heal."**

Then he closed the connection.

"Okay...just one problem," said Cody. "How are we going to explain all of the bruises and stuff to our folks?"

That threw them all for a loop. That was actually a scary point...how were they going to explain everything to their parents without saying anything about the Digital World?  
  
Suddenly, a figurative light bulb flashed over Davis' head. "I've got an idea!"

* * *

/Inoue Convenience Store, Odaiba, 5:08 PM/

Subaru Inoue sighed as she ran a hand through her dark blonde hair, which was fashioned in a bowl cut around her head. "Sasuke! Hurry up and get that box of candy bars in! We have a customer that wants one and we're out!"

The frazzled, dark brown hair of Sasuke Inoue poked out of the back door first...then the rest of him. He wore a simple red shirt and khakis, while he wore an apron advertising the store's name over them. His brown eyes revealed one thing: stress. After all, a box of candy bars was heavier than people thought. He plopped it down on the front desk in front of his wife and the bewildered customer. "There!"

Subaru smiled as she handed the customer one candy bar. "There you go." Like her husband, she wore an apron as well, except she wore it over a pink sweater and red sweat pants. Her figure was small and lithe, but still curvy in the right places. In contrast, Sasuke was rather strong and 5'7''; a full foot taller than his 4'7'' wife.

Another thing that they had in common...was glasses. It explained why all four of their children – their eldest son Mantarou and the three sisters Chizuru, Momoe, and Yolei – wore glasses: it was hereditary.

The bell for the front door rang as another person stepped through. Subaru happily turned and said, "Welcome to the Inou-AAAH!!!! YOLEI?! WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU?!!!"

* * *

/Hida Apartment, Odaiba, 5:09 PM/

Anna Hida quietly opened the front door. "Hello...oh my God!!! CODY?! WHAT HAPPENED?!"

* * *

/Kamiya Apartment, Odaiba, 5:12 PM/

Yuuko Kamiya (Tai and Kari's mom) and Tai shrieked at the sight of Kari. As the most protective people of Kari in the world, they nearly died at the sight of a beat-up Kari. "WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU KARI?!?!"

* * *

/Ichijouji Apartment, Tamachi, 5:31 PM/

Keiko Ichijouji calmly opened the door...and screamed. "KEN!!! OH MY GOD, WHAT HAPPENED?!!"

* * *

In response, they all said what Davis had told them to say; incidentally, he had told them all to say the same thing.

"I got mugged."

It worked.

* * *

/Takaishi Apartment, Odaiba, 8:06 PM/

Ring. Ring. Ring.

"I've got it mom!!!" TK quickly answered the phone in the kitchen; he had been working on cooking some ramen when the phone had rung. "Takaishi apartment, how can I help you?"

"**TK Takaishi? As in the boy who accompanied Shaun to the hospital earlier?"**

TK recognized the voice now; it was the official that he had given information on Shaun to. "Oh, hello again! Yes, this is he!"

"**Well...we contacted the hospitals at Okinawa. They have no records on a person named 'Shaun'. So we decided to contact officials in Colorado, asking if any boy matching Shaun's profile has gone missing. Nothing."**

TK suddenly felt his blood run cold. "What are you saying?"

"**Well, Mr. Takaishi, I just felt like telling you that – officially – your friend does not exist. And now the whole hospital's in an uproar now that he's gone!!! Will you contact us if you find him?"**

"...sure..." TK numbly hung up as the enormity of the official's words hit him. As it did, his mind had a flashback to when Shaun had revealed himself to the Digidestined.

_He lied to us..._

But why? Why lie about something like that?!

TK sighed as he went back to cooking ramen. He felt too tired to contemplate the new information any further.

UmbraDevimon. The example he had made out of Shaun, (Agumon), and his partner. And now this...

_Man...I just feel like sleeping..._

* * *

/Dragomon's Palace, City of Cthulu, Dark World, 9:45 PM/

Dragomon looked down at the chessboard quietly. With a thought, he transformed the Devimon piece into an UmbraDevimon piece. "He has taken his new form..."  
  
He moved the piece forward, placing it in front of Kari-shaped piece. He then pushed the Kari piece away with the UmbraDevimon piece, pushing the Digidestined piece back another square. "UmbraDevimon has made the first move...and in doing so, has attacked the Digidestined, wounding them greatly. Now...he waits for their answer."

* * *

To be continued...

Next time...

Episode 25: The Dark Obelisks

* * *

Author's Notes: 35 pages. Eh, not bad.

Sorry for the delay; I've been moving into a new house, and it took a while to get a good writing pace again. Oh well, life goes on.

And for some reason, I feel a little disappointed about this chapter...maybe because it's my first time doing a plot-revelation chapter of such a size. I don't know...I'll let you reviewers decide.

See you next time!


	25. The Dark Obelisks

Standard Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon. I don't own Pokemon either!

Author's Notes: Ah...the new villain has been received rather nicely. To the reviews!

... : You should look into getting a new name. It's hard to pronounce. O.o

Anyhow, concerning Shaun's movement...it's sort of explained a bit in this episode, but the doctor assumed Shaun was just your average teen who lives on the street. Once I write 'Past Journeys', you'll realize that Shaun is anything but average. And yes, you have a knack for pointing out injuries.

Oh, and I'm glad you liked the 'mugged' line. :P

dee-unlm1t3d: Welcome to Zero 2 dee! I'm glad you think my fic instigates such anticipation in you! Just out of curiosity, have you read the rest of this fic?

SR71will: Eh, I figured as such. I still have some work to do with chapters that are completely plot-oriented like that.

Anthony1: I'm running out of things to say to you. Seriously. O.o;

Um...let's see...uh...ooh! You said 'chpater' again! ;

Silver Warrior: Where'd you get that idea? O.o Dragomon's just keeping tabs on them...and he's sort of giving a commentary of sorts to himself. UmbraDevimon is in no way a pawn of Dragomon's. Not in the way you're thinking anyway. :P

Bohemiat: To clarify, TK wasn't mugged. As for Kari, she couldn't just say what really happened to Tai when her mom was right there. ;)  
  
Now begin!

* * *

_UmbraDevimon has made his mark._

_However, it was only part one of his one-two punch._

_Part two will proclaim his return to dominance._

* * *

"Hey everyone. It's TK. We all thought Ken tried to kill Yolei, and we also thought he was beyond the condition of Shaun and (Agumon). But as it turns out, it was really an old foe...and now he's returned as UmbraDevimon. He completely mutilated everyone except Davis and myself, and he let us go...just because he only did all of that as a message. And even after all that, I got another shocker...officially, Shaun doesn't exist."

* * *

Episode 25: The Dark Obelisks

* * *

/Ichijouji Apartment, Ken's Room, Thursday October 21st, 10:23 PM/

Ken sighed as he stared at his computer screen blankly. _Come on, connect already!_  
  
It had almost been one week since UmbraDevimon had made his (rather painful, in Ken's opinion) return to power. The Digidestined were nearly fully recovered (they all still felt a little sore, and TK's partner still felt lethargic after what he had been through), and Shaun and (Agumon) were almost back at full strength (although not at 100%).

Right now, Ken was waiting for Shaun to contact him. Ken had sent a message via D-Terminal to Shaun; he had wanted to speak with him via instant messaging. Why, might you ask?

It's simple; it stemmed from TK's little discovery that had been made last Friday.

On Wednesday, when Yuuko Kamiya had finally allowed Kari to go to school, TK had held a private meeting in the computer lab with all of the New Digidestined...excluding Shaun. The news had come as quite a surprise to them...and Ken was quite intrigued by it.

He intended to investigate the matter further.

And now he was waiting for Shaun to reply. _Come on, answer!_

On his screen, an IM program was running. Since his last use of it (when he spoke with Wormmon; see 'Episode 5' for more details), he had changed his username. Instead of '_d1g1m0n3mp3r0r_' it was '_r3p3nt3nc3_'. It was sort of fitting to him...especially considering how life had gone for him recently.

Suddenly, there was beeping sound effect that accompanied the arrival of new text.

_Ch1ld-of-W1sdom: Hello Ken. _

Ken exhaled with relief. Finally! He quickly went to work.

_r3p3nt3nc3: What took you so long?_

_Ch1ld-of-W1sdom: I had to sign up for this you know. Do you know how long it took me to find a username that wasn't taken?_

Ken nearly laughed out loud. He had forgotten how long it usually took to get a username.

_r3p3nt3nc3: Oh._

_Ch1ld-of-W1sdom: Indeed. So...what did you want to talk to me about?_

_r3p3nt3nc3: It concerns...well, TK told us about the hospital. He said that an official called him about your records...or more precisely, the lack of them. Mind explaining?  
_

_Ch1ld-of-W1sdom: Before we continue, I want to compliment your typing style. I appreciate how you don't revert to using letters and numbers to substitute words._

Ken frowned. Shaun was dodging his question.

_r3p3nt3nc3: Answer my question._

_Ch1ld-of-W1sdom: ..._

_r3p3nt3nc3: Please Shaun...who are you? Really? _

_Ch1ld-of-W1sdom: ...I can't say._

Ken's eyes widened slightly. What was Shaun hiding?

_r3p3nt3nc3: Why not?_

_Ch1ld-of-W1sdom: I just can't. Now if you don't have anything else to talk about, I'm going to hang up. I need sleep._

_r3p3nt3nc3: Actually, I do. TK also told us about your diagnosis._

_Ch1ld-of-W1sdom: Yes. And?  
_

_r3p3nt3nc3: TK was told that you wouldn't be able to move in a week. How could you have moved...AND gone through a digiport?_

There was a small pause. Ken remained silent as anxiousness built up in him. Had he struck a nerve?

Then there was a beep.

_Ch1ld-of-W1sdom: Well...everything that UmbraDevimon did to me...I've actually gone through worse...and after that...pain doesn't seem to hinder me as much. I guess my body just got used to it..._

Ken's eyes dilated as wide as they could. His mind almost refused to believe what Shaun was telling him. Almost.

_r3p3nt3nc3: But how?! What on earth could you have gone through that was worse than what UmbraDevimon did?!_

_Ch1ld-of-W1sdom: ...I can't say. I'm sorry Ken, but I have to cut this conversation short._

Before Ken could even type his reply in, Shaun disconnected, leaving Ken alone...if you didn't count the sleeping Minomon.

Ken growled as he rubbed one of the several bruises that still remained on his body. He had gotten no answers...only more questions. After the hospital incident, he wasn't sure that Shaun was who he had said he was.

_Who ARE you?!_

* * *

/Unknown Sector, Gennai's House, 10:29 PM/

Shaun sighed as he leaned back in his chair to reflect over the conversation he had just had with Ken. In hindsight, it was a bad idea.

He was getting too careless...he couldn't hint at stuff like that! He just couldn't! _Man, I'm getting too comfortable around them..._

But he had no choice. If he had had any other alternative, he wouldn't have interfered in 01-000-ALPHA when the Emperor had set up his deathtrap (read 'Episode 5' for more info).

But there hadn't. And because of that, he had made himself known by saving them. He had no choice but to bear with it.

"Having second thoughts?"

Shaun tilted his head to see Gennai, who was standing in the nearby doorway, looking at him silently. He knew what the old man was hinting at. "Sort of...but I'm too deep in this to back out now. But with the whole hospital records situation...they're getting suspicious."

"I don't blame them. You have a crest that the Order did not make, you officially don't exist...and you went through the Digiport in a condition that would've resulted in the death of your average person!" Gennai pulled up a chair and sat down in front of Shaun.

Shaun stared intently at the old man's seemingly closed eyes. In that moment, Shaun knew that Gennai was just as afraid of the unknown future as he was. "I know...but what else can I do?"

Gennai replied with one phrase. "Simple. All you can do."

Shaun groaned as he leaned back against the chair. Of course, Gennai was right...after all he had done to help, he couldn't back out of fighting by the Digidestined's side now...and with UmbraDevimon coming out of the blue, he could not and would not back away.

"Well Gennai...I'm heading to sleep," Shaun yawned as he trudged into an adjacent room, where (Agumon) was slumbering quietly. He had recovered quite well from UmbraDevimon's torture session, but he wasn't at 100% just yet.

Putting no more thought to it, Shaun got into a nearby bed and fell asleep instantly.

Then, he dreamed.

* * *

/Kamiya Apartment, Kari's Room, Odaiba, 10:55 PM/

Kari looked quietly at the ceiling as the sounds of cars echoed through her window. It was the only sound, even if it was rather minute.

It helped her to think. For her, absolute silence never was good for thinking; it was too constricting.

Over the past week – ever since last Friday, that is – Kari had been worried about TK. He had become a little distant, and he didn't talk as much...it was as though his mind was on something else.

Well of course, his mind would be on UmbraDevimon.

Even though UmbraDevimon's sudden emergence had shocked them all, TK seemed to be hit worst of all. I mean, come on; it's not everyday the killer of your partner/friend reappears in a more powerful form. Plus, they had not dared to enter the Digital World since then; they were still too weak to face UmbraDevimon.

"Kari?"

Kari was jarred from her thoughts by Tai, who quietly snuck into Kari's room. He wore nothing more than a white T-shirt and some blue boxers, but hey; everyone has their own preference of pajamas, right? Kari looked up at Tai silently as she asked, "What is it?"

Tai sighed as a look of concern came to his eyes. "Before I head to bed, I have to ask...will you guys need the older kids' help to fight UmbraDevimon?"

You see, last week, when Kari had come home 'muggified', Yuuko had immediately resigned Kari to bed (as a matter of fact, Mrs. Kamiya had forbidden Kari from going to school until Tuesday). Later that night, Tai had snuck into Kari's room and asked what had really happened. I mean, Tai had been through his fair share of fights...and he knew Kari's wounds weren't manmade. So Kari had explained everything.

Kari weighed the options in her head. She didn't want to move everyone away from their school...after all, High School was more demanding than Middle School...

But she had to be reasonable and logical. UmbraDevimon was too powerful. She could sense his power...and he was a greater foe than anyone she had encountered before (well, with the possible exception of Dragomon). Plus, with his two servants Arukenimon and Mummymon, he had backup. And Arukenimon's Spirit Needle ability lead to a potentially endless supply of Megas...and as much as she hated to admit, the New Digidestined – even with Ken and Shaun's help – wouldn't be able to cut the mustard.

Begrudgingly, Kari finally nodded. "Yeah...if we ever need help, we'll call you."

Tai's face morphed into a light smile as a look of content replaced the concern. "Kari...that took a lot of guts for you to say. Thanks."

Kari beamed in response. "You're welcome. Now get to bed...you have a soccer game tomorrow."

Tai chuckled as he left Kari alone...with nothing but a slumbering Gatomon and her thoughts to keep her company.

* * *

/Next Day/

/Unknown Sector, Gennai's House, Friday October 22nd, 5:46 AM/

_Where am I?_

Shaun's vision was blurry. He was in an oddly familiar city...and red flames danced through the area. It was familiar...but he didn't want to remember.

Yet at the same time, he wanted to remember.

People. Digimon. Many were running from the flames. Some were running toward the flames in an attempt to save anyone trapped within.

Laughter. Harsh, malicious laughter.

Shaun turned his eyes upward. He saw a demon in red, who was glaring at the burning city with glee.

Hatred. Burning, all-devouring hatred. It coursed through Shaun's blood, nearly driving him over the edge. He couldn't remember...why did he hate this devilish figure with such a blazing ferocity?

Then, the demon formed a gray orb of pulsating energy above his head, targeting a certain building. Then, he threw it as he shouted, "Apollyon Crusher!"

The building was brought down in a tremendous explosion.

On impulse – and for a reason he couldn't identify – Shaun screamed.

"NOOOOO!!!"

_Who am I?_

Then it all disappeared. Shaun was suddenly surrounded by a multitude of people as he stood in front of a computer. He was confused...why was this scene so familiar?

A slight blush came to his face as a blonde girl no older than he stepped forward and kissed him on the face. He had forgotten that feeling...the feeling of intimate attraction to a member of the opposite sex.

Then he held his D-3 towards the computer. A flash of light tore him away from the crowd of people.

_Am I me?_

Now, he was facing two-headed beast. Two cannons protruded from his back, and the top head seemed to be made of pulsating blue-yellow energy. Shaun and (Wargreymon) stood silently in the face of the foe.

Beside Shaun was another boy who looked eerily like him...but the boy's partner was easily as tall as a Metalgreymon. An iron mask covered the bipedal dragon's face, and four red wings twitched quietly. His veins pulsed out of anticipation for battle.

Shaun glanced to his right at the boy. "Ready?"  
  
The boy – whose hair was a tad darker and his skin a little more tanned – smiled as he clenched his right fist, which was covered by a metallic gauntlet of some kind. "You know it."

(Wargreymon) and the strange, draconic Digimon took flight towards the two-headed beast. The cannons on the beast's back flared a dark purple before firing. "Dimension Destroyer!!!"

The battle was on.

_Or have I..._

Shaun was no longer fighting. Now he was standing on a rocky plateau...and he looked nervous. Fidgety. And he wasn't in a stance of firm calmness; instead, he was calm and unalert. This was before the battle with the two-headed creature...a long time before it.

His eyes were looking at a spectacle unfolding in the sky.

Four lights were revolving around a larger, central light.

Dark blue.

Violet.

Dark red.

Green.

And the light that was in the center of it all was pure, blazing gold.

The five lights suddenly burst off into different directions. The dark blue one crashed somewhere nearby the plateau. Shaun went off towards the dark blue light's crash site. The other four lights burst off toward the horizon.

When Shaun found the dark blue light, it was the Crest of Wisdom.

_...become something else?_

* * *

Shaun's eyes snapped open. He was sweating profusely...but he was back in reality. With one quick look around, he realized he was back in Gennai's house, and in his own bed. _That dream again..._

To be more accurate, it was more like a slideshow of memories. He often remembered them...but they had been returning with a rather large increase in frequency lately.

But why?

Was it a sign of things to come?

_Gah...I've got to eat something. My brain's too sleepy still._ As Shaun got out of the bed and trudged to the kitchen, the memory of the five lights remained.

* * *

/01-000-ALPHA, Ruins of the Emperor's Base, 6:45 AM/

UmbraDevimon sighed as Arukenimon ran a hand through her slightly thinner hair. "It will grow back."

Arukenimon paid him no mind. Ever since last Friday, she had already used 300 more hairs to create three more Mega Digimon. Even now, they stood in the darkness, remaining silent until orders were given.

Things were going according to plan...there was just one thing left to do. But first...he had to deliver some messages.

He silently summoned six Black Gears to his lower right hand, and he mentally programmed them with a certain hologram...then, he opened six portals. One Black Gear flew into each.

The portals led to Tai's room at the Kamiya Apartment.

Matt's room at the Ishida Apartment.

Sora's room, which she was sharing with Mimi while she was visiting Japan, at the Takenouchi apartment.

Joe's room at the dormitory he was housed in during his stay at the medical school he went to.

Izzy's room at the Izumi Apartment.

And finally, Ken's room at the Ichijouji Apartment.

They all would do the same thing. Each Black Gear would emit a hologram of his head that said the same thing.

"**Digidestined. You are to go to the computer lab at the school where TK Takaishi and the rest of the New Digidestined go at 3:30 PM this afternoon. If you are all not there at that time, I will destroy Primary Village."**  
  
And he wouldn't hesitate to do so.

* * *

/Junction M-H, Odaiba School, 3:21 PM/

"WHAT?!"  
  
Kari nodded in reply to the others' outburst. "I'm telling you; Tai told me this morning that a Black Gear delivered him a message!"

Kari was walking alongside TK, Davis, Yolei and Cody towards the computer lab. She had just told them what Tai had witnessed upon waking up that morning. As you could see, their reactions revealed their shock.

"What happened to the Black Gear after that? Did it go into Koromon?" asked TK out of fear.

Kari shook her head. "No...it disintegrated immediately after the message was played."

"Why would he want to bring Tai into this?" asked Davis out of curiosity.

Cody shook his head. "I doubt he just wanted Tai to come. If that were true, he would've just said 'Tai', not 'Digidestined'. Perhaps he sent several messages to the rest of the older kids as well."

Everyone nodded. That made sense. TK then made a quiet realization; perhaps UmbraDevimon wanted revenge on the older Digidestined as well. Why else would he go so far as to threaten them with the destruction of Primary Village (not that TK would put it past the devil, of course)?

Then they stepped foot into the computer lab. To their mild surprise, a number of people were already inside.

Tai, Matt, Sora, and Izzy in their standard high school uniforms.

Mimi, this time wearing a purple tank top and pink capri pants.

Joe, who looked rather nervous despite his well-dressed appearance (his usual medical school clothing of khakis, a white undershirt and a blue jacket).

And of course, all of their partners (Koromon, Tsunomon, Biyomon, Tentomon, Palmon, and Gomamon). Along with them were the New Digidestined's own partners (Demiveemon, Upamon, Poromon, Patamon, and Gatomon).

It was a rather odd scene...but it evoked some fond memories in TK and Kari's mind. It was like a reunion of sorts. TK smiled as he walked toward his older brother. "Hey Matt...I take it you got the message?"

Matt nodded in reply as Tsunomon sat quietly on his head. "Yeah, we all did. Any idea what he wants us for?"

"Who knows...but it can't be good if he wants to threaten Primary Village," replied Joe as sweat beaded on his brow. "Oh boy, I don't want to think about it..."

Suddenly, the computer lab door opened to reveal Ken (trench coat and all) and Minomon. His eyes boggled at the group of Digidestined in front of him. "Is this a reunion?"

This caused a general round of laughter to emerge from the older kids. It was good to see that they were so relaxed, despite the great evil that was now upon them. It meant they would be able to handle stress without breaking down.

Suddenly, a flash of light emerged from the computer. When the light faded, Shaun was standing there with (Koromon) in his arms. He silently looked up at the others...then toward Ken. "Thanks for sending me that message."

Ken nodded with a smile. "No problem."

You see, earlier that morning – after Ken had awoken to UmbraDevimon's message – he had sent a message via D-Terminal to Shaun. He basically relayed UmbraDevimon's entire message, along with telling him to be at the computer lab before 3:30 PM.

As you can see, Shaun decided to come.

Demiveemon smiled as his eyes fell on everyone. "Wow! I've never seen so many Digidestined in one place before!"

Gomamon laughed as he patted Demiveemon on the head. "Oh, just you wait! Once we get this business with UmbraDevimon over with, we'll have a lot more meetings like this!"

"**I sincerely doubt that."**

All 13 Digidestined, along with their partners, whirled around to face the source of the sound. It came from the computer monitor.

There, as real as sin, was the face of UmbraDevimon. TK impulsively clenched his fists at the sight of old nemesis. And for the record, so did Tai and Matt. Matt demanded, "What is it that you want UmbraDevimon?"

"**Come to 01-000-ALPHA. I will explain everything there."**

Then the connection was cut.

Sora frowned as she looked at where UmbraDevimon's face had once been. She then said what everyone was thinking about, "What does he want?"

"I don't know," said Davis as he pulled out his D-3 and pointed it at the computer. "Digiport open!"

The light enveloped them all.

* * *

/01-000-ALPHA, Outside the Emperor's Base, 3:30 PM/

Flash.

The Digidestined all landed on their feet. The wind roared all around them, kicking up the sand and rubble of the base's ruins. Davis quickly pulled the goggles down over his eyes and smiled. "Thank goodness for goggles!"

Izzy quickly held a hand over his eyes and yelled, "Cover your eyes!"

The Digidestined all did (except Davis). Slowly, the winds began to die down...and when they opened their eyes again, UmbraDevimon was standing fifty meters away, in all of his terrible glory. He smirked and said, "Welcome Digidestined."

The Digidestined all glared daggers at the demonic Mega. No words were launched at the mighty beast.

That is, until TK yelled. "WHAT DO YOU WANT?!"

UmbraDevimon shook his head out of mock sympathy. "Dear little Takaishi...don't be so rash. Allow me to explain the final step in my plan." Mummymon and Arukenimon – both in their battle modes – stepped forward by their creator's side.

"Well spill it out you horned, putrid, freak!" yelled Mimi. Yolei blinked as she glanced sideways at the Child of Sincerity. _Man, Leomon wasn't kidding about her!_

UmbraDevimon smirked malevolently. All seven of his former foes had gathered...with six new additions. He would enjoy breaking them. "Gladly. You see, the final step in my plan involves the Black Gears." At that, one Black Gear materialized in his hand. "You see, the Black Gears are a two-for-one deal. The Control Spires need the Dark Rings and Dark Spirals to transmit their power. And without the Spires, the enslaving devices are useless. My Black Gears have no such limitation."

"We know this already! Get to the point!" demanded Ken out of frustration. The less he was reminded about his creations, the better.

UmbraDevimon smiled as the sky suddenly started to turn darker. "I will. You see, the Black Gears do not need their creator to prosper..." UmbraDevimon smiled as a look of shock crossed the original seven's faces; they realized what he was saying. "That's right...you never destroyed all of my Black Gears! They've been growing...festering...waiting in the core of this planet for their master to return!"

Shaun paled as he suddenly felt a great rumbling beneath the ground. "What...what's going on?"

UmbraDevimon laughed heartily as tremendous fissures burst open in the desert ground. "Now my Black Gears...**COME FORTH!!!**"

Perhaps the sky was turning dark because of the impending darkness that was approaching...it was foreshadowing the coming evil.

Then it happened.

They came with all the speed and ferocity of a tidal wave. They were innumerable. Countless. Hundreds upon hundreds. They gathered in the darkening sky like a swarm of angry hornets. All of the Black Gears gathered in a sphere of tremendous size. The mere sight of the Black Gear swarm sent a chill down all 13 Digidestined's spine.

Koromon numbly said, "There's...so many..."

"Now my Black Gears...SPREAD OUT!!! **INFECT THIS WORLD!!!**" At UmbraDevimon's command, the sphere broke as the Gears flew into every corner of the world. 100 yards away from the group lay a Control Spire...and five Black Gears merged with it.

Izzy blinked out of astonishment. "What?! The Gears merged with the Spire?"

"Of course...that's part of my final step. The Spires are still useful to me...because when my Black Gears combine with them," UmbraDevimon then pointed his upper left hand at the Spire, which began to change.

For one, it grew twice as tall. The conic top of the Spire then opened; the four triangular pieces of the top then morphed into statues of Devimon's head. Each of the four heads faced north, south, east, and west; their mouths were wide open, as if they were roaring. Slowly, Black Gears began to trickle out of the mouths.

"They become...**THE DARK OBELISKS!!!**" roared UmbraDevimon as his Black Gears continued to spread. He then turned to face the traumatized Digidestined, who were taken aback by the sudden development. "You see, even though the Spires no longer broadcast their dark power, they have another use for me...with my Black Gears powering them now, they have transformed into the Dark Obelisks...and their purpose is to produce even MORE Black Gears!"

Ken went dead quiet as he went over the facts in his head. With all those Gears already in existence...how many more would come when the remainder of his Spires were converted into Dark Obelisks? _My creations are being used...why can't my past sins be laid to rest?!_

UmbraDevimon smiled as he pointed to the crumbling base behind the Digidestined. "And don't forget...Arukenimon's been rather busy this past week! Come out my three servants!"

Then they appeared out of the base's shadows.

The one on the left looked like a variation on a mythical creature of old. Although rather small – he was no bigger than a Garurumon – his appearance made up for it. His body looked like the striped body of a tiger, with yellow fur and black stripes crossing along the thighs, tail, and back ankles. The tip of the tail, however, was the fanged mouth of a green snake. Leathery red and burgundy wings sprouted from the shoulder blades. The front legs were skinny and gangly, and the super large claws were like the talons of a mighty (albeit extra-large) eagle. White, fluffy fur surrounded his neck and chest, and yellow hair extended from the back of his head, which was covered by a metallic helmet with a pointed, backwards spike. His yellow eyes glared quietly as he bellowed, "I am Gryphonmon, and I am as deadly as the mythical creature of old! My Mobius Bite shall paralyze you, and my Mythic Blast will annihilate you!"

The one on the right was...a Wargreymon...a Wargreymon that was black. His skin, gauntlets, shoulder pads, and shield were completely colored pitch-black. Silver armor covered his shins, and yellow padding covered it. Yellow threads connected his silver breastplate together, his gauntlet's claws were colored dark gray. Yellow, spiky hair extended from the back of his head, and his dark gray helmet protected his head. His yellow eyes stared silently as he roared, "I am Blackwargreymon...and I will destroy ALL who oppose me! Beware my Terra Destroyer and Black Tornado!!!"

Finally, the center one was the largest one of all; almost as big as UmbraDevimon. Unlike his predecessors, he was primarily a quadruped, and not a biped. His entire body was covered by a black exoskeleton, with stripes of silver covering the four legs and the pair of arms that extended from the middle of the body. His silver claws were long, sharp, and extremely lethal. A bump of bulky armor extended from the back, and four red insect wings extended from it. His head was slim, and three prongs extended out from his face; they all swept backward, but the center one was easily fifty feet longer than the other two. Sharp, curvy pincers extended from his lower jaw like tusks, and they clacked together eagerly at the sight of the Digidestined. His red hair extended from the back of his head, and his yellow eyes glowered at the children. He yelled, "I am Grandkuwagamon! My mighty pincers can cut through anything...even the fabric of time and space itself! My Dimension Scissors will strike you down mercilessly, and beware my Catastrophe attack...for it is what its name suggests!"

Shaun was feeling queasier by the second. Blackwargreymon...he had appeared sooner than expected. And Grandkuwagamon and Gryphonmon...they were completely new! The changes kept coming...and Shaun knew now that they wouldn't stop.

"And this is only the beginning!" laughed UmbraDevimon as the Digidestined turned around to face him again. "Arukenimon's hair will always grow back...I have an endless supply of Megas to aid me! And one fatal flaw that every foe you've faced was this...they either chose one world or another to conquer first. With my new servants, I can easily multitask! In a matter of days, my Black Gears will enslave all Digimon in this world! Then I will assemble them into a massive army that will spread out and conquer both worlds at once! Of course, I'll have Gryphonmon, Blackwargreymon, and Grandkuwagamon go to the Real World first...after all, I have to soften up you putrid defenses! Ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!"

The devious plan of UmbraDevimon was finally clear: he would invade and conquer both worlds at once. After all, the Digidestined had always had a shelter to fall back to before...to rest and regroup if necessary. But UmbraDevimon was no fool; he would send Gryphonmon, Blackwargreymon, and Grandkuwagamon to the Real World to pave the way for his invasion force. And if necessary, he would have Arukenimon create another Mega or two – there were still plenty of Control Spires...er, Dark Obelisks left. As for the Digital World...well, there was Mummymon, Arukenimon, and – of course – UmbraDevimon. And with all of his Black Gears, it would be nigh impossible to free any of his army's soldiers...not for long anyway.

How could they fight UmbraDevimon on two fronts?

"And now," said UmbraDevimon as his lower right hand's index finger glowed red. "I will let my three newest servants begin paving the way to my conquest!"

The Digidestined gasped; he was about to tear open another hole to the Real World!

Unbeknownst to anyone...they were being watched.

* * *

/Unknown Sector, Gennai's House, 3:46 PM/

Gennai silently walked down the stairs to the deepest reaches of his house. He had to act now, and quickly.

He had witnessed UmbraDevimon's explanation of his plan via a camera from sector 01-001-ALPHA. It had been long-distance...but he had heard it all.

And he had to act.

There were going to be repercussions for what he was about to do...but the consequences of inaction would be far more severe.

He arrived in the dusty basement of his house to see old equipment, dusty books, and rusted machinery; the fallback spot for the Order. In the very back was a very large device with a single blue button. Several antennas stuck outward from it, and they were covered with dust.

He manually opened a digiport on a nearby computer to Odaiba. He would need it. Gennai then walked over to the machine and let his finger hover over the blue button. If he pressed it...he would completely seal the Digital World off from the Real World. No more communications between realms. No more portals being opened. It would completely guarantee that UmbraDevimon would be unable to send his army to the Real World...but it would also keep the Digidestined in.

"God help them," said Gennai as he pressed the button. Then, without hesitation, he leapt into the Digiport.

The antennae suddenly started pulsating. Blue electricity leapt from the rods as an invisible force field erupted from the device. In moments, it encompassed the entire Digital World.

* * *

/01-000-ALPHA, Outside the Emperor's Base, 3:49 PM/

"...what?" UmbraDevimon felt something. He suddenly felt...closed off. But why?  
  
He tried to open a portal to let his three newest servants enter the Real World...but to his shock, he couldn't. "What's going on?! Why can't I open a portal?!"

The Digidestined looked at UmbraDevimon out of confusion. Davis scratched his head confusedly as he asked, "Is he broken or something?"

Shaun, however, had an idea about what was going on. _If it is...then...oh no...Gennai!_ "Everyone...we have to leave. NOW."

"WHAT?!" yelled the others out of confusion. Tai preposterously asked, "But...we can't just run!"  
  
Shaun glared straight at Tai – which it pained him to do – and shouted as loud as we could. "**NOW!!!**" He quickly pointed his orange D-3 at the Digiport and – with a thought – designated what section he wanted to go to. That sector was 11-000-IOTA. "DIGIPORT OPEN!!!"

Before UmbraDevimon could do anything, a bright light enveloped the Digidestined. Arukenimon grumbled as the light faded to reveal no one. "Rats! They got back to the Real World!"

"No they didn't..." mumbled UmbraDevimon as he thought about the latest predicament. He could feel it now...he knew that access to the Real World was now impossible for some reason. "They simply went to another place in the Digital World...an impenetrable barrier has just been erected between the two worlds. We are stuck here...but so are the Digidestined." UmbraDevimon chuckled as he thought about it.

Both he and his enemies were stuck in the same world.

Now it was only a matter of which one would fold over first.

* * *

/11-000-IOTA, Gennai's House, 3:54 PM/

Shaun quickly walked down the stairs as the others tried to untangle themselves from one mother of a dog-pile. Before going any further, he had to verify.

Upon stepping into the basement, it only took the sight of glowing blue antennas to confirm his suspicions; Gennai had activated the Great Seal; a last resort by the Order in case an utter catastrophe had to be contained within the Digital World.

And now it was keeping UmbraDevimon out of the Real World.

But it also kept them in.

Now he had to break the news to the others.

Quietly, he stepped back upstairs to see the others beginning to check out their surroundings. It didn't take long for Izzy to make the connection. "Hey! We're in Gennai's House!"

"I thought I recognized this place," replied Biyomon as she glanced out a nearby window to see some swimming fish. "It's the only place with this kind of view!"

Shaun sighed as he said, "Guys...I have something to say."

Everyone looked silently at the Child of Wisdom. In the back of TK's mind, something was telling him that Shaun's news wasn't exactly good news.

"Due to UmbraDevimon's plan, Gennai had to activate a failsafe called the Great Seal...it's a machine that the Order made a long time ago, and it erects a nigh impenetrable barrier between our world and the Digital World. This seals off the Digiports, as you might guess..."

Silence fell over the group. Tai silently stepped forward and asked, "Shaun...what are you saying?"

_Now's the hard part_, thought Shaun with a frown. "Simply pressing the button used to activate it won't turn it off. Only Gennai knows how to turn it off...and now, we're stuck in the Digital World until it's turned off. No going home for us."

* * *

Gennai had been right about one thing: there were repercussions for activating the Great Seal.

The moment it was turned on, every single computer-based network shut down in the Real World.

The moment it was turned on, access to the Internet was completely cut off.

And since the Digidestined couldn't get home...

Tai missed his soccer game.

Matt didn't make to his concert later that night (resulting in a very upset Jun).

Mimi never made her daily call to her parents in America.

And none of the Digidestined ever made it home that night.

* * *

To be continued...

Next time...

Episode 26: The Clown and the Puppet

* * *

Author's Notes: Wow. 25 episodes have come and gone. In that time, new characters have arisen, new plots have surfaced, the Emperor's become more ruthless than ever, the final battle was much bigger in scale, the mighty Devimon has arisen as UmbraDevimon, and he has an ingenious plan for succeeding.

And now, the Digidestined are stuck in the Digital World, just like in Season 1. But now, the stakes are much higher.

Before I go, let me tell you that the events of Digimon: The Movie never happened.

And I want to thank everyone who's reviewed this story so far. After all, it's all about the readers, eh?  
  
See you next time!


	26. The Clown and the Puppet

Standard Disclaimer: I have been to the lawyers. They are icky. By saying I don't own Digimon, I can avoid them!  
  
Author's Notes: Zero 2 has eclipsed the 80 review mark! Less than 20 to go until 100! WOOHOO!!!  
  
Now to the reviews!

Bohemiat: Like Miracles beforehand, you assume too much. ;) Who ever said Omnimon doesn't exist? :P

... : You are absolutely correct! That WAS Ryo fighting by Shaun. And for you insightful types, you can probably discern a lot of plot information just from that realization. I'll leave all speculation up to you. ;)

Anon e Mouse Jr: Welcome to Zero 2 Anon! (reads over Anon's review) Ah crap, I knew I missed something! Just to let you all know, Digimon Adventure (where Tai and Kari meet the little Botamon that becomes the giant Greymon who fights Parrotmon) DID happen...but any and everything concerning 'Our War Game' (where Omnimon fought Diaboromon on the Internet), 'Digimon Hurricane Touchdown!" / "Supreme Evolution! The Golden Digimentals' (with the whole Willis deal), and 'Diaboromon Strikes Back' (where Diaboromon resurfaced as Armagemon) did not happen. Canon or not, they do not occur. Hope that clarified things...because everything beside Digimon Adventure would contradict my new plot.

Thanks for the helpful info Anon!

Anthony1: DNA Digivolving STILL occurs...but the way it happens will be a little...different. And that's all you get from me! :P

Digi fan: Welcome back Digi fan!

Silver Warrior: Man, 'whoa' has become your favorite word. O.o;

Anyhow, the Control Spires were already like obelisks in shape (FYI, the Spires were actually called Dark Obelisks in Japan), but I made turned the Dark Obelisks into UmbraDevimon's version of the Control Spires. Both are obelisk-like in shape, but 'Dark Obelisk' sounds MUCH more menacing. Thus, I save it for the meaner villain.

And even though this review didn't occur in this story (in my other story 'Fiery Courage, Stormy Friendship')...

dee-unlm1t3d: Thanks for the review on my three-year-old one-shot story. :P

Now...BEGIN!  
  
----

_The Digidestined are now trapped in the Digital World._

_However – despite his inability to get into the Real World – UmbraDevimon has no intention of taking it easy._

_And his latest scheme will be a blast to the past for the Digidestined._

_Literally._

----

"Hello everyone, it's Gennai, and I'm doing the introduction for once! Ahem...anyhow, UmbraDevimon has proven to be a more devious foe than I ever imagined. He even forced me to activate the Great Seal...and because of that, he's stuck in the Digital World, as are the Digidestined! But you know what's worse? The Great Seal completely cut off my Internet access!"

----

Episode 26: The Clown and the Puppet

----

/Soccer Field, Odaiba School, 4:24 PM/

Yuuko Kamiya looked around out of anxiousness and worry. Her husband's company – his name was Susumu, by the by - would've eased her, but alas, he was still busy working.

His presence would've really come in handy right about now.

Down on the soccer field, the teams had assembled for pre-game warm-ups...and Tai wasn't around. Also, Kari and her friends weren't there to cheer him on.

_Where are they? _

----

/Auditorium, Odaiba School. 7:34 PM/

Jun Motomiya – along with a whole multitude of boy-crazy girls and fanatic fans – looked at the stage confusedly. The night's concert was supposed to have started four minutes ago...and it hadn't even begun yet. _Darn it, what's going on?_

Suddenly, a teen male with unkempt brown hair and a long nose stepped out toward the audience, looking at them nervously. Jun recognized him; he was the drummer for the Teenage Wolves. But why did he look so nervous...?

Finally, he spoke. "Um...I regret to inform you that...well, since our lead singer Matt Ishida is AWOL, and we can't find him...the concert tonight has been cancelled."

The audience was silent.

Then, simultaneously, they all screamed, "**WHAT?!**"

You could hear them a whole block away.

----

/Street Corner, Odaiba, 8:01 PM/

Gennai sighed from under the cover of a dirty brown blanket he had found in a nearby alley. He was standing outside of an electronic convenience store, watching the window TV displays. All of them were on the same news channel.

The brown-haired, charismatic male reporter on the TV spoke, **"Good evening Odaiba, and welcome to the 8 O'clock news. Today's big story: 'Internet Lockdown'. Approximately four hours and ten minutes ago, reports started coming in from all over the world about the complete lockdown of Internet access. As shocking as it is, it's true; even people throughout Odaiba have reported their inability to access the World Wide Web. On a related note, computer-based networks have also taken a hit; any and all networks using computer technology have completely shut down, resulting in a tremendous backlash from businesses all over the world. Is this a technical breakdown unlike any in the history of computers and networking? Or is this a terrorist plot of gargantuan proportions? Full story at 11! In other news..."**

Gennai sighed as he walked away. Such terrible consequences had taken effect because of his activation of the Great Seal...but if UmbraDevimon had been able to send his three servants to the Real World, the consequences would've been direr.

But he knew that – before long – the Digidestined's absence would be noticed.

----

/11-000-IOTA, Kitchen, Gennai's House, 8:05 PM/

As Shaun leaned back in a chair, sipping a soda, one thought came to his mind.

_They're taking this a lot better than I thought they would._

Indeed. Aside from a screaming fit from Yolei and Mimi and a panic attack from Joe, the Digidestined had taken the news that they were stuck in the Digital World quite well.

But still, it wouldn't take long for the consequences of the situation to hit them. Unlike the last time they had been stuck in the Digital World, they were in school now. Plus, time passed in the same in both worlds...not like before, when weeks and weeks in the Digiworld equated to only one day in the Real World.

Shaun sighed as he took another sip. "This whole situation is just one big mess..."

----

/11-000-IOTA, Recreation Room, Gennai's House, 8:06 PM/

Gennai, for all of his knowledge and collection of information – be it electronic or otherwise – had a side that enjoyed a good game.

As such, there was a multitude of old board games throughout the large room. Right now, Ken and Cody were sitting at a table in front of a chessboard, with Yolei and Mimi watching them quietly. Also, Armadillomon, Wormmon, Hawkmon, and Palmon were watching quietly.

Cody moved pawn into the square that was to the black King's diagonal left. "Checkmate. White wins."

Ken's eyes widened quietly as he looked at his pieces. Only three pawns and his King, which was backed into the corner. In the previous turn, Cody had moved his knight forward, putting his King into check. This had forced him to move back...but Cody's pawn had moved forward, putting him in check again. However, he couldn't move since he was in a corner...and the pawn in question was protected by a second pawn. And both of Cody's knights were preventing the King from moving either up or to the right. Therefore...checkmate.

Ken smiled as he knocked over his black King with one finger. "Very impressive Cody...you're quite good."

Cody nodded as he gathered his black pieces up. "My grandfather taught me how to play because he views strategic games like chess as meditation of sorts. Relaxes the body, exercises the mind...that's how he puts it anyway."

"Really..." replied Ken as his eyes fell on a wooden board with 19x19 lines on it. He pulled the board off of one of the many shelves in the room, along with two bowls. "How about Go?"

Cody nodded. "Grandpa taught me that game too." Took one of the bowls and popped the top off, revealing small, white pieces that size of pennies and a centimeter thick. The pieces were called _stones_. In Ken's bowl, his stones were black. Cody then quietly said, "Onegaishimasu."

Ken smiled as he pulled a black stone out of his bowl and replied, "Onegaishimasu." Then he placed the stone on the board.

Cody remained silent as he took a stone and placed it on the board. Truthfully, he wasn't facing Ken in these games of intellect to just pass the time. He was testing himself...trying to match wits with the former Emperor. He would need to be at the top of his game against the Digidestined's newest threat: UmbraDevimon.

Meanwhile, Wormmon looked up at Yolei and asked, "They've really been going at it, haven't they?"

Yolei nodded numbly. Even though she had never watched anyone play through a whole chess game before, she was surprised at how intense it looked in person. And it had been close too...few mistakes were made, but the balance had tipped in Cody's favor after Ken's Queen had been taken.

Palmon looked up at Mimi and asked, "Mimi, do you know what's going on?"

Mimi shrugged. "Not a clue!"  
  
Armadillomon chuckled as he good-naturedly said, "Well shoot, neither do I, but it's fun to watch anyway!"  
  
"Indubitably," replied Hawkmon as his eyes focused on the board.

After a few minutes, Mimi sighed as she got out of her chair. "Well, that's enough for me. I'm going to watch the guys play checkers." She then walked over to another table, where Matt and Tai were in a heated bout over checkers.

Davis, Veemon, and Agumon were behind Tai, chanting "Tai! Tai! Tai! Tai! Tai!"

Behind Matt, Patamon, Gabumon and – although he felt a bit silly – TK were chanting "Matt! Matt! Matt! Matt! Matt!"

Sora and Kari just giggled at the display. The Child of Love smiled as she said, "Those boys sure can get wound up."

"No kidding," replied Kari as her worried eyes looked upon the boys with a bit of happiness. She was glad they could handle the bad news so well...but she couldn't.

They were stuck in the Digital World. No way to get home. No way to contact anyone on the other side.

Her mother...her dad...how would they – and the rest of the Digidestined's parents – react to their absence? It wouldn't take long before they began panicking...and Ken had already run away once. How would his parents react now?

"**QUIET!!!"**  
  
Kari's thoughts were cut short by Matt and Tai's simultaneous shout; the two had been rather enmeshed with the game, and such wanton cheering was distracting!

Tai sighed as he picked up a red piece...and leapt over one of Matt's own pieces, landing on the opposite side of the board. He grinned widely as he leaned back and said, "King me!"

Matt grumbled as he took one of the captured red pieces and placed the crowned side on top of Tai's red piece. He then moved his black piece to the front left square. "Your move."

Tai immediately used his newly 'kinged' piece to move backwards, taking another one of his pieces. "Your move."

Matt sighed as he shook his head with worry. "Man oh man oh man..."  
  
"What's the matter Matt?" asked Tai with a cocky grin. "Fretting over losing?"

"No..." Matt's face rose, revealing a cockier smile. "Worrying about your ego, considering it's about to be deflated." With that said, he took the piece he had moved the last turn...

And captured one of Tai's red pieces...then his 'kinged' piece...then another regular one...then another...and another...and then he captured the last one. Matt smiled as he took all six captured pieces (not counting the one on top of the King piece) and placed them off the side. Tai's mouth dropped out of shock; he had no pieces left! "But...HOW?!"  
  
"Simple. I win." Matt smirked as Tai trudged away from his chair, letting an enthusiastic Davis take his place. "Alright Davis...you ready to have your butt kicked?"

Davis smirked as he rearranged his red pieces. "Ask yourself that!"

Matt smirked as he sat back with a confident smile. "Red goes first."

Suddenly, a voice spoke up from across the room. "The skilled player does not fear his equal, or the one whose skill is second to his...he fears the novice, because he has no idea what to expect."

Matt, Davis, TK, Tai, Kari, and Sora turned to see Cody, who had spoken. He was mentally debating where to put his next stone.

Davis suddenly connected the dots. "HEY!!! Are you saying I'm a rookie?!"

"Perhaps."

Davis growled as he took his red checker and moved it by one space. "Your move!"  
  
As Cody set his stone down, Ken said, "You didn't have to be that strong on him. You could've lessened the blow."

"That wasn't my intention. I was just telling him what my grandpa told me the day I began kendo practice." Cody then placed another stone down.

"Really?" asked Ken as he took another black stone out of his bowl. "I'll have to meet your grandfather someday..."

Meanwhile...

Gatomon sat in the windowsill quietly as she looked at the fish swimming by. She had never been in Gennai's house before...and the view was honestly a little unnerving to her. _Never thought a house could be underwater..._

"What're you looking at?" asked Biyomon as she flapped over to Gatomon's side on the windowsill. "Ooh...I remember this view!"

"..."

Gatomon's lack of an answer caused Biyomon to inquire further. "Digidollar for your thoughts?"

Gatomon sighed as her tail twitched nervously. "Just...well, things have really gone downhill lately. Ever since UmbraDevimon appeared, the whole team's been on edge...and now with this Great Seal thing, our lives just got a whole lot more complicated."

Biyomon nodded out of concurrence as her gaze fell upon a red-colored fish. It reminded her of the Crest of Love...Sora's crest. With that reminder came a whole slew of memories. Her face brightened as they returned to her. "But it won't be all bad...even though we were stuck in the Digital World before, we got a lot of good memories from it! And the same thing's going to happen here!"

"...I don't know," replied Gatomon as her ears drooped a bit.

"King me!"

Gatomon and Biyomon turned to see Davis sitting confidently in front of Matt, whose eyes were wide with disbelief. "NO WAY!!!"  
  
Gatomon's expression lightened immediately. "On second thought, maybe you're right."

----

/11-000-IOTA, Kitchen, Gennai's House, 8:24 PM/

Shaun sighed as he threw his empty soda can away. "Well...might as well go see what Izzy and Joe are doing in the library." With that, he walked for a nearby door. He quietly opened it and started walking down the stairs, which were illuminated by dim, blue lights that were wired into the bottom of the walls.

As he reached the bottom of the doorsteps, he walked into a dusty room that was lit by a single light bulb...and the bulb was so dusty; it was clear that no one had used it in a long time.

There were many rows of shelves; each of them was lined with books, documents, and folders. Izzy was scouring over them, adding anything and everything he could find to his laptop, which was sitting on the fly by him. Tentomon just buzzed quietly, hovering over Izzy as he watched the Child of Knowledge work.

Meanwhile, Joe was reading through some books as well, except he was looking for books on one subject...Digimon physiology. After all, he was training to be a doctor – and he knew next to nothing about the physical makeup of a Digimon – so any knowledge like that would be a great boon to him. Gomamon just slept on the floor quietly; libraries were boring to him.

Shaun walked over to Izzy, who was too busy working to even notice his presence. He looked at Tentomon and asked, "Has he been like this?"

Tentomon nodded as he replied, "You know him! Once he starts something, he'll just keep on going! Well...that is until he either runs out of disk space or falls asleep."

Shaun smiled lightly as he looked over a lot of the books. He had read many of them himself. And because of it, his knowledge had increased greatly...allowing him to fight and act with a wider set of choices, and enabling him to make the right one.

That was wisdom; the act of using your knowledge in a smart and tactful way.

Shaun decided to skip another trip down memory lane as he walked back upstairs. As he walked through the kitchen and down the hall, he heard two shouts from the recreation room.

"I win Matt!"

"NO WAY!!!"  
  
Shaun smiled as he walked for the house's front door. He silently pressed a button on the doorpost and waited patiently for a few minutes. The red button suddenly turned green. It was ready.

He opened the door to reveal a stone stairway trailing upward to the lake's surface. But fortunately, the water had been parted to let him walk up without drowning or getting wet (that's what the button was for, natch). As he neared the top, he could see a single figure sitting standing quietly, staring up into the cloudy night sky above.

It was (Agumon), and he turned around upon Shaun's approach. "I have that feeling again."

Shaun knew what he meant. The feeling that something tremendous was about to happen. Something terrible. "I know."

----

/01-000-ALPHA, UmbraDevimon's Lair, 8:36 PM/

Hold the phone! UmbraDevimon's Lair?! Yes. Since when, you might ask?

Since earlier that day, when UmbraDevimon had used a number of Black Gears to reform the ruins of the Emperor's Base into something more...fitting, to say the least.

Now, the Emperor's former base now stretched high into the sky, easily as tall as the mountain on File Island. The rocky monolith was made of black obsidian, and the clanking and clacking of Black Gears could be heard within its walls. At the base of the monolith was a gigantic wooden door with the face of Devimon etched into it. At the very top was a statue of UmbraDevimon, arms stretched out wide and his mouth snarling.

Inside, UmbraDevimon was sitting in a gigantic throne of stone, contoured to fit his body. He was looking ahead at a tremendous window, which gave him a view of the Valley of Death. The entire sector was now clouded over, and the winds blew furiously. In the distance, he could see a Dark Obelisk, silently spewing Black Gears out of its four mouths. The dark titan smirked as he watched; the more Black Gears that were produced, the more his power grew. He could hardly imagine it...he had only absorbed no more than twelve Black Gears in his final battle with the Digidestined on File Island...and he had been strong enough to nearly destroy his foes completely (save for Angemon, that blasted angel!)!

So what would happen if he absorbed hundreds upon hundreds?  
  
It would be wondrous...

Suddenly, he got to thinking.

He had already made his mark on the Digidestined...but now, all of them were in the Digital World. The original team hadn't experienced his message firsthand.

But he knew two Digimon who would give them a message that would be quite remembered.

"Grandkuwagamon."

Grandkuwagamon stepped forward from the darkness of the room. "Yes, master?"

"I want you to rip open a time portal with your pincers. Four years ago, to two locations on what was once Spiral Mountain; one is the area where Puppetmon was defeated by Metalgarurumon. The other one is when Piedmon was sucked into the Forbidden Realm beyond the Gate of Destiny." UmbraDevimon leaned back as Grandkuwagamon's pincers began to glow red. He then stated, "Mummymon. Arukenimon. Blackwargreymon. Gryphonmon. Step forward."

His four other servants complied. They watched Grandkuwagamon silently as he roared, "Dimension Scissors!!!" With one swipe of his pincers, he tore open a portal, which glowed a pale white. The small portal looked like a horizontal tear in the air...and a similar portal joined it when Grandkuwagamon opened up another one.

Two portals. UmbraDevimon got out of his throne and placed his two upper arms into both.

----

/Four Years Ago/

/Puppetmon's Domain, Spiral Mountain/

Puppetmon grimaced as he clenched his hammer tightly. His wooden body was creaking as he faced the glaring red eyes and the gleaming body of Metalgarurumon. His blue overalls were on the verge of ripping apart, and the red wires connecting him to his X-shaped handle were frayed and ready to snap. His metal nose was bent at the tip, and the iron rims around his eyes were cracked. His red hat was limp, and the gears inside his chest were on the brink of breaking down.

But his red eyes glowered defiantly at Metalgarurumon. He wasn't going to go down without a fight!

He yelled loudly as he charged. "RAAAAAAAH!!!"  
  
Metalgarurumon merely inhaled as he roared, "Ice Stream!!!" The icy, blue-white stream of energy zoomed toward Puppetmon.

As it would've happened, Puppetmon had born the full brunt of the attack. He would've fallen to the ground as a burnt husk, and then he would dissipate into nothingness moments later.

But that wasn't how it went. Not this time around, anyway.

The stream was only a few mere feet away when a small white portal opened up in front of Puppetmon. He fell inside just as the stream passed the spot where he would've been had it not been there.

The younger Matt Ishida remained silent as Metalgarurumon ceased his attack. Nothing was left of Puppetmon...not even a splinter. "Huh. Completely incinerated."

They had all assumed Puppetmon had been incinerated. 

But they were wrong.

----

/Piedmon's Domain, Top of Spiral Mountain/

Piedmon grumbled as he watched all of the Vilemon get sucked into MagnaAngemon's Gate of Destiny. Curse it all! Curse it! How had he been outdone like this?!

He had been so close to victory! One by one, all of the meddlesome brats that had been called 'Digidestined' were turned into key chains, along with their partners. Soon, only the Child of Light, the Child of Hope, and Angemon had been left.

Such puny insects. He toyed with them. He enjoyed the fear that filled their eyes. He chased them. Hunted them down throughout his castle.  
  
Then that puny TK Takaishi had somehow gotten his Angemon to digivolve further, to the Ultimate level. MagnaAngemon was now his foe. No problem right?

Wrong.

In no time, MagnaAngemon had freed all of the Digidestined. Then, their other friends had come. Even the presence of the Vilemon didn't help matters.

Now he was being pushed into a corner. All of the other Dark Masters had fallen. He would not fall!  
  
"Gaia Force!"

"Metal Wolf Claw!"  
  
The orange orb of energy and the barrage of missiles suddenly crashed into the ground in front of him, sending him flying. The Gate of Destiny's vacuum suddenly grabbed him.

He screamed as he was pulled in.

But what none of the Digidestined knew was that a white portal – which was so similar in color to the regular Gate that they did not notice – had opened mere millimeters in front of the Gate just before Piedmon had been sucked in.

They paid it no mind.

----

/The Present/

/01-000-ALPHA, UmbraDevimon's Lair, 8:39 PM/

UmbraDevimon smiled when his two, bony hands felt Puppetmon and Piedmon. He silently pulled his arms out of the portals, which closed immediately afterwards. With a smirk, he let them down on the ground quietly.

Piedmon was the first to sit up. "Wait...this isn't the Gate of Destiny..."  
  
Puppetmon looked around in confusion. "Huh...I don't feel deleted." He then turned to look at Piedmon. "PIEDMON?! What are you doing here?!"

"I could ask you the same thing!" retorted Piedmon. "You were incinerated by Metalgarurumon's Ice Stream attack! What are YOU doing here?!"

"My my...the Dark Masters weren't as chummy as I thought they were..."

Piedmon and Puppetmon suddenly looked up at UmbraDevimon. They simultaneously shouted, "Who are you?!"

UmbraDevimon smirked as he answered, "Why, I am the one who saved you two from death. I would've tried to save Machinedramon and Metalseadramon...but it would've been too conspicuous to just pluck them from their time like I did with you two."

Piedmon pulled out his one remaining Trump Sword and pointed it angrily at UmbraDevimon. "You dare to assume authority over me? The leader of the Dark Masters?"

"Hey! We were equal opportunity, if you recall!" roared Puppetmon as he angrily waved his Bullet Hammer at Piedmon.

Piedmon sneered as he pointed his Trump Sword at Puppetmon. "Do NOT presume to wave that thing at me. You wouldn't be able to beat me in a thousand years...even if you were at full-strength!"  
  
"Well, you're not exactly in good condition yourself, clown boy!" retorted Puppetmon.

UmbraDevimon resisted the urge to incinerate them then and there. With their bickering and lack of cohesive teamwork, it was no wonder that they fell to the Digidestined. He looked down at Mummymon and said, "Do it."

Mummymon nodded as he transformed into his battle mode. He aimed his arms at the two bickering Megas and shouted, "Healing Tapestry!"

White bandages spiraled from his arms, winding together into a tapestry that glowed with a light blue. It wrapped around Piedmon first, pinning down to the ground despite his struggling. Puppetmon whirled toward Mummymon and shouted, "Hey! You-"

"Healing Tapestry!"

"MMF!!!" Puppetmon's words were muffled but the glowing blanket that enveloped his whole body. UmbraDevimon smiled as the two Megas struggled to get free of their binds. _Once they are healed, I'll offer my proposition to them._

Of course, his proposition was quite obvious.

Either they do things his way, or they die.

----

/11-000-IOTA, Outside Gennai's House, 8:45 PM/

Shaun blinked out of astonishment and surprise. (Agumon) turned around as Shaun's hand twitched. "What's wrong?"

Shaun felt a sense of very minute vertigo and a strange twinge in his hands. He had experienced that feeling before...when he had...

He suddenly felt his breath go short. This feeling...a time portal had been opened somewhere. But _where?!_

He quickly whirled around and walked back down the stairs, with (Agumon) following him confusedly. What had gotten him into such a tizzy?

As Shaun walked into the house, he didn't bother to press the button that would conceal the stairway to the surface. He was in too much of a rush to do so.

----

/11-000-IOTA, Recreation Room, Gennai's House, 8:46 PM/

"I told you," said Cody as he placed another white stone on the Go board. Matt had just walked by him, grumpy because of how soundly Davis had defeated him in checkers.

"Rrr..." That was all that could be deciphered from Matt's reply.

Ken smiled as he took a black stone and placed it on the board. "You need to lighten up some. It won't do you any good to be so serious and then snap when the pressure gets rough."

Cody lightly snorted as he took another stone and placed it on the board. "I don't need your advice."

Ken looked at Cody's stone quietly. Then he placed another black stone on the board...then started picking up some of Cody's white stones. Cody looked down with shock; one of his groups of white stones had been completely surrounded by Ken's black stones. Soon, five of his stones had been taken off the board. Ken looked at Cody with a good-natured smile. "You snapped already."  
  
Cody knew this was true. He should've seen it...

With a dejected sigh, Cody said, "I resign..."

Ken just stood up and started picking up his black stones one by one.

Suddenly, he felt a strange sense of vertigo for a fleeting second. Also, it felt like his hands had fallen asleep. He turned to the others, who looked a bit dazed themselves. "Did you feel that?"

Yolei flexed her fingers as she replied, "If you mean dizziness and tingly hands, then yes."

Hawkmon, Armadillomon, Wormmon, and Palmon looked at the humans confusedly. Palmon scratched her head with one of her vine-like fingers. "What are you talking about?"

Cody looked at them strangely. He had felt the strange feelings too. Why hadn't they? "You mean...you don't feel dizzy? And your hands don't feel odd?"

All four shook their heads. Hawkmon replied, "No. I'm afraid we don't feel like that." Wormmon then – with a hint of apprehension – asked, "Is that a bad thing?"

Ken was about to answer when he suddenly heard footsteps behind him. He turned around to see Shaun and (Agumon) walking down the hall outside the Rec Room. But something troubled him...the forceful steps and the large strides Shaun were taking...as if he was in a hurry.

Curiosity overtaking him, Ken followed him, as did Wormmon. It only took a few seconds for Cody, Yolei, and their partners to become interested enough to necessitate following them. Palmon stood behind; after all, Mimi was still in there. Why should she leave?

In another part of the Recreation Room...

"Will Matt be okay?" asked Veemon as he looked at Gabumon. The furry Rookie nodded good-naturedly. "Of course; he's going to blow off some steam."

Mimi suddenly shook her head. "Ooh...I suddenly a little dizzy..."  
  
Sora tilted her head back and asked, "You okay?"

Mimi nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine now. Let's just keep watching the game!"

Unbeknownst to Mimi, Sora had felt a strange sense of dizziness as well; one second it was there, another it was gone. What was up with that? Chalking it up to nothing, she turned her attention back to the 'Checkers Tournament' (as Tai had so enthusiastically called it, she thought with a giggle).

Now, TK was sitting down opposite of Davis, who had a large smirk on his face. "Ready TU?!"

TK sighed as he finished putting his black pieces into place. "Yes...and it's TK." Even to this day, TK could never understand why Davis always got his name wrong (with the occasional exception or two).

Kari sat next to Sora as Veemon and Patamon began cheering. The Child of Love glanced at Kari and slyly asked, "Who are you going for?"

"Can't decide. They're both my friends after all," replied Kari with a slight smile.

As for Tai, he was staring out the window, contemplating something as he watched the fish swim by. He had felt a strange sense of wooziness...then the strange, buzzing sensation one feels when a part of their body falls asleep (usually, it happens to the foot).

Also, his instincts were warning him about something...but what?

----

/01-000-ALPHA, UmbraDevimon's Lair, 8:50 PM/

Piedmon and Puppetmon blinked out of astonishment when the tapestries that had held both of them fell off of them, limp as wet noodles. They were further astonished when they emerged, good as new. Puppetmon marveled at his polished wooden body, his oiled gears, and his clean clothes. He felt brand new! "Wow! I feel like I can play a million games now!"

Piedmon looked over himself with a careful eye. His green, puffy pants with the yellow markings around the thighs were in order...his belt with the yellow heart buckle was there as well. His large, yellow boots with the curled tip around the toes were also in high condition. His red shirt with the gold cufflinks on his long sleeves and the skull Ace of Spades sign on both shoulders felt comfortable...and surprisingly clean, considering the battle he had gone through no more than twenty minutes ago. To his surprise, all four of his Trump Swords were on his back, even though he had lost three in his battle against the Digitwerps. Their handles were cleaned to perfection, and all four symbols were clear and concise (the Ace of Clubs, Diamonds, Hearts, and Spades). The two, wavy blue ribbons that extended from his the back of his shirt were shined to their pre-battle perfection. His orange hair – which extended straight back for two feet – felt free of sweat. And his black-and-white mask – with the notch around the eye and the red heart symbol on the white side – was devoid of any wear and tear. He felt fit enough to fight at his strongest...and that's what troubled him. He flared up at UmbraDevimon and asked, "Your face...you were once Devimon, correct?"

UmbraDevimon smiled. "Well, at least your intelligence seems to have recovered along with your body."  
  
Piedmon remained silent at the insult. "Then you were once him...tell me this; you know perfectly well that – even if you had defeated the Digidestined – the Dark Masters would've wrestled control from you easily. Why go through the trouble of bringing two of us here, and then healing us?" He was genuinely curious...but he wanted to keep himself clear of any trouble. All around him, he saw several Digimon...there were a few he did not know of, but he sensed great power coming from them.

UmbraDevimon smiled as he pointed his lower left arm at Grandkuwagamon. "I had him tear open two portals to the Digital World's past; I ordered him to bring you two here. Like I said earlier, I would've tried to bring Machinedramon and Metalseadramon here...but they were deleted in broad daylight in a fashion that makes it impossible for me to return them without drawing suspicion. After all, altering history requires that you do it in a believable fashion."

Piedmon crossed his arms with a huff. "You don't have to lecture me. I've figured out a lot of things already...for instance, you have come across a great deal of power since your last stint of existence...a great deal more."

_He's realized how much stronger I am than him_, thought UmbraDevimon with a small grin. Honestly, he had half-expected Piedmon to furiously attack him on impulse after learning that he, UmbraDevimon, was stronger than him.

However, Puppetmon managed to live up to UmbraDevimon's expectations. The angry Mega waved his Bullet Hammer at UmbraDevimon. "Hey! You think you can just talk down to the Dark Masters like some big-shot?! I'll show you! Puppet Pummel!!!"

A wave of yellow orange erupted from the floor once Puppetmon hit it with his hammer; the wave roared toward UmbraDevimon, who at first did nothing to dodge. _Hah! He's frozen with fear!_

UmbraDevimon quickly proved Puppetmon wrong.

With one thrust of his bony upper right arm, he ripped through the energy wave and pinned Puppetmon to the ground. UmbraDevimon snarled at Puppetmon as he glared venomously at the living marionette. "Now listen, and listen carefully; Piedmon already knows this, but apparently you don't. I am stronger than both of you by a long shot. Any attempts at trying to undermine me or my plans will be met with swift deletion. I brought both of you here from the verge of destruction for a purpose, and you two WILL carry it out. Understand?"

Puppetmon begrudgingly nodded.

"Good." UmbraDevimon removed his hand from the floor and wiped off any splinters that had come off of Puppetmon's small body. He looked down at Piedmon, who looked at him with a knowing glance. "So...you've figured something out."

"I've figured out that this is not the time of the Dark Masters, to say the least. Before you explain your purpose, I would appreciate a little update on what has happened since then," said Piedmon.

UmbraDevimon smiled as he sat back in his throne. "Very well. I'll give you the short version, seeing as how four years have passed since the demise of the Dark Masters..."

----

/11-000-IOTA, Computer Room, Gennai's House, 8:55 PM/

Ken, Yolei, Cody, and their partners peeked their heads into the room Shaun had entered to see him working furiously at a gigantic computer. Izzy himself had tried to use it...but unfortunately, he did not have the password. Shaun did.

Shaun was busy. He was looking for a certain could tell by the look in his eyes. But what was he looking for?

Meanwhile, Shaun was muttering to himself. "Blast it all, where is that folder...?" As he continued typing in names inside the 'Address' field, he said, "Come on in guys. You don't have to stand out there."

The eavesdroppers face-faulted before walking into the room. Ken rubbed his head as he asked, "What are you searching for?"

Shaun didn't answer.

"HEY!!! If someone asks a question, the polite thing would be to ANSWER!" yelled Yolei.

Shaun sighed with annoyance...even though he should've answered immediately, he was too dead-set on finding out if his suspicion was correct. "I'm searching for a program that detects temporal changes."

Armadillomon blinked out of bewilderment. "Huh?"

Ken looked down at Armadillomon and said, "He's looking for time changes...whatever that means."

"Close," replied Shaun as he finally found the folder he was seeking. "I'm looking for a program that'll show me rifts that have opened between times...basically, it detects time portals."

"Why?" asked Cody.

Shaun turned around and asked, "Let me ask you this...did any of you feel a sense of vertigo, along with the feeling of your hands falling asleep?"

All three humans nodded simultaneously. All three thought the same thing...why would that be relevant? Hawkmon stepped forward and asked, "Pardon me, but would the fact that neither of us Digimon felt these feelings have any significance?"

Shaun nodded. "Everything...you see, when a time portal is opened up in the Digital World, a temporal wave is created. This wave travels over the entire Digital World, changing the memories of anyone who is affected by the historical change. However, Digimon don't feel the wave...but humans do, for some reason. Gennai was never able to figure out why."

He finally found the program. "Alright. Now...let's see where our rift originates." After activating the program...he gaped out of shock.

There were two rifts.

Both originated from sector 01-000-ALPHA.

----

/01-000-ALPHA, UmbraDevimon's Lair, 9:11 PM/

"And that is the short version of the story," finished UmbraDevimon.

Piedmon remained silent as he digested it all. _So...our creator was destroyed...then a bratty Digidestined tried to conquer the Digital World...now there are new Digidestined...and now Gennai has sealed the Digital World off from all others with the Great Seal._ "One question...how was Grandkuwagamon able to open a portal with the Great Seal in effect?"

"The Great Seal only seals off the Digital World from other worlds...opening portals to the Digiworld's past, however, are not out of the question." UmbraDevimon smiled as he readjusted himself on the throne.

Piedmon nodded quietly. "I see...but why did you bring us back here anyway? I doubt that you would need extra help." Then, with a sardonic smirk, he added, "Especially considering how many helpers you already have."

"How true...my purpose for bringing you both here is twofold." UmbraDevimon held his upper left hand up. "One, because I do not know the location of the Order's bases, havens, and asylums. You, however, know where they are." He then held up his upper right hand. "Two...because you two serve as a psychological weapon. The first Digidestined team has not experienced my message firsthand like the new one has. You two will serve as that message."

Piedmon realized it now. They were nothing more than tools; tools that were used to scare and frighten. Even though his sense of superiority did not agree with it, he would delight in hunting them and frightening them.

Puppetmon suddenly shouted, "But before we go, I need to ask...will I be able to hook up as many games as I want?!"

Everyone face-faulted (even UmbraDevimon and Grandkuwagamon, despite their enormous size). UmbraDevimon sighed as he said, "Yes...you will be able to get your games."

"Oh goody! I'm sold. Let's go Piedmon!" Puppetmon eagerly grabbed his Bullet Hammer and started walking toward the exit. "Come on!"

Piedmon looked back at UmbraDevimon and asked, "Wait. You said you could open portals, correct?" UmbraDevimon nodded. Piedmon smirked as he then said, "Open up a portal to sector 11-000-IOTA. That is where Gennai's House is located."

UmbraDevimon chuckled as his index finger on the lower right hand pulsated with a red glow. "Very well."

----

/11-000-IOTA, Computer Room, Gennai's House, 9:15 PM/

Ever since discovering the origin of the two rifts, Shaun had become even busier.

Time rifts opening up from sector 01-000-ALPHA only meant bad news. Bad news that started and ended with UmbraDevimon. However, he didn't know where the rifts ended...

The program was furiously busy, trying to discover the exit point of the two rifts. Unfortunately, they had been open for no more than 10 seconds, and they had been closed for over 30 minutes now. And even though the misplaced temporal particles were a sign that the barrier rifts had yet to fully seal over, it would take a miracle – and some luck – for the program to find the exit point.

Ding.

Shaun blinked out of astonishment; the program had done it! _Perfect!_ He patiently waited for the results to scroll onto the screen.

When they did, he looked on in confusion.

**EXIT POINTS**: _PUPPETMON'S DOMAIN; PIEDMON'S DOMAIN_

**TIME**: _FOUR YEARS AGO_  
  
Why...? What would UmbraDevimon open portals to that point in time for?

Unless...

_Oh no...he didn't try and bring **those** two here...did he?!_

----

/11-000-IOTA, Front Door, Gennai's House, 9:17 PM/

Veemon was walking from the Rec Room towards the kitchen when he heard a light knocking on the front door. Shrugging, he walked over and slid the door open...

"Hello there. May we come in?"

...to reveal Piedmon and Puppetmon.

Veemon blinked out of confusion. "Uh...who are you two?"

Before anyone in the audience face-faults or sweatdrops, do take note of the fact Veemon didn't even exist until WAY, WAY after the destruction of the Dark Masters. Also, it was very unfortunate of him to have not heard any tales of the Dark Masters from any of the older Digidestined.

Piedmon quickly started talking. "We're...old friends of the older Digidestined, and we heard that they're here. I am Piedmon, and this chum here is Puppetmon."

Puppetmon smiled nervously as he waved. "I like games!"

Veemon flashed his characteristic happy-go-lucky smile as he moved aside to let them in. "You do? Well you'll fit in just fine!"

Piedmon and Puppetmon walked into Gennai's House, with Veemon unaware of the malevolent smirks that came to their faces. He closed the door behind them and hopped on ahead. "I'll go ahead and tell everyone you're here!"  
  
As Veemon ran off, Puppetmon looked up at Piedmon and whispered, "Man, these new Digidestined are idiots!"

"Don't forget; a bad apple doesn't always represent the whole bushel," replied Piedmon as he walked down the halls, two Trump Swords in hand.

Before continuing on, I would like all of you to go ahead and do any face-faulting or sweatdropping.

Done?  
  
No? All right, I'll give you a few more seconds.

Time's up. Moving on now.

----

/11-000-IOTA, Recreation Room, Gennai's House, 9:19 PM/

TK smiled as he hopped over one of Davis' pieces. "King me."

Davis groaned as he took one of the captured black pieces and put it King-side up on the black checker. The game was very even – and up till that point, Davis had been the only one with a 'kinged' piece – and it was a challenge.

Davis was trying his hardest.  
  
Then he saw it...a move that would net him FOUR of TV's pieces! It would cripple hat-boy and give him victory!

"Davish! Everyone!" yelled Veemon as he stood in the Rec Room's doorway.

Davis grumbled as he retorted, "Not now Veemon! I'm busy!"

"But Davish, two of the older kids' friends are here! They said their names were Piedmon and Puppetmon!" Veemon smiled cheerfully, oblivious to what he had just said.

All of the older kids froze (save for Izzy, Joe, and Matt; the first two were out of earshot in the library, and Matt had stomped off somewhere after losing to Davis). Then, realizing that what Veemon said couldn't possibly be true, Tai scoffed it off. "Ha ha...very funny Veemon."

Veemon took a step back out of puzzlement. "What, you mean they're not your friends?"

Suddenly, a childish-like voice spoke from behind Veemon. "Of course we're not...you _SIMPLETON!!!_"  
  
Veemon yelped as a wooden leg suddenly kicked his rear, sending him headfirst into the wall. "Oy..."

"Veemon!" yelled Davis as he looked at his partner out of sudden concern. Then, out of sudden anger, he turned to face the door. "Show yourself!!!"

Then, to the horror of Tai, Sora, Mimi, Kari, TK, and their partners (plus Gabumon, who had not gone with Matt after he stomped off), both of them stepped into the room.

"Peek-a-boo..." said Piedmon as he brandished two of his Trump Swords.

"...we see you! Ha ha ha!!!" laughed Puppetmon as he aimed his Bullet Hammer at them.

"AHHH!!! PIEDMON AND PUPPETMON!!!" shrieked Mimi and Palmon as they dashed out of the room and downstairs.

TK couldn't believe it. The Dark Master Puppetmon, who had chased him through the entirety of his mansion. The Puppetmon who had wielded a gun and aimed it at him. The Puppetmon who had toyed with their lives as if it were all a game. And he was standing right there.

The Dark Master Piedmon. The Clown Prince of Evil. The Jack of Shadows. The Ace of Darkness. The same clown that had chased him and Kari through his castle, tormenting them every step of the way. When it came to measuring evil on terms of pure maliciousness and cruelty, Piedmon was near the top. And he was standing right there.

_No...Puppetmon was incinerated...and Piedmon was locked within the Gate of Destiny! How are they here?!_

He did not know that history had been changed.

"Since we don't need any introductions, allow me to start things off with a little bout of Shooting Gallery! I'm the shooter, and you're the ducks!" The six yellow orbs in Puppetmon's Bullet Hammer began to glow as he shouted, "Bullet Hammer!"

The Digidestined leapt for cover as a multitude of yellow energy blasts ripped through the room (and, to Davis' dismay, the checkers game was completely obliterated).

Tai and TK quickly got to their feet to run for it...

"Trump Sword!"

...when two swords each zoomed toward them and impaled their shirts, nailing them to the wall. Piedmon smirked as he walked towards the two boys, who struggled futilely to get free. "Tai Kamiya...the one with the Wargreymon. And little TK...the one with MagnaAngemon."  
  
Tai growled as he snapped, "You'll be sorry for this! And how the heck are you even here?!"

Piedmon chuckled as a shimmering ball of clear, crackling energy formed in his two hands. "You have UmbraDevimon to thank for that...but enough chit-chat. The plot must go on, and the only thing that pleases the crowd the most is to see the hero in pain! Clown Trick!!!"

Tai's stomach burned as the orb of energy collided with his abdomen, knocking the air out of him like a rocket. His scream of pain sounded more like a hoarse moan than a scream. "Agh..."

"Tai!" yelled TK.

"And don't think I'd forget you, little boy! Clown Trick!"

At that, TK joined Tai in the pain.

----

/11-000-IOTA, Computer Room, Gennai's House, 9:24 PM/

Everyone in the Computer Room suddenly heard the sounds of battle coming from down the hallways. Ken whirled around as he yelled, "What's going on?!"

Shaun growled as he leapt out of his chair in a hurry, frustration evident on his features. "I don't _BELIEVE IT_!!!" He quickly pulled out his orange D-3 and pointed it at (Agumon). "Everyone, we've got a bad situation here, so prepare yourselves! (Agumon), warp digivolve!

(Agumon) nodded.

----

/11-000-IOTA, Recreation Room, Gennai's House, 9:25 PM/

Puppetmon chuckled as he used his Marionette Strings to control Davis and Kari. At the moment, he was using them to punch and kick each other. "I love quality shows!"

Davis felt like he was about to have a heart attack; he was hitting Kari! HITTING her!!! Of course, it wasn't of his own free will, but every blow felt like a stab to his heart.  
  
And the fact that Puppetmon was making Kari hit him was rather painful as well. "I'm-OW-sorry-OOF-for-OWIE-hitting you-OWCH-Kari! YOW!!!"

Kari winced as Puppetmon made Davis punch her in the stomach. "It's okay...OOF!!! It's not-OOF-your fault...OWW!!!"

Meanwhile, Tai struggled to glare at the wooden puppet. "Hey...leave my sister alone," he managed to choke out.

Piedmon giggled maniacally as he used his hand to cover Tai's mouth and nose, smothering his air supply. "Worry about yourself."

Suddenly, a large being crashed through the Rec Room's wall, roaring at the two Dark Masters. It was (Wargreymon). "RAAAAA!!!" He extended the claws from his gauntlets and prepared to embed them in Piedmon's midsection...

"Don't forget to play with me! Puppet Pummel!!!"

Puppetmon had abandoned his Marionette Strings the moment (Wargreymon) had entered the room. Puppetmon swung his hammer in an attempt to break the Mega's back.

Fortunately, (Wargreymon) turned around in time to block the hammer with his armguards.

Unfortunately, this gave Piedmon ample time to retrieve his four swords and charge up an energy orb. "You really shouldn't turn your back on your superiors," he said with a smug smirk. "Clown Trick!"

(Wargreymon) grunted as he was pushed away by the attack. Fighting against a Dark Master tough enough...but two was brutal!  
  
But he wasn't fighting to win. He was fighting to distract. He momentarily saw Shaun helping Davis and Kari to their feet, and knew that it was working. "Alright...try this!" He thrust his arm upward in an attempt to at least graze Piedmon.

No such luck. Piedmon prevented that by blocking with two of his Trump Swords. A smile of realization came to his face as he leaned in closer to (Wargreymon). "Ah...now I remember you. It's been awhile since we've fought."

(Wargreymon) glared back at Piedmon as he used his other claw to break the deadlock. "It has...but enough reminiscing on the past! There is only NOW!" (Wargreymon) roared as he brought his leg up and kicked Piedmon in the gut, sending the Dark Master into the wall.

"Yoohoo! Forget about me? Bullet Hammer!!!" (Wargreymon) whirled around, shield at hand, to block the barrage of orbs that came his way.

Meanwhile...

TK's vision swam as he slowly digested what he had inadvertently heard. (_Wargreymon)...and Piedmon...fought before...but that's...impossible...isn't it?_

He lapsed into unconsciousness immediately.

Davis and Kari grabbed one side of TK each as Shaun and Sora helped the barely conscious Tai to his feet. Shaun looked to the others and ordered, "Follow me! We need to get to the computer room!"

"Nah ah ah! Clown Trick!" Piedmon heard this order; he responded by sending a transport energy orb through several walls, eventually ending up at the main computer console in the Computer Room.

An explosion sounded moments later. Shaun nearly cursed as he quickly said, "Okay, new plan. Downstairs! Follow me! (Wargreymon), give us room!"

"Roger!" responded Shaun's partner as he charged forward toward Puppetmon, who leapt out of the way before he could be smashed against the wall.

Davis gingerly looked back at Veemon. "Veemon...armor-digivolve." His voice sounded a tad weak, due to the forced beating Kari gave him.

Veemon – who was still dazed from being kicked into the wall – nodded wearily. "Right!"

Veemon armor-digivolve to......Flamedramon: The Fire of Courage!

Flamedramon quickly leapt into the fray. "Allow me to heat things up! Flaming Fist!"

Piedmon easily parried the blow before kicking Armored Champion in the back, sending him once more into the wall. "Not hot enough, I'm afraid!"

Gatomon's fur bristled as she looked back once more before leaving the room. She hated to leave an opponent on his feet...but she had no choice. She couldn't fight as she was, and her Armored form was too cumbersome in the house. "Darn it..."

Patamon quickly floated past her, exclaiming, "What are you waiting for?! Let's go!" Gatomon begrudgingly followed.

As Shaun, Sora, Davis, and Kari rushed out with Tai and TK in tow, Ken, Cody, and Yolei looked on in horror...especially Ken. Out of the new Digidestined (and save for Kari, TK, and Shaun apparently), he knew the most about the Dark Masters. He also knew how powerful they were. "Would anyone mind explaining why THOSE two are here?!"

"No time to explain," replied Shaun, who was obviously in a rush to get out. "I need you and Yolei to provide (Wargreymon) and Flamedramon some help...we need as much time as possible to get to the computer downstairs!"

Ken and Yolei nodded as they pulled out their D-3s. "Ready guys?"

"Right!" exclaimed Wormmon and Hawkmon simultaneously.

Wormmon digivolve to......Stingmon!

Hawkmon armor-digivolve to......Shurimon: The Shinobi of Sincerity!

Although Stingmon was too tall to stand straight up in the Rec Room, he still had his wrist spikes. Shurimon, however, was different. He had no difficulties...as he quickly made clear. "Double Star!"

He extended both of his vine-like arms, the shurikens on each end spinning rapidly. He tried to surround Piedmon with his razor grip, but the Clown Prince of Evil quickly countered with two of his swords. "Ha! Such fun!"

"You're telling me! Marionette Strings!" Puppetmon quickly took control of Flamedramon, who immediately began attacking Stingmon and Shurimon.

"Hey, let me go!" demanded Flamedramon as he swung his fists at Stingmon and Shurimon. As a result, Shurimon was forced to abandon his attack, allowing Piedmon to turn his attention to (Wargreymon). "Clown Trick!"

(Wargreymon) groaned as the blast sent him backwards.

----

/11-000-IOTA, Library, Gennai's House, 9:37 PM/

"WHAT?!"

Mimi nodded quietly as her lips quivered in response to the three boys' outbursts. "I'm not joking...Puppetmon and Piedmon just completely stormed the place, as real as a savings sale!"  
  
Matt could not believe it. "But...I saw Puppetmon get incinerated! My partner dealt the killing blow himself! And Piedmon should still be stuck in the Gate of Destiny! There's no way they're alive!!!"

"They're Digimon, however," said Izzy with a stern look. He was disconnecting his laptop and picking it up. "After all, all Digimon get reborn..."

"All I know is that we're in serious trouble," moped Joe as he quickly pulled as he panicking.

Gomamon gave a huff of disapproval. "Come on Joe! You always get like this when the situation goes bad!"

Joe looked at Gomamon with a stare of disbelief. "Excuse me...but we're talking about TWO OF THE DARK MASTERS!!!"

"Oh yeah..." replied Gomamon as he fully realized the severity of the situation. "Never mind...PANIC AWAY!!!"

"No time!!!"

Everyone turned around to face the stairs, from which Shaun and everyone else was rushing toward them. Matt gasped in shock as his fell upon Tai, his friend, and TK, his brother. "**TK**!!! TAI!!!"

"They're fine," said Sora with a reassuring tone. "But what do we do now? Gennai's computer was smashed, which means we can't use a Digiport for a quick getaway to another sector!"

"Yes there is," answered Shaun as he took in a few deep puffs of air. "A small computer...we'll use it to get out of here. Follow me!" He quickly ran toward the end of the Library towards a door that led to the computer...as well as the device responsible for the Great Seal.

As the Digidestined quickly filed in to the room...

CRASH!!!  
  
A new hole was made in the ceiling of the Library, through which fell an unconscious Veemon, Wormmon, and Hawkmon.

"VEEMON!!!"  
  
"WORMMON!!!" 

"NO! HAWKMON!!!"

Their respective partners quickly ran for their partners (resulting in Kari nearly dropping TK, had Matt not stepped in to lessen the load) and picked them up. Moments later, (Wargreymon) fell through the hole, battling both Puppetmon and Piedmon at once...with great difficulty. He managed to yell out, "You guys might want to hurry up!!!"

Shaun and Sora burst through a door near the back of the Library, entering the old and dusty room that held the Great Seal device as well as the computer that was their target. Shaun took out his D-3 and opened up a digiport, not really concentrating long enough to choose a sector...he just wanted to get them out of there. "Digiport open!!!"

At that shout, (Wargreymon) leapt away from his opponents and into the back room, being absorbed by the light. Before Piedmon and Puppetmon could do anything about it, the Digidestined had escaped. "Aw nuts!" yelled Puppetmon out of frustration. "They got away!"

Piedmon shifted his eyes to see a Black Gear floating in the Library behind them; a sign that UmbraDevimon had been watching them. "Oh well...I had a good time, nonetheless." Suddenly, a red portal opened in front of them. Piedmon looked down at Puppetmon and said, "Let us return to UmbraDevimon's Lair."

"WHAT?!" exclaimed Puppetmon. "But why don't we just make a break for it right now?!"

"If we try to escape now, UmbraDevimon will destroy us...but don't worry." Piedmon's white face contorted into a knowing smirk. "I'll find a way to bring the Dark Masters back on top."

----

/01-000-ALPHA, UmbraDevimon's Lair, 9:42 PM/

UmbraDevimon smirked as the Black Gear transmitted the image and sound from Gennai's House to his mind. _Don't count on it Piedmon..._

Oh well. It didn't matter if Piedmon did not like him. The two Dark Masters had served their purpose. Soon, the desperation would set in...

Then, he would find a way to rub salt in the wound before finishing them all off.

One. By. One.

----

Shaun shook his head gingerly as he stood up.

He looked around himself, seeing the fallen bodies of the Digidestined and their partners. They were slowly getting up...apparently, they were still shocked by the sudden reappearance of Piedmon and Puppetmon.

And truthfully, so was he.

He wandered through the cave they had fallen in, eventually reaching the end...

And he blinked. No more than fifty yards away, a multitude of towers made of toys and blocks stood, soaring over the trees.

He knew what that place was.

Primary Village.

That meant...that he had brought them to File Island.

_Well, I guess it's best spot we've got now._

----

/Dragomon's Palace, City of Cthulu, Dark World, 9:55 PM/

Dragomon moved the current chessboard aside...then he formed a new one with a thought.

On one side, the black pieces stood ominously. Grandkuwagamon, Arukenimon, Mummymon, Blackwargreymon, and Gryphonmon stood in front of UmbraDevimon...the King. He towered over all of the black pieces. In the middle of the board stood Piedmon and Puppetmon, as they had been the most recent attackers.

On the other side, the white pieces looked rather feeble...save for Kari, who was the mighty Queen of Light. The other 12 children were only measly pawns. The pawns had a few cracks in them...a sign of the real Digidestined's recent encounter with Piedmon and Puppetmon.

"The Digidestined have been pushed back even further by UmbraDevimon's newest additions to his ranks...the former Dark Masters Piedmon and Puppetmon. Now, the Child of Light and her allies will be tested...and they will have to be stronger than ever to endure it."

----

To be continued...

Next time...

Episode 27: A New Crest

----

Author's Notes: First, a few explanations.

Go: A popular game in Korea and Japan that has a moderately large following in America. A quick search on Google can get some more detailed info.

Onegaishimasu: The term Japanese game players say to their opponent before starting a competitive board game; means 'good luck to you' or something like that.

Ice Stream: The dubbers for Season 1 confused and switched the names of Metalgarurumon's attacks too often; Metal Wolf Claw (the previous name of Ice Stream) was sometimes used for the blue energy wave, and sometimes for the missiles. To clear things up, I've given the energy wave attack the name of 'Ice Stream', while leaving 'Metal Wolf Claw' to the missiles.

Gaia Force: Seeing as how there are two Wargreymon now, I've given Tai's Wargreymon different attack names to help differentiate them (the original Japanese name of Gaia Force instead of Terra Force, and Nova Tornado instead of Nova Force).

Hope that helps!  
  
And boy...this story is now (chapter-wise) as big as the New Digi-Episodes. Big improvement, eh?  
  
But alas...some bad news.

School has started. Which means updates will be fewer and farther between. Sorry, but that's life.

See you next time!


	27. A New Crest

Standard Disclaimer: Is the Game Boy a home console? If it is, I do own Digimon!

...it isn't? HAH! In your face lawyers!

Author's Notes: 8 new reviews! Two new reviewers! Oh joy!

Anthony1: (has run out of things to say to this reviewer)

Mimato-4eva: Glad you were inspired by my story! And once more, don't worry about the Revision concept; my story is NOT the first to do such a thing. And out of curiosity...how much of Zero 2 have you read?

Bohemiat: Eh, the lines between assuming and hypothesizing tend to blur on the Internet.

Anon e Mouse Jr: I should be thanking you!

Digikaiser3605: As I said on my main author's page on 8/17, thank you for pointing out this inconsistency...but not in the way you intended. You see, it does me no good to say that the events of Digimon Movies 2-4 did not occur when I mention the events of Movie 2 in episode 1! Once again, thanks.

... : A Trump Sword: 20 digidollars. A Desert Eagle: 40 digidollars. Bringing back two old foes to torment the Digidestined: priceless. There are some things money can't buy; for everything else, Zero 2 will have to do. :P

Silver Warrior: Well...you may be right. You may be wrong. Either way...the Greymon of eight years past appears in this episode!

Mimato-4eva: Welcome...hey, I already spoke to you! That means I can boot you off a cliff! (boots Mimato off a cliff)

Now begin!

* * *

_The odds are stacked heavily against the Digidestined._

_They face seven Mega Digimon and an Ultimate whose powers have yet to be fully realized._

_But...how long will that last?_

* * *

Episode 27: A New Crest

* * *

/01-000-ALPHA, UmbraDevimon's Lair, 9:56 PM/

UmbraDevimon chuckled as his conscious link with all of his Black Gears revealed their actions to him. The Digital World was being turned upside down with the invasion of the Black Gears under full swing...and his devilish visage that was mounted upon the Dark Obelisks did a fine job of terrifying the populace.

Digimon screamed at the sight of the Black Gears.

They howled with pain as the Black Gears became a part of their essence.

The Digimon under his control growled as they ferociously began attacking those who had not been converted.

Those who were free of his dark influence fled.

How wondrous it was! And soon – once he found a way to break through the Great Seal – his armies would invade the Real World...

Then he would move on to the toughest objective of all...the Dark World.

After that, his Black Gears would spread throughout the universe, contaminating every single world with his dark power...he would rule all.

"Excuse me."

UmbraDevimon slightly frowned as he was torn from his daydreams of grandeur. He looked down at Piedmon with a stern eye. "What is it?"

Piedmon, with a frown on his face, asked, "Do you have any clue as to where the Digibrats are? It won't do you any good to lose track of them."

UmbraDevimon smirked; Piedmon was trying to undermine him in anyway he could. He was trying to get under his skin. "Oh, don't worry...I already know. They're on File Island."

* * *

/File Island, Outside of Primary Village, 10:00 PM/

Shaun slowly walked along the riverbank towards Primary Village, which seemed to glow brightly in the night. Even though it wouldn't be long before the others began wondering where he was, he knew they would assume that he had gone to Primary Village.

He had to use the time to think.

So much had happened...and his plans were quickly unraveling. At the rate things were going, the enemy he had waited so long to face would have no Digidestined left to fight. I mean, come on! Even though the entire Digidestined team was now assembled, they were up against a greater foe than they had ever faced before. Seven Megas...and an Ultimate level whose Mega form had yet to be unveiled.

Grandkuwagamon. Blackwargreymon. Gryphonmon. Arukenimon. Piedmon. Puppetmon. Mummymon.

And of course, UmbraDevimon.

_Why are so many things changing? Why?_ He couldn't understand...

But...

He quietly pulled his tag out and glanced at the Crest of Wisdom in it. Its dark blue color was dead-ringer to how he felt...blue. Dark blue. _Did the changes begin...when I found this crest?_

Shaun felt like he would never get all of his questions answered. Nevertheless, he would keep pressing on...until his goal was completed.

"Super Thunder Strike!"

Shaun was jolted out of his thoughts. Literally. A blast of orange electricity crashed into his chest and pushed him into the ground, burning part of his shirt. "Ow...wha...?"

His swimming vision managed to make out a small, rabbit-like creature covered with red fur and purple markings around his legs, back, and the tips of his nine tails. His ears were rabbit-shaped, and his light-blue eyes looked at him menacingly. "Alright pal, mind telling me why you're just sneaking along the river to Primary Village!"

Shaun shook his head hurryingly, dazed and surprised by the sudden attack. A sudden flash of insight arose within him. "Wait...are you...Elecmon, the caretaker of...Primary Village?"

Elecmon narrowed his eyes, but his posture's stiffness lessened somewhat. "What of it?"

Shaun quietly stood up and stepped forward, allowing Elecmon to get a better look at him. "I'm Shaun...a Digidestined."

Elecmon blinked out of sudden astonishment. "Really?" Elecmon squinted his eyes to get a better look at the Child of Wisdom...and smiled. "Ah, you ARE one of the Digidestined! My dearest apologies for the attack, but with Arukenimon and Mummymon, you can't be too careful about humanoid figures!"

The teen raised an eyebrow out of mild surprise. "You know about Arukenimon and Mummymon?"

Elecmon chuckled as he replied, "Well, it's kind of hard not to notice with all of those Black Gears floating about. Besides, you know how much we Digimon love to gossip!"

Shaun sweatdropped at this. _Oh yeah...right._ His partner, (Agumon), was the exception to this rule. In all the time Shaun had known his partner, (Agumon) tended to be more reserved than the average Digimon. With the exception of the Digidestined, their partners, Gennai, and himself, (Agumon) rarely talked with anyone on a conversational basis.

"So, what brings you here? Any others with you?" asked Elecmon.

Shaun nodded. "Yeah...all of us, actually. We're sort of in a bind...and we're going to need some food soon..."

Elecmon nodded out of acknowledgment. "I see. So...who kicked your butts?"

Shaun sweatdropped at the little rabbit Digimon's blunt comment. "Gee, you're awfully frank. Well...the guilty party this time around are Piedmon and Puppetmon."

"Um," mumbled Elecmon as a look of fear suddenly crossed his face. "As in, two of the old Dark Masters? THAT Piedmon and Puppetmon?"

Shaun nodded. "Yeah...but if we have some time to rest and regroup ourselves..."

Elecmon quickly nodded. "Of course! If you come with me, I can help set up a whole feast for us! Besides, most of the babies are sleeping now, and there's still plenty of fish left over!"

Shaun sighed out of relief. "Thanks Elecmon." With that out of the way, he walked alongside the Primary Village caretaker towards the colorful, kiddy village.

* * *

/File Island, Cave Near Primary Village, 10:23 PM/

"Ooh..." Veemon rubbed his head carefully as his eyes readjusted to his surroundings. "Uh...where am I?"

"With everyone else." Veemon looked up to see the smiling face of Davis. "About time you woke up; everyone else is ready to go!"

Veemon blinked out of sudden curiosity. "Really? Go where?"

"Primary Village," replied TK, who was leaning against the rocky walls of the cave. "Take a look."

Veemon looked out of the cave's mouth to see...toy blocks rising above the forest canopy. "Uh...what's that place?"

Patamon, who was perched on the head of his partner, stared at Veemon with an open mouth. "You're kidding. You don't know what Primary Village is!"

For some reason in the back of his head, Veemon felt as though he was missing something really obvious. "Uh...yea?"

TK smiled as he answered for Patamon. "Primary Village is the place where all Digimon are reborn."

Veemon nodded in response. "Oh...okay!"

"Come on guys!" TK, Davis and their partners looked out of the cave to see the others waiting for them; Tai had been the one who yelled. "We're WAITING!"

Kari lightly slapped her older brother on the back of the head. "Calm down."

Everyone resisted the urge to laugh at the sibling put-down. As Davis walked alongside TK out of the cave, he noticed that someone wasn't amongst the group. "Hey...where's Shaun?"

As the two got to the group, (Agumon) piped up and said, "We think he went on ahead to Primary Village."

"Huh..." Izzy crossed his arms – a sign of deep thought – as he walked along the river bank with the others. _Why would he go without us? With all the Black Gears around the Digital World, it isn't safe to go alone...so why?_

* * *

/File Island, Primary Village, 10:33 PM/

Davis looked around him out of a sense of awe. "Whoa..."

Primary Village, obviously, was a place for youngsters and children. The entire ground, literally, was made of one gigantic mattress. Quilts with pictures of teddy bears, flowers, and generally nice things were knitted onto the ground, adding to the childish atmosphere. Finally, towers made of gigantic toy blocks – of both the hard, wooden and soft, cloth-like variety – towered above them. Also, spotlights were stuffed into the bases of the towers, providing illumination at night.

Biyomon looked around with a nostalgic look in her eye. "Boy, I remember this place..."

Sora smiled as she rubbed her partner's head. "Yeah...things were simpler back then, weren't they?"

That statement triggered it.

At that point, the older team finally seemed to fully realize the consequences of their predicament. Tai's soccer games. Matt's concerts. Sora's tennis games. Mimi's daily calls to her parents. Izzy's computer tutorials. Joe's tests.

As for the younger team...Kari's overprotective mom. TK's mother. Davis' soccer games and caring (if boy-crazy and annoying) sister. Yolei's entire family. Cody's stern grandfather and mother. Ken's parents and all of the media attention that he attracted.

All of their parents would wonder.

It was odd...sometimes, the simplest of statements can trigger the most complex of reactions.

Tai's eyes revealed his concern as he turned back to the others and said, "Say...what do you think our parents are doing right now, back in the Real World?"

"Save the contemplating for later! You have food to eat!"

The sudden intrusion of the new voice alerted the entire group. They looked forward to see two figures sitting near a spotlight...as well as a set of large platters holding fish...lots of fish. At least two hundred. And – judging from the burning embers of a campfire nearby – they had just been cooked.

The two figures sitting near the spotlight were, of course, Shaun and Elecmon. The speaker had been Shaun. He was looking at the Digidestined with a curious look on his face. "Well? Aren't any of you hungry?"

The Digidestined just stared at the odd scene ahead of them.

The Digimon, however, were not so hesitant to act. "FOOD!" All thirteen Digimon charged toward the cooked fish, their stomachs taking over their brains' thought processes. Elecmon and the Digidestined all sweatdropped as fish bones began littering the ground.

_Well, now I know why Shaun left earlier_, thought Izzy with an amused smile.

* * *

/01-000-ALPHA, UmbraDevimon's Lair, 10:41 PM/

In the bottom floor of UmbraDevimon's Lair, all of UmbraDevimon's servants – including Puppetmon, although none of the Dark Masters would ever call themselves servants – were just sitting around, doing nothing.

Except for Puppetmon. He was busy trying to wire up a game to one of the monitors – once part of the Emperor's Monitor Room – that was now fixated into the wall. "Come on...work with me!"

Arukenimon frowned out of disgust. She turned to Mummymon and muttered, "Gee, he's sure enthusiastic about his hobby."

Mummymon wasn't paying attention. He was staring at the three Control Spire Digimon.

Grnadkuwagamon.

Blackwargreymon.

Gryphonmon.

Were they like him? Confused about their purpose for living, yet bound to their creator and master?

He intended to find out.

Mummymon slowly strolled over to the three Control Spire Digimon, much to the confusion of Arukenimon. _What is he doing...?_

Mummymon looked at the three Megas with his one visible eye. All three of them stood like sentinels on duty; immobile and stoic, unmoving unless provoked. With a quiet tone, he asked, "Do you three feel as I do? Do you feel as though your life has no purpose?"

The three Digimon stared at him silently. No answer seemed apparent in their eyes. Mummymon's shoulders slightly sagged; were they nothing more than mindless shells? Nothing more than vessels of strength that served their master?

"I am a griffin at heart...as such, I serve the great one."

Mummymon blinked; Gryphonmon had just spoken. "What do you mean by that?"

Gryphonmon's yellow eyes glared softly at Mummymon; despite his intimidating presence, the griffin-like creature held a silent, almost majestic quality to him. "I am well aware of my Real World counterparts; in a time where gods fought titans for the destiny of mortals, the griffins were servants of the god Zeus. It is our fate to serve those who are rulers. UmbraDevimon, in my eyes, is the ruler of this Digital World. Besides...as my creator, I am bound to him."

Mummymon nodded out of understanding. Gryphonmon, considering he was not a real Digimon, was remarkably intelligent...and he had resigned himself to his fate as a servant of the powerful. "I see..."

"Heh...what do I care? I'm just here for the kicks..."

"What do you mean by that Grandkuwagamon?" asked Mummymon as he turned to Grandkuwagamon, who had a cruel smirk on his face.

"Think about it...I'm capable of tearing open portals in the space-time continuum! Do you realize how big of a rush it is to do that? To change history? Heck, I could even oust UmbraDevimon if I wanted to! But," a moan escaped from Grandkuwagamon's gullet. "I wouldn't know where to start...I need to be told where to open my portals! Do you know how infuriating that is! Such power at my command...but I don't have the knowledge necessary to use it at its fullest."

"I see..." Mummymon put Grandkuwagamon's word to some deep thought. Grandkuwagamon's personality had taken a change after opening up the portals earlier that day...beforehand, he had been silent, not saying a word to anyone. But he had apparently experienced a power rush upon opening the time portals under UmbraDevimon's command. Now, he craved it heavily.

"Rrr...what's the point...?"

Mummymon turned around to face Blackwargreymon, who was glaring at them defiantly with his arms crossed. "And what ails you?"

Blackwargreymon snorted at the Ultimate. "I don't really care about conquering the world, or even destroying the Digidestined...I only desire to feed the craving that swims through my veins...the need to fight. I desire a strong opponent...an opponent who can give me the challenge I seek! I've tried to be quiet about it...but if my desire is not fed soon, I may just explode on whoever's closest to me!"

"I...see..." Mummymon now understood why Blackwargreymon had kept to himself since his creation. He had been trying to contain himself, in the hopes that he could retain his composure. But – like many powerful people in history – he sought an opponent of equal strength; he sought to test his limits.

As Mummymon thought about it, he realized that Arukenimon's Control Spire creations were all diverse; the results were different every time. Zanbamon had been nothing more than a bloodthirsty killer. But these three were another thing altogether. Gryphonmon was quiet and obedient. Grandkuwagamon was power-hungry and had aspirations to overthrow UmbraDevimon. Blackwargreymon was eager for nothing more than a good fight.

_So...they are not as I am_. Somehow, that both calmed and distressed Mummymon. He was pleased that his tortured existence was not shared...but he was still lonely nonetheless.

Would he ever have true peace in his life?

Perhaps not...but he would continue to faithfully serve his creator.

Meanwhile, in the far corner of the room, Piedmon was silently eavesdropping. A happy grin adorned his face as he went over the information he had just heard. _Interesting...too risky to try and get Gryphonmon...but Grandkuwagamon and Blackwargreymon should be easy enough to sway over._

His plan to become the greatest once more was beginning to take shape.

* * *

/File Island, Primary Village, 10:55 PM/

Matt looked at the pile of fish bones, with not a single hint of amusement on his face. "So Shaun...you thought that would be enough?"

Shaun sweatdropped as he glanced at the fish bones, then their stuffed partners laying on the ground nearby, and then back at Matt. "Eh...forgot about how much they can eat."

Elecmon smiled as he started walking back toward the river. "Don't worry! I'll get more fish!" As he was heading back for the river, he suddenly stopped and made a U-Turn. "Oh, and before I start getting more fish, may I show you the way to the hot springs?"

The thirteen children blinked out of blank confusion. "Hot springs?"

* * *

/File Island, Hot Springs, 11:03 PM/

Apparently, the old hot springs that had been part of Devimon's fraudulent mansion so long ago were, in fact, not part of the mansion at all.

However, in the four years that had passed, constant erosion from the hot water had significantly widened the size of the springs. Large enough to fit at least twenty people.

Elecmon had long been using the hot springs to bathe the Baby Digimon of Primary Village. To his credit, he had erected a large wall at the midpoint of the springs (with the help of some friendly island natives) to separate the boys from the girls.

And right now, the Digidestined were bathing in the springs.

* * *

/File Island, Hot Springs, Boys' Side, 11:04 PM/

Tai sighed as he slowly sunk into the soothing, warm waters of the spring. "Ah...good times!"

"Speaking of good times..." Matt added with a smirk as he glanced over at Joe, who was simply sitting against a tree outside of the spring. "What's wrong Joe? Even after all this time, you're still embarrassed about this sort of thing?"

Joe smiled back at Matt. _Just like four years ago..._ "Actually Matt, I have no qualms about relaxing in a hot spring...it's just that I'd prefer staring up at the stars to relax." With that said, Joe just leaned back and did what he said he would do; stare at the stars.

Of course, Matt didn't accept that. He just turned back around and whispered, "Yeah right."

Izzy just shook his head good-naturedly. "Hey, cut him a break. Just let him relax in his own way."

"Anyhow, who cares?" Davis just smiled as he drooped his body down until only his head was above water. "I'll take a free dip into a hot spring any day!"

Meanwhile, TK was just staring up into the sky, wondering about the future and the battles to come. _UmbraDevimon..._

In truth, TK had never expected to see the Digidestined's very first enemy again. And he had never wanted to. Now he was back...and stronger and much more malicious as well. To cap it all off, they were stuck in the Digital World. _Mom..._

SPLASH!

TK suddenly yelped as a splash of hot water landed on his face. "GAH!" After clearing his eyes of the sudden sting, he looked in the direction from where he had felt the splash...

...to see Davis, whistling innocently. "What? It wasn't me!" In a panic, he pointed at Ken and Cody, who were on the other side of the pool. "It was them!"

"HEY! Don't pin the blame on us!" retorted Ken and Cody.

Before Davis could say anything else in his defense, TK waded over to Davis and dunked him underwater. Satisfied, TK turned around and trudged back toward his spot as Davis came back above water. "HEY! You cheap shot!"

"Ditto to you," replied TK with a content grin.

In the meantime, Shaun was sitting in the far corner of the pool, staring at the Crest of Wisdom that was in his tag. His eyes were staring intently at it, pondering over the four other lights he had seen so long ago.

_My crest came from that dark blue light...and the others..._

He suddenly had a flash of insight as he looked over at Ken.

He didn't have his crest yet. Ken _didn't_ have his crest yet!

_That violet light...was it...the Crest of Kindness?_

Shaun frowned as he let his crest dangle around his neck. There were too many questions...and answers were fleeting. _Curse my memory...if only I could remember everything..._

On second thought, Shaun decided against that. _Nah. That'd just lead to more problems...it'd be too much for me to handle...ugh, what a mess I've made._

* * *

/File Island, Hot Springs, Girls' Side, 11:10 PM/

"Ah..." cooed Mimi as she sunk under the waters of the hot spring. "Now this is what I'm talking about! Better than any spa in New York!"

Sora giggled as she blew bubbles on the water. "Nothing like nostalgia to turn any place into a 5-star resort."

"You said it!" replied Mimi.

Meanwhile, Yolei was soaking her lavender hair into the boiling water of the spring. "Ah...this place is great! I need to make a note to come here whenever I feel stressed!"

"Yeah..." Kari's voice trailed off as she stared tentatively at the sky above. Despite their momentary comfort, it wouldn't be long before reality – and UmbraDevimon – caught up with them.

"Hey? What's bugging you?" asked Sora as she glanced at Kari.

"Well...it's just everything, really. Our parents are going to go crazy with worry once they realize we've gone missing...my mom will probably go on the verge of lunacy, Mimi's folks will start wondering once she doesn't call..." Kari groaned as she leaned back against the rocky border of the spring. "It's just a big mess..."

Sora could sympathize. She couldn't imagine the pain their parents would be going through once they found out they were missing...if only there was a way they could contact their parents...

But there was no use dwelling on it. "Oh, don't worry...once we beat UmbraDevimon, we'll find a way to get back home. Just you wait!"

"After all, we're Digidestined! And even without shampoo to keep my hair looking good, we'll keep pressing on!" enthusiastically cheered Mimi.

Yolei patted Kari on the back and chipped in as well. "They're right. Besides, it's always fun to beat bad guys! We'll just show that UmbraDevimon and his cronies what for!"

"...thanks guys..." Kari smiled; she felt relieved that she was supported by such good friends...but her pessimism hadn't faded just yet.

* * *

/File Island, Outside the Hot Springs, 11:15 PM/

Gomamon – who was rather plump after his pigging out at dinner – poked his head out of the bushes that bordered the hot springs. He stared over to the girls' side of the springs and remembered the last time he had gone into the girls' side of the springs (in season 1, as diehard Digimon fans would know).

Truthfully, he had never figured out why the girls had thrown him out; all he had done was enjoy a good swim! Besides, the guys' side had been rather crowded, which had been why he swam on the girls' side.

But would the same thing happen now? _Hmm...I wonder..._

"What'cha doing?"

"WAH!" yelped Gomamon as whirled around to see Veemon, Hawkmon, and Armadillomon. All three of them looked plump as well. "Wha-what are you guys doing!"

Veemon innocently replied, "Uh...when we got up after eating, we saw you wander off...so we followed you." Armadillomon then worriedly asked, "Is somethin' wrong?"

Gomamon was about to hurriedly reply the standard 'Nothing' response...when it dawned on him: he could test out his suspicion on these three! Perhaps the girls were only mad because they were younger...maybe now it was different!

Besides, if they still didn't like it, at least he wouldn't get tossed. "Well...I've got an idea...but I need three Digimon to help me out. You guys!"

"Us?" asked Hawkmon, who looked a tad confused.

"I need you guys to swim over there! But first you need to go underwater and then resurface among the girls over there!" Gomamon pointed beyond the bushes towards the hot springs.

Veemon, Armadillomon, and Hawkmon glanced over at the springs. Hawkmon then looked back at Gomamon and curiously asked, "Why do you ask this?"

"Well, it's just a little experiment, and I need to watch the results from a distance. Just do it, it'll be worth it!" The cheesy smile Gomamon wore didn't reassure the three Rookies...

...but Veemon just shrugged. "What the hey? It's not like we have anything else to do!"

"I don't know...but like you said, what the hey! Let's do it!" agreed Armadillomon with a smile. 

Hawkmon just sighed. "Fine...but any and all cleaning bills for my feathers after this will be forwarded to you."

Gomamon sweatdropped. "Fine...just be quiet when you get in the water!"

The three Rookies, unknowing to what was about to happen, obliged by tiptoeing into the springs and ducking underwater.

Now, the three Digimon were still rather naïve. They did not have any knowledge of human privacy and how sensitive people were when naked.

And unfortunately for the three Digimon, they were all males.

* * *

/File Island, Hot Springs, Girls' Side, 11:21 PM/

Sora, Kari, and Yolei blinked out of astonishment as Mimi explained more about American life. Kari asked, "You're kidding! They let them take the entire Saturday off!"

Mimi nodded. "You bet!"

Yolei grumbled as she angrily huffed, "Lucky chumps..."

Before Sora could ask another question, however, she noticed a small stream of bubbles coming closer to them. "Um...what's that?"

As if answering her question, Veemon, Armadillomon, and Hawkmon surfaced amongst the four girls.

Veemon, seemingly not noticing the red color that suddenly adorned the girls' faces, turned to the other two Digimon and asked, "I don't get the point of this." The other two Rookies shrugged out of agreement.

Mimi and Kari shrieked, "AIE!"

"PERVERTS!" screamed Sora as she impulsively covered herself.

"Get out _GET OUT_ **_GET OUT!_**" roared Yolei as she proceeded to kick and toss the three Digimon over the wall, much to their confused displeasure.

"What did we do!" asked Veemon as he sailed over.

"Maybe we did something wrong!" replied Armadillomon as he flew over the wall.

"Somehow, I think we were misled," stated Hawkmon as he fell over the other side.

Moments later...

POW!

_CONK!_

**BONK!**

After that, they could hear Davis moan, "Ow...my head..."

* * *

/File Island, Outside the Hot Springs, 11:25 PM/

Gomamon sweatdropped as he watched Yolei pummel and heave the three Rookies over the wall. "Well, that went spectacularly bad..." Still, he had to admit to himself...something about the surreal scene had seemed rather funny. He snickered slightly as he turned around...

...to see Gatomon, who looked very unamused. "Excuse me, but do you mind explaining why you're peeking at the girls?"

Gomamon stuttered as he nervously said, "Uh-uh...w-well...um..."

Gatomon scowled as she quickly kicked Gomamon over into the girls' side of the spring. With a splash, he landed amongst the girls...girls who were already upset.

And unlike the previous three, Gomamon had a history with Sora and Mimi. The two older girls roared, "GOMAMON!"

Gomamon gulped as he nervously said, "Uh...it's...not what you think?"

POW!

_BIFF!_

**KAPOW!**

"**_AND STAY OUT!_**" yelled the four girls as they tossed Gomamon over the wall.

**BONK!**

"OW! MY HEAD!" From the other side of the spring, Davis screamed out of agony.

Then, Ken – who proved himself to be all the more courteous by closing his eyes and placing a hand over them – poked his head around the wall and asked, "Um...I don't know what's going on, but do you mind not throwing anymore Digimon over the wall? Davis is starting to get a headache."

Kari answered first. "Well, tell Davis we're sorry about knocking him on the head like that-"

But then Yolei interrupted. "But tell those Digimon to stop peeking at us!"

Ken sighed as he replied, "Well, we'll talk to them. Besides, isn't Hawkmon _your_ partner?" With that said, Ken returned to the boys' side of the spring.

The other three girls giggled as Yolei fumed. Mimi sarcastically cheered, "Ooh...he just put you down big time!"

Yolei's cheeks flushed red as she roared, "HE DID NOT!"

* * *

/File Island, Hot Springs, Boys' Side, 11:31 PM/

Shaun resisted the urge to laugh at the scene before him.

Davis was sitting on the rocky ground with a towel around his waist, rubbing his sore head whilst grumbling. "Rassin' frassin'..."

Veemon and Hawkmon were vehemently apologizing to Davis.

Armadillomon and Gomamon were being berated on by their respective partners, Cody and Joe...well, mostly Joe berating Gomamon.

And Tai, Matt, Izzy, TK, and Ken were just watching on with amusement.

Shaun fondly remembered similar scenes of merriment and oddball comedy...how he missed his friends...

_Darn it Shaun, keep your mind off of them!_

With a sudden shaking of his head, Shaun's nostalgic memories were stowed away. He then decided to get out of the springs. He walked over to the basket that held the towels (Elecmon always kept them handy to dry off the Baby Digimon; he had graciously provided extra towels for them) and dried himself off before wrapping the towel around his waist. After stepping a nearby tree, he grabbed his clothes from the branch and dressed himself.

Once that was done, he pulled out his D-Terminal and sent a message to Ken's D-Terminal. Ichijouji would receive it once he left the springs to get his clothes back on.

Satisfied, Shaun made his way back to Primary Village.

Unfortunately, unbeknownst to Shaun, he was unaware of the Black Gear hovering over the springs.

* * *

/01-000-ALPHA, UmbraDevimon's Lair, 11:45 PM/

"Mummymon."

Mummymon stepped forth toward his lord and creator. "Yes, Lord UmbraDevimon?"

UmbraDevimon frowned as his mind replayed the scene he had just witnessed in his conscious. The boy known as Shaun had suddenly left in a hurry...and then he had sent a message. But to who was the question...and UmbraDevimon was curious. "You shall go to File Island and spy on the boy known as Shaun. If anything unusual occurs, you are to report back to me. A Black Gear will accompany you...to serve as my eyes."

A Black Gear floated from the darkness of the shadows and hovered beside Mummymon. He bowed silently as UmbraDevimon tore a portal open to the outskirts of Primary Village with his glowing red finger on the lower right hand. Once the portal was open, Mummymon stepped in, followed by the Black Gear.

UmbraDevimon leaned back as he continued to keep taps on every single Black Gear that served as his eyes.

* * *

/Files Island, Hot Springs, Boys' Side, 12:00 AM/

Ken looked up at the full moon with a quiet eye.

Midnight.

He had been in the hot springs for almost an hour, and he was getting a bit pruned. "Well...it's getting late. I'm getting out."

Tai smiled as he shook his head. "Suit yourself. More room for me!"

By now, everyone but Davis and Matt had gotten out of the boys' side of the springs. Ken quietly wrapped a towel around himself and walked over toward the throng of trees where the boys had put their clothes earlier.

When he got there, he saw Joe put Cody's coat on. The Child of Reliability glanced up at Ken and said, "Poor guy was exhausted; when I came over here, he had fallen asleep with only his pants on."

Ken nodded; truthfully, he wasn't at all surprised. With everything happening, Ken didn't blame the little boy for suffering from exhaustion.

They were all suffering from exhaustion...and much more.

They were suffering from UmbraDevimon.

As Ken began clothing himself, he heard the D-Terminal in his pants pocket ringing. As he began putting his gray school shirt back on, he read the message.

* * *

_Ken, I need to speak with you in Primary Village._

_Shaun_

* * *

Ken blinked out of confusion...Shaun wouldn't have gone through the trouble of messaging him when he could've just asked...

Unless...he had something dire to talk about.

Now, with an incentive, Ken quickly dressed and made his way back to Primary Village.

* * *

/File Island, Primary Village, 12:04 AM/

(Agumon) glanced over at the slumbering Digimon with a calm eye. "So...Gabumon, Biyomon, Palmon, Patamon, Tentomon, and Wormmon are asleep..."

Gatomon nodded quietly. "Yeah...now if only we could somehow get Gomamon to go asleep." She then glared at Gomamon with an angry eye.

Gomamon quickly held his paws up in defense. "Hey, I didn't know girls were so pushy when they were naked!"

Immediately after the Hot Spring Fiasco, Joe had gone into an in-depth explanation of exactly why the girls didn't like it when people – human, Digimon, or otherwise – of the opposite gender stumbled upon them whilst naked.

Gomamon had immediately realized the mistake of his previous actions.

"That information could've helped us," stated Veemon, Armadillomon, and Hawkmon without amusement.

Agumon chuckled as he glanced at his double. "Man, talk about being in the wrong place at the wrong time!"

"Indeed," replied (Agumon) as he glanced over to a nearby block tower, where Shaun was sitting against it quietly. Ever since Shaun had returned from the hot springs, he had been sitting there...waiting for something...or someone.

But he knew, from the strange look in the Child of Wisdom's eyes, that he was in deep thought.

* * *

/File Island, Outside of Primary Village, 12:08 AM/

A red tear opened up amongst a thick den of trees, and out of it came Mummymon and the Black Gear.

Mummymon quietly crept through the trees until he was near Primary Village. His master had given him a mission...and he couldn't endanger it. So he crept as quietly as possible.

As he neared the birthplace of Digimon, he noticed the former Emperor walking towards the village. Quietly, and with utmost secrecy, Mummymon followed.

He stopped following once he saw Ken meet up with the child with the Crest of Wisdom. He carefully kept watch from a small cleft between two toy towers, providing him adequate cover.

He watched...and so did the Black Gear.

* * *

/File Island, Primary Village, 12:15 AM/

"What is you wanted to speak to me about?" asked Ken with a stern tone.

Shaun pulled the tag off of his neck and held it in front of Ken. Despite the only light being the moon and the spotlights around the towers, the multi-triangular outline of the Crest of Wisdom was visible. "Ken...you are the bearer of a crest."

"...beg your pardon?"

Shaun sweatdropped; he should've figured disbelief would've factored in. "Let me explain...a long time ago, I saw five lights. Dark blue. Dark red. Violet. Dark green. Gold. All five lights split away, heading into different parts of the Digital World. The dark blue light crashed near where I was...and when I found it, I found this." He pointed to his own crest.

Ken gasped out of astonishment. "You mean...there are _more_ crests out there! That's impossible! According to my knowledge, the Order had only created eight!"

"There's mine, isn't there? And there are four more out there." Shaun's tone did not change in seriousness.

Shaun had a point...but it was still a lot for Ken to grasp. Shaun's Crest of Wisdom had been the first of five new crests...but who were the crests for? And he, the former Emperor, with a CREST! Incredulous! How could he have a crest...?

But even so, his hand seemed to move toward Shaun's dangling crest on its own...and when it touched, something wondrous happened.

A small mote of light emerged from the Crest of Wisdom, floating above the two teens' heads. Ken stared in wonder. "Shaun...what's happening?"

"I...I don't know..." Shaun was truthful; he had not expected THIS to happen.

The dot of dark blue light formed into an arrow...pointing towards the block on the highest toy tower. On the toy tower was a block that had a strange symbol on its side...it looked like a budding violet tulip...

Shaun's eyes widened. He recognized that symbol...he _KNEW_ it was!

As Ken stared at the tulip-shaped symbol in confusion...the panel on the toy block glowed a violet color. It floated down towards Ken, his eyes ever widening in shock as it neared his chest. As it came closer, it also shrunk in size.

Then, it stopped. A tag came into being around the small, perfectly trapezoidal shape. The tag stopped glowing as soon as the crest did...it was indeed a crest.

Ken's crest.

And he couldn't believe it. "I...have a crest...?" 

"Yes...the Crest of Kindness. You are the Child of Kindness, Ken Ichijouji."

Ken shook his head out of disbelief. "No...how could I be the Child of Kindness? I was the Emperor...how could I be the Child-"

"You are kind Ken...you just lost sight of it for awhile." Shaun then turned back to the Digimon nearby. "Get Wormmon...then follow me back to the springs. We need to get Davis, Kari, TK, Yolei, and Cody."

Before Shaun set off, Ken asked, "Why?"

Shaun stopped...and turned around to face Ken with a stare so serious that Ken nearly felt like stepping away; he had never seen Shaun look so serious.

"Because...I was getting desperate. I thought UmbraDevimon would get the better of us soon...but with your crest coming, the chance of getting new crests is too good an opportunity to pass on. I guess..." An ironic smile crossed Shaun's face. "...I'm so desperate to find something to turn the tide that I'm willing to do anything."

Ken, aware now of why Shaun had suddenly gotten so serious, smiled back. "I understand."

Meanwhile...

Mummymon's yellow eye narrowed as he turned to the Black Gear. "Lord UmbraDevimon...is that unusual enough for you?"

Moments later, a red portal opened beside him. As he stepped through, Mummymon had a humorous thought. _I guess it was._

* * *

/File Island, Cave Near Primary Village, 12:37 AM/

"Alright Shaun...you dragged us away from the others in secret back to the cave. So mind explaining why the heck you gathered us all here!" demanded Davis angrily. He had just gotten out of the springs to go to sleep...and then Shaun had awoken him!

Shaun looked at everyone quietly. The second Digidestined had all gathered...partners and all. Granted, Cody was still sleeping (Shaun had carried him here), and they all looked rather sleepy. But he had a feeling that wouldn't last. "Well...Ken, you show them."

He quietly pulled the tag out of from under his shirt...revealing the Crest of Kindness. "Everyone...this is my crest."

"WHAT!" exclaimed everyone (sans the slumbering Cody), their exhaustion forgotten.

Shaun lightly smirked. _I knew it._ "Well...let me explain about five lights I saw."

And he explained.

TK was at a loss. _MORE crests! This is unreal!_

Kari's face brightened at the news. The possibility of more crests was GREAT! "This is great! We finally have something to use against UmbraDevimon!"

Davis thought about it quietly. He, Yolei, and Cody were the only ones without a crest...so that raised a question. _What kind of crest will I get?_

Yolei fingered the Crest of Kindness quietly. "It's beautiful..." _And it suits the bearer...I guess._

Suddenly, a mote of dark red light emerged from the Crest of Kindness, transforming into an arrow that pointed to the east. The Digidestined stared at it in wonder...except for Shaun and Ken. They knew what it meant.

Ken muttered, "This happened when I touched Shaun's crest..." 

_So...when Ken touched my crest, a light emerged to point him toward the Crest of Kindness. And now when Yolei touched Ken's, it made another beacon of light...pointing toward the next crest._ "So...that arrow's pointing east...towards the continent of Folder."

"We know where we're going then? Well, let's go!" enthusiastically yelled Davis, all tiredness forgotten.

Veemon happily yelled, "I agree with Davish. Let's do it!"

Gatomon quietly nodded. "Yeah...when we found the original crests, we trashed major butt. Tai trashed Etemon, Kari trashed Myotismon, and TK trashed Piedmon..."

"Well, actually it was mostly Patamon," replied TK with a bashful tone. Patamon immediately gave a noogie to his partner. "Don't give away all the credit!"

"Hey wait!" interrupted Kari as a thought came to mind. "What about the others? Why aren't they coming with us?"

Shaun quietly pulled out his orange D-3 and pointed it at the Digiport. "Too many of us will draw attention...and Primary Village needs someone to defend it. We can't risk another repeat of four years ago."

TK and Kari shuddered at the memory of the ruins of Primary Village...they couldn't risk it.

"Don't worry...I'll send a message to Izzy's laptop. Alright everyone...to Folder. Digiport open!" yelled Shaun.

Then, in a bright flash of light, they were gone.

* * *

/01-000-ALPHA, UmbraDevimon's Lair, 12:49 PM/

Puppetmon was STILL tinkering with the monitor, muttering something about 'crossed circuits' and 'faulty wires'. Puppetmon was not the brightest bulb...but any and everything gaming-related – electronics included – was the puppet's forte.

Arukenimon was leaning against a nearby wall, slumbering. Hey, even Digimon had to sleep.

Gryphonmon was unmoving. His tail twitched nervously, but he appeared asleep. But...he could've been awake. The scary thing was that he could've been awake and asleep at the same time.

As for Grandkuwagamon...he was chuckling. "Heh...hear the news? About the crests?"

Blackwargreymon scoffed. He had indeed heard of what Mummymon had witnessed (through Arukenimon, before she had drifted into a deep slumber). "If it results in a powerful challenger coming...I can't complain."

"I see..."

Grandkuwagamon and Blackwargreymon turned to see Piedmon standing in the shadows; the malevolent grin on his face was made all the more devilish by the darkness. "Grandkuwagamon...Blackwargreymon...I have a proposition for you two."

* * *

Around 1 AM in the morning, Shaun sent the message to Izzy's laptop.

And it wouldn't be until the morning when he would read it.

And went as so:

* * *

_Dear Izzy,_

_Sorry we seemed to disappear on you, but something's come up. We've left to search for the new crests, which are hidden somewhere in the Digital World. It's a long story...and it's too long for a simple message to hold. _

_Anyhow, we left earlier this morning towards the continent of Folder. We'll try to make it as quick as possible...we left alone for two reasons. One: we would draw WAY too much attention as the whole group. Two: **someone** needs to help Elecmon protect Primary Village._

_It all started because Ken found his own crest – the Crest of Kindness – in Primary Village. That's what sparked this little trip of ours._

_Hopefully, we'll return with a power that can help us against UmbraDevimon._

_Sincerely, Shaun_

_P.S: Tai, Matt; don't worry about your little siblings. They'll be okay._

* * *

/Darkened Sidewalk, Odaiba, 1:23 PM/

Gennai was already formulating a plan to inform the Digidestined's folks. It would take some time...but he had to do something while in the Real World.

_Boy...I wonder how things are going for them in the Digital World?_

As Gennai trudged along the sidewalk – barely lit by yellow streetlamps – he did not pay attention to a pale man in a purple trench coat walking by. And why should he?

But Gennai would've been shocked to know that the man in purple was thinking about the Digital World as well...but with an entirely different purpose in mind.

_Soon...I'll be able to bring my benefactor to this realm. Then I can finally fulfill my dream of seeing the Digital World!_

* * *

To be continued...

Next time...

Episode 28: Piedmon's Uprising

* * *

Author's Notes: Wow. Over 200,000 words. Sweetness. Thanks to everyone who's tagged along for this story...and that includes those who haven't reviewed.

Anyhow, sorry this episode took so long to bring out. Too many characters at once tends to bog things down (which is why I split the teams back up in this chapter). Also, I had to come up with personalities for the Control Spire Digimon (sans Blackwargreymon; his was pretty much defined already).

Anyhow, see you next time, and please review!

So long!


	28. Piedmon's Uprising

Standard Disclaimer: , I mean, I don't own Digimon!

Author's Notes: More than 100 reviews! W00t-tastic! That's the fifth milestone my fic has reached! First there was 100,000 words. Then 200,000. Also, there's the designation of being my largest fic. Then the 25th 'Silver Edition' episode. And now 100 reviews! Thank you everyone who's read my story!

On to the reviews!

Anthony1: Well...there will be ONE Crest change. And that's ALL you'll get out of me!

Mimato-4eva: (looks at 4eva's five reviews)...(boots Mimato off four different cliffs) :)

Bohemiat: Fanservice episode? Que? O.o

Anon e Mouse Jr: Um...Ken's was the violet one. Yolei's is dark red. :P

... : Eh, Davis was due for a stroke of bad luck. That's part of why he's one of my favorite characters: despite any amount of bad luck that comes to him, he always bounces back with all of his optimism intact.

Oh, and I just came up with your new name...how does 'Francisco Monticule Zanzibar' sound? :P

Silver Warrior: Glad you like the Control Spire Digimon personalities. And by 'unbelievable', do you mean 'good unbelievable' or the bad kind? Oh, and by the way...I said I'd show the Greymon from 'Digimon Adventure' in the last episode, and I didn't. Apologies for the deception; the plot changed along the way.

And before we continue, I'd like to point out that the sectors that constitute the continent of Folder are Sigma, Tau, Upsilon, Phi, Chi, Psi, and Omega. The End of the World is the tremendous barrier between the two continents of Folder and Server. The Greek letters between Alpha and Rho are part of the land that constitutes Server. As for Desktop and Backdrop...that'll be unveiled shortly.

Onward!

* * *

_UmbraDevimon is the overpowering Goliath. _

_Piedmon is the dark horse David._

_And the Digidestined are the ground that they fight on._

_At least, that's how it is for the time being..._

_Will the Digidestined continue being trampled by the dark ones in power? _

_Or will they find salvation with the new crests?_

* * *

"Hey everyone, this is Gennai. Apologies for the lack of a recap in the last episode, the reception was rather bad. Well anyhow, after a relaxing time in the hot springs, Shaun told Ken that he had a crest...and to everyone's surprise, Ken received the Crest of Kindness moments later! Ain't that a hoot? Now I just have to figure out what to tell to the kids' parents..."

* * *

Episode 28: Piedmon's Uprising

* * *

/File Island, Primary Village, Saturday, October 23rd, 1:19 AM/

Izzy yawned quietly as he slowly sat up from his sleeping position on the ground. "Man, this stuff makes a comfy bed...too bad I can't get any sleep."

He glanced around him to see the other Digidestined still slumbering; Tai was perched against one of the towers, while Matt was under the relative cover of one of the spotlights. Sora and Mimi had fallen asleep in the interlacing branches of a large tree outside of the village. Joe had clambered onto one of the large, toy blocks around the village and fallen asleep on that.

_Hmm...wonder where the others are?_ Izzy simply thought that they had gone to sleep in another part of the village. With his worry laid to rest, he pulled his laptop out of his backpack and – after plugging it into a power outlet that happened to be inside a toy block – turned it on.

To his surprise, he had one message. "Hmm..."  
  
He opened it and read it.

After finishing, he quickly began waking up the others. They had to hear this.

* * *

/Continent of Folder, 00-111-SIGMA, 5:21 AM/

Shaun opened one eye.

Still darkness.

"Oi...should've gotten more sleep," moaned the Child of Wisdom as he looked around the place they had chosen to sleep at for the night.

The New Digidestined team had come out of the digiport onto the western shore of Folder. Unlike most of the shores on Server – which were rocky – the shoreline here was comprised of fine, loose sand. Palm trees dotted the landscape for at least a whole mile inland; after that, the land became rockier as the ground began rising into the nearby mountains. Also, a small lake was situated in the plain that sat between the beach and the mountains.

Davis had decided to sleep on the beach itself. TK, Kari, Yolei, and Cody had all gathered under one of the largest palm trees and taken refuge under its leaves, each sleeping in their own way. Ken had decided to go take a walk before going to sleep.

He had yet to return.

As for Shaun, he had fallen asleep standing up, leaning against one of the palm trees for support.  
  
Now, he was looking around; the pale light of the full moon still lit the ocean water, giving it a luminescent, almost ghostly sheen. _Man...I wonder where Ken went?_

As his eyes fell on the others, they widened out of shock.

Yolei was gone as well...but Hawkmon was still there, slumbering away.

_Darn it, where did she go?! _

He looked northward and saw something; a rocky knoll that jutted outward into the sea, with a large point that overlooked the sea. He swore he could see a small figure at the end...and another slowly advancing toward it. Had the moon not been out, he would've never seen them. _Are those them?_

* * *

/00-111-SIGMA, Rocky Knoll, 5:24 AM/

Ken sighed as he absent-mindedly stroked Wormmon's head, who lay peaceably in his lap. The content smile on his face indicated that the little Rookie was having a fine dream.

If only Ken could share in that content.

Did the great powers who protected the Digital World – who saw fit to prophesize the coming of the Digidestined- have it in for him? Or did fate just have a very ironic sense of humor?

Him? The former Digimon Emperor? The Child of Kindness?! As if!

He had done so many horrible things...

_Kill..._

_Massacre..._

_Slaughter..._

_Destroy..._

The voice was his own. But the tone was of the Emperor's. It was mocking him...mocking him because of the cruel twist reality had thrown him. Even after all of his sins – after every single atrocity he had committed – he was delegated the Child of Kindness? How? _It can't be...there must be some mistake..._

But it wasn't. He knew it. And he hated the Emperor – no, himself – for his past misdeeds all the more because of it.

He sighed dejectedly and spoke. "You don't have to keep hiding."

Mere meters behind him, Yolei poked her head out from behind a small boulder. "How'd you know?"

"I heard you," replied Ken lackadaisically. His tone was quiet; almost as if he would blow ever from the slightest breeze.

In Yolei's opinion, it didn't suit him. She quietly approached Ken Ichijouji and sat down next to him. "Are you okay? You seem...well, down, for lack of a better word."

An ironic chuckle escaped the young boy's lips. "Down? How astute..."

"Hey, you don't have to be such a smart-aleck about it!" indignantly replied Yolei.

That's when she saw something unexpected come from Ken.

Shivers. He was shivering. Yolei's scowl quickly transformed into a concerned stare. _What's wrong with him? Is he...crying?_

"Why...? Why am I the butt of fate's joke?"

That was a line that Yolei didn't expect. "Huh? What are you talking about?"

Ken slowly pulled his tag out from under his shirt, letting it dangle in the air. Despite the crest's perfect symmetry, its perfection mocked him as well. He was not the Child of Kindness...how could he be? "Look at it. The Crest of Kindness...let me ask you something Yolei..."  
  
Yolei waited tentatively for Ken's question. "Yeah...?"

"Do you honestly think I deserve this crest? Because I don't." Ken's head silently sagged as he spoke.

Yolei huffed as she started to speak...then stopped. She couldn't soften the blow...that wouldn't be sincere of her. And Leomon had told her to be sincere in all of her actions. "Well Ken...honestly, I don't think you should be the Child of Kindness either."

Ken's eyes widened; he had expected Yolei to try and reassure him on false pretenses. He hadn't expected her to tell the truth. "Yolei..."  
  
"I'm not done yet!" snapped Yolei. "Now look...you used to be the biggest jerk in the universe. You were smug, cocky, and EXTREMELY evil to boot. You tried to kill us on several occasions, you used the older kids' own partners against us, you used our OWN Digimon to create that freak Chimeramon...need I go on?"

Ken slightly winced with each remark...because each remark dredged up memories of his sins. Honestly, he hadn't expected Yolei to hit the proverbial nail so hard on the head. "Well...not really..."

"But...I think you're on the right track," continued Yolei as her tone softened. She quietly fingered the Crest of Kindness, which slowly exuded a dark red light that shaped into a small arrow pointing east. It was less grandiose than the first appearance of the dark red arrow, but it illuminated Yolei and Ken in a small light. "Honestly, I was leery of you...after all, you practically wanted to join up with us immediately after you were the Emperor."

"I'm sorry...about that. I should've given you all more time before I made my move." Ken looked down at his hands quietly...hands that had the blood of many on them. "I just...wanted to atone." Ken's voice began to crack as he continued to tremble. "I wanted to atone for everything that I had done..."

Yolei's face contorted into a sad smile as she embraced the trembling boy. "I understand...we should've given you more of a chance. After all, it's innocent until proven guilty...not the other way around. You ARE kind. You've proven to be a better person than you give yourself credit for...so just stop beating yourself up, okay?"

Ken found it impossible to stop the small, timid smile that came to his face. He also found it impossible to not hug the lavender-haired girl back. In a way, it sort of awed him...little more than two weeks ago, he had been the Digidestined's sworn and hated enemy. But now, he had a third person to add to the list of people who he was sure had forgiven him – the first two spots belonged to Davis Motomiya and Shaun – Yolei Inoue. "Thank you..."

Yolei smiled; despite what he was portrayed as in the media, he was a nice guy. "Okay...we should get...back..." To her horror, she saw something that filled her with dread.

Ken was asleep. Sleep had claimed him. And his arms were still embracing her!

_Ohnoohnoohnohnoohnoohnoohnoohnoohnowhattodowhattodowhattodowhattodo!!!_ Like before – when Ken had wrapped his arms around Yolei during the prison incident (see episode 9) – her mind zoomed from around twenty to one million miles per hour.

But before she could attempt to wiggle out of Ken's grasp, sleep claimed her as well. Despite her mind's protesting, her body was too tired to move.

Meanwhile, on the beach, Shaun stared quietly at the two figures. A wry smile crossed his face as he began walking back toward the spot where the others had slept for the night. Even though it seemed odd, a funny thought came to his mind. _Ha cha cha._

Shaun resisted the urge to laugh as he strolled along the beach.

* * *

/File Island, Primary Village, 5:38 AM/

"**WHAT?!"**

Now, Izzy was courteous. In the end, he had decided to wait until later before telling him about Shaun's message. To pass the time...he had slept.

At 5:30, he had awoken again. He had quickly awoken the others. By 5:35, they were all awake. In three minutes, he had read the message out loud to the others.

Their response, as plainly seen, was one of surprise.

Tai's reaction was priceless. His eyes were bugging so hard out of his head that they threatened to fall out. "NEW CRESTS?! YOU'RE KIDDING!!!"

"Nope. As a matter of fact, it would explain matters a bit," replied Izzy as he mentally analyzed the message in his mind.

Joe looked inquisitively at Izzy and asked, "How so?"

"Well, it concerns Shaun's crest more than anything...it always puzzled me as to how it came into his possession. And now with Ken's crest appearing, it's only logical to assume that Davis, Yolei, and Cody have crests to claim as well," explained Izzy as he went over the message again, just to clarify everything.

"Well I think it's a good thing!" cheered Matt as a confident smirk came to his face. "More crests means more firepower against UmbraDevimon!"

"Yeah!" agreed Mimi.

Meanwhile, Sora was not so optimistic. "But there's one problem...what about us? We haven't been able to utilize the power of our _own_ crests lately, have we?"

That was actually a good point. Ever since the final battle with Apocalymon over four years ago, they had not actually been able to digivolve their Digimon to a higher level than Champion. The only cases that had happened – with Agumon turning into Skullgreymon, Patamon becoming MagnaAngemon, and Gatomon digivolving to Angewomon – were due to either the Emperor (the former two) or because of Kari's light, which had physically manifested itself in the Dark World.

Other than those examples, none of their Digimon had evolved beyond Champion.

"We're probably just rusty!" boasted Tai. Then his tone became a little softer when he spoke calmly with Sora. "Don't worry...we'll all be okay in the end, I promise."

Sora lightly smiled as she nodded. "Yeah. I'm probably just being too down."

Suddenly, Matt grabbed Tai's arm and began dragging him away. "Pardon us, but we need to talk about something." Before Tai could protest, Matt had dragged him around the corner of a nearby toy tower. This left Sora, Mimi, Joe, and Izzy alone.

Joe glanced over near the remains of the campfire; the Digimon slumbered next to it. "Wonder when they'll wake up?"

"I'll tell you one thing..."

The four Digidestined turned around to see Elecmon, who was wiping his eyes clean of impurities. "If they want breakfast, they're going to have to agree to help out with the babies...because they're going to be wide awake REAL soon."

* * *

/01-000-ALPHA, UmbraDevimon's Lair, 5:43 AM/

Arukenimon sighed as she awoke. "Oy...I'm going to have to weave my own bed...the floor's too uncomfortable..."

She looked around...to see Puppetmon still tinkering with the monitor. However, some changes had been made, to see the least. For one thing, a giant speaker had been attached to the monitor's left side, and a multitude of smaller monitors had been gathered up and wired into the large monitor's right side. Puppetmon had been VERY busy throughout the night.

She sighed with annoyance as she asked, "Have you been up all night with that thing?"

Puppetmon nodded before bluntly saying, "Less talking."

Arukenimon huffed indignantly at Puppetmon's frank response. _Well...nothing better to do around here at the moment. _With that, she moved in closer, sat down, and watched Puppetmon tinker.

Meanwhile, in the darkness, Piedmon was holding a small cloth over Puppetmon's Bullet Hammer, which lay strewn against the wall. _Act 1 of my play has begun._

He quickly removed the cloth, and smirked as he held the Bullet Hammer keychain in his hand. He then buckled it to his side. _Now I just have to wait._

* * *

/File Island, Primary Village, 5:45 AM/

Tai broke away from Matt's grip and yelled, "What's wrong with you?!"

Matt silently turned back towards Tai, and – with a serious tone – asked, "Tai...have you told Sora how you feel just yet?"

Silence.

Followed by a facefault, courtesy of Tai. "YOU DRAGGED ME AWAY FOR THE OTHERS JUST TO ASK ME IF I TOLD SORA HOW MUCH I LIKE HER?!"

Matt nodded. "Come on Tai, you and I both know that you've had a thing for her ever since before we even went to the Digital World. How come you haven't even asked her out yet?"

Tai sweatdropped as he subconsciously backed into the nearest toy tower. How could Matt ask about something like this at such an inopportune time? "Uh...how come you're asking about that at a time like this? Don't we have more important things to worry about?"

Matt chuckled as he turned away from the nervous Child of Courage. "Don't dodge the issue...you know as well as I do that we're in a big pickle. It won't be long before we start going crazy from separation anxiety, and we have to get as many problems off our chests before we start heading into battle again."

"And this has to do with me _how_?" asked Tai as a dull look crossed his eyes.

Matt fought the urge to hit Tai as hard as he could. "Come ON!!! You yourself told me before high school started that you wanted to ask Sora to be your girlfriend! I know you haven't told her yet, and I know you're eating yourself up because of it! Just tell her, get it off your chest, and be done with it! CAPICHE?!"

Tai winced quietly at Matt's scathing rant. "Geez, alright! I'll do it! But..." Now it was Tai's turn to smirk. "Only if you agree to tell Mimi how you feel about her."

Now it was Matt's turn to sweatdrop. "Huh?! But how-"

"Hey, Izzy IS the one who set up a private e-mail account for every single member of the Teenage Wolves at your request. It took a lot of begging, but he finally caved in." The smirk on Tai's face seemingly threatened to split his face in half. "I know you and Mimi have been e-mailing each other a lot. It's actually kind of nice...I didn't know you were such a poet!" Tai was visibly trying to hold in his laughter.

Matt scowled as the veins in his knuckles pulsed with blood. _Izzy...that little squealer!_ "Fine then...I'll tell Mimi face-to-face...but you have to as well!"  
  
"Deal!" agreed Tai. With that whole incident out of the way, the two old friends finally made their way back to the others...when crying filled the air.

The Baby Digimon had finally woken up.

* * *

/00-111-SIGMA, Rocky Knoll, 6:00 AM/

Yolei silently opened one eye.

Sunrise...and the face of Davis, who was grinning madly. "Wakie wakie sleepyheads!"

Yolei yelped loudly as she immediately backed away, causing Ken to fall onto the ground; this gave him a rather unpleasant awakening. "Ow..."

Yolei looked around nervously; in front of her was a smiling Davis. Behind her were the smiling Kari, TK, and Shaun. "Wha...what are you guys doing here?!"

"Well," Shaun smiled wider as he recalled what had happened earlier. "I woke up earlier to find you and Ken here. Seeing as you two had already fallen asleep, I went back to the others to find Davis awake, believe it or not. He asked me where I went, I told him about you two, and he got this little smile on his face. We then woke up TK and Kari, left Gatomon, Veemon, and Armadillomon behind to watch over Cody, and came here. Satisfied?'

Patamon, who was perched on TK's head (as usual), happily – if not naively – said, "Yeah, and Davis said he was about to sing that 'sitting in a tree' song..." He looked down at TK with a confused look. "How does it go again?"

TK, Kari, and Shaun, however, were already backing away; they knew that the mention of the 'Sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G' song was bound to raise Yolei's ire. If one looked hard enough, you could've sworn her eyes were flaring with fire.

Then she turned around to face Davis, her right hand clenching into a fist. "Davis?"

Davis looked at Yolei, seemingly oblivious to her calm tone or the twitch under her eye. "Yeah?"

**POW!!!**  
  
"AAAAH!!!" screamed Davis as he was sent over the side of the fifty-foot tall knoll...

_SPLASH!_  
  
...and into the ocean. Davis quickly rose back above the water and roared, "YOLEI!!! STOP HITTING ME WHENEVER I TICK YOU OFF!!!"  
  
Hawkmon looked at (Agumon) and asked, "Isn't that an oxymoron?" (Agumon) shrugged.

Meanwhile, Kari and TK were helping Ken to his feet. "Your head okay?"

Ken nodded slowly as he rubbed his head slowly. "Yeah...still feel a little tired..." He looked over at Yolei, whose right fist had yet to unclench, and then down at the water to see Davis swimming to the shore. He raised an eyebrow out of bewilderment and glanced over at TK and Kari. "Did I miss something?"

"No...not really," replied Shaun with small sigh.

That's when Wormmon woke up. "Oh...what's with the all the commotion? Did I miss something?"

A facefault, courtesy of Shaun, followed moments later.

* * *

/00-111-SIGMA, 6:07 AM/

Veemon rocked back-and-forth in the sand, watching Cody sleep. "Man, I wish I could've gone with the others. Davish looked like he had a funny joke to tell!"

"Probably a flat one," replied Gatomon with a flat tone.

"You're no fun!" retorted Veemon before turning to Armadillomon. "How come she's so grim? I thought cats were supposed to like having fun!"

Armadillomon shrugged as he kept his eyes on Cody. "How'm I supposed to know? I don't know what makes her tick."

Veemon sighed as he laid down into the sand, glancing up at the steadily brightening sky. _Man...Gatomon's always so distant. Why can't she just loosen up and have some fun like the rest of us? Maybe Davish can give me some pointers..._

Cody awoke. He looked around quietly and then turned to the three Digimon sitting in front of him. "Where are the others?"

Armadillomon pointed over towards the rocky knoll. "Over there, getting Yolei and Ken."

That caused Cody to raise an eyebrow out of confusion. "Um...why?"

"Well, for no big reason really. It was pretty much an excuse for Davis to sing the 'K-I-S-S-I-N-G' song that Kari always teases Tai and Sora with," replied Gatomon.

Cody resisted the urge to facefault. _Vintage Davis._ "Oh boy...well, no sense in staying here. Let's join up with the others."

"Now you're talking!" Veemon immediately leapt to his feet as he cheered, "Let's get going-!"

The earth suddenly shook, knocking all four of them to their feet. Cody stuttered, "What's...g-going...on?!"

Gatomon immediately tensed up as she looked in all directions for the enemy...or whatever was causing the quake. "I don't know, but brace yourselves!"

"Uh...guys...I think I know what it is," muttered Armadillomon as he pointed at the lone lake in the plains.

The lake water was rising.

* * *

/00-111-SIGMA, Rocky Knoll, 6:10 AM/

Davis finished rubbing his head with Shaun's red bandana. "Thanks man...sorry your bandana's wet."

Shaun took the bandana back, squeezed the water out, and pocketed it. "No worries. But we'll have to find some spare clothes or a towel before long...we can't risk you getting sick from hypothermia."

"Hypo-what?" asked Davis as he ran a hand through his hair and readjusted his goggle strap.

"Being very, very cold in layman's terms," answered TK as they began walking back toward the village.

Wormmon suddenly felt rumbling. "Uh...guys? What's that rumbling coming from?"

Out of sudden confusion, the children and Digimon quickly ran toward the nearest palm trees to help keep their balance. Shaun looked around...then scowled at the sight of the rising lake water no more then 200 yards away. "Oh _great_...one of _them_."

With a tremendous roar, the gigantic blob of blue goop roared as sharp, red eyes glared hatefully at them. Perspiration rolled off of its watery body as its gray brain floated behind the eyes.  
  
It was another one of the deadly Flan-type Digimon...Azulmon.

And without hesitation, it charged.

* * *

/File Island, Primary Village, 6:15 AM/

"Please...no more!" moaned Tentomon out of distress.

Elecmon shook his head out of pity. "I'm sorry, but we still have more dirty diapers that need be dumped off near the Numemon's sewers! So skedaddle!"

"Aw..." groaned Tentomon as he grabbed the corners of a whole bag full of excrement-filled diapers and took off for the Numemon sewers to the east. _Smelly smelly smelly!!!_

Elecmon then turned his attention the Digidestined and their partners, who were busy attending to the Baby Digimon...and he preceded to teach the Digidestined how to nurse them via the infamous 'backseat driving' method.

"Hey, be more gentle!"

"They don't like being poked like that!"

"No, no, no! Don't tell them jokes, make funny faces!"

"You can't talk all regular-like, you have to be cute and cuddly-sounding!"

"I told you not to poke them like that!"

"Hey! You don't force feed them! Gently now!"

"You have to treat a boo-boo with care; don't just bandage it and be done with it! Kiss it and make them feel better!"

"Tell me, do you not LISTEN? I just told you not to poke them!"  
  
Tai groaned as the urge to slam his head against a brick wall started to sound like a VERY good idea. _I hope the others aren't going through this kind of torture...._

* * *

/01-000-ALPHA, UmbraDevimon's Lair, 6:20 AM/

UmbraDevimon frowned as one of the many Black Gears hovering over Folder transmitted the image of the Flan-type Digimon Azulmon. _Interesting...so another one of the five Flan Digimon have appeared..._

It was no coincidence. Something big was in the works...but what?

He had to send someone to see the event firsthand.

He would send Piedmon...along with Grandkuwagamon and Blackwargreymon as insurance so that they wouldn't try anything.

"Piedmon. Grandkuwagamon. Blackwargreymon."

His voice seemed to carry out through the whole base...was it a gift? Or was it a sign of his great power? Either way, the three aforementioned Digimon appeared in a matter of moments.

He quietly opened a portal to sector 00-111-TAU, which was directly to the east of 00-111-SIGMA. "You will do a little reconnaissance work for me. You will monitor the battle between the Digidestined and Azulmon firsthand. Once the battle ends, you will report back to me."

The three Digimon nodded...but due to the dark shadows of the room, UmbraDevimon was unable to see the Bullet Hammer – which was now a diminutive key chain – clipped to his belt. And unfortunately for him, he was unaware of Piedmon's proposition to the two Control Spire Digimon the previous night.

Without another word, the three Digimon entered the portal. As Piedmon entered, he smirked. _Act 2 has begun._

* * *

/00-111-SIGMA, 6:23 AM/

(Agumon) armor-digivolve to......Sonocomon: The Speed of Wisdom!

Shaun quietly pulled out his Desert Eagle as he tightly held onto Sonocomon's arm. "Ready?"

Sonocomon nodded. He was about to throw...

Veemon digivolve to......XVmon!  
  
Wormmon digivolve to......Stingmon!

Patamon digivolve to......Angemon!  
  
"WARGH!!!" yelled Sonocomon as the three Champion Digimon tackled him to the ground, causing him to drop Shaun. The Child of Wisdom groaned him as he glared at the others. "What was that for?!"

TK sighed as he stepped forward to Shaun. "I'm still convinced that there's another way to defeat this kind of Digimon without resorting to your pistol."

"WHAT?! YOU'VE GOT TO BE FREAKING KIDDING ME!!!" roared Shaun. "I told you before! There's absolute no other I know of to beat a Flan Digimon! Everything we tried bounced off of them. Not even (Wargreymon) could defeat them!"  
  
TK blinked. "Uh...really?" He had assumed Shaun had only gone as far as with Sonocomon...but not (Wargreymon).

Sonocomon finally managed to wriggle out of their grasp, and grabbed Shaun without hesitation. "Get ready!"

Shaun quickly regained his composure as Sonocomon threw him at high speed. In the short three seconds that passed between the throw and Shaun's collision with Azulmon, one thought crossed Yolei's mind. _That outburst sounded more like something Davis would say._

_SPLOSH._

Shaun quickly tried to orient himself as he landed within the gooey body of Azulmon. Within moments, he began swimming toward the gray brain of the Digimon.

Suddenly, a current within the body grabbed Shaun and forced him out. "WAH!!!"

Sonocomon quickly grabbed him and leapt back before Azulmon could smother him. Shaun coughed up some water as he wiped some of the goop off of his body. "Well that's wonderful...Azulmon can control the movement of water inside his body...shoot."

TK smiled as he said, "Well, looks like we have to do it the old-fashioned way, huh?"

Shaun grumbled as Sonocomon quickly dedigivolved. "Right..." _Oh boy, this is not going to be easy..._

Kari, Cody, and Yolei pulled out their D-3s. "Time to bring our guys into the fray as well!"

Gatomon armor-digivolve to......Nefertimon: The Angel of Light!  
  
Armadillomon armor-digivolve to......Submarimon: The Reliable Sea Guardian!

Hawkmon armor-digivolve to......Halsemon: The Wings of Love!

"(Agumon)," said Shaun as he held his orange D-3 at the Rookie. "Warp-digivolve!"

(Agumon) warp-digivolve to......(Wargreymon!)

The seven Digimon stood poised in the face of Azulmon. Submarimon quickly opened his hatch and yelled, "Hop in Cody!" Cody immediately did so, and it closed behind him. "Now, if someone would throw me into his body..." (Wargreymon) obliged Submarimon's request by chucking him into the tremendous mass of Azulmon.

With Submarimon in his element, the other six Digimon were left to fight the outside of the beast. Azulmon gurgled as it bellowed, "Waterga Wave!"

It expelled a wave of water from its mouth, threatening to swallow the outside foes. In a hurry, (Wargreymon) began spinning. "Nova Force!"

As he dug a tunnel under the ground, the six Digidestined ran inside while the other Digimon took to the air. As the wave of water washed safely away towards the shore, the five airbone Digimon attacked.

"X Ray!"

"Hand of Fate! HAH!"

"Eagle Eye!"

"Cat's Eye Beam!"

"Striking Spike!"

An x-shaped ray, a yellow-orange beam, twin red lasers, twin yellow lasers, and two razor-sharp spikes sailed toward Azulmon.

Azulmon seemed to chuckle...because when all of the attacks struck, they bounced off harmlessly. The laser-based attacks dissipated into nothingness, and Stingmon's spikes landed quietly on the ground.

XVmon gulped as he said, "That's not good."

As the Digidestined got back out of the hole to see the effects of their Digimon's attacks, Shaun turned to TK with a cynical eye. "NOW do you see why I did what I did with Palidomon?!"

TK nodded. "I see your point..."

Meanwhile, Submarimon was fighting a tough battle inside Azulmon. Despite Cody's quick reflexes, the currents were under Azulmon's control, making it extremely tough for Submarimon to remain inside the Digimon's body without being expelled like Shaun had.

Submarimon grimaced as he tried to get a bead on Azulmon's brian. "Darn! I can't get a bead on that big hunk of meat!"

"Trust me, I share your opinion on the matter. I can't keep you still!" grumbled Cody as his hands twitched the controls every which way in an attempt to keep Submarimon righted.

It was only the start of a very tough battle.

* * *

/00-111-TAU, Mountain Crevice, 6:29 AM/

Piedmon stared quietly at the battle raging hundreds of yards away. Truly, the Flan Digimon were among the toughest Digimon to defeat in the Digital World. Piedmon knew; he and the Dark Masters had fought two of them during their conquest of the Digital World.

"You promised to teach me how to control my power. Teach me now."

Piedmon fought the urge to snort. He turned to face Grandkuwagamon, who was eager to master his power of ripping open portals in the time-space continuum. "Yes...I remember our little deal. In exchange for joining me, I'll help you master your abilities."

Grandkuwagamon nodded as he stomped one of his feet out of agitation. "And I want you to fulfill your end of the bargain. Teach me NOW."

Piedmon smiled as he pulled a white cloth from behind his back. Such impatience...the mark of the younger generation, apparently. Grandkuwagamon was like a child with a new toy; he didn't know how it worked, and whined until he got an adult to show him how it worked.

But this time, Piedmon was the adult. With a smirk, he held it forward. "I'm afraid your greed will only complicate matters in the long run. So, I must bid you adieu. Cloth of Disappearance!!!"

Grandkuwagamon grumbled as he roared, "YOU DOUBLE-CROSSER!!! DIMENSION-!"

The white cloth suddenly grew in size, smothering Grandkuwagamon as he was enveloped by it. After a few moments of muffled shouting and futile struggling, the cloth went flat. Piedmon smirked as he retrieved his cloth and grabbed the Grandkuwagamon key chain. _After 24 hours as a key chain, your mind will affectively be erased...and you'll be nothing more than my puppet._

_SHICK._

Piedmon shifted his eyes to see Blackwargreymon toward his right. The Mega's claws were extended as his yellow eyes glared indignantly at Piedmon. "If you think you're going to do the same thing to me, you're wrong. Your head will be on the ground before you can even move."

"Oh heavens no," replied Piedmon as he casually clipped the Grandkuwagamon key chain to his belt. "He was too power-hungry. Those are always troublesome...but you I can satisfy without resorting to such forceful means." He then pointed over towards the battle where Azulmon was battling with the Digidestined. "Tell me what you see."

Blackwargreymon huffily replied, "I see a battle."

"Is that all?" asked Piedmon with a glint in his eye.

Blackwargreymon grumbled as he looked harder...then he saw. His eyes widened with shock as they fell upon (Wargreymon). "He...looks like...me..."

"Save for a different paint job, he is _exactly_ like you," answered Piedmon with a sly tone in his voice. Now it was time to pour on the incentive. "And I've faced him before...he is as strong as you are...maybe a little more."

Blackwargreymon's fists clenched as smiled. "Finally...an opponent that is of my caliber! I shall face him and PROVE that I am the strongest!"

"Then do it," said Piedmon curtly.

As if answering the Dark Master, Blackwargreymon took off for the battle, claws extended and eyes narrowed. He was finally going to feed the craving that flowed through him.

Piedmon watched as he left. _Now that he's gone, I can continue with my plan._

With that, he ran northward along the mountains.

His destination: the remains of Spiral Mountain in 00-101-TAU.

* * *

/00-111-SIGMA, 6:31 AM/

"Waterga Wave!"

(Wargreymon) grumbled as he quickly dug another hole for the Digidestined to take shelter in before the wave hit. As he emerged once more from the ground, he muttered, "This is getting really repetitive..."

"Then let me be of assistance!!!"

(Wargreymon) whirled around in time to get punched in the face by Blackwargreymon, who had charged immediately towards him. (Wargreymon) grunted as he was sent crashing into the ground below, kicking up a cloud of dirt in his wake.

Blackwargreymon snorted as he turned from (Wargreymon's) resting place. "A waste of space...he wasn't a challenge at all."

**POW!!!**  
  
(Wargreymon) quickly proved Blackwargreymon wrong by soaring upward and kicking the Control Spire Mega in the back with his tremendous foot. Blackwargreymon grunted as he quickly righted himself and turned around to face his look-alike. "So...you're not a weakling. Good."

(Wargreymon) scowled. "Blackwargreymon...what do you want?"

"A good fight...what else?" replied Blackwargreymon as he brandished his claws.

(Wargreymon) frowned as he looked down at the battle below. Azulmon was still advancing on the others, and they needed help to take it down! "Sorry, but I don't have time for this!"

Before (Wargreymon) could zoom back down, Blackwargreymon hovered in front of his path. "I don't think so. You will fight me here...and NOW!!!" He immediately began gathering energy into a tremendous red orb and roared, "Terra Destroyer!!!"

(Wargreymon) immediately grabbed his back shield and used it to deflect the red orb...or tried to, anyway. All he managed to do is redirect it towards the ground...toward Azulmon, to be precise.

Azulmon's body repelled the red orb as it had with every other attack beforehand. It sounded like it was chortling as it stormed toward the other Digidestined.

XVmon looked upward and blinked. "Hey...that's Blackwargreymon!"

"What's he doing here?!" asked Nefertimon.

"Fighting (Wargreymon), by the looks of it," answered Angemon.

"Waterga Wave!"

The five Digimon fighting Azulmon on the outside gasped as another wave rushed toward their partners. Stingmon quickly ordered, "Everyone! Get your partners into the air!"

"Roger!" The five Digimon quickly brought their partners into the air – XVmon had to lift Shaun as well, seeing as how (Wargreymon) was occupied with Blackwargreymon – and set them down further away. Shaun frowned as looked down at his Desert Eagle pistol. "Man...we just have to find a way to get at Azulmon's brain. If we can get to that, we can kill it..."

"MAKE WAY!!!"

All of them looked up to see an incoming Submarimon. Without hesitation, they quickly leapt back as Submarimon crashed into the sand beside them. The Armored Champion moaned, "Boy, that guy's body makes the rip tide feel like a kiddy pool!"

Cody shook his head to clear away his dizziness as he stumbled out of Submarimon's cockpit. "Oh...I can't keep Submarimon still long enough to take a shot at his brain! Azulmon's just too quick at moving us around!"

"We need to distract him long enough so you two can get a shot at him," suggested Angemon.

"But how? We're in an open plain, and he can see us coming from a mile away!" protested Davis.

Meanwhile, Ken was thinking. _Hmm...what to do..._

Then he got it. He had an idea. "Guys, I've got an idea...but it involves Shurimon."

Yolei nodded. "Okay...Halsemon, you know what to do!" Halsemon quickly dedigivolved to Hawkmon.

Hawkmon armor-digivolve to......Shurimon: The Shinobi of Sincerity!

Ken then turned to Stingmon. "Stingmon, I need two of your spikes."

As Stingmon complied and took out two of his wrist spikes, Shaun began connecting the dots. _Ah...I see your plan._

As Stingmon laid the sharpened thorns down in front of Ken, he looked towards Submarimon. "Now, I just need to get these spikes into Submarimon's torpedo holes...and we need to hurry; (Wargreymon) can't hold off both Azulmon and Blackwargreymon for long."

About two hundred yards away...

(Wargreymon) growled as he threw an orange orb of energy at Blackwargreymon. "I don't have time to deal with you!" He then turned his attention to Azulmon and began spinning. "Nova Force!"

Blackwargreymon growled out of anger as he completely shredded the incoming orb of orange energy apart with his claws. "DON'T IGNORE YOUR OPPONENT!!! BLACK TORNADO!!!"

(Wargreymon) attempted to pierce Azulmon's jelly-like belly, but he only succeeded in being bounced back by the Azulmon's body; when it was concentrating, a Flan Digimon's body became impossible to penetrate...except in the mouth.

As (Wargreymon) was sent back – still using his Nova Force mind you – he collided right into Blackwargreymon and his Black Tornado.

The two attacks cancelled each other out, sending the two Megas reeling. Blackwargreymon chuckled as licked his lips behind his mask. "Yes...this feeling of exhilaration...this is what I crave!"

(Wargreymon) grimaced as he righted himself. _Man, Shaun was right...this guy is battle-hungry!_

As Azulmon prepared to attack once more, its eyes fell upon Shurimon, who was getting into a very familiar stance.

"Shadow of Leaves."

Then, an entire forest sprouted up. Azulmon's eyes widened as it stared around in bewilderment. Where had its foes gone?

"Swirling Shuriken!"

The Flan Digimon howled as the shuriken pierced its body, having been caught unawares by the surprise attack. It turned its attention toward the forest and roared, "Water Whip!" A tendril of gooey water erupted from the Digimon's body and slashed away at the tree where the attack had come from.  
  
Nothing.

"Cat's Eye Beam!"

Azulmon roared as an x-shaped beam seared his back. "Water Whip!"

Another tree down. No one in sight.

Displeased at the fact its foes were not appearing, Azulmon roared with fury. "Watera Whiplash!!!"

A multitude of watery tentacles lashed away at the forest, mowing through them like a weed cutter. But behind them...

Cody gulped as Submarimon was lifted up by XVmon, Stingmon, and Angemon. "Will this work?" Sticking out of Submarimon's two torpedo holes were Stingmon's spikes.

"Don't worry! Just fire as soon as you're inside Azulmon!" replied Ken.  
  
Shaun turned to the others and shouted, "THROW!!!"

"HAH!!!" yelled the Digimon as they heaved Submarimon into the air. Azulmon, having heard the shout, turned around...

...then blinked with total surprise as Submarimon flew into his mouth. Cody roared, "**NOW SUBMARIMON!!!**"

"Oxygen Torpedo!" The two spikes were propelled by a blast of oxygen, and they were moving too fast for Azulmon to stop them in time.

Two dull thumps sounded as Azulmon's brain was impaled by the two spikes. Spasms immediately started overtaking the Flan-type Digimon as deletion claimed it. Submarimon nearly crashed to the ground before Angemon and XVmon caught him. "Thanks for the lift you two!"

XVmon smirked as he said, "Say Angemon, do you think Submarimon can survive a fall like this?"

Submarimon sweatdropped as he nervously yelled, "Hey! Don't joke about that!"

As Submarimon was set down onto the ground, Cody hopped out before the Armored Champion dedigivolved to Armadillomon. "Boy...nice to have feet again!" Following his example, everyone – save (Wargreymon), who was still dealing with Blackwargreymon in the sky above – dedigivolved to their previous forms. As Shurimon dedigivolved, the trees disappeared, revealing the plains once more.

Yolei smiled as she looked over at Ken and said, "That was a nice plan of yours."

Before Ken could say his thanks, Davis butted in. "So...now you're _flattering_ him? Yolei and Ken, sitting in a-"

**POW!!!**

The others sweatdropped as Yolei slugged Davis in the face. Kari sighed out of exasperation. _You think he would've learned by now._

As the last of Azulmon's brain disintegrated...one thing was left.

A perfectly trapezoid-shaped slab of rock was hovering in the air. The symbol carved into it was an upside-down teardrop with a dot in the middle of it. On the sides of the teardrop were two banana-shaped symbols.

Everyone gasped at the sight of the rocky slab. Gatomon silently said, "The crest...was _INSIDE_ Azulmon?"

"One heck of a hiding spot," muttered Shaun as it floated down, slowly shrinking in size as it glowed dark red. It stopped...in front of Yolei. She blinked in wonderment as a tag materialized around her neck, with the dark red crest sliding into the tag slowly.

Yolei looked down quietly in awe. "Wow...my own crest..." She squinted hard, and then saw the tiny words at the very bottom. "The Crest...of Caring..."

"Suits you well," replied Ken with a small smile. Yolei blushed in response...visibly.

Then she glared at Davis before he could get a chance to make another joke again.

Suddenly, a dark green mote of light started emanating from her crest. Yolei looked down to see Cody touching it. He quietly said, "Guess I'm next."

The mote floated into the air above them...and became an arrow that pointed eastward, further inward toward Folder.

"So...we continue going eastward," stated Davis.

"Yeah..." said Shaun as he looked upward at (Wargreymon) and Blackwargreymon staring each other down. "Now we just have to wait for them to finish..."

In the sky...

(Wargreymon) sighed with relief. "Good...Azulmon's been defeated."

"Now that your other foe has been destroyed, I trust you'll have no qualms with fighting me?" asked Blackwargreymon as he pointed his claws menacingly at his look-alike.

(Wargreymon) sighed as he glared at the Control Spire. "Listen...I don't have time to fight you now...and honestly, I don't want to. But if you promise to stop hounding me, I will fight you as hard as I can when I see you again...and next time, I'll bring Wargreymon along as well."

Blackwargreymon raised an eyebrow out of surprise. "Another one who looks like me? Two of you against me..." Blackwargreymon smiled. "Fine then. I will wait for you at the top of the mountain on File Island...when you come, bring your Wargreymon ally."

Before (Wargreymon) could protest his foe's decision, Blackwargreymon flew off with one thought in his mind. _My hunger has been appeased...if only for a little while. Soon, I shall have the battle I finally seek!_

As Blackwargreymon disappeared from sight, (Wargreymon) set down in front of Shaun and dedigivolved to (Agumon). The Child of Wisdom asked, "What'd you tell him?"

"I'll tell you later," replied (Agumon).

Davis – seeing that everyone was there – turned to the others and said, "Well, now that everyone's here, let's get going!" With that exclamation, the New Digidestined set off toward the east.

* * *

/Abandoned Warehouse, Odaiba, 6:52 AM/

Gennai quietly piled up the stack of papers and started walking toward the entrance of the warehouse he had 'claimed' earlier that morning. It was abandoned and decrepit, so no one minded. Gennai certainly didn't.

With the pile of papers in his arms, he went on to deliver them quickly to the houses of the Digidestined's folks.

Well...except for Mimi's folks. He'd have to call them.

* * *

/Piedmon's Palace, Top of Spiral Mountain, 6:55 AM/

Spiral Mountain. It had once been where most of the data in the Digital World had resided, culminating in strips of forest, ocean, city, and wasteland that spiraled upward toward the chunk of land that held Piedmon's Palace...as well as the portal to the pocket dimension of Apocalymon.

Now, it was nothing more than four coils stretching upward, holding up a battle-scarred mass of rock. Although still one of the tallest monuments in the Digiworld, it was a mere shadow of its former self.

Now, turning our attention to the ruinous palace atop the mountain...

Piedmon quietly searched the halls of his dilapidated palace quietly. He wasn't here to refurbish...he was here to search. In his left hand was Puppetmon's Bullet Hammer in full size. "Now...where was it..."

He pressed a brick into a wall, opening a hidden hatch in the wooden floor. He looked down to see a golden tube with cybernetic components attached. "Perfect. Metalseadramon's component..." He inserted into one of the six holes in the Bullet Hammer.

After searching some more, he found the last piece behind a painting (of Piedmon, of course). It looked like a miniature version of Machinedramon's Giga Cannon. "Yes...Machinedramon's component." He then inserted it into the hole opposite of Metalseadramon's component.

Then, into two holes opposite of each other, Piedmon inserted his Trump Swords, leaving two behind for himself. So the Bullet Hammer now had two cybernetic components in it, two of Piedmon's Trump Swords, and two empty spaces where Puppetmon's signature attack would come out. "Yes...the Shadow Mallet is finally whole again!"

The Shadow Mallet had been the weapon used by the Dark Masters in their conquest of the Digital World four years ago. In essence, it was a weapon with the powers of all four Dark Masters flowing through it...and Piedmon had used it himself to seal away the four mighty Guardian Beasts of the Digital World. Afterwards, they had separated the pieces of the Shadow Mallet, out of fear that someone would use it against them.

But now, Piedmon needed it to face UmbraDevimon. "He he he...you may be more powerful than me...but the Shadow Mallet has the power of all the Dark Masters! Even you won't stand a chance against that!!!"

Piedmon's laughter echoed through the ruins of the old palace.

The Dark Masters of old were no more...but their power was still real.

Very, very real.

* * *

/Kamiya Apartment, Odaiba, 7:21 AM/

Susumu Kamiya silently looked away from the morning news. _I hope it's the police with good news..._

Last night, Yuuko had called the police with a claim that their two children – Tai and Kari – were missing.

What scared Susumu was – upon waking up that morning – the news was telling about twelve children that were missing...and another that had disappeared over a week ago. What scared him the most were the connections the media was making with this...calling it the 'Child Kidnapping Spree'.

As he opened the door, he saw nothing...except a letter.

He pulled it out of is envelope, unfolded it, and read it.

* * *

_Dear Mr. and Mrs. Kamiya,_

_I know where your children are...and the other ones that are missing. _

_Come to warehouse #7 at Tokyo Bay tonight at 5:00 PM. Fail to do so, and you might never know where your children have gone._

_And no talking to any law enforcement officials; bring any with you, and you won't get a word from me._

* * *

Susumu's heart beat against his chest as his face paled. "Oh no..."

Meanwhile, on the sidewalk outside of the apartment, Gennai was walking away. _I sure hope they don't take it too seriously...I don't want to give them heart attacks!_

* * *

/01-000-ALPHA, UmbraDevimon's Lair, 7:45 AM/

"YES!!!" cheered Puppetmon as he quickly grabbed the video game controller – PS2 variety, mind you – and began browsing through the menu on the screen. "Yes...it's been complete!"

"Mind explaining what this thing is?" asked Arukenimon with annoyance.

Puppetmon smirked as the screen showed Primary Village...and the first Digidestined team. "I'm going to use it to play a game."

* * *

To be continued...

Next time...

Episode 29: The Puppetmon Games

* * *

Author's Notes: Sorry it took longer than usual to get out. Please don't hesitate to point out in errors you find!  
  
Please read and review, and once again, thank you everyone!


	29. The Puppetmon Games

Standard Disclaimer: This is getting really hard to say every single episode. Oh well...I don't own Digimon!

Author's Notes: After glancing around at the Digimon section of this site (when I compare the size of this fic to the other 100,000 word fics), I noticed something odd: the largest story in the Digimon section, 'Digimon 02: Endgame', was gone.

I was puzzled by this, so I took a look at his homepage. Not only was Endgame gone, but so was every other story. Perhaps this site's strict 'no-lemon' policy caught up to him?

In any case, I felt like reporting the sudden disappearance of the largest (and arguably most popular; it had over 800 reviews, and it had been going on since 2001) Digimon fic to you readers. That is all.

Now to the reviews!

Anthony1: Oh, you'll see...you'll see. Oh, and:

'Before I go I have some questions that I want to ask. With the new DigiDestined getting their crests will Kari and TK get theirs back? The other is when will **Tai and Matt admit to Sora and Matt** that they like them? Till the next chapter, see ya.'

Don't you mean 'Sora and MIMI?' Matt can't exactly love himself, ya know. :P

Bohemiat: Oh. Well, even if this story WAS the cartoon (don't we all wish), none of their 'revealing' parts would be revealed. There shall be no X-rated material in my story buster!

Miracles: Different indeed.

Mimato-4eva: You do know that I'm going to keep kicking you off cliffs whenever you review more than once per chapter, right? (proves point by kicking Mimato off of three cliffs).

Silver Warrior: This story will DEFINITELY go beyond 50 episodes (like every other season in the show), but not past 100...but probably past 75. And as for Davis' head blows...he likes picking on Yolei too much to stop! :P

And before I begin, I'd like to point out that I've spent a bit of time altering the dates of episodes 14-17, 19-25, and 28; there were some alterations necessary, because otherwise the dates didn't fit together cohesively. Plus, it saved me some time doing it now than saving it for later, when I'd have to alter all the aforementioned chapters...plus more.

And also, the events where the original Digidestined team was forced to give up their crest power to shield the Digital World did not happen. Just a note.

Begin!

* * *

_Piedmon now wields the Shadow Mallet, the greatest weapon ever concocted by the Dark Masters._

_Blackwargreymon now waits for his promised battle._

_Puppetmon prepares to wreak playful havoc on the Digidestined at File Island._

_And what of the final two crests?_

* * *

"This is Tai! Let's just say that us older kids had to deal with crying babies and messy diapers while the younger kids got to fight a ferocious Digimon called Azulmon. Man, why can't we see any action?! But anyhow, after beating Azulmon and compromising with Blackwargreymon, they find the next crest...the Crest of Caring!"

* * *

Episode 29: The Puppetmon Games

* * *

/Takenouchi Apartment, Odaiba, 7:52 AM/

Toshiko Takenouchi – the mother of Sora Takenouchi – was not having a good morning.

After reporting Sora and Mimi's disappearance to the police last night, Toshiko – after several failed attempts and a lot of pleading from her husband, Haruhiko – had fallen asleep. Just minutes ago, she had woken up to the sound of a phone.

The ones on the other end of the line were Satoe and Keisuke Tachikawa, mother and father of Mimi. They were puzzled as to why Mimi had not called...and after waiting, they had finally decided to call the Takenouchi household.

When Toshiko had finally decided to drop the bomb that Mimi had not come home the previous night, the Tachikawas had exploded with rage.

"**WHAT DO YOU MEAN SHE DIDN'T COME HOME LAST NIGHT?!"** roared Satoe, causing Toshiko to cringe on reflex.

"It means she didn't come back. I don't know where she is," replied Toshiko with as even a voice as she could muster.

Keisuke – using another phone inside the Tachikawa household – quickly yelled, **"Listen...Mimi swore to us that she would be okay in Japan. Then _you_ swore to us that she would be kept safe...so...WHERE IS SHE?!"**

Toshiko sighed as she ran a hand through her brown hair – normally neatly combed, but now rumpled and unkempt – sighing as her amber eyes revealed the stress and worry plaguing her. "I just said I don't know! I've already contacted the police...listen...I don't even know where MY daughter is...don't you think I'm just as worried as you are?" Toshiko was starting to sob now. On the other end of the line, the silence that emanated from the Tachikawas seemed to scream about how ashamed they were for berating Toshiko so heavily.

Suddenly...

_KNOCK-KNOCK._

Toshiko turned her head to the door, almost welcoming the sudden interruption. "Hold on Mr. and Mrs. Tachikawa, there's someone at the door." Putting the phone down on her kitchen countertop, Toshiko quietly walked over to the front door, while futilely trying to fix up her 'bed hair'.

She silently opened the door...to see no one. "Huh...that's strange."

Then she saw a note on the ground in front of her. "Hmm?" She grabbed the note and read it.

* * *

_Dear Mr. and Mrs. Takenouchi,_

_I know where Sora is...as well as Mimi._

_Come to warehouse #7 at Tokyo Bay tonight at 5:00 PM. Fail to do so, and you might never know where the two girls have gone._

_And no talking to any law enforcement officials; bring any with you, and you won't get a word from me._

* * *

Toshiko's hands trembled as she held the note feebly in her hands. "No...what is this...?"

Her daughter – and her daughter's friend – both kidnapped? _No...this can't be!!! How can this be happening?!_

She quickly rushed back to the phone and – after quickly catching her breath from the sudden dash – said, "Tachikawa...listen! I-"

"**Hold on Mrs. Takenouchi, someone's calling on the other line,"** said Keisuke as he switched lines.

For the next two minutes, Toshiko pondered over the note. _Okay...so someone has kidnapped Sora and Mimi. What does this kidnapper want...? Is there more than one kidnapper? And why them? Why Sora and Mimi?!_

Suddenly, Keisuke's voice came on, his tone panicky and scared...EXTREMELY unlike his stern and enraged tone from just minutes before. **"Mrs. Takenouchi...I just got a call from some old man...saying that he knows where Mimi and your daughter are!"**

"**WHAT?!"** roared Satoe, who had not been privy to the call Keisuke had just taken.

Toshiko paled as she looked down at the note in her hand. It definitely wasn't a coincidence. No way. "...I think...that whoever just called you...is the same one who left me this note at my door..."

"**What note? What does it say?!"** demanded Satoe, her tone becoming more rushed by the second.

"It says...that me and my husband are to meet him at warehouse #7 at Tokyo Bay this afternoon at 5 PM...and if we bring any member of the police, he won't say a thing!"

"**THAT'S CRAZY!!! 5?! We won't make it there in time!"** yelled Keisuke. Apparently, he had already decided to make the first flight to Japan...but it was true. There was no way they could make it from Japan to Tokyo by 5 PM. A flight from New York to Japan would take 20 hours at least...and that included making a stop in Alaska to refuel. There was no way.

Toshiko took a deep breath to try and calm herself down. "Okay...listen. Haruhiko and I will get to this meeting. You and Satoe just try and get here as soon as you can...I'll fill you in when you get here."

"**Thank you...we'll be there soon,"** replied Satoe before she hung up. Keisuke hung up moments later. Without hesitation, Toshiko began dialing her husband's work number. _I hope he hasn't started his class yet... _

As a professor of mythology (primarily of the Japanese and Asian variety) at Odaiba University, Haruhiko Takenouchi often left for work early to teach at the extracurricular classes. As a result, there were times when he could stay home...but often, he used his free days to continue research off-campus.

Finally, the phone on the other end of the line was picked up. **"This is Professor Takenouchi of Odaiba University, how may I help you?"**

"Haruhiko, it's Toshiko...I just got a very big note..."

* * *

/Street Corner, Odaiba, 7:59 AM/

Gennai sighed as he hung up the payphone. _Well, that business with the Tachikawas is over._

With that, Gennai set out deliver the rest of the notes.

* * *

/01-000-ALPHA, UmbraDevimon's Lair, 8:00 AM/

Puppetmon might've been dimwitted. A tad shortsighted in terms of seeing the final goal, most likely, and he had a knack for not taking anything seriously.

But when it came to his precious games, he was all business. When it came to setting them up, he seemingly transformed into a genius with an IQ of 300.

The previous night, as Puppetmon had been setting his 'Game Station' up, he had been forced to use Black Gears to set up his games. Previously – on Spiral Mountain – Puppetmon had been able to shape the forest and the deadly games within according to his will. It had taken some more work with the Black Gears...but he had finally managed to program them to do what he had in mind.

He had programmed them (manually of course; he couldn't program them with a thought like UmbraDevimon could) to take flight to File Island during the night and then begin terra-forming File Island to his exact specifications...from the inside out.

After sending them off, Puppetmon had continued working on his Game Station, setting it up for everything that was going to happen. After finishing it...his mind immediately regressed to a childish state that was eager for games and good, clean, sadistic fun.

Well, maybe not good and clean, but definitely sadistic.

Puppetmon smiled as he pressed a big red button on the Game Station. "Let the fun begin..."

Arukenimon just watched.

* * *

/File Island, Primary Village, 8:10 AM/

"Oy...I'm pooped..." moaned Tai as he slumped against one of the toy towers of Primary Village. "Who knew that taking care of babies was so tough?"

"All babies are like that," replied Izzy as he relaxed by playing solitaire on his laptop. "They're helpless until they mature, which is why they demand so much attention...even if they have to cry a lot to get it."

"What I'm wondering is how Elecmon deals with this all the time!" exclaimed Mimi as she try to get the wrinkles out of her hair. "With all those babies, I'd go loco!"

"It probably didn't help that Elecmon was such a nitpicker," muttered Gomamon as he sulked. And he had good reason; one of the Baby Digimon had decided to lay a big pile of #2 on his face!

"But I do know one thing," stated Joe as he held his nose shut with one hand. "You'll need a lot of soap."

That actually elicited a small laugh from the others, which caused Gomamon to seethe even more. _No fair; I'm the joker of jokes around here!_

Tentomon, meanwhile, was happily taking a dip in the nearby river. "Oh yes...gotta make sure to get under the wings!"

"What are you up to?" asked Biyomon out of curiosity.

Palmon decided to venture forth a guess as she took some hearty nutrition in from the nearby soil. "Maybe he wanted to take a nice, refreshing swim!"

"Wrong-o! I'm trying to get the smell of poop off of me!" exclaimed Tentomon as quickly dove underwater. Biyomon and Palmon sweatdroppped; they then simultaneously said, "...right..."

At that moment, the ground underneath the Digidestined and their Digimon vanished. They all screamed as they vanished into the darkness below.

Seconds later, they arose on the opposite side of File Island. Gabumon looked around out of astonishment. They had all arisen...in what looked like a stadium. "Where are we?"

"**You're in my grand stadium, and you're all the first ones to attend!"**

Everyone whirled around to see a giant monitor rise up out of one side of the stadium wall...it was showing Puppetmon, smiling like a sadistic madman.

"**Ladies and gentlemon...welcome to the Puppetmon Games!"**

* * *

/00-111-TAU, 8:03 AM/

Flamedramon's left hand was glowing with fire as he held Davis' wet shirt over it with his right hand. Meanwhile, Davis was sitting in front of a tree, wearing dried (if still slightly damp) shorts, underwear, socks, and shoes. All that was left were his shirt and jacket. "Hurry up Flamedramon!"

Flamedramon retorted, "Hey, if I go any faster, I'll burn your clothes up! Then you'll have nothing!"

The Digidestined had ventured past sector 00-111-SIGMA and into 00-111-TAU, which brought them into the mountains. Now, they were just beyond the base of the heights, taking a break amongst the beginning of a forest that snaked through the network of valleys spaced between the mountains. Davis and Flamedramon were in a small clearing on the other side of a thick throng of trees, while the others were on the opposite side.

Cody yawned quietly as he rubbed his eyes; he was now even more tired than before, what with the battle with Azulmon and the hiking and whatnot. "Man...I vote that we should take a small nap; we woke up too early, and we're too tired to hike across mountains."

"Aye!" agreed everyone without hesitation. Even Shaun agreed.  
  
Cody smiled. "Good...now if you don't mind me, I'll be catching up on my sleep." With that, he leaned against the nearest tree and fell asleep.

Yolei sighed out of envy. "Man, I wish I could go to sleep as easy that..."  
  
"ZZZ...zzz..."

"Or as easily as the Digimon," added Yolei as she sweatdropped at the sight of the slumbering Hawkmon, Armadillomon, Patamon, Gatomon, Wormmon, and (Agumon). Mighty warriors though they were, little sleep plus a big battle in the morning multiplied by a lack of breakfast = tired Digimon.

Ken nodded out of agreement. "We need to start looking for food soon. Maybe some berries or nuts...maybe later on a few us could head back to the ocean to gather fish."

"I'll agree to that," said Kari.

Meanwhile, Shaun was staring into the light blue sky, which continued to glow brighter as the sun continued to rise. _Man...how many times have I passed the time doing just this?_

"Shaun."

Shaun's monologue was halted by TK, who suddenly spoke up. Shaun tilted his head over to the Child of Hope and asked, "Yeah?"

TK, with a stern stare in his eyes, asked, "Well, I have to ask you about the Flan-type Digimon...if they're so infamous, how come we never ran into them four years ago? And what _are_ they exactly?"

"That is a good question," agreed Ken as he began pondering. "I spent the greater part of almost two years traveling the Digital World and studying Digimon...and I never ran into a single Flan Digimon. I'm curious as to their nature as well..."

Shaun lightly smiled as he stood and walked over to a nearby tree; he leaned against it as he formed the words in his head. "Well...pertaining to TK's first question, Flan Digimon aren't exactly 'social'. They appear very rarely these days...but that's not how it was over four years ago."

"Wait...you mean these guys were around before WE were?!" yelped Kari out of sudden astonishment.

Shaun nodded. He made a mental note to word his message carefully. "This is something Gennai told me a little while after I came to the Digital World...he told me about the five Flan-type Digimon...Ultimate Digimon with near-impenetrable skin. They were the servants of the mighty Digimon who created them...a monster who terrorized the Digital World long before Tai and the others came. That monster was a Mega Digimon by the name of Milleniummon."

* * *

/File Island, Puppetmon's Stadium, 8:09 AM/

From the air, one could fully see the changes that Puppetmon's reprogrammed Black Gears had done.

The stadium, for one, was MASSIVE. Easily larger than ten football fields in terms of total area. Within, one could see a variety of arenas. One looked like the standard fighting arena, but strange devices were affixed to the corners of the arena...holographic projectors, perhaps?

But there was also the exotic. A racetrack – made of glistening asphalt – was situated around another set of large monitors similar to the one Puppetmon was speaking out of at the moment. It started out like a straight runway...then it made a sharp left turn. About one hundred feet later, there was a long U-turn...then fifty feet later, another, sharper U-turn...then forty feet later, a VERY sharp U-turn. After that, there were two sharp right turns, after which came a 45-degree turn to the left. Seventy feet later, there was a 70-degree turn to the left, after which came a sharp 30-degree turn to the right. After that, there were two more left turns (50 degrees and 155 degrees, respectively) before the racetrack came back to the starting straightway.

Elsewhere, there was a small podium with a small screen embedded in it; it looked like a podium from a game show.

The rest was empty ground; the site for more games in the future.

Tai glared at Puppetmon and screamed, "Puppetmon!!! How the heck did you build this stadium in one night?!"

Puppetmon grinned as he replied, **"Black Gears may not be colorful, but they're REALLY useful! I used them to create this stadium, where you all will be participating in the Puppetmon Games!"**

"...I don't have a good feeling about this..." muttered Tentomon as his antennae twitched nervously.

Puppetmon smirked as he pressed a few buttons on the off-screen controller. **"Now...off with you!"**

Bright flashes of light overtook the Digidestined, and they were sent to different games.

* * *

Tai blinked as he rematerialized in what looked like an outfit belonging to a Roman gladiator. He wore a white undershirt under leather armor, along with chain mail. A blue and orange colored kilt went down to his knees, reinforced with leather as well. In his hand was double-edged sword with the Crest of Courage emblazoned on its golden hilt, and his entire left arm was covered with silver armor plating. Ironically, he had no footwear to complete the outfit. As he looked around, he saw that he had been transported into the fighting arena. "Hey! What happened to my clothes?!"

Agumon, who had materialized by Tai, looked up and down at his partner with confusion. "Beats me!"

"Tai! Agumon!"

Tai and Agumon looked to their right to see Sora and Biyomon, who had materialized in the same arena as them. Like him, other garments had replaced Sora's clothes. A red jumpsuit covered her body from the neck down, with the Crest of Love embroidered on the chest. To help differentiate the crest from the rest of the suit, a pink stripe ran along the center of the suit. In her hands were two shields made of bronze, and shoes made of red leather covered her feet. She hurried over to Tai and asked, "What the heck happened?"

Tai shrugged innocently. "How the heck am I supposed to know? All I saw was a bright flash of light, then I'm in here in these goofy clothes!"

Biyomon quietly flapped her wings and took a gander at the two children from the air. "All I know is that we're in an arena. Let's just move!"

"**I don't think so!"**

Tai, Sora, Agumon, and Biyomon whirled around to see another monitor rise up outside of the arena. Puppetmon's face was on it, as it had been on the other one. Puppetmon smirked as he pressed the triangle button on his controller. **"Try to run, and you'll gut burned!"**

Suddenly, the ground outside the large arena parted to reveal a chasm of spikes, each one looking sharp enough to impale even MetalEtemon. Tai sweatdropped as he looked down at the spikes. "Man...those look sharp."

"**Of course they are! And since you're in the Arena, you have to fight! Turn around to face your opponents!"**

All four turned around to see two humanoid-shaped opponents facing them. They wore blue jumpsuits with a red stripe running down the middle, and the visors they looked out of were T-shaped. They were muscular, yet their bodies had a lithe, loose nature to them. With the exception of their weapons, they looked completely identical. The one on the left held a glaive: a staff with razor-sharp blades on each end. The one on the right held a wooden bo staff. Puppetmon exclaimed, **"Meet Twinmon! There may be two, but they share the same mind, which makes for the perfect tag team duo!" **

Tai and Sora gulped simultaneously as they saw their opponents. Tai muttered, "They don't look friendly..." Sora agreed heartily. "No kidding..."

Puppetmon eagerly smiled as he cheered, **"So here's the deal! First team to die loses! Ready, set, go!"**

As quick as flash, the right Twinmon – Twinmon #2 – leapt into the air and landed between the teens and their partners. With a quick sweeping strike, Twinmon #2 knocked Tai and Sora towards the glaive-wielding Twinmon: Twinmon #1. Twinmon #2 then turned on Agumon and Biyomon, his bo staff looking more deadly by the moment.

Agumon glanced over to Biyomon and simply said, "Break for it."

"I'm with that!" yelled Biyomon. The two Rookies then split off in different directions.

As for the flying Tai and Sora, they were careening straight toward Twinmon #1, who swung his glaive in preparation to slice their heads off as they passed by.

Tai yelped as they loomed ever closer to apparent doom. They were going to die if they didn't do something...and FAST.

* * *

Matt shook his head quickly to clear his dizziness. "Huh...what the?"

He was sitting in a blue kart racer. He had been delegated for the racetrack. Gabumon was standing on a perch that connected to the back of Matt's seat. "I guess I'm the backseat driver?"

Matt smiled as he shook his head. "Nah...you'll be my support." As he looked around, he saw seven other kart racers; five of them were solid black with small, gray Puppetmon drones at their controls. In the light green kart racer was Mimi, with Palmon in the support seat. In the gray kart racer was Joe, with Gomamon in the support seat.

Matt yelled out, "Hey guys! Let's try and win this together, okay!"

Mimi and Palmon gave the Child of Friendship a thumbs-up (or vines-up, in Palmon's case). "You got it!" Joe and Gomamon just nodded.

Then, all four monitors in the barren area between the large racetrack – each one facing North, South, East, and West so that the Dark Master could keep track of the entire racetrack at once – activated as Puppetmon's smug mug appeared on it. **"Well, so the three Digibrats are ready to race in the Puppetmon Circuit, I presume!"**

"You can stuff it you termite-infested hunk of wood!" roared Gomamon.

Puppetmon was practically steaming at that remark. **"Why you...! I'll make you pay for that!"**  
  
"Just tell us the rules for this stupid game of yours," interrupted Matt as he stared at the blank eyes of the emotionless Puppetmon drones.

"**Rrr...okay. You will all race around the track for four separate laps. Along the way, you'll find a lot of traps that'll pop up! The only way for you guys to win is if all THREE of you get into the Top 3! If even one of you fails to do so, all of your go karts will automatically blow up!"**

"WHAT?!" roared Mimi. "That's not fair!"

"**So what? It's my game! Ready..."**

Joe tensed up as he got a good feel for the steering wheel. _Oh man...a race of speed and I've never even broken the speed limit before!_  
  
**"Set..."**

Palmon nestled into her seat as reassured her partner. "Don't worry Mimi; we'll be fine!"

"**And..."**

Matt's eyes narrowed as he looked at the Puppetmon Circuit's road. _Let's do it._

"**GO!!!"**

The screeching of rubber and the roar of engines sounded as the eight go karts zoomed along the raceway.

* * *

Izzy cleared his eyes to get rid of the sudden blindness that plagued him from the flash. "Agh...my eyes..."

When they finally cleared, he found himself standing in front of a podium with a small screen in it. "Huh...?" When he tried to move, he found it to be impossible; steel cuffs, which were bolted into the ground, held his ankles in place. "Hey!"

"**Little brainy boy...welcome to Riddle-Me-This!"** Izzy looked down to see Puppetmon looking at him through the small screen.

Izzy scowled as he angrily said, "Puppetmon...where's Tentomon?"

"**Look in front of you."**

Izzy looked up...to see Tentomon held into place on a thick slab of metal by four ropes, each one holding his limbs down. "Izzy! Get me off of this thing; the metal's cold!"

Izzy growled as he glared at Puppetmon's smiling face. "What is it you want?!"

Puppetmon smirked as he laid out the rules. **"Riddle-Me-This is a simple game; I give you a riddle, you have to answer it. Get it right, and you go onto the next round...but get it wrong..."**

Suddenly, a large hand extended out of the ground, holding a giant spray can. Both Tentomon and Izzy yelped at the sight of it. It was a can...of Raid. Puppetmon giggled as he chanted, **"Bet you know what that does!"**

Izzy was well aware of how Raid worked. It basically eliminated all acetylcholinesterase – an enzyme – in the body; as a result, this resulted in the continuous contraction of insect muscles. Normally – when insects (or humans, for that matter) needed to stop contracting their muscles – the body would release acetylcholinesterase, which would tell the body to stop sending acetylcholine (ACh): the chemical responsible for telling the muscles to contract in the first place. Without acetylcholinesterase, the ACh would keep coming, and the muscles would keep contracting. Insects would literally 'buzz' themselves to death after being sprayed with Raid.

Of course, Tentomon didn't know any of that. He just knew that Raid was bad. "Oh mommy, oh geez, oh dear!"

Puppetmon smirked as he stared calmly at Izzy Izumi. **"Feel up to it...brain boy?"**

The Child of Knowledge defiantly replied, "Of course."

* * *

/00-111-TAU, 8:13 AM/

"Milleniummon?"

Shaun nodded in response to TK's confused question. "Yes...Milleniummon is a time-traveling Mega Digimon capable of warping time and space. He traveled back in time from far in the future to destroy a Digidestined boy and completely annihilate all of the known universe."

"Sheesh..." muttered Davis as he walked back with his newly dried clothes. "This guy sounds hardcore!"

"Hold on...what Digidestined boy?" asked TK out of curiosity.

"I'll get to that in a moment." Shaun continued to form the words in his mind. "You see – back in the days before you guys came – the safety of the Digital World was under the control of four Guardian Beasts..."

The others remained silent as Shaun continued.

"Azulongmon: The Blue Dragon of the East. Zhuqiaomon: The Red Phoenix of the South. Baithumon: The White Tiger of the West. Xuanwumon: The Black Turtle of the North. They were four Mega Digimon entrusted with protecting the Digital World...as a matter of fact, the Order couldn't have made the digivices, the tags, or the crests without the knowledge and assistance of the four Guardians."

That threw the Digidestined for a loop. Flamedramon grumbled, "Man...if these guys are such hotshots, why aren't they helping us out?"  
  
Shaun held up his hand to silence the Armored Champion. "More on that in a moment. Anyhow – after traveling back in time – Milleniummon used his great power to create five powerful Digimon that would serve as his enforcers throughout this world."

"The five Flan Digimon," said Kari.

"Exactly. Palidomon of the Ice. Azulmon of the Water. Rojomon of the Fire. Amarillomon of the Lightning. And Azabachemon of the Gravity. Together, the six monsters wreaked havoc on the Digital World...before long, the Guardians had to step in."

"What happened? Was there a ferocious battle?" asked Ken.

Shaun nodded. "Yeah...mostly small confrontations. But it wasn't until the Digidestined boy who Milleniummon came back to kill appeared that the tides were turned. His name was Ryo Akiyama."

* * *

/Piedmon's Palace, Top of Spiral Mountain, 8:15 AM/

Piedmon despised waiting.

He didn't have a problem with waiting for something to occur...as long as there was something to do, that is.

But he didn't. Even with the mighty Shadow Mallet in his possession, he couldn't raise a ruckus with it just yet. All he could was wait until Grandkuwagamon's mind erasure was complete before beginning Act 3 of his plan.  
  
At times, Piedmon would wish that he had stockpiled some books into his palace.

Now was one of those times.

* * *

/File Island, Puppetmon's Stadium, 8:17 AM/

Twinmon #1's glaive prepared to hack off both Tai's and Sora's heads...

_CLANG! CLANG!  
_

...the double-bladed sides of the weapon clanged off of Sora's bronze shields, which she had quickly brought up to protect both her neck and Tai's neck. Twinmon #1 quickly jumped away to avoid the bodies of the two children, which crashed into the ground where he had just stood.

"Oi..." Tai rubbed his back before looking to Sora. "That was quick thinking Sora. Thanks for saving my head."

Sora smiled, "No problem...now there's just the problem of this guy." She pointed her left shield at Twinmon #1, who was preparing to counterattack.

Tai clenched his sword tightly as a devil-may-care grin came to his face. "Well, let's go on the attack!" Tai charged, sword at the ready, and quickly tried to strike at Twinmon #1's chest.

With a quick twirl, Twinmon #1 blocked the sword strike, then countered with a quick side kick to the chest, sending Tai to the ground with a thud.

"Agh!" moaned Tai as Twinmon #1 quickly prepared to impale Tai in the chest.

That's when Sora rammed into the humanoid Digimon with her two shields, sending him crashing into the arena a few feet away.

Tai grumbled as his pride took another hit. "Sora...thanks again..."

Sora scowled down at the Child of Courage as she pulled him up. "Tai, you have to think with your head! Charging into battle like that will get you killed!"

Tai tried to keep his wounded pride from completely falling; even though he was once the leader of the Digidestined, he would still get scolded by someone for making a hotheaded decision. Now was no different...but Sora was right. He couldn't rush. "Alright...so what do we do?"

"Strike together...I'll be the defense to your offense," said Sora with small grin. Tai nodded out of understanding. _Just like in soccer...all the offense in the world won't help if your defense can't keep the other guys away from your goal!_

With that, both Tai and Sora charged. Twinmon #1 quickly swung his glaive forward in an attempt to impale Tai through the gut.

_CLANG!  
_

Twinmon #1's glaive met Sora's shield, as she had brought it up in front of Tai's midsection before the glaive could reach it. Sora quickly parried the glaive with her shield, causing Twinmon #1 to lose his balance momentarily.

Tai quickly used the opportunity to slash at Twinmon #1's chest. The sword connected with the Digimon, creating a large gash across his chest.

Then, the skin seemed to patch itself together; as the seconds past, the wound disappeared.

Puppetmon's smug mug looked down upon them from the monitor above. **"Did I forget to mention they have self-healing powers?"**

Tai roared, "That's no fair!!!"

Twinmon #1 didn't waste any time with banter. It charged for the two hapless Digidestined.

Meanwhile...

"Spiral Twister!"

Twinmon #2 negated the green spiral of wind with a quick swipe with his bo staff. Then it leapt into the air and knocked Biyomon with a hit on the back, sending the bird into the ground.

"Pepper Breath!"

Agumon's fireball caught Twinmon #2 in the back, causing the fighter to turn his attention to the small Rookie. It leapt into the air and pinned Agumon to ground, raising his staff up so that he would crush the little dinosaur's throat.

That would've happened had Biyomon not barreled into Twinmon #2's back with her flying body. Twinmon #2 was sent sprawling several feet away, but he was up moments later. Biyomon grumbled as she said, "This guy's a toughie!"

Agumon concurred heartily. "No kidding...we have to get rid of that staff!"

Twinmon #2 quickly vaulted into the air, pushing off of his staff for extra height. After falling down in-between the two Rookies, he kicked Agumon away before smacking Biyomon across the face with his bo staff. With the two Rookies momentarily dealt with, Twinmon #2 turned to help his other half deal with Tai and Sora.

_No!_ Agumon knew that Tai and Sora would be slaughtered if both Twinmon joined up against them! He had to do something...and FAST! _Come on...please hit it!!!_

Agumon inhaled deeply...then roared, "PEPPER FLAME!!!"

The extra-large fireball zoomed towards Twinmon #2...and vaporized the bo staff upon contact, immediately sending it up in flames. Agumon blinked as he muttered, "Wow...that's new."

Twinmon #1, realizing his other half was without a weapon, stopped his charge and turned to Twinmon #2. He split his glaive into two equal halves and gave one half to Twinmon #2. With a weapon in his hands, Twinmon #2 decided to deal with Agumon and Biyomon once more.

Biyomon gulped at the sight of the razor-sharp blade Twinmon #2 now held. "Agumon...will your Pepper Flame work on that?"

Agumon muttered, "I...don't know. I think we're going to need a new plan."

* * *

Matt quickly turned his steering wheel hard to the left; he had just reached the final U-turn of the track, and it was incredibly hard to turn at. Luckily, he managed to make it.

"Whew..." A sigh of relief escaped his lips as he glared at the Puppetmon drone in first place. Right now, he was in second...but Joe was in fourth, with Mimi right behind him in fifth. _We have to all get in the Top 3...or else we'll blow up!_

"Matt! Look out!"

Matt looked ahead as Gabumon yelled his warning. Ahead of him, a series of holes big enough to swallow a kart racer lined the road. The Puppetmon drone in first place was weaving around them like an expert driver. Matt quickly weaved back-and-forth through the web of holes, managing to make it to the other side.

As for Joe...

"Marching Fishes!" yelled Gomamon. Suddenly, off the track, a fountain of water burst out of the ground along with a plethora of multicolored fish. They formed a bridge over the holes in Joe's path, allowing him to drive over them safely. "Great idea Gomamon!" yelled Joe out of congratulations as he turned right.

Mimi yelped as one of the drones quickly passed her, only to fall into the holes that loomed ominously ahead of her. "Oh dear...Palmon, we've got to do something!!!"

Palmon quickly held her arms forward. "Don't worry Mimi! I've got it under control! Poison Ivy!" Her long, vine-like fingers extended forward and latched onto the road. With a quick push downward, Palmon – hanging on to the go kart as hard as she could with her feet – vaulted Mimi's kart racer over the holes entirely.  
  
Mimi sighed with relief. "That was some quick thinking Palmon!" Palmon smiled in response.

Another Puppetmon drone crashed into the holes before they all closed up as the last one passed them. Two drones had crashed, leaving three to race against Matt, Joe, and Mimi.

_**Puppetmon Drone (PD) – 1st**_

_**Matt – 2nd**_

_**PD – 3rd**_

_**Joe – 4th**_

_**Mimi – 5th**_

_**PD – 6th**_

* * *

Izzy blinked out of sudden confusion. "WHAT did you say the riddle was?"

Puppetmon groaned as he repeated the riddle. **"What creeps along the ground and clings to pillars? What is seen, yet cannot be felt? Three minutes to answer!"**

Izzy grumbled as his mind began to work furiously in solving the riddle. _What creeps along the ground...and clings to pillars...can be seen, but not felt...ants? No, they can be touched...gah...think think think!!!_

"**Two minutes!"**

Izzy gulped as his mined continued to go through the list of possible subjects. _Air? No...slugs? No...data packets? No!_

"**One minute!"**

Izzy's brain was ready to fall apart. What on earth was the answer to the riddle? _Think Izzy...THINK!!!_

Tentomon, meanwhile, was getting all the more frightened as the finger pressed down ever harder on the bug spray's nozzle. "Oh boy...oh boy...Izzy, you might want to hurry up!!!"

"**Thirty seconds!!!"**

Izzy pounded the podium in frustration. "AGH!!! WHAT ON EARTH IS THE ANSWER!!!" His eyes darted everywhere in search of help, from Tentomon, to Puppetmon, to his shadow, to the stadium, to...

_Wait a minute_. Izzy glanced back at his shadow quietly. _No...it can't be...can it?_  
  
He finally understood! HE was the pillar in the riddle! And the object that could be seen and couldn't be felt! He understood now!

"**Fifteen seconds!!!"**

Tentomon nearly fainted as a slow trickle of the fatal liquid began to leak out of the nozzle.

Izzy roared, "The answer is a shadow! Shadows creep along the ground and cling to pillars! And they can be seen, but – since they have no physical form – they can't be felt!

Puppetmon grimaced as he pressed a button off-screen. **"Pooie! You got the first riddle right..."**

The can of Raid sunk back into the ground. Tentomon exhaled deeply as he moaned, "That was close..."

Izzy looked down at Puppetmon with a satisfied smirk. "One riddle down."  
  
Puppetmon grumbled as he retorted, **"Don't get cocky! The next riddle is tougher! Now listen, and listen good...if you can't solve the next riddle, then your friend will meet a very tragic end!"**

Suddenly, a giant Puppetmon head rose out of the ground behind the slab of metal Tentomon was tied to. It chomped down as an example; its razor-sharp teeth made a deep 'clang' sound that rung through the air. Tentomon and Izzy already knew what would happen if the riddle was answered incorrectly.

Puppetmon smirked. **"Still up for it?"**  
  
Izzy nodded quietly. "Just tell me the riddle."

* * *

/00-111-TAU, 8:22 AM/

TK rubbed his temples calmly as he tried to remember everything Shaun had just told them. "Okay...let me get this straight; 26 years from now, an eleven-year old Ryo Akiyama will be torn from his time by a time warp created by his partner Milleniummon, who went...er, WILL go rogue. Knowing that he would be unable to destroy the universe in his time because of all of us, he opened a time warp that took him back to the past, before myself and the older kids were even Digidestined. Unfortunately for him, his warp accidentally caught Ryo...so after figuring out his partner was in the Digital World with him, he became obsessed with killing him, seeing as he saw Ryo to be the only one capable of stopping him."  
  
Shaun nodded. "That's right, you're good so far."

TK continued on. "So after Milleniummon unleashed the five Flan Digimon, the four Guardians rose up to stop him. Around that time, Ryo finally revealed himself to the Order and the Guardian Beasts, along with his new partner Cyberdramon."

Shaun nodded. "And that's the whole story so far."

Davis scratched his head out of confusion. "Man...that's a lot of stuff..."

"Now as I was saying, Ryo and Cyberdramon finally revealed themselves to the Order," said Shaun. "Even though his Digimon was nowhere close to rivaling Milleniummon's power, the Order created a special device for him that would allow him to utilize the deck of cards he carried with him."

"Cards?" asked Ken, who seemed a tad bewildered by the mention of cards.

"Yeah...apparently, Digimon will become the subject of a very popular trading card game in the future. The gauntlet the Order made allowed Ryo to use those cards to power-up and modify Cyberdramon for any situation."

Davis grinned as he looked up at Flamedramon. "I bet you're going to be the toughest of the cards!"

Flamedramon smirked as he slapped Davis' hand. "You know it!"

Even now, Kari couldn't help but smile at Davis' never-ending optimism. No matter what happened...and no matter how many times he fell...he always got back up with a smile.

Shaun cleared his throat to draw attention back to him. "Anyway, Ryo began traveling throughout the Digital World in an attempt to defeat the Flan Digimon before facing Milleniummon. He only managed to destroy one, but the Guardian Beasts sealed the others away. With the Flan Digimon dealt with, Ryo turned his attention to finding and destroying Milleniummon...but before that, he met up with another Digidestined."

"Another Digidestined?" repeated the others out of shock.

Shaun nodded quietly. "Yeah. However, when the Dark Masters invaded the Order's base and destroyed it – along with the every member save for Gennai, who escaped – their files on this other child were lost. He's nothing more than a faceless phantom now...Gennai can't even remember what the other Digidestined child looked like."  
  
"Well, don't keep us in suspense! Tell us what happened next!" demanded Yolei, who was becoming quite in enraptured with the history lesson.

"Well, Ryo, the other Digidestined child, and the four Guardian Beasts set out to fight Milleniummon for the last time. After a long battle – and with no progress being made on either side – Ryo resorted to one card that wouldn't destroy Milleniummon...but it would stop him. The Crystal Prison card...and when he activated it, it froze Milleniummon within an impenetrable crystal. And for awhile, all was peaceful...but then..."

"Milleniummon broke out, didn't he?" stated Ken.

Shaun shook his head. "No. Instead, Milleniummon turned the Crystal Prison into a body of his own...and he became MoonMilleniummon. He turned the prison Ryo had sealed him in against them; no attack on the outside could break the crystal, while MoonMilleniummon could attack ferociously. The only way to destroy MoonMilleniummon was to break him out of his crystal...and the only way to do so was attack it from the inside."

Davis looked intently at Shaun and quietly – but with high eagerness – asked, "So...how'd they do it?"

"The four Guardians pooled their powers together to create a spiritual being that could inhabit a Digimon's body...as a matter of fact, that being they created..." Shaun then pointed his finger at Kari. "...was the very same entity that possessed Kari four years ago on Spiral Mountain. It wouldn't have worked otherwise...but since Kari is the Child of Light – the power that the spiritual entity was synonymous with – she was able to possess her. "

TK gasped...but Kari just blinked. "Huh? What are you talking about?" TK looked at Kari incredulously and asked, "What?! You don't remember that spirit possessing you? You don't remember how she revealed to us the battle between Greymon and Parrotmon eight years ago? You don't remember how she told us how Gatomon was separated from the other Digieggs when Piedmon tried to destroy them?"

Kari shook her head. "No I don't...but I do remember when I rode the giant Agumon eight years ago." Then, with a childish smile, she added, "That was a lot of fun!"

"Anyhow," interrupted Shaun. "This entity – who named herself Siara - inhabited MoonMilleniummon's body and used his vast power to break out of the crystal...but breaking him out unleashed a beast so great in power that Apocalymon would've been blown away by one attack."

Shaun's grave tone and description of the beast chilled the Digidestined to the core; Apocalymon had been a mighty titan of darkness. He had created the Dark Masters, and he had threatened to destroy both worlds with his Big Bang Explosion attack...and this new form of Milleniummon had the power to blow him away with one attack? What beast could've been able to muster such strength? Ken grimly asked, "Who...was this monster?"

Shaun's eyes narrowed as he recalled the image of the beastly monster. "Milleniummon's most advanced form...and it only appears once MoonMilleniummon's shell is broken. The beast that was now facing the four Guardians, Siara, Ryo, and the other Digidestined child was called..."

Shaun paused for a moment to catch his breath...or was it on purpose, so as to draw out the drama of it all? Nevertheless, he uttered the beast's name slowly.

"...**_XeedMilleniummon_**."

* * *

/File Island, Puppetmon's Stadium, 8:28 AM/

Tai, Sora, Agumon, and Biyomon slowly stepped back as Twinmon advanced on them. Both of the fighters held one half of Twinmon #1's glaive expertly, ready to strike at a moment's notice.

Meanwhile, the four challengers were reaching their limits. After almost twenty minutes of continuous attacking, dodging, and defending, they were close to collapsing.

Twinmon had no such problem.

Puppetmon smirked as he jeered, **"Ha ha! You wimps! You won't be able to beat Twinmon in a million years!"**

Tai grumbled as he fought the urge to scream. He was too tired to do so. "Just stuff it..."  
  
"But he does have a point," admitted Sora, as much as she hated to do so. "At this rate, we're going to be on our knees in minutes...and Twinmon doesn't look the slightest bit tired!"

Tai growled as he faced what looked like certain defeat. How were they going to get out of this alive...?  
  
"Hey, what's that?"

Tai, Sora, and Biyomon looked in the direction of Agumon's paw, which was pointing toward a strange device fixated to the corner of the arena. It was shaped like a carved-out semi-circle, and the mirror-like inside was emitted a strange, rainbow-colored light. As Tai looked around, he saw that identical devices were affixed to every single corner of the arena. "...huh...I wonder..."

Without another thought, Tai threw his sword at the device Agumon was pointing at. With a shower of sparks and a gout of fire, the sword's impaling of the device destroyed it.

Puppetmon shrieked as Twinmon's edges became blurry and unfocused. **"No! My holographic projectors! Twinmon! Destroy them now!!!"**

Twinmon's two halves threw the glaive blades at Tai and Sora at a speed the four challengers were unable to comprehend. Tai and Sora immediately tensed up in preparation for the pain and death that would follow...

...when the blades passed through. Tai and Sora blinked out of confusion. The Child of Courage confoundedly asked, "Uh...shouldn't we be dead?"

Biyomon suddenly realized what Puppetmon's previous statement had been. "I get it now! Twinmon's nothing more than a hologram! When Tai destroyed the last one, their ability to actually touch us was negated!"

Tai smirked as he suddenly realized the nature of Twinmon. "You know what that means guys; let's wreck the projectors!"

Sora threw one of shields like a discus, destroying another holographic projector. The Twinmon's bodies became fuzzy as their outer shell disintegrated, revealing two figures made of white polygons.

Biyomon flew high into the air and directed herself toward the next projector in the far right corner. "Spiral Twister!"

With a small explosion, Twinmon's polygon exterior was stripped away, revealing two wire-frame figures with sequences of binary code floating around inside them.

Agumon quickly grabbed Sora's remaining shield and sat on it. "Throw me!" Tai and Sora grabbed the sides of the shield and heaved it along the stone floor of the arena, causing sparks to fly. Agumon inhaled as he neared the last projector. "Pepper Flame!"

The fireball annihilated the last projector. Without making a single sound, Twinmon disappeared into nothingness. Tai whooped for joy as he pointed his finger cockily at Puppetmon. "In your face Puppetmon!!!"

Puppetmon groused quietly as he pressed a few buttons off-screen. **"Celebrate while you can, Digidorks!"**

With a flash of light, Tai, Sora, Agumon, and Biyomon disappeared from the arena.

* * *

The fourth and final lap.

Thus far – despite a motley collection of holes, spike traps, cannonballs, and bombs – Matt, Joe, and Mimi had managed to make it to the final lap of the Puppetmon Circuit. Only two Puppetmon Drones were left...but the 1st place position was still occupied by a drone.

_**PD – 1st**_

_**Matt – 2nd**_

_**Mimi – 3rd**_

_**Joe – 4th**_

_**PD – 5th**_

Suddenly, as the neared the leftward 70-degree turn near the end of the racetrack, a wall of spikes rose up as the first Puppetmon drone passed it. This left the three Digidestined right in front of it. Puppetmon cackled as he bellowed, **"Stupid fools! You'll never finish this race!"**

"Oh yes we will!" shouted Mimi as she glanced at Palmon. "Quick Palmon!"

"Poison Ivy!" Palmon quickly grabbed the other boys' go karts and threw them over the spike trap safely. Seconds later, Palmon used her vines to vault Mimi's go kart over the spikes as well, landing on the other side without a scratch. "Nice! You should be an Olympic pole-vaulter!"

Palmon smiled at the compliment. "Thanks! But what's a pole-vaulter?"

The Puppetmon drone behind her didn't have such luck. As its go kart passed over the spikes, the tires had a blowout. One spinout and an explosion later, and there was only one Puppetmon drone left.

As Matt quickly turned right on the sharp 30-degree turn, he grimaced as the lead Puppetmon robot pulled further ahead of him. _Man! He'll finish ahead of us if we don't do something!_ "Gabumon! Blast him!"

"Roger! Blue Blaster!!!" A stream of blue fire surrounded the lead drone, slowly heating it and its kart...until the gasoline tank ignited.

An explosion erupted; Matt, Joe, and Mimi were the only ones left. Gomamon cheered as Matt let Mimi and Joe pull up closer to him. "Hooah! We win!"

Puppetmon, was seething. **"WAH!!! No fair!!! That does it...if I can't win this race, no one will!"**

As they turned left onto the final straightway, a wall of fire arose right in front of the finish line. With a screeching halt, Joe, Matt, and Mimi stopped before they could drive into it. Puppetmon laughed as he bellowed, **"No way to win now, eh? HA!!!"**

Joe smiled as one of his medical exams came to mind. "Wrong Puppetmon...there's an answer to everything. Gomamon...call your fish friends. We need a ramp."

Gomamon nodded out of acknowledgement. "Marching Fishes!" Out of both sides of the track, small spouts of water erupted as a torrent of multicolored fish formed a ramp just a few meters away from the fiery wall.

Joe looked over to Mimi and said, "Okay...we'll need Palmon throw us over once we reach the top of the ramp...but you can't let go! Hopefully, our momentum will help carry you over as well."

It was a sound plan, so the Children of Friendship and Sincerity agreed. They realigned their kart racers into a solitary row with only a foot separating them. Palmon grabbed onto both karts with her vines and shouted, "Ready!"

Mimi flashed a devil-may-care grin as she roared, "Alrighty! LET'S BURN RUBBER!!!"

Gabumon sweatdropped and leaned closer towards Matt's ear. "Matt, Mimi can get quite enthusiastic."

"Yeah," replied Matt as a smile came to his face. _And that's one of the many reasons I like her._

Then, the three karts roared to life and onto the ramp. Right when they reached the top, Palmon threw the two boys' karts over the fiery barricade.

Sure enough, Mimi's kart was pulled over the fire as well. Their tires screeched as they slid across the finish line, much to Puppetmon's dismay. **"NO!!!"**

Mimi cheered heartily as she leapt from her kart. "Yay! We won!"

Puppetmon growled as he pressed some buttons off-screen. **"You won't get away with this next time!!!"**

Suddenly, Matt, Mimi, Joe, and their partners vanished in a flash of light.

* * *

Izzy cupped his chin as his mind processed the second riddle. _I have no legs, I have no lungs, I have no life, yet I dance, breathe, live, and die. What am I? Gah...why does Puppetmon throw out such noodle-scratchers?_

"**HURRY UP AND GET IT WRONG SO I CAN KILL YOU!!!"** roared Puppetmon, his anger momentarily taking control.

Izzy yelped as he held his hands up in defense. "Sheesh! For a hunk of wood, you sure have a fiery attitude!"

It suddenly clicked. _Fiery...fire...I got it!_ "The answer is fire! Fire has no legs, yet dances. It has no lungs, yet it breathes hot air! It isn't alive, yet it lives and dies!"

Puppetmon nearly ripped his hat off as he muttered, **"Correct..."**

Tentomon felt immense relief as the Puppetmon head – which had been only one foot away from biting off his head – stopped in its tracks. "Man...I'm going to die of a heart attack at this rate..."

"**Final riddle!!!"**  
  
Izzy smiled as he glanced over at the arena and racetrack, which were empty of Digidestined. "Looks like it's only left to me to finish your game."

Puppetmon chuckled before saying, **"They may have beaten me...but you won't win! Last riddle...who is the winner of this game?"**

Izzy was about to say 'me'...but then he stopped. _No...Puppetmon would say that he's the winner. _"You are."  
  
Puppetmon smirked. **"Trick question! Since you said I'm the winner, I win! On the other hand, if you had answered differently, it would've been wrong...because I always win in the end! Either way, you die!!!"** With a press of a the 'X' button on his controller, the ground below Izzy disappeared to reveal a pool of boiling lava below him. The Child of Knowledge screamed as he fell. "AAAH!!!!"  
  
"IZZY!!!" screamed Tentomon as he tried his hardest to break free.

Tentomon digivolve to......Kabuterimon!  
  
Kabuterimon outgrew the small chains and broke free. As quick as a flash, he stomped over to the podium and grabbed Izzy with one of his extra-long arms and plucked him out of the pit. "You okay?"

"I feel like I just went into a steam-cooker...but otherwise fine," moaned Izzy as Kabuterimon put him on his shoulder.

Puppetmon nearly exploded as he roared, **"FINE THEN!!! YOU WIN!!! But know this...tomorrow...there will be MORE games!!!"**

With a press of a button, a bright flash overtook Izzy and Kabuterimon.

* * *

/File Island, Primary Village, 8:35 AM/

Tai blinked quietly. "Huh...?" He rose and looked around; he was back in Primary Village, and so were the others. He looked down and sighed out of relief. "Oh thank goodness...my normal clothes!"

Kabuterimon looked down at the others and asked, "Is everyone okay?"

Mimi nodded as she rubbed some of the wrinkles out of her purple tank top. "Fine, but I wish Puppetmon would've chosen a different way of bringing us back here." As she stood up and dusted herself off, she didn't notice Matt slipping a piece of paper into her pocket.  
  
Palmon, however, did. _Hmm?_

Joe glanced around at the others and calmly asked, "Since Puppetmon's games were rather...extreme...I want to make sure no one has any injuries. Anyone feel like anything's out of place?" There was a general round of 'no' and 'just feeling tired' from the others. Joe took their words at face value for the time being.

Suddenly, Elecmon rushed over to them in a hurry. "Thank goodness! Where have you guys been this morning?! The babies need a lot more food, they need some more nurturing...oh, Kabuterimon! Good! That means you can carry a bigger load!" Elecmon then pointed over to a bag of filthy waste the size of a Monochromon.

All of the Digidestined and their partners facefaulted.

* * *

/01-000-ALPHA, UmbraDevimon's Lair, 8:36 AM/

"Stupid brats!" complained Puppetmon as he threw his controller against the wall. Then...he heard Arukenimon giggling. He glared at her and demanded, "What's so funny?!"

Arukenimon smiled as she replied, "Nothing...except your childishness. You'll never defeat them if you always act so immature."

Puppetmon quickly retorted, "You don't know what you're saying! I'll defeat them...you'll see! Just wait until tomorrow! I'll have some REAL good games by then..." With that, Puppetmon went back to work.

Arukenimon sweatdropped before getting up and walking away. _I offer advice and he shuns it. Why do I even bother?_

* * *

/00-111-TAU, 8:37 AM/

XeedMilleniummon.

The mere mention of the name sent a frigid chill down the Digidestined's spines (save for Cody; he was still sleeping). It reeked of death.

Shaun had graciously paused for a few minutes to let the others digest the information he had just told them. Now they were ready for more. "Go on," said TK.

"Okay," replied Shaun as he started where he had left off. "XeedMilleniummon now faced the four Guardians, Siara, Ryo, and the other child in what would be the final battle. The beast's mere presence in the Digital World was causing the chronological barriers between this world and our world to fluctuate; it resulted in the wacky time differences where a few hours in the Real World equaled weeks upon weeks here."

TK nodded quietly as he leaned back and thought back to how Tai had seemingly disappeared for weeks on end after the final battle with Etemon. _Well that explains a bit..._

"XeedMilleniummon was more powerful than all of them. And he knew it. He could've destroyed this world, our world, and the Dark World in one fell swoop if he so decided. But he didn't. He wanted to toy with his enemies; the enemies that had proved so troublesome in his quest to eliminate Ryo and destroy the universe. They tried their best to fight back...but nothing they did affected the ungodly titan." Shaun paused for a moment...then he looked at the others with a twinkle in his eye. "BUT...they found a way to stop XeedMilleniummon. It was a long shot, and there was no guarantee that it would work...but they tried it."

"Tried what?! Tried what?!" eagerly asked Flamedramon.

"Yeah! This is better than any cartoon show! Tell us!" demanded Davis. Yolei sweatdropped at the sight. _Boy, they sure are into it._

Shaun backed away from the enthusiastic duo before continuing. "Basically, it was a card. A special card made by the Order for Ryo's gauntlet. It was an altered version of the card 'DNA Digivolution', which would fuse two compatible Digimon together into a single, stronger being. This card was called 'Ultimate Bio-Merge'...and when they were on the verge of falling to XeedMilleniummon, Ryo activated it."

"What did it do?" asked Kari as her heart continued to pound in anticipation. Man, I wish history was taught like this! It'd make it more fun!

"Ryo. The other child. Cyberdramon. The child's partner. Siara. Azulongmon. Zhuqiaomon. Baithumon. Xuanwumon. All of them merged together into one super being called...**_Neomon_**." Shaun then paused to remember what Neomon had looked like. Neomon had been a two-headed humanoid being, with parts of all those who had been fused into the super being. Obviously, the humanoid aspect stemmed from Ryo and the other Digidestined child. However, he had two heads (to represent Xuanwumon's two-headed nature); one was covered in a blue facemask with Azulongmon's bolt-shaped horn sticking from his head. A steel helmet covered the other head, with two horns sticking out of the sides. The right and left heads had light blue and green eyes, respectively. Neomon's whole body had been covered by a white bodysuit, but the snowy fur of Baithumon tore through the shoulders and chest of the mighty being. Zhuqiaomon, as the fiery phoenix, contributed to Neomon via blazing red fire that burned along Neomon's body, but it did not burn him. Finally, Cyberdramon's four red wings jutted out of the back, and Siara contributed by a white scarf that radiated with the power of the light.

_Neomon_, echoed Davis' thoughts. "That must've been one kick-butt battle!"

"It was," answered Shaun. "They fought viciously. As a matter of fact, the End of the World - the large barrier between the ALPHA and OMEGA sectors - was the sight of their battle. Eventually, Neomon began to slowly take control of the fight...and when he was on the verge of losing, XeedMilleniummon pulled out his trump card; Time-Space Apocalypse."

"That doesn't sound good," muttered Ken.  
  
"It wasn't; if he had used that attack, the time-space continuum would've been shattered, and the universe would've torn itself apart in the chaos that followed. But...Neomon used all of his remaining energy to redirect the deadly orb of black-and-white energy back at XeedMilleniummon. Since he himself was altering time and space in the area around him, they cancelled each other out. XeedMilleniummon utterly ceased to exist."

Shaun paused to let that sink in. Finally, he continued on. "In the wake of XeedMilleniummon's defeat, a portion of the dark Digimon's data formed a time warp; presumably back to his time. After bidding farewell to everyone, Ryo and Cyberdramon departed for whatever lay on the other side of the vortex. Moments after he entered, the vortex disappeared."

As Shaun spoke, Davis smiled as he looked up into the sky. "Man...this Ryo would be one heck of a guy to meet!"  
  
A sad smile momentarily crossed Shaun's face as he said, "Yes he would."

"But you still haven't explained why the Flan Digimon are returning." TK said this with a demanding stare. Then Flamedramon demanded, "And why haven't we seen these Guardians? Shouldn't they, you know, be GUARDING?"

Shaun sweatdropped as his mind continued to process the information. "Calm down...I'm getting to that. Not long after the battle with XeedMilleniummon, Apocalymon reappeared; as Gennai may have told you older Digidestined, the very first Digidestined group had sealed him away behind the Great Wall of Fire years ago. But due to XeedMilleniummon's warping of the space-time continuum, Apocalymon had been able to escape. Not long after that, he created a pocket dimension in which he would grow more powerful in his loneliness...then he created the Dark Masters."

Ken suddenly felt everything coming to a head...then he realized something. "The Dark Masters were the ones who defeated the four Guardians, weren't they?"

Shaun nodded in reply. "Very intuitive. You see, the Dark Masters would've lost had they gone one-on-one with the Guardian Beasts, but their dirty tactics won it for them. One-by-one, all four of them ganged up on the Guardians, sealing them away in Digital limbo for eternity...at least, that's what they wanted."

"Those dirty cheaters!" roared Yolei as her fiery ire was stoked.

"Indeed. First was Xuanwumon. Then Baithumon. Then Azulongmon...and after a hard-fought battle, Zhuqiaomon finally fell. Very soon after they were sealed away, the Dark Masters attacked the Order's base. While the other three dealt with the base's defenses, Piedmon stormed the inside with an army of Guardromon and Mechanorimon. Piedmon tried to steal the Digieggs, tags, and crests, but Gennai stole a Mechanorimon and took off with the Digieggs, tags, and crests before Piedmon could destroy them. Unfortunately – as TK and Kari know – Gennai accidentally dropped Gatomon's Digiegg and Kari's tag and crest, where they eventually ended up in Myotismon's hands."

TK wondered what Gennai had felt like when he had been forced to leave the Order behind for the sake of the Digidestined. _It must've been horrible to leave his friends to those four lions..._ "And what about the Flan Digimon?"

Shaun's eyes glanced upward as he continued to dig deeper into his memories. "Well, since the Guardians had been the ones who sealed away the Flan Digimon, they were linked to the seals. When they were sealed away by the Dark Masters, the seals on the Flan Digimon were weakened...and they continued to weaken overtime. Eventually, the reemerged...but they spent their time hiding. Without their creator, they were unwilling to venture out into the world...and that's the story of the Flan Digimon...although it brought me into talking about Milleniummon, Ryo, the Guardian Beasts, and whatnot." _Although how Yolei's crest ended up in Azulmon's brain is beyond me..._

Ken laid down onto the grass as his brain went over the information he had just learned. _So much...I wish I could've learned more about these events beforehand..._

"Shaun, two more questions," said TK as he inhaled a bit of the fresh mountain air. "One: do you know how the five new crests were made? And two...is UmbraDevimon stronger than XeedMilleniummon?"

Shaun exhaled deeply before answering. "Well...for question one, I honestly don't know how the five new crests were made. I just know that they're going to be needed if we're going to stop UmbraDevimon...and as for question two...no way. UmbraDevimon is nowhere near the strength of XeedMilleniummon. He was probably the greatest threat this world has ever known...and those are Gennai's words; not mine." With that said, Shaun stood up and began to walk away. "I'm going to take a small walk...once I get back, we should continue eastward."

As Shaun walked away, Davis gave a low whistle. "Man...so much stuff. My brain would be hurting if it hadn't been so interesting to listen to."

That's when Cody yawned and slowly sat up. "Oh...did I miss anything while I slept?"

Yolei smirked as she patted the young boy on the back. "Boy, did you ever miss a tale!"  
  
Unbeknownst to them, (Agumon) was quietly sneaking off after Shaun.

* * *

/File Island, Primary Village, 8:49 AM/

Mimi stretched her legs quietly as she walked amongst the babies, who were currently feeding on food just gathered by Gomamon, Elecmon, and Matt. "Boy...so much work in one morning...I'm going to collapse at this rate!"  
  
"Oh! I almost forgot something," said Palmon out of sudden rememberance. "Matt slipped something into your pocket earlier!"

"He did?" Mimi quietly pulled the slip of paper out of her pocket and read the words on it.

* * *

_Mimi...will you be the Juliet to my Romeo?_

* * *

Mimi smiled brightly as she pulled a pen out of her other pocket and wrote 'Yes' under Matt's message. She whispered, "Such a way with words..." Then she handed the note to Palmon. "Give this to Matt."

Palmon nodded. "Okay!" With that, she scampered over towards the river, where Matt was assisting Joe in gathering water for the babies.

Minutes later...

Matt sighed as he placed the large bucket of water down by his feet. "Boy...exhausting work..."

"You're telling me!" agreed Joe as he began filling another bucket with water.

"Matt!"  
  
Matt turned around to see Palmon running towards him...with a slip of paper in her hand. She took a few panting breaths before handing it to Matt. "Mimi told me to give this to you."

Matt knew it was his message. _Do I dare open it...?_  
  
Tentatively...he opened it.

Moments later, a shout of 'YAHOO!' could be heard echoing throughout the village.

* * *

Sora sighed as she strolled amongst the toy blocks towering overhead. Her school uniform's skirt fluttered in the wind as she whispered,"Boy...what a morning..."

"Sora!"

Sora turned around to see Tai running towards her. "Oh, hi Tai! What's up?"

Tai quietly slowed to a stop in front of Sora. He paused to catch his breath before saying, "Sora...I...just wanted to thank you for saving my neck back there..."

Sora smiled sweetly and replied, "Of course! What are friends for?"

Tai sighed as his head sagged a bit. "That's just it..." Sora looked at Tai hesitantly as she looked at him with worry. "Tai...?"

Then he quickly kissed her on the lips. Electricity surged through both of their bodies as blood rushed to both of their faces. Sora quickly stepped back as – her face showing her shock at the sudden move – stammered, "W-what was that for?!"

Tai tried to force the words out of his mouth...but ironically, they wanted to come out, yet they also wanted to stay inside. "I...I want to go the next step with you! I don't want to be just friends anymore! I...I just...well...we've been best friends ever since we were little children...and...my love just grew over time, I guess...but...I will you just say yes? I want to go the next step with you!"

Sora, her shock still having yet to subside, just stepped back. "I...I...it's just...well...I...I gotta go!" She immediately ran off away from Tai as thoughts stormed through her head like a lightning bolt. _I...it was just...so sudden...I...I've got to talk to Mimi..._

Meanwhile, Tai looked like he was about to fall over and die. _...I blew it..._ With a dejected sign, Tai trudged off. _Guess I better tell Matt how I blew it..._

* * *

/00-111-TAU, Mountain Ridge, 8:56 AM/

(Agumon) glanced along the length of the ridge to see Shaun staring at the snow-capped mountains stretching toward the horizon. As he slowly walked over to his partner, Shaun asked, "How much did you hear?"

(Agumon) replied, "I woke up around the time you mentioned Ryo's name." (Agumon) stopped behind his partner...then said, "I hate it when you lie."

Shaun turned around to face his partner with a stern, sorrowful look in his eyes. "...I had no choice."

"But...it's just unsettling. I know you have to, but before you started helping the others out, you never had to lie! It just...doesn't feel right," admitted (Agumon) as he sat down beside his partner's feet.

Shaun sighed as a lone tear – above all things – escaped his left eye. "But what am I supposed to do? I'd love to tell them...but I can't! Do you know what would happen if they knew I was the Digidestined child I spoke of that helped Ryo? Do you know what would happen if they knew I've been in the Digital World longer than even Ryo has?! They would get nosy...they would question me...and they'd find out who I really am...I'm sorry (Agumon), but I have to keep lying." He wiped away the tears in his eyes as he faced his partner with a hardened stare. "They won't ever find out...and they never will. Not if I can help it."

* * *

/Warehouse #7, Tokyo Bay, Odaiba, 1:23 PM/

Gennai waited calmly as he put the finishing touches to the film projector that would be used at the 5:00 PM 'showing'.

"Boy...they're going to be in for a big surprise..."

Gennai just hoped they would be able to handle it...and he also hoped that the over-protective parents wouldn't kill him.

* * *

To be continued...

Next time...

Episode 30: Gennai Tells All

* * *

Author's Notes: How do you all like my interpretation of Ryo and Milleniummon's influence on the Digiworld timeline? Or how about the creation of the entity that possessed Kari?

Anyhow, please read and review, and tune in next time!

P.S. (9/08/2004): A fix has been made to Puppetmon's speech near the beginning of the episode; error was pointed out by Anthony1.


	30. Gennai Tells All

Standard Disclaimer: The Crest of Disclaimer is mine...which means I don't own Digimon!  
  
Author's Notes: 30th episode! And now, the Digidestined's parents – especially the new children's parents – will finally be notified of just WHAT has been going on!  
  
To the reviews!

Silver Warrior: Glad you thought the backstory was well thought out.

Anthony1: Thank you, and the error has been fixed. Glad you liked the story behind Ryo and Siara, the spirit that possessed Kari.

... : Glad you liked the previous two chapters. As for Shaun being over 30...you're dead wrong. He looks like a twelve-year old, yet doesn't act like one. Just wait until Shaun's backstory is revealed...ALL of it. ;)

As for the name...well, how about 'Banana Fanna Bobesca the 3rd'? Or...maybe just 'Dot Cubed'. :P

Begin!

* * *

_Gennai has a lot to tell._

_Gennai has to tell it to a lot of parents._

_Some parents are grieving._

_Some have a tendency to go crazy._

_Will Gennai come out with his skin intact?_

* * *

"Hey everyone, this is TK speaking. Puppetmon tortured the older kids with a series of challenges called the Puppetmon Games, but they won them all! As for us, I asked Shaun about the Flan Digimon...and instead got a story on a conflict between four Guardian Beasts, Milleniummon, and a boy named Ryo. Matt and Tai finally admitted their love to the girls of their dreams, by the way. Matt did great...and Tai, well...didn't do so well."

* * *

Episode 30: Gennai Tells All

* * *

/Road, Adjacent to Tokyo Bay, Odaiba, 4:31 PM/

The man driving the gray Honda was a very impatient and strict man. His face was wrinkled...but not from age. It was a scowl. His dark eyes glared ahead at the road, and his neatly combed hair was colored bluish-gray. His mustache was of a slightly darker color, but it was neatly trimmed. He wore small glasses with light, almost transparent frames. He wore a brown denim jacket over his white shirt, along with gray pants that were neatly ironed. On his feet were black shoes: not as classy as dress shoes, but nicer than sneakers.

He was Joshua Kido; the overbearing father of Joe and Jim Kido. Overbearing would've been an understatement; he wanted his boys to follow his path in the field of being a doctor or a surgeon. If they even dared to think otherwise, he would show his disappointment...and keep showing it. It was a tactic that worked...well, most of the time. Despite his wishes to the contrary, his eldest son had gone into the field of psychology. Not a field he approved of...but it was doctor-related, he guessed.

The young man sitting beside him in the passenger seat was Jim Kido, the elder brother of Joe. Unlike Joe, Jim's blue hair was fashioned into a bowl cut that was parted around the forehead. His black eyes revealed his worry and stress. He wore a green jacket over a blue shirt, along with khakis. He wore simple sneakers; he had been in a bit of a rush today.

After all, one would be rushed when receiving a note that might lead to your missing brother.

Joshua spoke without turning his head. "Jim...are you sure we're going to the right destination?"

Jim sighed as he replied, "Yes sir...warehouse #7, Tokyo Bay."

Joshua then tilted his head toward the warehouse they were driving toward. "Mind explaining why all those cars are there then?"

Jim looked ahead...and couldn't believe it. In front of the very warehouse the note had told him to go to were a multitude of vehicles. Hondas...Toyotas...even a minivan.

There were almost thirty people there...maybe even more.

Joshua frowned as he said, "Jim...you didn't call anyone by any chance, did you?"

Jim fought the urge to growl at his father's accusatory tone. "No sir, I didn't."

"Then who are those people?!" asked Mr. Kido, his voice laced with irritation.

Jim shrugged. "We'll find out."

* * *

Hiroaki Ishida – father of Matt Ishida and TK Takaishi – turned his head to face the incoming gray Honda with a wary eye. He looked down at his watch and frowned; it was only 4:32 PM. _No...that's not the kidnapper..._

He had been the first one to arrive at the warehouse; he had arrived little more than two hours ago. Soon, the mother and grandfather of Cody Hida had arrived, followed soon after the Ichijoujis. Then there was the minivan that came with the Inoue family. Around 3:15, the Kamiyas, the Takenouchis, and the Izumis had arrived as well. A few minutes after that, his ex-wife Natsuko Takaishi – or Nancy, as he had once called her – had arrived, with eyes that looked as woeful as anyone else's.

About twenty minutes later – at around 3:40 – the Motomiya family had arrived, Jun included.

Now, there were the Kidos.

Hiroaki scowled as he turned his attention to the warehouse's locked door. _I hope that this truly is a kidnapping...because if this is what I suspect this is, then we're going to be in for a heap of trouble._

* * *

/00-111-UPSILON, 4:41 PM/

Shaun sighed as he stared at the mountains ahead of them, which were gradually getting smaller and smaller than the ones they had just scaled. "We have just passed 00-111-TAU...and now we're in 00-111-UPSILON."

"JUST NOW?!" roared Davis out of utter frustration.

Davis' outburst was well deserved; they had been hiking through the high mountains and the low valleys of sector 00-111-TAU for the past several hours. Given how long they had moved, one would think they had made SOME progress.

But no; they had only just now reached the next sector.

Wormmon moaned as he slumped to the ground. "My feet are killing me...all of them even..."

Cody reached up for Yolei's Crest of Caring; a dark green arrow emerged, pointing eastward. "Still says to go east..."

"We aren't getting anywhere like this," said Ken as his eyes stared back at the snow-capped mountains they had just traversed. "We need to find an alternative method of finding Cody's crest...or we could be wandering for weeks."

Shaun grimaced as he sat down to think. _What to do...what to do..._

They had to find Cody's crest.  
  
It was still to the east.

They had to wander through more mountains and whatever lay beyond them to get to it.

That would not do.

_Hmm..._

Then it clicked. _I've got it!_ He stood up and turned to his partner. "(Agumon), I need you to armor-digivolve."

(Agumon) looked up at Shaun with a blank stare; he had no clue what his partner wanted...but whatever. "Alright."

(Agumon) armor-digivolve to......Sonocomon: The Speed of Wisdom!

The Armored Champion stood there silently while Shaun turned to Yolei and Cody. The Child of Caring looked at the Child of Wisdom incredulously and demanded, "Alright pal...what's your plan?"

* * *

/File Island, Primary Village, 4:45 PM/

Matt smiled with content as he laid on a thick tree branch that arched over the river that bordered Primary Village's eastern edge. Right now, he felt like he was on top of the world.

Mimi had said yes! She had said yes! She was the Juliet to his Romeo! _Man, I am slick_, he thought with a satisfied smile. One aspect of being part of a band was that you contributed to writing songs quite a bit...and Matt was the prime scriptwriter for the Teenage Wolves. _I wonder how the guys are doing_, he thought with a wistful frown.

That's when a very appealing thought came to mind. _Hey...I wonder if all those crazy fangirls would stop bugging me if I told them I was taken...better yet, I might get Jun off of my back!_  
  
That's when he looked down to see Tai looking up at him with a gloomy stare. The Child of Friendship sat up and asked, "So, how'd it go?"

Tai shook his head. "I blew it..."

"Oh? How so?" asked Matt as he slowly dropped himself from the tree branch. "Tell me what happened."

Tai relayed to Matt what had happened; how he had encountered Sora, blurted out how he had told her his feelings...as well as the kiss. "After that...she ran off..."

Matt resisted the urge to laugh. "Man Tai...I don't think Sora rejected you. You just went about the wrong way."

"...you think so?" asked Tai, a tone of hope in his voice.

Matt just leaned back against the tree he had just been resting in before replying. "Sure! You and I both know Sora; being brought into conflict with something out of the blue isn't something she can handle that well. You have to ease her into it! Be subtle!"

Tai groaned as he slumped to the ground. "But I'm not good at being subtle..."

Matt sweatdropped as he thought, _This might take some outside help._ "Hang on Tai; I'm going to go think about it. I'll be back in a bit with some tips." With that, Matt walked off towards Primary Village, leaving Tai to mope.

* * *

Sora paused for breath near the opposite edge of Primary Village. Her face was still red...and she couldn't get that moment out of her head.

Tai.

The kiss.

The confession.

It was so sudden...and so unexpected! _He just came out of the blue...no warning..._

She couldn't think straight. She was still in a tizzy over the moment where their lips met; the moment where they momentarily became one.

The surge of electricity and heat that had surged through her body had been no illusion. She slowly touched her lips, recalling the shock – and, even though her conscious mind had yet to register it, the pleasure – of the moment. _Oh...what should I do?_  
  
"Sora?"

Sora looked ahead of her to see Mimi tending to a tiny Botamon, who was currently slumbering in her arms. Mimi frowned as she looked at Sora's shocked and flushed countenance. "You look a little red in the face; you okay Sora?"

Sora sighed as she sat down on the ground, folding her elbows over her knees as she muttered, "It's...well...it's Tai..."

Mimi silently placed the slumbering Baby Digimon back into its respective basket and knelt down beside her old friend. "What's wrong? What did-"

"He...asked...well...and then...he...kissed...um..." The words didn't want to escape her mouth; Mimi, however, didn't need to hear them to decipher the meaning behind them.

Mimi smiled as she said, "I see...he finally confessed, and kissed you to make a point. Unfortunately, it was too much for you to take in at once...so you ran off in a rush."

Sora feebly nodded. "Yeah...and I'm...worried that...I hurt his feelings..."

Mimi giggled in response. Sora just glared at the Child of Sincerity with a wary eye. "And what's so funny?"

"Sora," said Mimi as she placed a hand on Sora's shoulder. "You and I both know how Tai is. Subtlety isn't his strong suit, you know?"

Sora couldn't resist the giggle that escaped her throat. It was true...Tai never did have a knack at being subtle.

Mimi smiled as she continued on. "But just because he came off a little strong doesn't mean he didn't mean what he said...look, here's the deal; I'll think of something. Just you wait here. I'll be right back with an idea!" With that, she walked off.

Sora smiled as her friend walked away. "Thanks Mimi..."

* * *

/Warehouse #7, Tokyo Bay, Odaiba, 4:59 PM/

Standing right next to the warehouse's door were three girls, holding their ears up against it.

The one on the center was Jun Motomiya, wearing her school uniform as usual – green button-up shirt, a red skirt, and a black bandanna tied under her shirt's collar – as she tried to hear anything beyond the door. To her right was a girl – younger than Jun, but older than Yolei – with orange-blonde hair fashioned into a bowl cut. She wore a long-sleeved shirt colored light purple, and a burgundy skirt that went down to her knees. To complete her attire were white tennis shoes with black markings, as well as glasses with small frames. She was Chizuru Inoue, the second youngest child in the Inoue family.

To Jun's left was a young woman of 18: just as old as Jun herself was. Unlike Chizuru, her brown hair went down to the base of her neck, and it was neatly combed. She wore blue jeans and a loose, pink shirt. Also, a red ribbon was sewn into the collar of the shirt, which was tied into a fancy knot. Her feet were covered with red sandals, and – also ulike Chizuru – she wore large-framed glasses. She was Momoe Inoue: second eldest child of the Inoue family, as well as a close friend of Jun.

Behind them was Mantarou, who looked up them with a sense of boredom in his eyes. "Come on girls...you aren't going to hear anything."

His statement was promptly answered with a chorus of 'Ssh!!!' from the three girls. Mantarou just shook his head. _Oh well, not my position to argue._ He turned around to walk back to his parents' minivan.

The creaking of metal.

Three startled yelps.  
  
Mantarou whirled around to see that the girls had fallen onto their faces; the door had unexpectedly opened, and they had been unprepared. Thus, they had fallen onto the cold, rock-solid floor of the warehouse.

When they looked up, they were actually seeing an old man wearing a brown cloak with a hood over his head. But what they thought they saw – due to his shadowed face and the dull lighting inside the warehouse – was a wraith.

The girls shrieked as they immediately backed away from the imposing figure. This drew the attention of everyone who had gathered at the warehouse. As the cloaked figure stepped outside to see everyone, Yuuko glared at him. "Are you the one who's kidnapped our children?"

The cloaked figure shook his head as he replied, "No. Despite how much you want to believe it, they have not been kidnapped. However, I do know where they are and why they have yet to return to you. Follow me inside, and I will explain as much as I can." With that, he turned around and slowly walked back into the warehouse.

And that was that. The offer had been placed on the table; all that was left was for them to accept it.

Jun slowly entered. Then Chizuru...then Momoe and Mantarou. Eventually, all of them walked into the dark warehouse.

With the flick of a switch, the inside was illuminated in a bright light. It had been cleared out, leaving only several tables connected together, along with a multitude of chairs: more than were need. Several windows to the outside lined the walls, in the front of the table was a slide projector, pointing directly at a large canvas.

The cloaked figure – who sounded like an old man – turned around and stared at Hiroaki Ishida. "Close the door."

Hiroaki quietly did so. The cloaked man then said, "Please take a seat."

Reluctantly and slowly – after all, they were speaking with who could be a potential kidnapper after all! – they all took a seat. Finally, the cloaked man lowered his hood to reveal the face of an old man; his white-gray mustache drooped below his mouth, and the only hair on his head was tied into a ponytail that was held together by a red ribbon.

He looked at them all with eyes that seemed closed...yet they seemed to peer straight into their minds, hearts, and souls. The effect was noticed...by both the old man and those he had invited.

Finally, he spoke. "Greetings everyone. Everyone I invited has come here, save for the Tachikawas; but they're in another continent, so they don't really count for this meeting. My name is Gennai...and I have called you all here to tell you about what has become of your children."

* * *

/00-111-UPSILON, 5:04 PM/

Cody grimaced as he looked down; Yolei's crest was around his neck, and Sonocomon's arms were locked firmly around his chest. "Are you sure this will work?"

Shaun nodded as he sat on top of a rock. "Pretty sure. Sonocomon will just fly you eastward; all the while, you'll be using the crest to find the location of yours. Once you find it and set down, Sonocomon will put you there and come back to get us. Simple, right?"

Cody sighed as he fingered the small crest in his hand; the dark green arrow slowly floated out, continuing to point eastward. "I don't know...but it definitely beats hiking over these mountains."

Shaun smiled as he stepped back. "Alright Sonocomon...don't let go."

"I've had a lot of practice in holding on." Sonocomon looked down at Cody with calm grin as he levitated into the air above the Digidestined. "Now just hang on, and keep that arrow out! Blue Dash!!!"

With flash of blue light, that supersonic Digimon had already burst off toward the horizon, with Cody screaming the whole way.

Veemon winced as he watched Shaun's partner zoom off with Cody. "I remember the last time Sonocomon took us for a ride (see episode 17)...I tell ya, that guy's fast!"

Davis smiled as he gave his little partner a pat on the head. "Don't worry about it...besides, this means we can take a break from walking!" With that, he eagerly laid down on the mountain trail, reveling in the break...even if it wouldn't last that long.

Gatomon grumbled as she slumped to the ground. "My paws are killing me...wish I could fly."

"But then you wouldn't be the adorable kitty-cat you are," replied Kari with a smile so sweet that chocolate would've tasted bitter in comparison. Gatomon smiled in response to Kari's smile; she could never resist that smile.  
  
And neither could Davis, who stared at the Child of Light quietly with a smile. _Kari...what an angel..._

"Yoohoo...Davis...**DAVIS!**"

_SLAP!!!_

"OW!!!" yelped Davis as he was suddenly whacked in the face by Yolei's hand. He glared at the lavender-haired girl and roared, "WHAT WAS THAT FOR?!"

"Ken's handing out some berries and nuts he gathered from the local vegetation...and unfortunately, it's fallen on me to ask you if you want any." Then she responded to his glare with an equally fierce glare. "So next time I ask a question, answer the FIRST TIME!"

Davis quietly seethed at Yolei's outburst. _Geez...for being the Child of Caring, she can be awfully pushy!_ Quietly, he nodded. "Yeah, I'll have some."

Yolei's glaring face turned into a smile as she walked over to Ken. "Oh Ken, you have another customer!"

Davis blinked out of astonishment. Aside from Jun and Mimi, Yolei was the only person he knew whose personality could change at the drop of a hat. _Geez...I don't think I'll ever understand girls._

Few thoughts have ever been truer.

* * *

/Warehouse #7, Tokyo Bay, Odaiba, 5:09 PM/

"Digidestined?"

Gennai nodded in response to Hiroto Motomiya's – father of Davis and Jun Motomiya – sudden question. "Yes...the children who have been chosen to safeguard the Digital World from evil and corruption are known as the Children of Destiny...or in laymen's terms, the Digidestined."

For the past several minutes, Gennai had gone into an in-depth explanation about the Digital World: an alternate world parallel to the Real World, created from missing and broken pieces of data. In all actuality, the Digital World had two halves; one side was also influenced by the dreams and positive thoughts of humans. The other side – called the 'Dark World' by Gennai – was created by the darkness within the hearts of humans.

In any case, it sounded like something out of a fantasy book. Alternate worlds? Children destined by prophecy?

Rubbish.

That's the word that went through Joshua Kido's mind at that moment. He stood up and angrily said, "Listen; a lot of us have schedules to keep. So if you don't mind, stop wasting our time with these ridiculous stories and tell us where our children are!"

Gennai chuckled at Mr. Kido's impatience. "Mr. Kido, I assure you that this is no story; after all, I'm sure you can all agree with me that the Odaiba Fog Incident four years ago was no mere 'story', as you so lovingly put it."

Natsuko Takaishi gasped as she remembered the events of four years ago...events she had tried to forget. Events everyone had tried to forget. "You mean...that fog barrier...and all those monsters...and that other world in the sky?"

Gennai nodded. "Yes. Those events tie in to current events, if only to tie in as a backstory." He quietly turned the slide projector on...and the first image that came up was that of a ruined city at night. In the sky, an upside-down world could be seen in stripes across the sky. But the most distinguishing feature was a column of rainbow light, taking eight kids – with small little creatures beside them – into the sky.

"I remember that," said Toshiko as her eyes turned to the image of a younger Sora, who was inside that column of light. "...she never really talked about it after it happened..."

"I would imagine that they tried not to tell you," said Gennai. It was true; the eight Digidestined from four years prior had been unwilling to tell their folks about what had happened in that alternate world. As time had gone on, the memories of those who were not Digidestined began to fade; the events had become nothing more than smeared blotches in their mind. But now, they were coming back with more clarity than ever before.  
  
Gennai switched slides, showing four more children. "These four are the newest members of the Digidestined: Davis Motomiya, Yolei Inoue, Cody Hida, and Ken Ichijouji."

"Ken?!" yelled Keiko Ichijouji out of sudden shock.

Gennai nodded. "Yes...but let me get into some details here." He began explaining. "On August 23rd – about two weeks after the school year started – I sent three digivices called D-3s to Davis, Yolei, and Cody. With them, they were able to reopen the Digital Gates that had been sealed off four years...and with them, they were able to go and face the evil that had been in the process of enslaving the entire Digital World...the Digimon Emperor."

The old man then looked at Keiko and Kazuma with a sad stare. "I'm sorry to tell you this, but your son, Ken, was the Digimon Emperor."

The gasp that Gennai elicited from Keiko caused Kazuma to defiantly yell, "No! You're lying!"

"I'm afraid that this is the truth." He then changed to the next slide, revealing the Digimon Emperor, standing triumphantly over a conquered town. "And allow me to tell you some of the things he did."

* * *

/Lower Atmosphere, Digital World, 5:15 PM/

Cody only kept his eyes on the dark green arrow. Otherwise, he would've fainted from the mere sight of seeing how fast they were going.  
  
Sonocomon yelled, "Should I still keep going east?!"

"Yes!" replied Cody. He didn't dare turn his head to face Sonocomon. If he had, he would've seen that they were zooming over the clouds, with only the blue sky towering over them. That wouldn't have been so good for the little boy's systems.

Suddenly, the dark green arrow made a 180-degree turn around, pointing westward. Cody blinked out of astonishment; it took a few moments for what had just happened to occur to him. "STOP!!!"

Sonocomon gradually slowed, so that his passenger's brain wouldn't immediately smash against his skull, giving him a concussion; after all, going from over 600 miles per hour to zero in the span of a second wouldn't be very pleasant for one not built to withstand the pressure. The Armored Champion then looked down at the young boy and asked, "Where is it pointing now?"

Cody slowly put the crest in front of his eye, so that the arrow was perfectly lined up with his eye. Finally, he got a rough idea of where it was pointing. "Down there!" He pointed his arm westward at a downward angle of 30 degrees.

Sonocomon nodded. "Got it. Hang on!" He burst downward, tearing through the cloud barrier while Cody hung on for dear life.

Soon, ground could be seen again. They were nearing a coniferous forest that blanketed the entire area, where the only thing that stood out was a small clearing with a monolith of brown rock jutting upward towards the sky. As Sonocomon set down into the clearing, Cody gaped at the monolith. "Whoa..."

Sonocomon turned around, and in turned did the same thing as Cody.

The rocky tower stretched upward for at least three hundred feet...and the doorway – which was a good fifty feet high - into the monolith itself was covered by a barrier of dark green energy.

Sonocomon muttered, "I think we found it."

Cody looked down at the dark green arrow quietly. Sure enough, it was pointing straight towards the monolith. "Indeed." He took the Crest of Caring off from around his neck and handed it to Sonocomon. "Head back to the others and tell them that we found the location of my crest. Give Yolei's crest back to her when you get there."  
  
"Roger that," replied the supersonic Digimon as he clutched the crest tightly and zoomed off to the west. "Don't wander away from that spot!!!" yelled Sonocomon before disappearing into the horizon beyond.

Cody sighed as he sat down, creating a small parting in the tall grass of the clearing. _He doesn't have to tell me...I know what to do._

With that, Cody was left there alone, with nothing but his thoughts to keep him company.

* * *

/File Island, Primary Village, 5:21 PM/

Matt grimaced as he traversed the seemingly endless maze of toy towers. _Darn it! You'd be hard-pressed to find ANYONE in here!_

As he rounded the next tower, he bumped into the person he had been looking for: Mimi.

"OOF!"  
  
Mimi and Matt both fell on their bottoms...which wasn't quite so bad, considering they landed on a ground made of (literally) stuffed blocks.

Matt muttered, "Ow..." Then he saw Mimi. "Mimi! I was just looking for you!"

"Same here!" replied Mimi with a cheerful smile.

Matt quickly sputtered out, "I just spoke with Tai..."

Just as quickly, Mimi said, "Yeah, I just had a talk with Sora..."

"Tai feels like he completely alienated Sora..."

"Well, Sora pretty much feels that way about Tai as well..."  
  
"So I told him..."  
  
"I told her..."

Then, simultaneously, they said, "I'd think of something!"  
  
The two teens blinked at the sudden awkwardness of the situation. Faced with no other alternative, Matt and Mimi laughed their hearts out.

Finally, Matt said, "So...any ideas?"

Mimi smiled as she replied, "I actually do."

So she explained.

"Yeah...that'll do the trick. Simple is always best!" Matt grinned as he turned around. "I'm going to tell Tai the plan."

"Wait."  
  
Matt turned around, only to have Mimi catch him in a lip lock. His face immediately switched colors from tan to red as – once the kiss ended – he stuttered, "Um...uh...buh..."

Mimi giggled as she gave him the answer he needed. "I never told you 'yes' in person." With that, she quickly made her way back to Sora, leaving a very stunned Matt Ishida behind.

The Child of Friendship let a small smile come to his face as he thought, _Dang...when she wants something...she takes it..._

With that, Matt immediately set off to find Tai.

* * *

/Warehouse #7, Tokyo Bay, Odiaba, 5:25 PM/

Enslavement.

Torture.

Murder.

A nuclear strike.

All those things and more...with photographic evidence to back it up.  
  
When one was told your son was responsible for these things, you would immediately deny it with all of your heart, mind, and soul.

But such damning evidence...

All of it caused Keiko Ichijouji to withdraw on herself, causing her to mutter, "No...can't be...no...can't be..." That was all she said, over and over. The thoughts of her son running away...the thoughts of her son doing such horrible things while in that other world...that was all she could think of.

Gennai sighed with regret; he hated to see someone affected in such a way. Nonetheless, he had to keep talking. "However, the last straw came when the Emperor used parts of other Digimon to create a monster called Chimeramon." To accompany the mentioning of the artificial beast was a slide devoted to an entire picture of the gruesome monster.

The gasps that the image elicited was a testament to the terrifying power Chimeramon had held over innocents. Daniel Hida's eyes narrowed at the sight of the hybrid beast. "Such a terrible monstrosity was created by the boy's own hand?"

"Indeed," replied Gennai. "However, that was also the last straw for Ken's partner, Wormmon. In secret, he sent the Digidestined a lot of important information: blueprints of the Emperor's base, details on its defensive measures, and specs on Chimeramon himself. Using the information, the Digidestined planned one last battle against the Emperor."

He then went into detail about the battle that followed; the initial bit of trickery that rendered the base powerless, Chimeramon's assault on the Digidestined, the discovery of the golden Digiegg, Magnamon's rising, Wormmon's last stand, and the final confrontation between the two titanic Digimon. "Finally, Magnamon used his power to redirect Chimeramon's own attack back at him...and the battle was over."

Jun couldn't help but beam at the fact her little brother – well, his partner anyway – had been the deciding factor in the fight.

"But the Emperor didn't do so well after Wormmon's end, did he?" said Yoshie Izumi, her dull red-pink hair neatly curved and combed as her brown eyes took on a hint of sadness. She could tell that Wormmon's death had done something to the Emperor out of sheer insight; the kind that only mothers were capable of.

Gennai answered, "You are correct. I'm not quite sure what went through Ken's head during the time he was in a coma...but whatever he went through, he resolved himself to atone for what had he had done."

Keiko's face lightened up as she was reminded of that happy time; the time when her son had been returned to the lives of her and Kazuma. "...but what of now? Why haven't they returned?"

"That, my dear guests, is because of the first foe the older kids faced four years ago: Devimon." With that, an image of Devimon's horned body appeared on the canvas.

Revulsion was evident in the features of many of Gennai's guests. Subaru Inoue – mother of Mantarou, Momoe, Chizuru, and Yolei – scrunched her face into one that seemed to scream 'disgust'. "Eew..."

"My thoughts exactly," cracked Gennai. "Anyhow, Devimon was actually the one who made the plans for Chimeramon; Ken just unwittingly followed them out. When Chimeramon was sealed within the orb of his Shadow Viper attack, Devimon came from the Dark World and assimilated the data within, becoming the creature you now see."

With the click of a button, UmbraDevimon's image came up on the screen. More revulsion.

"On October the 15th, UmbraDevimon – in his own words – 'made an example' of the new Digidestined by brutally mutilating everyone save for Davis and TK." Gennai sighed as he remembered Shaun's condition upon returning to his house; he had not seen the boy so brutally mangled since after the battle with Milleniummon...

Anna Hida suddenly gasped as she recalled that day. "You mean...when Cody was beat up?!" Gennai nodded in response to outburst, causing Cody's mother to look down at herself in shock. _Cody...lied..._ It wasn't the motives that were in question...it was the principle of the thing. Cody had NEVER disobeyed or misbehaved.

Gennai could tell from her look that she was in shock over the fact. "Well you shouldn't be surprised that he lied; after all, he had no choice in the matter."

That's when Anzu Motomiya – Davis and Jun's mother – stood to her feet and yelled, "Well I have a question! You still haven't told us why they can't come home! Explain that!"

Gennai sighed; he had been dreading this moment. "Well...it comes down to one thing; UmbraDevimon, after luring all of the Digidestined to the Digital World, unveiled his plan to invade the Real World with three of his toughest servants: Gryphonmon, Grandkuwagamon, and Blackwargreymon. If they had been able to cross over to this side, mass chaos would've been inflicted upon this world! I had no choice but to activate it!"

"Activate what?" said Yuuko Kamiya as a sudden chill came to her voice.

Gennai sighed. _Well, here goes._ "The Great Seal...it completely seals off the Digital World from all other worlds. With it activated, UmbraDevimon can't open a portal to our world...but neither can the Digidestined. Until UmbraDevimon is defeated, they cannot return home."

Silence.

Then, Mrs. Kamiya leapt from her seat and bounded for Gennai as she roared, **"BRING BACK MY CHILDREN!!!"**  
  
Gennai yelped as he ran away from the raving mad Yuuko. "Darn it! I knew this was going to happen!!!"

* * *

/File Island, Primary Village, 5:34 PM/

Tai looked up as Matt neared him; Tai had been sitting next to the river, contemplating on what to say to Sora when he saw her again. The Child of Courage looked up to see Matt's smiling mug and asked, "You have a plan?"

Matt nodded as he pulled a handkerchief – courtesy of Mimi – out of his pocket. "Yep. But before that, I'll have to blindfold you."

* * *

_What to do...what to do..._

"Sora!"  
  
Sora's thoughts were interrupted as Mimi skipped over to her side. Sora looked up at Mimi's grinning face and asked, "Did you figure something out?"

Mimi nodded as she pulled a handkerchief out of her pocket. "You bet! And it involves a little blindfold."

* * *

/Airborne Below Cloudbank, En route to Cody's Location, 5:38 PM/

Sonocomon groaned as he carried Davis and Veemon in his arms. "Man...I hate going slow..."

Shaun resisted the urge to chuckle at his partner's impatience; when he was Sonocomon, he was capable of going beyond the speed of sound. With such speed, going as slow as Halsemon, Stingmon, Pegasusmon, and Nefertimon seemed like torture. "Sorry Sonocomon, but you're the only one who knows the way to Cody's location."

That elicited another groan from the Armored Champion. Meanwhile, in his arms, Davis was moping. "Man, his groans are becoming contagious..."

"Look on the bright side Davish!" cheered Veemon as he looked down at the mountains below, which were slowly becoming smaller before giving way to endless plains. "At least we have a great view!"

"That's the problem..." muttered Davis as he felt his stomach tumbling.

Meanwhile, flying behind Sonocomon, were Halsemon, Nefertimon, Pegasusmon, and Stingmon. Their respective partners were riding them quietly...but Ken was holding Armadillomon in his arms.

The armadillo looked up at Ken and asked, "Do ya think Cody's alright all by his lonesome?"

Ken gave the Rookie a reassuring smile as he replied, "Of course. Cody's a very smart kid...he knows what to do."

Armadillomon took Ken at his word. The five 'carrier' Digimon continued flying eastward as the sun descended behind the mountains they were leaving behind.

* * *

/File Island, Primary Village, 5:40 PM/

Tai sighed as Matt slowly pushed him along. The handkerchief, which was wrapped around his eyes, kept him blind to everything. "What are you up to Matt?"  
  
Matt smirked he continued to push Tai towards a small clearing in the village. "Don't worry Tai...just trust me."

On the other side of the clearing, Mimi was pushing Sora towards the clearing, with her eyes blindfolded as well. Sora quietly said, "Mimi...where are you taking me?"

"Just be patient!" replied Mimi as she resisted the urge to giggle. No more than thirty yards away, she could see Matt pushing Tai towards the center of the clearing. _All according to plan..._

As the Children of Courage and Love were being pushed closer towards each other by Matt and Mimi, they suddenly felt a sense of foreboding. Something was about to happen.

Then, five feet apart, Matt and Mimi stopped pushing. They both leaned towards the ears of Tai and Sora and whispered the same thing. "Okay...when I say go, count to ten. Then take off the blindfold."

Matt and Mimi quietly said, "GO!" and burst off in the opposite direction. Tai and Sora began countined.

_10..._

_9..._

_8..._

_7..._

_6..._

_5..._

_4..._

_3..._

_2..._

_1..._

_Go!_

Tai and Sora both undid their blindfolds and saw each other. Their faces immediately flushed red.

_Okay_, thought Tai as he looked down at the Child of Love. _This is perfect...great plan Matt! Just put me in front of Sora and have me improvise...great. What the heck am I going to say? Man...this is just perfect...man...what to do?! Okay...I'll just start off with a simple 'sorry'...yeah...that'll be a good start._

Meanwhile, Sora was thinking at a breakneck speed as she looked up at the Child of Courage. _Oh man...I can't believe I didn't see this coming...thanks a lot Mimi! What am I going to tell him? I...I know that I love him as much as he loves me...but after what I did, how can I tell him? I have to apologize first..._

Simultaneously, they said, "I need to say I'm sorry."

After a few moments of silence, they realized that they had spoken at the same time. Then, they spoke at the same time once more. "I need to speak first...uh...but I...er..."

They had no choice but to laugh at the awkwardness of the whole scenario. Finally, Tai managed to speak first. "Look Sora...I have to say I'm sorry. I came on too strong...I didn't mean to scare you like that!"

Sora frowned as she saw what her sudden retreat had done to Tai. "Oh Tai...I'm sorry for running away like I did." Her frown turned into a small smile as her face turned into even a more reddish color. "But...I didn't give you an answer last time. I actually feel the same way about you...I was just too shocked to tell you." She then looked up at Tai, her eyes staring into his. "Allow me to give you my answer."

With that, she wrapped her arms around Tai's neck and kissed him quietly; the force that Tai had put into his first kiss with Sora no more than a few hours was gone. Instead, a quiet, loving essence was put into it, allowing them both to enjoy it.

As Tai sank into Sora's kiss, one thought crossed his mind. _Matt...you're a genius._

It went to prove one thing: plans didn't have to be complex to be successful.

Meanwhile, Matt and Mimi were flashing each the universal sign of a successful mission: a thumbs-up.

* * *

/File Island, Central Mountaintop, 5:42 PM/

Blackwargreymon had been watching the Digidestined from above. He had been watching them ever since the Puppetmon Games...and he had been intrigued.

The Digidestined were not just strong fighters; they were very clever, intuitive, and lucky. As for the Agumon, he had been impressed at his mastering of the 'Pepper Flame' technique. Not many Agumon were capable of such a thing.

Blackwargreymon smiled as he thought of his battle that was soon-to-come.

* * *

/Warehouse #7, Tokyo Bay, Odaiba, 5:43 PM/

After restraining Yuuko from strangling Gennai, the old man had sworn to find a way to keep them up-to-date with the Digidestined's whereabouts. Then...he had dismissed them.

As they were all milling away at their own pace, Jim asked his father, "So...what do you think about this whole situation?"

Joshua Kido sneered as he said, "Nothing more than a load of bilge water."

"What?!" yelled Jim out of astonishment. "But...didn't you see all of his evidence?!"

"Photographs that are easily doctored these days. Besides, if the monsters from four years ago were real, there'd be evidence...but there was none to be found by anyone! Not even the government found anything!" Joshua angrily opened his car's front door and got inside as he said, "I'm convinced that man knows where the children are for real...and I'll get him to tell me one way or another."

As Jim hovered outside of the passenger door, he muttered, "Dad...you'd believe if you had been there..." Then he opened his door and got inside as his dad started the car.

Inside the warehouse, Gennai was thanking his lucky stars that he had made it out with his skin intact...but now he had a new problem. _How am I going to find a way to contact the Digidestined...?_

But beyond the eyes of anyone that had been there was a pale man in a purple trench coat, standing on the rooftop of warehouse #6. He was smiling: he had finally gotten his first big break in a while.

Now all he had to do was play his cards right.

* * *

/01-000-ALPHA, UmbraDevimon's Lair, 5:47 PM/

Gryphonmon slowly advanced toward UmbraDevimon, kneeling as his lord came into full sight. "Lord UmbraDevimon...Piedmon, Grandkuwagamon, and Blackwargreymon have yet to return. I am worried by their absence."

His answer was a chuckle. Gryphonmon looked up at UmbraDevimon, who was laughing. "My lord...?"

UmbraDevimon quietly said, "I thought Piedmon was smarter than this...but I was mistaken."

He knew of the Shadow Mallet.

And Piedmon was sorely mistaken if he thought it would make a difference against him.

* * *

To be continued...

Next time...

Episode 31: Humility

* * *

Author's Notes: Sorry if this episode seems a bit rushed. It seems a bit like it in my opinion due to a maddening writing spree at late night.

Oh well. Please read and review!


	31. Humility

Standard Disclaimer: With my proclamation of not owning Digimon, MY CREATION IS GIVEN LIFE!!!  
  
Author's Notes: In case no one has noticed, I've started my own C2 community. It's called 'Digital Fantasy', and it primarily focuses on Digimon and Final Fantasy, although other submissions from the Anime and Video Game categories will be allowed...if I deem them fit, that is.

Anyhow, Digital Fantasy's URL is:

http(colon)www(dot)fanfiction(dot)net/c2/67/1/1/

The site has a thing against URLs, so just replace the words in () with that actual symbol on the keyboard.

To the reviews!

Anthony1: The Digidestined won't be speaking with their parents. Not for a long time, anyway.

Dot Cubed: Yay! I finally have a name to call you that can be pronounced!

Anyhow, you're overreacting with Cody...perhaps. ;)  
  
GASP! You've shirked your homework?! That won't do! O.O;  
  
Go to timeout! And if you dare try to move... (points to XeedMilleniummon, who is the watchdog of the timeout spot) ...well, you have your options. ;)

Warning to Younger Readers: There are scenes in this chapter that involve the consumption of alcoholic beverages. You have been warned.  
  
Begin!

* * *

_Blackwargreymon continues to wait._

_Piedmon continues to wait._

_The Digidestined continue their search for the next crest._

_And what of the man in purple?_

* * *

"Hello everyone, it's Gennai speaking. My meeting with the Digidestined's family went as expected...from the looks of shock to the attempted strangling on Mrs. Kamiya's part. The younger kids are en route to Cody's crest, and – back on File Island – Tai and Sora finally resolved their differences before kissing and making up...literally. And I know this is out-of-character, and I don't really know this, but who the heck is that guy in the purple trench coat?"

* * *

Episode 31: Humility

* * *

/00-010-PSI, 6:10 PM/

Cody was very mature for his age. That much was a given.

However, the case for why wasn't exactly clear. Generally, no one thought about it that much. Nevertheless, the reasoning behind Cody's maturity – at times – drove the other Digidestined (particularly Yolei and Davis) up the wall.

His reasons, however, were rather serious.

* * *

Flashback to five years ago.

The Odaiba Fog Incident had yet to occur. Summer vacation had just ended, and the schools were filling back up with children for another year of learning. Business was business, and everyone in Odaiba was – mostly – settled into their own respective niche in life.

But soon, that would change for a few people.

Nighttime.

A small bar is the scene of our latest trip into the past. Inside, some people are celebrating (be it something truly great or something trivial). Others are moping about things – or people – they had lost, and they are there to drown away their sorrows with alcohol. Finally, some are there to just have a drink and enjoy themselves.

However, our attention turns to two men sitting at the bar, who are there for a simple meeting. One of them is wearing simple clothing: a wrinkled white shirt, khakis, and a green tie to finish it off. His brown hair was unkempt and messy, but he didn't mind, his brown eyes were full of mirth; after all, he was having a nice time with a very old friend of his. "So Hiroki, you had some big news you wanted to tell me?"

The man sitting next to him nodded. Unlike the aforementioned fellow, Hiroki wore a policeman's uniform: blue pants, a nicely ironed blue jacket, light-blue undershirt, and – of course – a shiny gold badge. His hat was currently sitting on the bar countertop, and his dark brown hair was matted down; a sign of hat hair. However, his auburn eyes belied his appearance; he looked as carefree as a young boy. But he had good reason; the man sitting beside him was a very old friend of his. "You bet Hiroaki..."

Hiroaki? As in Hiroaki Ishida, father of Matt Ishida and TK Takaishi?

Yes. As for Hiroki...his full name was Hiroki Hida. The son of Daniel Hida, wife of Anna Hida, and father of Cody Hida. Like his uniform implied, he was a police officer. He was a member of the Odaiba Police Department, but he had called Hiroaki earlier that day to meet him at a local bar for something important. Mr. Ishida had arrived by taxi.

Now, there they were, having their first drink. Hiroaki was having liquor, while Hiroki Hida was having a nice cold draft.

Hiroaki quickly asked, "So tell me, what's the big news?"

"Well..." Hiroki's face broke out into a big grin as he explained, "You know that thing tomorrow where the United States ambassador will be visiting Tokyo?"

Hiroaki nodded; the US Ambassador was on a trip to promote goodwill and peaceful relations between America and the Japanese. Of course, there were sure to be some discussions about top-secret things...behind-the-scenes, of course. "Yeah. Our station's going to be covering it live. Why?"

Hiroki's grin grew even wider as he pointed at himself. "Guess who's going to be part of security detail?"

"Get out!" cheered Hiroaki. "That's great! If you're lucky, your wife and kid will get to see you on TV."

"If they did, they'll see me embarrassed beyond belief," chuckled Hiroki as he took another sip of his draft, taking a few seconds to wipe the foam off of his upper lip.

"That's not true," good-naturedly argued Hiroaki as his mind thought back to old times that had gone by. "You were always the calm one...the rock that stood hard against the swirling tides."

Hiroki chuckled at Hiroaki's poetic words. "My my...it seems you've become quiet the poet over the years."

"Nah...just a habit I picked up for Nancy..." His smile became somber as he thought about Natsuko Takaishi's radiant hair...the gold color as the sun's light reflected off of it...oh how he missed her...and his little boy, TK.

"Speaking of which, do you intend to finally get back with her? After all, you never truly divorced...at least, not for a valid reason," said Hiroki with a tiny twinkle in his eye.

Hiroaki chuckled at what seemed like a petty reason for divorcing him...but alas, things seemed different to others. What seemed like harmless get-togethers with old friends, his wife had seen as spending time away from the family and neglect. "If only I could've told her what really happened...I'd give anything to tell her...but I can't...and I never can."

"Sucks to be us...at the very least, my profession gives me a better veil to hide behind," replied Hiroki with a sly smirk. His smart-aleck comment necessitated a playful shove in the shoulder from Mr. Ishida. "Anyhow, back to tomorrow...will your crew be the one shooting the cameras?"

Hiroaki shook his head as he downed the last of his liquor. "Nah. Higher-ups decided the job should go to one of our newer crews." At that time five years ago, Hiroaki had been a simple reporter; not the head of security detail for the television station like he is these days. "I think the reporter's name is Yukio Oikawa."

Hiroki nearly spit out his draft. "No kidding! Oikawa's an old friend of mine!"

"Well isn't that something. Man, karma must be happy with you or something!" cheered the exuberant reporter.

Hiroki smiled at the adulation. He normally wanted to avoid high praise, but he was about to undergo the biggest job in his career as a police officer. Or it could be the alcohol talking. "Speaking of Oikawa...he's the friend I told you about a little while ago. You know, the one who I'm going to tell our little secret?"

Hiroaki Ishida's expression darkened. "Hiroki...you sure? This is a big thing...aside from the others, no one else knows."  
  
"Relax...it's not as much of a matter of telling as it is of showing. I promised to show it to him...he already knows. Trust me; he's REAL good at keeping secrets." At that he took another sip of his draft.

Hiroaki sighed as one-eighth of his glass was refilled with liquor. "I hope you know what you're doing." He picked up his glass and held it up. "Here's to your good fortune."

"And to old friends," continued Hiroki as he slowly tipped his glass against Hiroaki's. Then, they downed the remainder of their drinks. With that, Hiroki stood up and pulled his friend off the stool. "Let's go home, you good to drive?"

Hiroaki nodded...then stumbled. "Maybe not..."

The policeman chuckled as he led his friend outside. "Don't worry, I'll drive you home." Another chuckle escaped Hiroki's lips as he said, "You never were that good at holding your alcohol."

So both men went to their homes last night. Aside from whatever individual problems they may have had – Hiroaki's melancholy mood over the old divorce, or Hiroki's big day that was coming tomorrow – they slept peacefully.

* * *

The next day came.

Crowds of people gathered as the American ambassador to Japan made his way through the streets toward the residence of the Japanese prime minister, where they would have their talks. After that, there would be a speech on the ambassador's part to a large crowd of locals (of course, a translator would be there to translate the ambassador's words from English to Japanese). Then the ambassador would retire to a secure hotel for the night before heading back to the States in the morning.

The Odaiba police department would be responsible for security during the ambassador's speech. A multitude of policemen were mixed amongst the crowds themselves, while a small handful of men – Hiroki included – were standing close by to the ambassador on the platform he was speaking on.

As the speech wore on, Hiroki nervously glanced at one of the television crews filming the event...and smiled when he saw the grinning face of his old friend, Oikawa. Despite his friend's big eyes, his pupils and irises were actually quite small, making them rather hard to see at a casual glance. However, his tanned skin and smiling face was a welcome sight to see during such a tenuous event.

He quietly scanned the crowd around him, to make sure nothing was amiss. The crowd was calm...the ambassador was talking fluently, and the translator was translating quickly and concisely...

He saw it.

The barrel. The scope. The stock.

He was staring at a sniper rifle...and the man holding it. The rifle was aimed for the head of the ambassador.

Without thinking, Hiroki's instincts kicked in. Less than a second passed by before he had tackled the ambassador to the ground.

At that instant, the gunman fired from his spot in an apartment balcony. The bullet sailed through the air where the ambassador's head had been one moment ago. Hiroki immediately roared, "**GET DOWN!!!"**

Without hesitation, the gunman realigned his scope with the ambassador. The policemen in the crowd brandished their handguns and aimed for the window.

Hiroki looked up with horror to see him preparing to fire. He had a duty to perform...he had to protect the ambassador! He had to!!!

He quickly stood up and put himself between the ambassador and the gunman's line of sight.

_**BAM!!!**_

Mere milliseconds after the sniper fired his second bullet, he was torn apart by a hail of pistol fire, courtesy of Odaiba's Finest.

That's when one of them turned to see if the ambassador had been harmed...and he paled at the sight of the police officer lying in a pool of blood.

"**OFFICER DOWN! OFFICER DOWN!!!"**

* * *

Fast forward to the funeral.

The sky was dark and overcast. It fit the dark and dreary mood of those that had gathered to remember the departed Hiroki Hida, who had fallen in the line of duty.

Anna Hida was sobbing uncontrollably, continuously muttering, "No...no...no..." Daniel Hida stared solemnly at the gravestone of his son, wet lines etched into his face from his shed tears.

Hiroaki Ishida knelt down beside the tombstone of his old friend. As the ambassador – who had stayed to honor the man that had saved his life – delivered his eulogy, Mr. Ishida had an ironic smirk plastered on his fate. _Huh...I said that karma had smiled on you...and we had a toast to your continued good fortune...just perfect...just perfect._ Hiroaki had one conclusion from that thought; fate had a cruel sense of humor and irony.

As for Yukio Oikawa, he had been unable to procure black clothes for the occasion...so he went for the next best thing; a purple trench coat that covered every single part of his body, save for his dark brown shoes and his face, which seemed quiet pale in the darkness of the day. He looked as though he had lost something...and he had. He had lost much more than a friend...he had lost a chance to see something few had seen. _It's not fair...I was supposed to see it with him...it's not fair...it's not fair!!!_  
  
As for young little Cody...he had no tears to shed.

He couldn't shed any. He had no choice. To that day, he remembered the words his father had told him after he had become a police officer. He had been a little child of three, but he still remembered the words very well.

_"Okay Cody, listen up: since I'm not going to be here as much, I need you be the man of the house. I can't have you crying in front of mom, because she'll need someone strong to help her...and if she gets upset at you for something you did wrong, don't feel bad...she's just correcting you, so that you won't make the same mistakes again. Be humble when you're corrected...you know, why am I using such big words for a little guy like you?"_

That was how Cody remembered them...and he followed them to the letter. Whenever he was corrected for doing something wrong, he did not stubbornly insist that he was right. He accepted his mistake for what it was, and moved on. Instead of pride, there was humility. He remained humble.

And ever since then – even when his father had died – he had never cried.

* * *

/00-010-PSI, 6:21 PM/

End flashback. We are now back at the present...and we now know why Cody is who he is.

"CODY!!!"

And now, the others have finally arrived. Cody looked upward to see Sonocomon setting down, followed soon by Halsemon, Nefertimon, Pegasusmon, and Stingmon. Davis wriggled out of Sonocomon's arms and landed on the grass quietly. "Finally! I can feel my feet again!" 

Veemon quietly touched his own feet with his hands...then looked at Davis out of confusion. _I don't get it...what's the big deal about feeling feet?_ Shrugging it off as another one of his partner's quirks, the diminutive Rookie turned his attention to the rocky monolith...and the dark green barrier of energy that sealed off the entrance to within it.

"So...the crest is in there?" asked Ken as the other Digimon dedigivolved to their previous forms.

Cody nodded quietly. "The arrow from Yolei's crest pointed toward the monolith..."

"...so we can assume the crest is beyond that wall of light," muttered Shaun as he looked at the energy barrier quietly. At least, he THOUGHT it was an energy barrier...what else could it be?

His question was quickly answered a few seconds later as Davis walked towards it. "What are we waiting for? Let's go in!" The instant he touched the barrier...

_**BZZZT-KERZAP!!!**_

"WHA!!!"

Davis screamed as a jolt of electricity – courtesy of the energy wall – zapped him backwards by a few dozen feet. Shaun sweatdropped as his suspicions were confirmed. _Yup, it's an energy barrier._

Kari looked down at Davis with worry. "You okay?"

"He smells like a fried fish," quipped Gatomon as she used her paw to blow some of the smoke coming from Davis; a result of the jolting electricity.

Davis gingerly sat up as he quickly moved every part of his body, making sure he could still move. "Yeah...I'm okay." Then, with a goofy grin, he added, "It was a little shocking though."

Yolei groaned as she resisted the urge to smack Davis upside the head. "Look, we don't want you getting hurt and all...but lay off of the puns."

Meanwhile, TK was looking at the energy barrier with worry. They couldn't touch it without risking a devastating electric shock...so how were they going to get to the crest inside?

* * *

/File Island, Outside of Primary Village, 6:27 PM/

Agumon sniffed the mushrooms quietly; he was currently standing in a field full of mushrooms, trying to decipher which ones would make the best meal. His nose could differentiate between smells and point out which ones were good...and which ones were bad.

"Hmm...no...no...smells too sour...eew, not that! No...sweet, but too bland...ah!" Agumon quickly plucked several mushrooms that had spotted caps and sat down to feast. "Ah...good eats!"

He suddenly tensed up. Someone was coming...he smelt someone around him. An unfamiliar smell...yet so memorable that it drove him crazy to think about it. "Who's out there...?" he said to himself.

"Even your senses are impressive..."

Agumon looked into the nearest thicket of trees...and saw him. Blackwargreymon, standing there in all of his terrible might. The little Rookie tensed up as he said, "Blackwargreymon..."

"Relax little warrior; I have not come to fight you just yet," answered the dark Mega as his yellow eyes peered into the green eyes of his counterpart.

"Then why are you here?" quietly demanded Agumon.

Blackwargreymon chuckled at the little Rookie's question. "Simple...I'm scouting you out, so to speak. You see, another (Wargreymon) offered a fight between myself, him...and you at your highest form of power."

Agumon froze; he had been unable to turn Mega since the battle with Apocalymon...did he even still have the power to so? "And...?" replied the small dinosaur, trying to keep the conversion going so that Blackwargreymon wouldn't notice how frightened he had suddenly become.

"Well, I agreed to his proposal. Now I'm waiting here, at the top of this island's mountain, for the other (Wargreymon) to return and give me the battle I've been promised...and in the meantime, I've been watching you."

Agumon quickly asked, "For how long?"

"Since you were all subjected to those 'games' earlier this day. I was quite impressed...especially by you. According to my knowledge, not many Agumon are capable of utilizing the Pepper Flame technique," replied Blackwargreymon with a battle-hungry smirk.

Agumon sighed; he knew now that he would be facing the dark Mega sooner or later. "So why are you here? To just talk? It doesn't seem to fit your style."

Blackwargreymon chuckled at the little Rookie's intuitive question. Apparently – since he was a Wargreymon, albeit a corrupted and artificial version – Blackwargreymon shared a bond with the tiny Agumon that went beyond mere physical similarities. And he knew that the other (Wargreymon) knew this as well. "You are correct...I'm here to ask a question."

"...okay..." Agumon quietly tensed up; he wasn't sure what Blackwargreymon was going to throw at him.

"It concerns what I witnessed earlier; when I fight, I go all-out, not caring who or what gets in my way. Yet, when I saw you fight the holographic Twinmon earlier, you weren't going all-out. Explain," demanded Blackwargreymon.

Agumon sweatdropped; he hadn't expected the question to be like this. "Well...it's because if I went totally on offense, I might've accidentally hurt Tai, Sora, or Biyomon...after all, they are my friends."

Blackwargreymon sneered at the Rookie. "Rubbish. Your potential as a warrior is great...if your senses are this astute as a tiny Agumon, I can barely imagine the full extent of your powers once you reach the Mega level. Why throw that potential away for the lives of others who are more feeble than yourself?"

"Because," replied Agumon as he stared quietly into Blackwargreymon's eyes. "My friends are my strength...without them, I wouldn't have any purpose for having my strength."

Blackwargreymon remained silent...then, with a scoff, he whirled around and tramped away. "When the other (Wargreymon) arrives, I'll see you again." Then, he disappeared beyond the thick foliage.

Agumon sighed as he fell back on his rump. "Man...what's with him?" For some reason he couldn't put his claw on, Agumon felt a strange sense of isolation within the battle-hungry exterior of Blackwargreymon...but why?

Meanwhile, as Blackwargreymon stomped up the mountainside toward the summit of Infinity Mountain, his mind boggled. _What was wrong with him? I know that if he were at the Mega level, his strength would rival mine...so why does he hold back? And what he said about friends...was he saying that he would trade all the strength in the world for them?_  
  
Unthinkable. Without strength and power, one would be weak. The weak were trampled by the strong. Blackwargreymon sneered as he continued his climb. _If you are strong, you live...and if you are weak, you die. _He extended the claws from his gauntlet as a wicked grin came to his face. _And when I face you and the other (Wargreymon)...I'll prove it you firsthand!_

* * *

/Kamiya Apartment, Odaiba, 6:34 PM/

How could this be? How?

Yuuko Kamiya thought that the Odaiba Fog Incident had been nothing more than a bad dream. At one time, she thought that such events would be so earth-shattering that she would never forget them.

Then – after Tai and Kari returned home from that strange world in the sky – she had asked questions. With undying steadfastness, they refused to answer her questions about everything that had happened.

And – as time went on – the events had slowly faded from memory. She had no idea how...or why, for that matter. Perhaps it was because she wasn't her children.

In retrospect, her children and the others that had been pulled into the sky were special. That much was a given. I mean, do you know anyone who's been sucked into an alternate world twice over – not counting the recent reopening of the Digiports – with little otherworldly creatures as friends? No one except the Digidestined's family, that's who.

Perhaps that was why she and others could not clearly remember the Odaiba Fog Incident...yet their children could. They were not Digidestined. They were not those chosen to protect the innocents of another world. They were not privileged to remember the events of the other world.

However, it wouldn't hurt to be privy to that knowledge...would it?

Mrs. Kamiya was pondering those facts quietly as she stared out the window at the Tokyo skyline, the sun's light gradually dimming as the manmade city lights took over in its stead. How she longed to be with her children...they were her life. She had no job outside of the apartment. Here, she kept things in line...but without her children, such tasks seemed almost meaningless. After all, she and Susumu lived for their children.

She nearly felt like weeping at that thought. Without Tai and Kari, she was nothing. _Oh home..._

_KNOCK-KNOCK._

"I've got it!" yelled Susumu, who had been in the kitchen whipping up a makeshift dinner for himself (he had offered to cook something for Yuuko, but she had politely declined the offer). He quietly opened the door to see Jim Kido. "...you're one of the people I saw at the meeting."

Jim quietly smiled. "Nice to see you remember me. My name is Jim Kido...this is the Kamiya Apartment, correct?"

"Yes. And why do you ask?" asked Susumu.

"Well..." Jim nervously scratched the back of his head before continuing on. "I'm working on becoming a psychologist at the university, and since some of the parents at the meeting seemed, well...a bit down, for lack of a batter term...I thought I could visit each of their homes and help out."

Susumu looked at Jim with a blank stare...then, with a convicted glare, he quietly whispered, "Listen. My wife lives for our children. Nothing can change that...the only way she'll change for the better is if either she can communicate with them...or if she can have them come home. So if you'd be so kind, please leave. You can't help her...only our children can." With that, Susumu closed the door, leaving Jim with a blank face.

The elder Kido child sweatdropped as he thought, _Okay, that went spectacularly bad_. As he trudged down the stairs toward his car, he wondered whether or not he should visit the Ichijoujis or the Takenouchis next...

* * *

/00-010-PSI, 6:41 PM/

"X Ray!!!"

The x-shaped beam crashed into the barrier...and with a tremendous crackling of dark green electricity, the barrier dispelled the attack.

XVmon grimaced. "Aw man! I thought that was going to work!"

Ken sighed as he said, "Well...we've gone through Sonocomon, Digmon, Flamedramon, Raidramon, Pegasusmon, Angemon, Nefertimon, Stingmon, Halsemon, Shurimon, and now XVmon..."

Davis groaned as he sat down on the grass. "This is great...we've tried just about everything!"

"Except my Mega form!" exclaimed (Agumon). Shaun sighed – he had hoped to save (Wargreymon) from tearing the barrier apart – but there was little choice at this point. "Alright then (Agumon)...warp digivolve!"

(Agumon) warp-digivolve to......(Wargreymon!)

The Mega extended his claws as he cautioned, "Stand back everyone." Then, (Wargreymon) roared, "Nova Force!"

The yellow tornado zoomed at high speed towards the energy barrier; (Wargreymon) intended to break through it with as much force he could muster.

A poor tactic.

**_BZZZT-KERZAP!!!_  
**

"AARGH!!!" screamed (Wargreymon) as he was catapulted backwards, the energy barrier repelling in a similar fashion as it had done with Davis. The Mega landed on the ground behind the Digidestined with a thud, the sheer amount of voltage causing him to dedigivolve back to (Agumon). "Ow..."

"(Agumon!)" yelled Shaun as he knelt down beside his partner. "Hey...you okay?"

(Agumon) coughed once before sitting up. "Ow...ow...yeah, I'm fine...but man, that hurt! I can barely move!"

Patamon winced as he hovered over (Agumon). "Yikes. My skin's tingling just being near you!"

Before Shaun could say anything else...something clicked.

Something that bewildered him. Something that – truth to tell – frightened him. It frightened him a lot.

It wasn't the kind of fear that utterly scared you. It wasn't the kind of fear where you faced death – or a living incarnation (or incarnations) of it – in the eye and paled at the sight of its awesome power.

This kind of fear stemmed from the fact of knowledge...or rather, the lack of it in this case.

He had just seen his partner – at the Mega level, no less – get zapped by an energy barrier of unknown origin. The resulting shock had been so great that he had been forced back to the Rookie level...and now he could barely move.

That's not what scared him.

What scared him was the fact that Davis had gone through the same thing no more than twenty minutes ago. He had emerged from that with a few smoked hairs...but aside from that, nary a scratch.

It led him to wonder...was Davis different in some way? No other human could've survived that...not Kari. Not Ken. Not even himself.

It opened up a whole new can of worms...but perhaps the solution lay with the final crest. Davis' crest.

"Yoohoo! SHAUN!"

Shaun snapped out of his pondering session and turned his head towards Davis. "Yeah?"

"We need to start thinking...(Wargreymon) couldn't cut it, so we need to think of a plan," said Davis, who was putting on his thinking cap to come up with a plan.

Shaun nodded. "Alright...let's think..." He had to think about it logically.

What was their goal? Their goal was Cody's crest.

What was in their way? The energy barrier.

How were they going to get past it? That was the 64,000-dollar question...and tunneling under wouldn't work; Digmon had tried. The monolith's base under the ground was made of pure ChromeDigizoid: the strongest metal in all of the Digital World. No amount of tunneling was going to break through that.

Perhaps they weren't looking at the problem from the right angle...they needed to change their perspective.

"Armadillomon, follow me."

Everyone suddenly stopped thinking. They turned around to see Cody stepping toward the rocky monolith, with a bewildered Armadillomon following him. Yolei stood up and worriedly asked, "Cody...?"

Cody stopped mere meters away from the barrier. He quietly looked down at Armadillomon and asked, "Armadillomon...this may sound odd, but I need you to dedigivolve."

Armadillomon blinked confusedly. "Come again?"

Meanwhile, the others looked on with bewilderment. Wormmon turned to Ken and asked, "What are they talking about?" The Child of Kindness shrugged; he was as equally confused as his partner...and everyone else.

Armadillomon sighed as he said, "Alright...but I've never tried digivolving backwards."

"Just as long as you dedigivolve to your Baby form," said Cody, the conviction in his voice heavy and stern.

After exhaling, Armadillomon confidently said, "Here we go!"

Armadillomon dedigivolve to......Upamon!

The others gaped at what Cody was doing. Davis roared, "What the heck is he doing?!"

Upamon dedigivolve to......Tsubumon!

Tsubumon was a diminutive fellow: a light-tan puffball with blushing cheeks, black, button-like eyes, a wide grin, and a triangular flap of skin that stood upright atop his head. The Baby Digimon looked up at Cody and asked, "Okay, now what?"

Cody simply said, "Attack the barrier."

That was heard...and Davis went absolutely ballistic. "IS HE CRAZY?! If a freaking Mega couldn't do the job, then that little guy certainly couldn't!!!"

Cody ignored Davis. There was a method to his apparent madness.

Tsubumon quickly inhaled and yelled, "Bubble Blow!" A small group of pink bubbles charged toward the barrier, and popped harmlessly on its surface.

For the next few moments, everything was dense. No one dared to speak.

All of sudden, the dark green energy barrier suddenly disappeared.

Save for Cody, everyone's jaws dropped to the ground. Davis sputtered, "Wha-but-huh...wha...but...**_HOW?!_**"

Cody looked back and said, "I'll explain later." With that, he walked inside the rocky monolith, leaving a flabbergasted bunch of Digidestined.

* * *

In all actuality, the solution to breaking through the energy barrier was deceptively simple.

While Sonocomon had left to get the others, Cody had spent some time investigating the monolith...and he had made a rather interesting discovery on the back of the tower in the form of inscriptions.

They went as follows:

* * *

_Those who walk the path of least resistance may enter; those who follow the path of bloodshed will not._

_Those with a soul of humility will pass; those with a heart filled with pride will meet a dead end._

_Those who are humble will reach the Crest within; those who exalt themselves will find their hopes dashed to pieces_.

* * *

Cody had spent a long time pondering the words. What did they mean? Was there a hidden message beneath those cryptic words? He had thought about it for quite some time...but the meaning didn't dawn on him until later.

When the others had tried to force their way in, the meaning of the words became clear; they were hint to the barrier's weakness.

The weak would be let through. The strong would not.

After (Wargreymon) failed to cut the mustard, his suspicions were pretty much confirmed. The only thing left was to test it...

And it worked. The attack of a Baby Digimon – the lowest level on the Digivolution scale – had managed to break through what a Mega could not.

The path of least resistance.

* * *

Cody slowly looked up after entering the monolith's innards. Sure enough, a gray slab – shaped like a perfect trapezoid – loomed over him. The symbol on it resembled a square-shaped diamond with a small circle in the middle. Adjacent to the bottom two sides of the diamond were small, equilateral triangles facing upward.

The crest sensed his presence. It glowed dark green and slowly floated down towards him, growing smaller as it came closer.

A tag materialized around his neck, and the crest slipped in quietly. As the light faded to reveal the dark green crest, Cody looked at it quietly. "...the Crest of Humility."

It fit him like a glove. Even now, Cody could hear his father's words echoing through his head.

At that thought, Cody allowed one tear to slip by...one of many that wanted to break free. He missed his father...oh how he missed him...

But he had a vow to uphold. Cody quickly wiped the tear away before leaving the monolith.

After explaining how he had discovered the barrier's weakness, Cody sweatdropped as Davis facefaulted. "No fair," moaned the Motomiya boy. "How come things can't go like that in real life? I mean, I could get an A in geometry without trying!"

Kari resisted the urge to sigh. "Well Davis, that's why they invented studying."

Meanwhile, Ken was looking down at his Crest...the Crest of Kindness. They had found three crests that day...the Crest of Kindness just past midnight at Primary Village. Then Yolei's crest – the Crest of Caring – within the brain of Azulmon near the western shores of Folder. And now, Cody's crest...the Crest of Humility.

That only left Davis.

Suddenly, as if reacting to his thoughts, the Crest of Kindness started glowing. "What...?"

At that very same moment, the Crests of Wisdom, Caring, and Humility began glowing as well. All of the Digidestined went silent at the strange display. Finally, Hawkmon nervously asked, "What's happening...?"

The symbols of the four crests drifted out of the crests. The dark blue symbol of Wisdom. The violet symbol of Kindness. The dark red symbol of Caring. The dark green symbol of Humility.

Without warning, all four symbols darted off toward the east, disappearing beyond the horizon. Veemon quickly yelled, "Hey! How are we supposed to follow you if you won't let us?!"

His shouts were seemingly answered seconds later.

A flash of light. They were forced to shield their eyes, it was so bright.

When the initial brightness finally dimmed, they could finally look.

What they saw was nothing short of awe-inspiring.

A column of golden light, stretching high above into the sky...and beyond it, continuing on forevermore, or so it seemed.

Yolei blankly said, "Well...I guess that's our next destination."

"We can go tomorrow...I don't think it's going anywhere. We've done too much today, and we need to rest," explained TK. As a matter of fact, he was already looking for a spot to sleep.

"Good idea," said Shaun as he sat down and stared quietly at the golden tower of light. One thing was for sure...the answers to the questions he suddenly had about Davis laid at that column of light.

* * *

/01-000-ALPHA, UmbraDevimon's Lair, 7:00 PM/

UmbraDevimon's head bolted upright as he suddenly looked westward, seemingly peering through the wall. _What...what is this? This sudden splurge of power...why do I feel so chilled by its rise? _

"What troubles you, Lord UmbraDevimon?" As Mummymon spoke, Gryphonmon and Arukenimon stepped forward out of the darkness.

UmbraDevimon growled as he looked down at and pointed his upper right hand at Arukenimon. "Arukenimon, you will accompany me. Mummymon, Gryphonmon...you two will stay here and watch over my Lair...and make sure Puppetmon doesn't break anything."

Mummymon and Gryphonmon bowed quietly. Arukenimon immediately leapt onto her creator's shoulder and held on tightly as UmbraDevimon flew out of the base, not even caring that he had just broken through a wall to do so.

Gryphonmon and Mummymon sweatdropped at the new hole UmbraDevimon had just made...but their eyes suddenly fell upon something...wonderful...and terrifying.

Piercing through the darkened clouds that hovered over the End of the World was a golden column of light...and that was where UmbraDevimon was headed.

* * *

/End of the World, 7:04 PM/

The End of the World.

It was the mile-high plateau that stretched all along the border between the continents of Folder and Server. The plateau itself was also anywhere from ten to fifty miles wide at any given time...and it had been the site of arguably the most important conflict in the Digital World's history. When thought of like that, the name given to the barren highlands was fitting.

Deep crevices. Burnt rocks. Jagged peaks that towered over the chasms they were based in. All signs of the tremendous struggle that had taken place between XeedMilleniummon and Neomon many years ago.

And now, a golden tower of light was stretching upward from a deep chasm, rocketing upward into the infinite skies above.

UmbraDevimon winced as he set down by the chasm's edge. Arukenimon cautiously hopped off and stared at the blinding light, her purple shades allowing her to look directly at it. "This light...where is it coming from?"

"I do not know...all I know is that the Digidestined will come here soon." UmbraDevimon quickly wipe his forehead clean of sweat.

Arukenimon noticed this. "Why do you suddenly look weary? Aside from this strange numbness in my gut, I don't feel a thing."

"Darkness is not as prevalent in you as it is in me, my creation," grunted UmbraDevimon as he placed his lower right hand on the ground, his red index finger glowing brightly as he did. "Whatever's powering this light is the antithesis of darkness...and it's making me nauseous just being near it! It isn't affecting you like it is me because the darkness is not as strong within you."

Suddenly, a multitude of Dark Obelisks erupted from the ground at numerous intervals around the chasm as far as a mile away. Arukenimon looked around with sudden bewilderment, "What...?"

"I have summoned a number of Dark Obelisks to this place from throughout Server...I place it up to you to use them as you see fit. Use your talents to your advantage...and if you need any Digimon, just say the word, and they will come to you," said UmbraDevimon as he slowly started backing away from the light.

Arukenimon looked around, her mind suddenly in deep thought.

A wicked grin came to her face; she had a very good idea about what to do. With nary a pause, she transformed into her uglier, yet more battle-adept Spider mode. She looked up at UmbraDevimon with her beady yellow eyes and said, "I know just what to do...and I'll need only a few kinds of Digimon...but in mass quantities."

UmbraDevimon smirked. Since she was his creation, he had a link with her...one could say that he could read her mind with just a glance. "I see...very well." With the snap of his fingers, the command had been sent out. "The army of Dokugumon, Snimon, and Kuwagamon will be here within two hours...I'll leave the rest up to you. I trust you'll prevent the Digidestined from reaching whatever lies within that light."

"Don't worry my Lord...I will." With those words said, Arukenimon watched as UmbraDevimon hastily retreated back toward his Lair. The arachnid smiled as she turned around to glance at the Dark Obelisks.

She had just been given some room to do some creative art...so to speak.

And she would weave an intricate piece...a very intricate piece indeed.

The Mega Digimon smiled as spider silk shot out of tiny slits in her wrists. "Time to weave my web."

* * *

/Dragomon's Palace, City of Cthulu, Dark World, 7:11 PM/

Dragomon looked down at the conjoined chessboards quietly. Four chessboards were joined together, each of them serving a purpose.

On the bottom board were UmbraDevimon and his minions. Mummymon, Gryphonmon, and Puppetmon were at the very bottom, with UmbraDevimon halfway between them and the top edge of the board. Speaking of which, a column made of golden metal was wedged between the top and bottom boards, representing the location of the final crest.

On the top board was the New Digidestined team. Kari was as radiant as ever, and her light made the other children – who were still nothing more than pawns – seem ever the smaller. Arukenimon was standing right in front of the golden column on their side of the board. She was in their way.

The right board had Piedmon's piece standing at the very edge, holding an intricately carved version of the Shadow Mallet in his hands. Beside him was a miniaturized version of Grandkuwagamon's piece, signifying his status as a shrunken keychain.

As for the left board, the older kids were spaced all around it, with Blackwargreymon standing in the center.

Dragomon quietly spoke to himself. "And now the plot continues to fracture, with more paths splitting off with each passing hour. Piedmon continues to wait for Grandkuwagamon's mind erasure to take hold, so that he can begin his plan...Blackwargreymon continues to wait for his promised battle, and thus continues to watch the elder children carry out with their lives."

He then turned his attention to the bottom board, using his left hand to move the UmbraDevimon piece back amongst his other minions' pieces. "The golden light has proven too much for the mighty UmbraDevimon, and thus leaves it to Arukenimon to stop the New Digidestined." He paused as he reflected on what this could mean in the long run. "Now, she is all that stands between the Digidestined and what may potentially be the greatest power this universe has ever seen...for good or ill."

As always, Dragomon looked many steps ahead of the present. He knew dozens of ways the future could play out...and he knew also how the power within the final crest could either tip the scales against UmbraDevimon...or become the devil's greatest weapon.

Either way, the future was soon going to revolve around one boy...the Child of Miracles: Davis Motomiya.

* * *

To be continued...

Next time...

Episode 32: Arukenimon's Tangled Web

* * *

Author's Notes: Man, Ivan was a pain. Living without power was just plain torture. Good thing my laptop has a battery!

Please read and review!


	32. Arukenimon's Tangled Web

Standard Disclaimer: When genetic engineering becomes a common practice, do you think copyrights could be genetically cloned? Oh well. I don't own Digimon!

Author's Notes: The Hunt for the New Crests is drawing to a close...and let me assure you that the last crest will be different from all the others...in more ways than one!  
  
To the reviews!

Miracles: ...you...DIDN'T _CAPITALIZE_ YOUR 'I'?!?!

That just won't do. TO VADEMON'S SCHOOL OF GRAMMAR FOR YOU!  
  
Dot Cubed: Good! Keep at that homework! Or you won't get into college and get a good career!  
  
As for your C2 request, I have looked over the story and added it to my C2 community. I've even left a review (vacuum-sealed for eternal storage and minty freshness!)! By the way...you're welcome (points at Rikui's profile before moving to the next review).

Silver Warrior: Yeah, well the Crest of Miracles wasn't a real surprise anyway.

And since you reviewed more than once between chapters...(boots Silver Warrior off a cliff) :)

Anthony1: See ya...kind of an oxymoron, since you can't see anyone on the Internet (unless you use videos, but THAT'S a different story), you know? :P

Little fun fact: This episode will finally be moving into October 24th; this story has been situated on the day of October 23rd since the end of Episode 27: A New Crest! :P

As for my C2 Community, I'm hoping some of you might check it out. Anyone who wants to subscribe are welcome! As for staff...there are no plans to add staff at this time.

Begin!

* * *

_The Digidestined are moving towards the final crest._

_Arukenimon and her army of insects are all that stand between them and the last crest._

_Will the Digidestined prevail?_

_Will Davis claim his crest?  
  
Or will they get caught in Arukenimon's tangled web?_

* * *

"This is Tai speaking. We got ourselves a flashback concerning Cody's dad, Matt's dad, and a guy called Oikawa. Anyhow, Agumon had a little meeting with Blackwargreymon, while the others found the third crest: the Crest of Humility. After that, four lights erupted from the Crests of Wisdom, Kindness, Caring, and Humility and zoomed to the End of the World, creating a gigantic column of golden light! To the final crest they go!"

* * *

Episode 32: Arukenimon's Tangled Web

* * *

/00-010-PSI, Sunday, October 24th, 5:53 AM/

Shaun opened one eye.

The golden column of light was still there, stretching upward into the heavens. In a way, it was sort of detrimental to them...after all, since it was almost as bright as the sun, it hindered sleeping. As some may know, it's hard to sleep with the light on.

But apparently, that didn't apply to the others, who were all sound asleep...

Well, except for Davis, who was leaning against the rock monolith quietly, staring ahead at the golden light. He looked like he was in deep contemplation...and he was.

Shaun slowly walked towards Davis, stopping a few feet behind him. "You okay?"

Davis shrugged before calmly answering, "Don't know. Part of me wants to get that final crest and kick UmbraDevimon's butt..."

"And the other?" asked Shaun, moving the conversation along with a subtle touch.

Davis sighed as he turned around to face Shaun. "Well...the other part doesn't want to go there...maybe it's because part of me is afraid of that power. I don't know for sure...but that big light show doesn't come around for just any crest."

"Indeed," replied Shaun as he squinted; he could see the edge of the sun, slowly rising up behind the column of light. "Daylight...we should wake the others and head eastward."

"Yeah," muttered Davis as he stared a little longer before going to help Shaun in waking the others from their slumber.

* * *

/Ishida Apartment, Odaiba, 6:07 AM/

Hiroaki chuckled at the photographs dancing across the TV screen; without the Internet, he was reduced to watching news that was, in fact, hours old.

**"The photos you are now seeing is of a strange phenomenon that is currently taking place over Mt. Everest in the Himalayan Mountains; keep in mind that since all worldwide computer networks are still down from the infamous Internet Lockdown, these shots are copies delivered by plane to the national news station and distributed from there to here. What you are seeing now are in fact shots over several hours old."**

The photos were not of the highest quality...but they showed what looked like a strange typhoon of air, situated over Mt. Everest and swirling upward into infinity.

**"It appears to be a whirlwind of some sort, but it appears to stretch off forever into the sky above...and since satellites are not able to send any signals through, we can't confirm our suspicions that this whirlwind stretches – as hard as it seems to be – into space. Until then, we will try to give you as much information as we can. In other news, the stock market is predicted to take another plunge in light of the Internet Lockdown fiasco..."**

Hiroaki knew that the strange typhoon of air had something to do with the Digital World...and he assumed Gennai knew something about it. After all, events in the Digital World could affect events in the Real World...so perhaps something in the Digital World was happening to cause this whirlwind? Perhaps it was the mirror of another whirlwind or similarly shaped object in the Digiworld?  
  
Either way, he was going to ask Gennai about it.

* * *

/File Island, Western Shore, 6:15 AM/

Tai stared quietly ahead to the west as the tremendous waves crashed against the rocky cliffs below. Even as the sun slowly continued to rise, the golden column of light – which seemed like a thin line set against the eastern horizon – continued to glow...

And it was unsettling from his perspective.

He turned his head eastward and saw the same thin line of golden light...but from the opposite side. File Island was in such a precise position that the light could be seen from both sides...and it was weird. Like looking into a mirror of the world.

Tai groaned as he rubbed his head. "Man...this world's just one big enigma..."

"Tai?"

Tai looked down to see Sora advancing up the small hill which Tai himself had scaled earlier to the position he was at now. She slowly stopped beside him as her eyes fell upon the golden light to the east. "You're worried about the others...aren't you?"

The Child of Courage nodded as he looked eastward again, his eyes remaining serious. "Yeah...I know that they're going to be heading there next...and I feel strange...something feels a bit off about that light."

"...I feel a strange power coming from that light...I know that it'll help us beat UmbraDevimon..." said Sora as she stared quietly. She knew that Tai was insecure for a few reasons: one, of course, was his sister Kari. But another was the fact that – in their old adventures in the Digital World – Tai had been able to keep taps on how the group did...and he had been able to help control their destiny. Now, he was separated from the group...well, the group that was seeing the most action, to be precise. She could tell that his ability to make a difference wanted to break out and DO something to help the younger kids in their battles to come...but he couldn't. And it was eating at him.

"I...I just wish we could do something to help them," muttered Tai as he ran a hand through his large hair. His lips curled into scowl as he mumbled, "I feel so useless."

Sora sighed; she hated to see Tai do this to himself. His natural way of thinking was that of a leader...and he wasn't able to lead.

Silently and quietly, she wrapped her left arm around Tai's waist, pulling him closer into a semi-embrace...to comfort him as he tore himself up.

In response, Tai placed his right arm around the Child of Love's shoulders, keeping her close...at least he had great friends – and a wonderful girlfriend – to keep him sane while they waited from afar for the other Digidestined to return.

Until then, all they could do was pray and hope that the Digidestined would prevail against the evil that stood between them and the final crest.

* * *

/Border Between the OMEGA Sectors and the End of the World, 7:31 AM/

XVmon, Stingmon, Halsemon, Pegasusmon, Nefertimon, and Sonocomon zoomed towards the golden column of light as they crossed over the border between the OMEGA sectors and the End of the World. Since Cody's partner was on the short end of the transportation stick, Cody and Armadillomon had to hitchhike on Stingmon.

TK glanced over the side of Pegasusmon, his eyes taking in the scarred wasteland and the barren chasms that loomed out ahead of them. With a slight whistle, he said, "Dang..."

"Didn't Shaun say this place was the sight of the battle between XeedMilleniummon and Neomon?" asked Pegasusmon as they flew towards the steadily growing column of golden light.

"Yes, if I remember correctly," said Ken as he slowly flew by Pegasusmon. Cody looked down at the sight of a particularly large chasm...it looked like an endless abyss. "Man...that must've been some battle."

Despite the horrendous scarring to the land, Davis couldn't help but feel slightly giddy...it made him want to have witnessed the climatic struggle between the two titans all the more.

"Davis?"

Davis snapped out of his daydream to look down at XVmon. "Yeah?"

"I don't know if this is normal or not," said the draconic Champion as he pointed his left hand forward. "But are all those guys supposed to be coming at us like that?"

Davis looked forward...and gaped.

Roaring towards them were over a hundred Kuwagamon, their pincers stretched out wide as they aimed to strike them down to the ground. Davis yelled, "GUYS!!! INCOMING!!!"

Everyone bolted their heads forward and yelped as the Kuwagamon were suddenly upon them. Their pincers scratched against the sides of the Digidestined's partners, slowly forcing them downward to escape the assaulting insects. Yolei shrieked, "AIE!!! I hate these bugs!!!"

"Everyone! GET DOWN!!!" roared Shaun as Sonocomon immediately plummeted downward to escape the blistering barrage of insects. The others quickly followed suit and set down on the ground beside Sonocomon as the Kuwagamon roared overhead...

But they didn't know that they had fallen into a trap.

"Hey...is this web?!" exclaimed Nefertimon as she lifted her left paw, only to bring up a bunch of sticky webbing.

* * *

/End of the World, Arukenimon's Lair, 7:36 AM/

Lairs were becoming quite popular these days. Now Arukenimon had spun one of her own, using her own spider silk as the building material.

Arukenimon's eyes bolted open.

At the moment she was sitting over a blanket of web that stretched from end-to-end over a deep chasm...but it was strong enough to support a skyscraper. She was no problem.

Four of the two-dozen Dark Obelisks that stood around the golden column of light encircled the chasm she was sitting over...and it was where most of her web had begun. Intricate walls of sticky webbing stretched from obelisk to obelisk, creating a complex labyrinth of dead ends, pit falls, and death traps. In this inner sanctum of her newly made lair, Arukenimon was alone. But now, traversing the innards of her maze were hordes of Dokugumon, Snimon, and Kuwagamon. The sharp blades and pincers of Snimon and Kuwagamon didn't concern her; her web was tough enough to withstand the slash of Piedmon's Trump Sword. No Champion could break through her web.

And she had specifically ordered a swarm of Kuwagamon to take the Digidestined down onto a single spot...the spot where she had laid a thin blanket of webbing.

It was how she was going to bring the Digidestined into her lair.

Suddenly, she felt a slight tingle in the thread of webbing she held in her hand.

With a quick jerk, she pulled the thread taut.

The trap had been sprung.

* * *

/End of the World, 7:38 AM/

Suddenly, the blanket of webbing the Digidestined had inadvertently landed on enclosed around them, clustering them together into a tight bundle as the Kuwagamon swarm roared back to the east. Then, without warning, the bundle was dragged eastward along the ground at high speed.

And unfortunately, Davis was on the bottome.

"OW! Ooh, aie that smarts! OWIE!!! GAH...somebody get us out of this thing!!! **OWCH!!!**"

Armadillomon sweatdropped as he looked over at Yolei and asked, "Pardon me for asking, but does he always have so much bad luck?"

Yolei managed to smile as she joked, "Yep. I personally think it's his defining characteristic."

"HEY!!!" roared Davis as he struggled. "Wait till I get my hands on you!!! OW!!!"

Suddenly, they stopped.

Then, with equal suddenness, the web sac burst open, letting the Digidestined take in their surroundings.

They were inside...a chamber made of spider web. The webbing – which changed in hue from pearly white to a sagging gray at various points – was laced over and under itself many times over, offering it incredible strength and endurance. Also, holes and tunnels were woven into the web as well, leading off into a number of different pathways, routes, and catacombs...and the scary part was that they didn't know what lied within.

Gatomon lightly growled as her fur stood on its end; she extended her claws as she muttered, "This place gives me the creeps."

"You'll get no argument from me," agreed Kari as she impulsively wrapped her arms around herself, trying to keep herself warm as a dark chill came to her. She hated that chill...as the Child of Light, places where darkness gathered always had a strange chill that affected only her...but no one else.

_"Heh heh heh..."_

Everyone whirled around at the sound of the laughter that echoed throughout the maze. Stingmon loudly demanded, "Who's out there?!"

_"Oh...just an itsy bitsy spider...and you've fallen into my web..."_

Shaun grimaced as he said, "I know that voice...it's Arukenimon's."

"_Yes...and you've fallen into my lair. My creator knows you're after the power that lies within the golden light...and he's put it up to me to stop you. Good luck...I look forward to burying you...heh heh heh..."_

Arukenimon's laughter echoed through the air...as did the distant scrambling of insectoid feet scraping against Arukenimon's web. As the sounds faded, Sonocomon dedigivolved into (Agumon). "Shaun...warp me to Mega."

Shaun smiled as he clenched his orange D-3. "You read my mind. Warp digivolve!"

(Agumon) warp-digivolve to......(Wargreymon!)

As Shaun hoisted himself onto (Wargreymon), he looked down at the others and said, "Since Arukenimon's a Mega, (Wargreymon) and I will try and find her. The rest of you should work at finding a way out...just don't get split up!" With that, (Wargreymon) flew off into one of the larger tunnels with Shaun in tow.

This left the other six to themselves. "Now what?" asked Halsemon.

"We split up!" commanded Davis as quickly as he could. "Kari and I will go one way, and the rest of you go another way!"

Everyone sweatdropped at that...and then TK stepped forward as he said, "Nice try Davis...but we'll have two groups of three like before. I'll go with you and Kari, while Cody, Yolei, and Ken form the other group. Sound good?"

Davis seethed as everyone else nodded. "Aw...okay, fine. We'll do it your way TC..."

"It's TK," said TK, his expression of mixture of exasperation and confusion...mostly over how Davis always seemed to get his name wrong. I mean, come on! It was only two letters!

Cody looked around at the webbing quietly; in a place like this, flying would prove detrimental to them. "Guys, I think we should have our Digimon change into more suitable forms for this place...flying won't be such a good thing here."

"Good idea," said Halsemon as he dedigivolved into Hawkmon. "I believe it would also be a good idea for TK's partner to digivolve into his more agile Champion form."

"That's true," replied TK as Pegasusmon dedigivolved to Patamon. Simultaneously, both TK and Yolei's D-3s glowed.

Hawkmon armor-digivolve to......Shurimon: The Shinobi of Sincerity!  
  
Patamon digivolve to......Angemon!

Ken looked down at the others as Stingmon levitated into the air. "Make sure not to fall into any traps!" With that, Stingmon – with Ken, Cody, and Armadillomon in his hands – took off into a seemingly well-lit tunnel, with Shurimon and Yolei in close pursuit.

This left Davis, Kari, TK, XVmon, Nefertimon, and Angemon alone in the vast chamber.

"So...where do you guys think we should go?" asked XVmon, eager to know where they were going to go next.

"That way!" shouted everyone else. Davis, TK, and Kari had all pointed in different directions. Their three partners sweatdropped...and then XVmon said, "Um, I don't think we can all go in three directions at once."

Davis huffed as he clambered onto XVmon's shoulder. "Well, I still think we should head that way!" He pointed toward a rather dark-looking hole that seemed a bit ominous in appearance.

"Davis...don't you think we should go into a tunnel that's a bit BRIGHTER?" said TK, making sure to emphasize the last part so as to get his point across.

"It's probably dark like that just to scare us! I bet it even leads directly out of this place!" With that, Davis nudged XVmon's head and said, "Forward!"

XVmon shrugged and replied, "You're the boss!" He took several steps toward the darkened hole...and fell through a trap hole. Both Davis and XVmon screamed as they fell into the darkness below...and the way they had come in immediately sealed over after they fell. They were trapped down there.

"**DAVIS!!!**" screamed TK and Kari. Angemon quickly leapt into the air as his right fist glowed a blazing yellow-orange. "Hand of Fate! HAAH!!!"

The beam of holy energy, although strong, proved to be ineffective against the webbing that now blocked Davis and XVmon's path to the chamber. Angemon grumbled as his attack proved useless. "It's no use! That webbing's too strong!"

"Guys...we have bigger problems..."

At Nefertimon's words, the other looked up and stared in shock at the sight before them.

They were coming out of the woodwork – or webwork, if you will – as though they had been summoned to come by TK and Kari's concerned shouts. Out of all but two of the holes – the ones that the other Digidestined had used – crawled a horde of Snimon and Kuwagamon.

Snimon was an enemy the new Digidestined had yet to encounter. Their bodies were similar in structure to a praying mantis, save for the fact their blue-green bodies were shorter, thicker, and more durable. Their bottom two pairs of legs dangled as they hovered in midair, their insectoid wings their means of flight. Two claw-like extensions curved from their thin waist, and sharp, curvy points extended from their back. The blue-green carapace on their gray heads – which was covered with red markings – completely blocked off their miniscule eyes, which could not be seen from the outside. And finally, their arms were nothing more than super-sharp sickle-like scythes that could slice apart most things in their path. "The name's Snimon! If you've got a problem with me, you'll have to speak with my Shadow Sickle!"

And of course, there was Kuwagamon, the very first Digimon that tried to kill the first Digidestined group. Except this time...there were more of them. "Kuwagamon's the name! And if you don't like it, then too bad! Our Scissor Claw will completely tear you apart!"

They were innumerable. They were pouring into the room.

And now, TK, Kari, Angemon, and Nefertimon were surrounded.

Nefertimon quickly edged closer to Kari. "Quick! Get on!" Kari did so without delay.

"Hang on TK," said Angemon as he wrapped his left arm around TK, holding his Angel Rod firmly in his right hand.

The moment Angemon and Nefertimon took to the air, all of the Snimon and Kuwagamon – their numbers now over three hundred – charged. All of the Snimon's razor-sharp scythes glowed purple as they roared, "Shadow Sickle!"

Sharp waves of purple energy flew ahead of the Kuwagamon towards Angemon and Nefertimon. If the barrage didn't finish them off...then the accompanying wave of Kuwagamon would.

* * *

/End of the World, Arukenimon's Lair, Lower Catacombs, 7:49 AM/

"Ow...that hurt..."

"It hurts even more when someone lands on you!"  
  
"Oh...heh. Sorry XVmon...so where are we?"

"A big dark place."

It was true. There was absolutely no light whatsoever in...well, wherever they were at. But judging from the sound of their breathing, they were in a rather expansive room.

But there was no light. So how could they be sure?

"Hold on a sec XVmon...let me see something..." He quickly fished out his D-Terminal and opened it up, hoping the light from the LCD screen would provide some illumination...but no such luck. "Man...this doesn't any help. XVmon, do you think you can use that big ol' X on your chest to like this place up? Just don't fire it!"

"I'll try. X Ray!" The X-shaped marking on XVmon's chest glowed a bright yellow, providing much more light to see with.

The room they were in was a cavernous cavern constructed of brown rock. However, Arukenimon's influence could be seen in the form of tunnels covered with sticky spider silk that led back up to the main level of the lair.

Oh, and there were also about one hundred Dokugumon clinging to the walls. They had a spider-like body colored black on the abdomen with blue skin on the face and feet. Their nails were colored blood red, with a poisonous stinger jutting out from their posterior. Their front pair of legs held onto their orange-red hair, which protruded from their yellow mask. The yellow mask had large horns with black stripes extending from the sides, with green lenses for Dokugumon's eight eyes. Their razor-sharp teeth lined the edges of their mouth, which had two rigid flaps of skin with claws – the flaps extended from the cheeks – looming beside it. Finally, there was the most distinguishing characteristic of all; a skull and crossed bones on their back. "We are the Dokugumon! Soon, you'll look just like the skull on our backs! And we won't hesitate to use our Poison Thread and Spider Sting attacks!"

Davis paled at the sight of the Dokugumon around him and XVmon. "Uh oh...XVmon?"

After gulping once, XVmon muttered, "Yeah?"

"RUN!!!"

As Davis shouted that, the Dokugmon roared, "POISON THREAD!!!"

* * *

/End of the World, Arukenimon's Lair, Upper Labyrinth, 7:53 AM/

Yolei grumbled as Shurimon leapt from column to column of webbing; the passage they were in was interlaced with numerous lines of webbing, each one bridging the two sides of the tunnel together. "Man...this place is too big!"

"Be grateful that we can get through here at all," said Shurimon as he expertly hopped from line to line. "At least be glad I am not Stingmon's size."

Yolei giggled as she turned around to see Stingmon, who was carefully – and without much success – trying to navigate his way through the webs. "Well, that's true."

Meanwhile, Stingmon felt like cursing. "Goshdarnit! I wish I were smaller!"

"Wishing never did anyone any good," replied Ken with no humor as his partner tried to weave in and out of the tangle of interlacing web lines.

Cody sighed as Stingmon nearly stumbled into the nearest line. "You don't have to be so negative about it."

Before Ken could reply, Armadillomon looked down at Stingmon and asked, "Are we there yet?"

Stingmon growled; that was the last straw. "Alright, enough with this!" He extended both of his wrist spikes, a confident gleam coming to his eyes. "Time to make a path of my own!" With that, he started slashing through the lines of web, increasing his pace dramatically.

Meanwhile, several meters ahead of Shurimon's current position, a Dokugumon sat silently, waiting for the pray to cross under his hole in the ceiling.

A few moments later, Shurimon was about to leap to the next line...

"Poison Thread!!!"

Shurimon's gaze bolted upward at the words he heard; he saw a purple net rocketing towards him. Without thinking, he pushed Yolei off of him just as he was wrapped within the poisonous web.

Yolei yelped as she landed on a sticky line of web, her body becoming stuck immediately after landing. "Shurimon!"

Shurimon struggled helplessly as Dokugumon continued to wrap him in even more poisonous threads, which continued to sap his strength away. "Agh...Yolei..."

As Yolei struggled to free herself...five Dokugumon advanced along the line towards her. She raised her head as high as she could and gaped at the sight of five spiders advancing toward her. "AAH!!!"

"YOLEI!!!" yelled Ken. He hurriedly looked down at Stingmon and yelled, "Hurry! They need our help!"  
  
"No problem! Allow me to help out Shurimon first!" With that, he carefully aimed his right wrist at the line of purple thread holding Shurimon in midair...and then he roared, "STRIKING SPI-!"

"Shadow Sickle!"

Stingmon yelped as two energy waves shaped like curved lines struck him in the side, sending him crashing into the wall. "OOF!!!"

Ken, Cody, and Armadillomon screamed as they fell downward. Ken landed with a thud on one of the web lines, while Cody and Armadillomon fell onto the bottom floor of the tunnel.

Cody groaned as he landed...but thankfully, the webbing that the floor was made of broke the strain of his fall. "Man...that was close..."  
  
But now he couldn't move. _Uh oh..._

He looked up...and gaped as he saw a Kuwagamon staring right at him from a hole in the ceiling.

* * *

/End of the World, Arukenimon's Lair, Main Tunnel, 8:01 AM/

"...(Wargreymon)?"

As (Wargreymon) turned left on his continued flight through the gargantuan tunnel, he replied, "Yeah?"

Shaun grimaced as he looked at all of the holes around him. Considering how huge and spacious the place was, he would've expected to run into someone. Heck, he SHOULD have run into someone by now!  
  
Except he hadn't. Not a single enemy had come to fight him. Sure enough he managed to see the hordes of Kuwagamon, Snimon, and Dokugumon lying in the holes and tunnels as he and (Wargreymon) had passed them...but they had not come out to face them.

It worried him.

It meant he was either flying straight into a trap...or the others were bearing the brunt of every enemy in the maze they were in. _Man...this is bad..._

"Shaun! Look!"

Shaun turned his eyes forward and stared ahead at the chamber they were now entering.

Without any doubt, it could be called the central chamber of the whole labyrinth of webbing the Digidestined had been pulled into. There was a tremendous hole in the ground – at least one hundred yards in diameter – over which a tremendous orb web had been spun. Due to the circular orb layout to the web, one could see into the dark abyss below...and where it led to was anyone's guess. Meanwhile, four Dark Obelisks stood at the corners of the hole, serving as the main support for the overall structure of the web maze. Even on the roof there was an orb web – albeit much smaller – that allowed one to see the sky above...and the light of the golden tower could be seen shining through it very brightly.

And in the very center of the orb web of the floor was Arukenimon, smirking in her spider form. "Hello...Child of Wisdom."

(Wargreymon) slowly set down on the ground outside of the bottom orb web, setting Shaun down before turning his attention to Arukenimon. "So...I take it you made this maze?"

"Indeed. It took me the whole night...but I've been resting while you were navigating your way through my maze." Arukenimon smirked as she added, "I purposefully left the main tunnel to my central chamber clear of any enemies...that way you'd be in peak condition to fight."

Shaun frowned at this; his suspicions had been proven to be correct. _Great...that means everyone else has to fight all of those Champion Digimon..._

(Wargreymon's) eyes narrowed as he fully extended his gauntlets' claws. "What about the others? Surely you can't be the only enemy in this place."

The dark Mega chuckled as she said, "Come now...you think I would've gone without enlisting some help? As I speak, your other Digipals are facing my horde of Kuwagamon, Snimon, and Dokugumon...and if I'm not mistaken one of them has already been captured."

Shaun and (Wargreymon's) eyes widened at that. Without hesitation, (Wargreymon) turned around to get Shaun and immediately find the others... 

But Arukenimon would have none of that. She extended her left arm and – out of a tiny slit in the ruby encrusted on the back of her hand – expelled a stream of webbing which stopped (Wargreymon) in his tracks. "I don't think so...I'm not done with you yet!"

* * *

/End of the World, Arukenimon's Lair, Main Tunnel, 8:06 AM/

It had been nothing short of a complete miracle.

All of a sudden – just before the initial wave of Shadow Sickle attacks could hit them – Angemon had revealed a technique he had never used before.

Godly Typhoon.

In short, Angemon had wrapped his six wings around himself. Then – after getting a good hold on TK, Kari, and Nefertimon – began spinning around, creating a typhoon of white wind, empowered by holy energy.

It could've been used as an attack...but it had another purpose: reflection. Much like how he could – as MagnaAngemon – use the power of the Gate of Destiny to reflect the power of absorbed attacks, Angemon himself could reflect attacks using his Godly Typhoon technique.

Every single Shadow Sickle had been refracted back at the Snimon and Kuwagamon, completely destroying a good number of them...but many of them had survived.

Despite the fact Angemon's Godly Typhoon had saved them, it had a price: immediately afterwards, Angemon had dedigivolved all the way to his In-Training form of Tokomon. Left with no choice, TK hopped onto Nefertimon – with the unconscious Tokomon in his arms – and she had immediately flew off into the closest tunnel...which, coincidentally, had been the same tunnel Shaun and (Wargreymon) had used.

Now they were fleeing for the lives as a swarm of Kuwagamon and Snimon flew after them.

Kari screamed, "Go faster Nefertimon! They're catching up!"

"What does it look like I'm doing?!" irritably replied the Armored Champion as she turned left down the tunnel.

The swarm continued their pursuit.

* * *

/End of the World, Arukenimon's Lair, Lower Catacombs, 8:09 AM/

One of the Dokugumon chuckled as he dragged their prize along. "This is perfect! Arukenimon's going to give us a big time reward for these guys!"

The Dokugumon beside him grumbled, "Yeah, well you won't get anything if you get your Black Gear damaged! If that happens, she'll just dispose of you! So stop stumbling around like a drunkard and keep moving!!!"

The Dokugumon nodded as he used one of his legs to scratch the spot where the Black Gear lay. It was embedded in the back of his neck...but it itched like crazy! "Wish the master wouldn't make these things so itchy though."

As the swarm of Dokugumon continued onward, they dragged their prizes behind them. Inside a purple sac, completely woven out of their Poison Thread, were Davis and XVmon...and their strength was slowly being sapped away.

* * *

/End of the World, Arukenimon's Lair, Upper Labyrinth, 8:12 AM/

Shurimon dedigivolved into Hawkmon as the Poison Thread that wove around him continued to eat away at his energy. Soon, he would dedigivolve all the way back to Baby...then he would be helpless.

He slowly opened one eye to see if Yolei had gotten away safely...and to his horror, she was being surrounded by five Dokugumon. _No! Yolei!!!_

Meanwhile, Yolei's body parts were being bartered over...and that scared her to no end. They were negotiating on which part of her _they were going to eat._

"I got dibs on the head!" yelled the Dokugumon that was nearest to her head.

"Aw, come on! You always get the head on our meals!" complained the Dokugumon near Yolei's left leg.

The Dokugumon #1 promptly stuck his tongue out at Dokugumon #2. "Too bad! Next time, claim it first!"

"Well...I'll take her left arm! They're always the crunchiest!" exclaimed Dokugumon #3.

Dokugumon #4 looked down at Yolei's legs as a look of hunger came to his eyes. "Mmm...the right leg looks particularly juicy. I'll take it!"

Dokugumon #5 quickly yelled, "I claim left leg!"

"Aw, come on guys! I always get last pickings!" complained Dokugumon #2 as he trudged over to Yolei's right arm.

Dokugumon #3 rolled his eyes before dully saying, "Well if you didn't complain so much and just pick something, you wouldn't have that problem!"

"Okay guys, remember: bite down at the same time. That way they retain the maximum amount of yummy filling!" Dokugumon placed opened his mouth wide and placed Yolei's head inside it. "Now...on the count of three!"

Yolei felt like she was going to have a heart attack...and she probably would at this rate. Or she would hyperventilate at the very least. _Her head was inside a Dokugumon's mouth!_ The mere stench alone made her feel like throwing up.

"1..."

She began breathing faster as the other four Dokugumon enveloped her legs and arms in their mouths. Their saliva began dripping onto her clothes, dampening them.

"2..."

_Oh no...I don't want to die...someone help...someone help me!!!_

She screamed. "**_HELP!!!!!!!_**"

"Yolei!!!" roared Hawkmon.

"3!!!"

Yolei's red D-3 immediately flared a bright white...and so did Hawkmon.

Hawkmon digivolve to......Aquilamon!

His increased size cause him to burst out of the tiny web sac, his tremendous form hovering in midair as the power of Champion flowed through him. The digivolved form of Hawkmon was an imposing sight...yet he had an aura of regality to him. His red-brown feathers were clean and vibrant, with the tops of his wings colored pearly white. Several feathers tipped with yellow, however, protruded from his back. His gigantic feet had extremely sharp talons on them, each one as black as obsidian. His tail feathers were large and rigid, and he had a mane of frazzled brown hair around his neck. His sleek, aerodynamic face was colored brilliant white, and a red V-shaped mark sat between his piercing sky blue eyes and above his yellow beak. Finally, his sharp, black horns lent an aura of menace to them. Then, with a loud and proud voice, he roared, "HORN LASER!!!"

His black horns glowed a bright red before shooting thin lines of red energy at the five Dokugumon. Out of sheer surprise, the Dokugumon abandoned their meal to flee from the rain of the stinging lasers. After they backed away, Aquilamon's talons glowed red as he shouted, "Piercing Talons!"

His talons extended outward as he tore through the bridge of webbing that held Yolei in place, causing its hold on her to fail.

As she fell, Aquilamon folded his wings against his body and dove downward. Just as he descended below Yolei, he flared his wings out and caught the Child of Caring on his back.

Yolei looked around in a daze...shouldn't her head be inside the stomach of a spider by now? After regaining her senses, she sat up and looked down at her partner...which was now a flying eagle-like bird that was as big as Kuwagamon. "Uh...Hawkmon?"

Aquilamon smiled as he tilted his head back towards Yolei. "The name is Aquilamon. I am the digivolved form of Hawkmon, and my attacks are Horn Laser, Piercing Talons, and Feather Gale!"

Yolei sighed with relief as she laid her head on Aquilamon's. "Thanks for saving me Aquilamon..."

"Don't get too lazy just yet," warned Aquilamon as his eyes glared ahead at Stingmon, who was trying to fend off two Snimon with little success. "It seems Ken and Stingmon are in a bit of a pickle. Shall we assist them?"

Yolei eagerly sat up and cheered, "Of course! Forward...HO!!!"

* * *

Why wasn't it moving?  
  
The Kuwagamon had been sitting there for the past several minutes, as if contemplating whether or not to fly down there and feast on him.

Cody looked over once at Armadillomon...he hadn't even tried to struggle, fearing that moving at all would trigger something within the Kuwagamon...maybe moving would cause it to come to them.

Cody, however, had no time to sit around. After many minutes of lying on the webbing, stock-still and unwilling to move an inch, he began struggling.

Kuwagamon suddenly flew out of the hole; it had been uncertain as to whether Cody and Armadillomon had been alive or not...but now – due to Cody's writhing in his vain attempt to get free – he knew Cody was alive.

Now it was time to feast.

Cody gulped as Kuwagamon zoomed towards him, his pincers stretched out and ready to chop him apart. "Uh oh." He began struggling harder...trying to reach for his D-3.

No such luck. He quickly turned to Armadillomon and pleaded, "Armadillomon!"

"You got a plan?" asked Armadillomon, who was equally eager to get out.

"I was hoping you could digivolve," replied Cody as Kuwagamon loomed perilously close.

Armadillomon frowned as he said, "Well I don't know...never went to Champion before..."

Kuwagamon roared; he was only a few seconds away.

"AH!!!" screamed Cody. "JUST DO IT!!!"

"Okay!" answered Armadillomon.

At that point, Cody's yellow D-3 flared brightly...and Armadillomon did so as well.

Armadillomon digivolve to......Ankylomon!

Armadillomon grew so large that he immediately burst from the webbing that was holding his feet in place. In Armadillomon's place was a gargantuan beast; easily twice as large as a Monochromon. His entire back was covered with shimmering bronze armor, jutting upward in various spots in large spikes, with the largest being gray-colored protrusions extending from his spine. A layer of leathery scales colored purple covered his belly, with gray spikes jutting out from the sides. Also, his thighs and feet were covered by yellow, leathery skin, offering protection, yet mobility. His claws were pearly white, and his paws had studded bands of metal encircling them. His tail – which was over ten feet in length – was covered with layers of bronze armor, with the tip culminating in a spiky ball made of steel. Finally, his head – which was covered by a bronze helmet with sharp fins jutting to the side and six spikes protruding from the forehead area – had light-yellow skin, with green eyes that exuded determination. Finally, in a louder – but with an accent similar to his Rookie form – he roared, "TAIL HAMMER!!!"

Ankylomon swung his tail into Kuwagamon, nailing him the head just as he passed...and sending the enemy flying. Ankylomon looked down quietly at Cody and asked, "You okay?"

Cody replied with a smile. "Yeah, thanks to you...Ankylmon, right?"

"That's the name!" cheerfully answered the Champion. He turned his eyes toward Stingmon and the newly-digivolved Aquilamon, who were fighting the two Snimon ferociously. "But until they finish up there, you're going to have to stay stuck...I don't really have anything to cut you loose with!"

Cody smiled as he leaned back, feeling safe for the first time since they had gotten into the maze. "It's alright...I can wait."

* * *

/End of the World, Arukenimon's Lair, Central Chamber, 8:16 AM/

"Nova Force!"

(Wargreymon) spun rapidly around, breaking free of the thread Arukenimon had trapped her in...again. "This is really getting old!"

Arukenimon chuckled as she expelled more silk threads out of the slits in her rubies. "Then stop getting caught by my Spider Thread! Get some new tactics!"

As (Wargreymon) continued to dodge the incoming barrage of spider web, Shaun was sitting in the corner of the room, looking a tad bored. _Okay...this is getting monotonous._

For the past twelve minutes, the battle had settled into a pattern of Arukenimon-swinging-(Wargreymon)-around to (Wargreymon)-getting-free to Arukenimon-catching-him-again...and being repeated _ad nauseum_.

Shaun was getting bored because of it. (Wargreymon) was getting ticked off by it. Arukenimon loved it to no end, merely because she knew it was driving both of them crazy.

Finally, (Wargreymon) got a safe distance away from the threads just long enough to get an orb of orange energy ready. "Take this! Terra Force!"

As the ball sailed toward her, Arukenimon quickly attached one of her Spider Threads to the nearest wall and pulled it taut, pulling her away from the orb web that served as the covering to the tremendous hole in the floor.

The orb of energy hit the web...and was repelled back at (Wargreymon).

"WHAT?!?!" shouted Shaun and (Wargreymon), both of them having been caught off guard by the unexpected move. (Wargreymon) tried to dodge, but his side was clipped by the orb...and then it exploded, sending him flying into a Dark Obelisk.

With a crash, it toppled over, bringing down part of the maze in that section. Arukenimon grumbled, "That wasn't supposed to happen."  
  
_Ah...a weakness_, thought Shaun as a sly grin came to his face. (Wargreymon) rose from the rubble – a little worse for the wear – but still able to fight.

"Hey! Boss lady!"

Shaun and (Wargreymon) looked down out of confusion...and they were confused even more when they saw numerous Dokugumon slipping through the slits in the orb web. Arukenimon smiled as they continued to pile in. "Ah...have something?"

"You bet boss lady!" One of the Dokugumon stepped out of the pit, dragging a large, purple sac of spider web...and it held XVmon and Davis, both of whom were looking quite pale as the Poison Thread continued to sap their strength away.

"No..." muttered Shaun as he saw Davis and XVmon. His fears had been affirmed...but what of the others.

"INCOMING!!!"

Everyone turned to face the main tunnel...and out came Nefertimon, with a swarm of Kuwagamon and Snimon on her tail. She yelled, "A LITTLE HELP?!"

(Wargreymon) leapt into the air and began spinning. "With pleasure. Nova Force!!!" (Wargreymon) tore through Nefertimon's pursuers, giving her more breathing room. She set down beside Shaun and let Kari and TK off, with the Child of Hope still holding Tokomon.

Shaun smiled as he said, "Glad you guys are here. Have you seen the others?"

"No...you?" asked TK as his eyes turned to the slowly increasing number of enemies in the central chamber.

(Wargreymon) set down beside them to help deter any bugs from coming their way. "Well...there is Davis and XVmon over there." (Wargreymon) pointed towards the mass of Dokugumon...and the sac that held XVmon and Davis.

Kari paled at the sight of Davis and XVmon, slowly dying as their life force was drained away from them. "Oh no...we need to get them out of there!"

Arukenimon chuckled as the Dokugumon, Kuwagamon, and Snimon positioned themselves between Davis and the other Digidestined. "Good luck...you'll have to get past all of my soldiers AND me if you want to save them!"

"LOOK OUT!!!"

Everyone turned their attention to one of the holes in the ceiling...and Ankylomon came plummeting out of it, slamming into the wall between the two rightmost Dark Obelisks. Plus, since one of the supporting Dark Obelisks was gone, the sudden increase in weight being pushed upon the wall causing the two rightmost obelisks to crack. The right wall fell, bringing the rest of the ceiling down with it.

Now, the sky could be seen. Only a portion of the original chamber remained, affixed to the lone Dark Obelisk. The golden column of light – which was a mere seventy yards away – illuminated all of them. The shadows of the insect swarm danced over the Digidestined, seemingly taunting them...mocking them...daring them to charge ahead to their doom.

Meanwhile, Ankylomon emerged from the blanket of webbing as Stingmon (carrying Ken and Cody) and Aquilamon (with Yolei, of course) came out of the hole...or what remained of it, anyway. Stingmon sweatdropped as he said, "Sorry for dropping you."

Ankylomon – who had to be carried to the tight spacing of the tunnel they had just been in – grumbled, "No problem...just don't DROP ME next time!"

"Well, the entire cast is here!" exclaimed Arukenimon as her insect army prepared for battle.

Stingmon and Aquilamon set their passengers down with the other Digidested; Yolei walked over to the others and asked, "Okay guys, give us the 411!"

Shaun pointed at the swarm in front of them. "Do I have to answer that?"

"...hey...where's Davis?" asked Ken after realizing Davis wasn't with them.

"Over there," muttered Kari as she pointed at the purple sac...and then she blinked.

The purple sac had been pushed open from the inside. XVmon was still there...but Davis wasn't. "Hey...where'd Davis go?!"

TK squinted his eyes...and gasped. "You're right. He's gone!"

Arukenimon's eyes narrowed as she heard what they were saying. That couldn't possibly be true...it couldn't be.

As she turned around...and saw the Digidestined child slowly advance along a small bridge toward the column of golden light. Apparently, the bridge had been part of whatever structure the golden light was coming from...and it had attached to the chasm's rim upon sensing Davis' approach.

Arukenimon couldn't believe it. "NO! STOP HIM!!!"

The insect swarm prepared to fly off...until (Wargreymon), Nefertimon, Stingmon, and Aquilamon flew into the air in front of them. Stingmon said, "You won't get to him. Not as long as we're here!"

* * *

/End of the World, Bridge to the Golden Light, 8:25 AM/

Why did he feel so tired?  
  
It had taken awhile, but he had finally managed to break out of the sac and sneak away while everyone's attention was elsewhere...but he didn't know why he felt so tired.

All he knew was that he had to get to the golden light.

As he reached the chasm's lip, a bridge had extended across the chasm toward him. It was convenient...but it still didn't alleviate his tiredness.

But as he neared the light, his strength slowly returned. For whatever reason why...he welcomed it.

He finally reached the light. He stood mere feet away from the base of the tremendous column, which – at this range – should've blinded him.

But it didn't. And the light didn't burn...it soothed him. Did that mean it welcomed him?

For whatever reason it was, the light seemed all the more majestic up close...and it only hinted at the great power contained within. He knew it...he didn't know how. He just did.

Davis slowly raised his right hand towards the light...and then he touched it.

In the blink of an eye, it disappeared.

* * *

To be continued...

Next time...

Episode 33: The Golden Power

* * *

Author's Notes: Cliffhanger! Apologies if it ticks you off...but hey, call it part one of a Saturday special on FOX Kids...or better yet, Toonami!

Oh, and as for Angemon's Godly Typhoon attack, it's a variation on Angemon's God Typhoon attack. Yeah, there is an attack called that. Props to Megchan's Digimon Encyclopedia for the info.  
  
Anyhow...(clears throat and takes on a serious voice)  
  
You've watched – or read, to be more precise – **_Zero 2: A Revision_** for 32 episodes. In that time, it has – mostly – gone according to the original plot structure of the show (with some subtle or major episode changes) concerning the Digimon Emperor saga. But it has departed radically with the UmbraDevimon saga, the New Crests, the increased involvement of Dragomon...and, of course, an original character.

But alas, something major will occur next episode...and it's not just the discovery of the final crest. I'm sure some of you have grown attached to the Digidestined...nevertheless, one of them is not long for this world.

You heard me correctly.

Someone...

Will...

_**Die.**_

(silence)

UmbraDevimon (in a southern accent): I sure hope it's TK.

(bonus points to anyone who gets this reference. Oh, and please review!)


	33. The Golden Power

Standard Disclaimer: If there was a book filled with every single disclaimer ever put in any fanfiction ever, then the book would be longer than the earth's equator. Allow me to add to that length by saying I don't own Digimon!  
  
Author's Notes: ...nine reviews. Wow. And four new reviewers even! O.O

Anyhow...big chapter coming up everyone...prepare yourselves!

Review time!

Miracles: You ruin it...and I'll smite you with a toothpick. :P

Anthony1: In the words of Shinji Mikami, creator of Resident Evil – "Don't pee your pants!"

starauthor23: Welcome to Zero 2 starauthor32! I'm glad you like it so much so as to basically advertise it...heh. Go ahead, I don't mind; I'm actually grateful: the more publicity, the better!

Dot Cubed: Geez. Calm down. O.o

And by agonizing, did you mean it in a good or bad way?

Fallen Angel of Oblivion: You've reviewed my FFX-3 story, but you're a new reviewer here...so welcome to Zero 2 FAO!

As for your 'Giga House' observation...episode 32 uses the title of that episode as well. ;)

gomababe: Don't we all wish this story were the TV show. Welcome to Zero 2!

Silver Warrior: ...if I killed TK – even if I had the intention of bringing him back – the rabid TK fanboys would rend me limb from limb. Don't worry...I'm sure you'll be pleasantly surprised at who dies...or not. ;)

Snodin: Welcome to Zero 2 Snodin! By the way, skimming and skipping doesn't do the story justice; to get the full effect, read it all!

And thanks for your comments...and be mindful that this is a **PG** story even! Just goes to prove that a story doesn't have to be a PG-13 or higher affair to be a dark, intricate, and enjoyable yarn!  
  
By the way, do you mind if I add your story 'Digital Keepers' to my C2 community 'Digital Fantasy'?

Begin!

* * *

_At last, the final crest is upon the New Digidestined._

_However, what repercussions will there be for unleashing its power?  
  
Will the light of good overwhelm the darkness with the golden power?_

_Or will the shadow of evil grow ever deeper because of the golden light?_

* * *

"Hello everyone, this is Shaun. We were on our way to get Davis' crest when we were caught in a trap set up by Arukenimon. She took us to her lair, where we forced to fight a ton of Snimon, Dokugumon, and Kuwagamon...but Cody and Yolei's partners finally achieved their Champion forms: Ankylomon and Aquilamon! Now Davis is moving towards the final crest...and we have to stop Arukenimon and her insect army from getting to him."

* * *

Episode 33: The Golden Power

* * *

/Local Park, Odaiba, 8:26 AM/

Jim Kido chuckled as he reflected over last night's miserable failures. The Kamiyas had rejected him...and the Ichijoujis had outright refused to open the door for him. He had been too upfront...and – until he started taking psychology – subtlety had been a very foreign topic to him. That subtlety had been sorely need last night.

Perfect. Wonderful. Good job.

_Yeah right_, thought Jim with a wry smirk. His eyes turned eastward as they fell upon the swirling twister that – according to news – had suddenly appeared over Mt. Everest last night. From Japan, it looked like a thin line in the sky...a line that stretched upward into infinity.

Jim sighed...he wondered how his brother was doing.

Someone sat down beside him, not paying attention to him. It wasn't until a few seconds passed that Jim finally turned to face the person sitting on the park bench beside him. "Hey...you're that Motomiya girl from the meeting."

Suddenly, Jun Motomiya noticed who she was sitting next to. "Oh...it's you. Jim, right?"

"Yes. How are things going with you?" asked Jim, eager to start a conversation with at least ONE of the meeting's participants; it would make him feel better after the fiasco that was last night.

Jun sighed as she scrunched her legs together in response to a sudden breeze; after all, she was still wearing her school uniform. "Eh, just on my way home from school. The people in charged decided to close the school down on account of all the stuff that's been happening."

"Ah. I see," replied Jim, clearly trying to tread his ground carefully. He had to be subtle when talking, or he'd have a repeat of last night. "So...what do you think of this whole mess?"

Jun sighed as she looked at the whirlwind that stretched above, beyond her eyes could comprehend. "Eh, it could be better. I miss getting my e-mail...and I miss Matt. They haven't had a single concert since he went to that other world, you know?"

As Jim nodded in reply, he made a note of how she was almost forcing the words out...as if she were trying to keep her mind off of something. When in psychology, one had to keep a sharp eye out for anything unusual...and then one had to remember the unusual stuff.

Jun suddenly grimaced as she stood up. "Well...I should get home now." With that, she stood up and walked away.

Jim had his first big break. Later that night, he would visit the Motomiya household.

As he turned his attention back to the twister, he squinted because he was having a hard time finding it...then he realized that he couldn't see it because it wasn't there. It had vanished.

It took a few moments for it to register. _Huh?! What happened?!_

* * *

/End of the World, Bridge to the Golden Light, 8:30 AM/

Davis blinked several times, his tiredness suddenly vanishing as awe replaced it. He could not believe what he was seeing. "Whoa..."

Where the golden column of light had been, there was only a monolith of stone that stood in its place. Spiraling around the monolith were four statues of tremendous Digimon that looked regal in every sense of the word. Near the base of the monolith was a statue of a gargantuan, two-headed turtle with a giant tree sticking out of its back. Perched upon the tree was a giant statue that looked like a fiery phoenix. On the other side was tiger with large fangs jutting downward, staring to the west. The last Digimonesque statue was one of large, serpentine dragon with a bolt-shaped horn sticking out from its head. At the top of the monument that the four statues encircled were statues of three men in cloaks...and they held a trapezoidal slab of rock in their hands. On the slab...was the symbol that had been on the Digiegg of Miracles.

The Crest of Miracles.

"My crest..." As Davis stared up at the imposing sight before him, something suddenly clicked. _Wait...Blue Dragon...Red Phoenix...White Tiger...Black Turtle?! These must be the four Guardian Beasts...then that means...this is where they were sealed away!!! _  
  
It was as good a guess as any...and then the slab that was the Crest of Miracles suddenly glowed brightly.

* * *

/Piedmon's Palace, Top of Spiral Mountain, 8:32 AM/

Piedmon cursed as he placed the Grandkuwagamon key chain on the floor. He shouldn't have overslept! Now he was behind schedule!

Well, it didn't really matter. The Digidestined on File Island wouldn't care if he made a late arrival anyway...his show was going to be so spectacular that they would be left breathless.

Literally.

Piedmon stepped away from the key chain, Shadow Mallet in hand. Then...he snapped his fingers.

The key chain exploded in a large puff of smoke, and when it cleared, Grandkuwagamon was standing in front of him. Piedmon calmly asked, "Grandkuwagamon, who is your master?"

The artificial Mega remained silent...and then he lifelessly said, "My master is Piedmon."

Piedmon smirked. "Good." With that, he hopped onto Grandkuwagamon's back, clutching the Shadow Mallet tightly. "Now...off to File Island!"

With a roar, Grandkuwagamon broke through the palace walls and flew westward. Their destination: File Island.

But unfortunately for Piedmon, he had been cooped up in his palace for over the last 24 hours...and thus, he did not know of the golden column of light...or what was occurring at the End of the World.

* * *

/File Island, Primary Village, 8:34 AM/

"Where'd that light go?"

Joe shrugged in response to Matt's question. "How would I know?"

The Digidestined had been aiding Elecmon in tending to the Baby Digimon's needs when the light had gone out, necessitating a sudden need to stop and look...and think.

It made them wonder...what was going on with the other Digidestined?

* * *

/End of the World, 8:36 AM/

Arukenimon gasped as she saw the golden light slowly descend toward the Digidestined child. _No! How'd he make it there after being sapped of his strength for so long?!_ "Go my insects! Destroy the child!"

The insect swarm roared as they stormed towards the monolith...and, consequently, towards the five Digimon standing in their way.

(Wargreymon) formed an orb of orange energy as he said, "Allow me to clear the way! Terra Force!" A number of Dokugumon, Snimon, and Kuwagamon wailed as they perished in the blast.

Aquilamon's wing feathers began glowing blue as he yelled, "Feather Gale!!!" He flapped his wings forward, sending a piercing gale tipped with blue energy towards the oncoming swarm. A number of Kuwagamon and Snimon were pushed back by the blast, but they kept coming...

"Rock Shower!!!"

...only to be bombarded by a torrent of rock and rubble, courtesy of Ankylomon. The dinosaur Digimon had used his Tail Hammer to strike the ground, sending the assault of boulders flying at the swarm. "Bullseye!"

"Striking Spike!"

"Ruby Claw!"

As for the Dokugumon advancing along the ground, Stingmon's sharp spikes and Nefertimon's pointed energy rubies attacked them from above.

Arukenimon couldn't believe it; her insect swarm was being completely routed! She had to tip the tables!!! "Spider Thread!"

Two lines of spider silk wrapped around Stingmon and Aquilamon, and with a downward thrust of her arms, Arukenimon brought the two Champions down to the ground with a slam.

"Stupid spider..." muttered Stingmon as he pulled himself up. Ken ran toward his fallen partner and worriedly asked, "Are you alright Stingmon?"

Stingmon nodded as he got back to his feet. "Yeah, just a little woozy. We need to get that Arukenimon taken out!"

(Wargreymon) heard Stingmon and decided to carry out that request. Besides, he had a score to settle with Arukenimon as well; after all, she had used him as a yo-yo!

With that, (Wargreymon) charged through the oncoming insect swarm. His target: Arukenimon, who was still standing upon her orb web. (Wargreymon) extended his gauntlet's claws and roared at the arachnid.

In a split-second, numerous threads of spider silk extended from her wrists, forming...swords. Swords made of spider silk. With a smirk, she brought them up above her, blocking (Wargreymon's) downward strike. "Don't think you can beat me that easily!"

* * *

/01-000-ALPHA, UmbraDevimon's Lair, 8:41 AM/

UmbraDevimon looked westward with a calm eye.

The golden light was gone...whether that was good or bad was beyond his knowledge.

Nevertheless, the light was gone. Now he could get closer. "Gryphonmon."

The mythological Mega Digimon walked out of the shadows, pausing in front of his creator. "Yes, Lord UmbraDevimon?"

UmbraDevimon opened his wings as he stood on the rim of the hole he had made the previous day. "You will come with me to the End of the World. I will see for myself what is happening."

"Yes, my lord." With that, Gryphonmon took to the air, following his master to the End of the World.

* * *

/End of the World, Monolith of the Guardians, 8:42 AM/

It was mystifying.

The way that the golden Crest of Miracles continued to descend towards him...it was beautiful to gaze at. But he also feared it...he feared the power within the crest...even if he didn't know exactly why.

As it continued to come closer, Davis suddenly realized something.

A tag hadn't formed.

"Wha...where's my tag?" asked Davis, nervousness suddenly lacing his voice as the crest drifted ever close toward his chest.

Then, to his shock, the crest's aura burned through his shirt, revealing his skin underneath. "Wha...what's happening?!"

Despite his astonishment, he was petrified. He couldn't move. His body wouldn't allow him to move...it was as though it refused to move in the presence of such great power.

Then...it touched his skin, slowly fusing into his very being.

The burn immediately followed. His body began twitching and shuddering as untold power flooded through him...or was it his own power, being unleashed at last after laying dormant for so long?

Either way, Davis suddenly fell to his knees as pain over took him. All that got through his clenched teeth were grunts...it was too painful to do anything else.

Meanwhile, back at the sight of the battle, Yolei was enthusiastically cheering her partner on from the rear line of the battle. "Yeah! Kick their butts Aquilamon!"  
  
Ken sweatdropped as he watched Yolei root for Aquilamon. "She's...enthusiastic."

"She's been like that," replied Cody as he calmly watched the battle unfolding in front of them.

Kari, meanwhile, was wondering how Davis was faring...he should've gotten his crest. He should've already returned to help them.

She turned to gaze at the tremendous monolith...and gasped at the kneeling figure of Davis, who was pulsating with tremendous pain. _Oh no.._

* * *

He was floating.

It was as though he was hovering, suspended in the air by some unknown force. All around him was a blanket of fog, colored a dull yellow by a strange source of light that was beyond his sight.

It was...quiet.

"Where am I...?" Davis' words echoed through the limitless expanse of clouds.

"_Child of Miracles...you have awoken."_

Davis slowly turned around – his movements slow and muddled, as if her were moving through water – and saw someone walking towards him.

It was tall woman, her body shining brightly on the strange plane of existence Davis found himself in. It seemed as though her entire body was clothed with light, giving her an air of regality and majesty that would've been impossible otherwise. Also, her flowing blue hair – which floated behind her, leaving a trail of glowing 0s and 1s in its wake – and eyes of obsidian added to the mystery of the woman walking towards him.

The woman was beautiful...yet godly in a sense. Was she, in fact, a goddess? "Who are you?"

The woman smiled as she stopped five feet away from Davis, her hair continuing to flow behind her. _"I am Siara: Messenger of the Guardian Beasts."_

"Oh..." A smirk came to his face as he said, "Well, if you're here for my autograph, I'll need a pen and paper. But if you want a date, I'm taken."

Siara chuckled at Davis' humorous words. _"Do not worry; I know of your feelings for the Child of Light...I am here to simply speak with you on the Guardians' behalf."_

As the subject of the conversation was changed, Davis finally asked, "So...where am I?"

"_You are in the nexus between the Digital World and Digital Limbo."_ Around them, the clouds parted, revealing the two realms Siara spoke of. Below Davis was the Digital World; it was as though he was looking at it from space. He could currently see the barren line of land that was the End of the World...and in various spots around the Digital World were thin veils of black vapor: Black Gears, serving as UmbraDevimon's eyes.

Above Davis was a realm of swirling 1s and 0s, intermixed with a black space that was completely empty. "Digital Limbo?"

"_Digital Limbo is the plane of existence where all Digimon are restructured before their rebirth."_ Siara floated upward, her arm gesturing toward the strange realm above them. _"When Digimon are destroyed, their data usually returns there and is reformatted. When they are reformed into Digieggs, the Digimon are teleported to Primary Village...but evil Digimon that are made of corrupt data are reborn in the Dark World...that realm is also where the Guardians' souls are sealed away."_

"You mean...those statues I saw...?" said Davis as he began to realize what Siara was saying.

"_Yes. After they fell in battle against the Dark Masters, Piedmon used the Shadow Mallet to seal their souls away in Digital Limbo...but their bodies' data didn't go to the realm above us."_ A somber smile lit her face as she said, _"As you saw, their bodies reformed as statues around the monolith...and now the statues wait to be inhabited by the Guardians' souls once more."_

"Well, that's all nice and dandy, but why am I here? I have to get down there and help the others!" exclaimed Davis, his impatience beginning to show through.

Siara chuckled as she said, _"Very well...since this a nexus between the two dimensions, I can keep my eyes on the Digital World...while my ears can remain open to hear anything the souls of my creators need me to hear. They wanted me to tell you this."_ Her eyes then became serious, her tone suddenly becoming darker. _"You have unlocked the power of the Crest of Miracles...and you have unleashed powers that have not been seen in the Digital World for many years. The Great Seal has been broken by the golden power. The energies of the original eight crests are rejuvenating. The power of union has finally returned...and the true strength of the four Holy Armors will be unveiled at last..."_

A frown of pity came to her face as she turned back towards Davis. She spread her arms out wide, blinding Davis with her bright light.

_"But...to unlock those powers, you must overcome the pain. Now awaken...Davis Motomiya...**CHILD OF MIRACLES!!!**"_

* * *

Davis' eyes, which had been shut due to the fierce burning sensation coursing through him, suddenly snapped open. They were covered with a golden sheen.

Then – as his body began accepting the power at last – he screamed, which echoed throughout the Digital World.

"_**AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!"**_

A wave of golden energy erupted from within his body, spreading outward as a mighty wall over a mile high.

* * *

Everyone paused at the earth-shattering scream. Kari paled at the sight of the energy wall roaring towards them at an unimaginable speed. "Oh my..."

TK simply roared, "GET DOWN!!!"

The golden wall passed by them before they could even fall. The sheer force behind it pushed them over twenty yards back, their bodies scraping against the ground as the wall passed them. Shaun – who had been the first to start going down to the ground – was pushed further back than the other children, his body falling through one of the gaps of Arukenimon's orb web, landing on a small ledge inside the chasm.

Their partners were pushed even further back, considering (with the exception of Ankylomon) that they were airborne.

The Dokugumon, Snimon, and Kuwagamon were vaporized.

Arukenimon quickly grabbed onto her web and swung down, hanging above the chasm by the web as the golden energy wall passed over her. _Such power...no wonder UmbraDevimon wanted the Digidestined kept away from that place!_

As the golden energy wall continued on, the Digidestined picked themselves up...and as Cody looked around, he noticed something odd. "TK...Kari...your chests!"

TK and Kari blinked out of confusion before looking down...and gasping.

The Crests of Hope and Light, respectively, were glowing on their chests. "Our crests...they've been activated...but how?!"

Kari knew. It had been the gold light. The gold light had somehow unlocked the powers of their crests, which had – since the battle with Apocalymon four years ago – long remained dormant.

* * *

UmbraDevimon gaped at the wall of light rushing towards him and Gryphonmon. "What is this?!"

With a great rushing noise that sounded like a roar, the wall of light rushed passed them.

UmbraDevimon and Gryphonmon howled as the light burned them, pushing them down and forcing them to crash into the sandy desert that bordered Server's side of the End of the World.

Had they not been Megas, they too would've been vaporized by the light.

The golden wall continued on...even past UmbraDevimon's Lair.

* * *

/01-000-ALPHA, UmbraDevimon's Lair, 8:52 AM/

Mummymon blinked as a slight rumble shook the lair. He was on the bottom floor, watching over Puppetmon as he continued to tinker with his game machine. "Did you feel that?"

Puppetmon, who was entirely too busy with his games to feel anything, muttered, "I don't feel anything. I'm busy, so be quiet!"

Mummymon huffed as he continued watching the childish Dark Master continue his work.

* * *

/Eastern Ocean, En route to File Island, 8:55 AM/

Piedmon blinked; why did he hear a tidal wave?

He turned and gawked at what he saw; he heard a tidal wave because a golden wall of energy was pushing water upwards as it roared towards him and Grandkuwagamon. "WAH!!! GRANDKUWAGAMON, GET US AWAY FROM THAT THING!!!"

"Yes Lord Piedmon. Dimension Scissors!" Grandkuwagamon's black pincers glowed red as he tore open a hole in the fabric of space and time right in front of them. Piedmon yelped as they rushed into the pale white portal, which closed behind them immediately.

The golden wall passed their previous position one second later.

* * *

/One Minute Ago/

/00-111-SIGMA, Airborne over Folder's Western Shore, 8:54 AM/

Piedmon blinked as they reemerged into the normal plane of existence; they had returned behind the golden wall just as it had passed the beaches of 00-111-SIGMA. The Dark Master looked down at Grandkuwagamon as he said, "That was a rather inventive solution."

"It was the only solution Master Piedmon," replied Grandkuwagamon as he continued flying toward File Island.

Piedmon smirked as he thought about the upside to the mind erasure power of his key chains; once the personality was removed, their minds could operate at full efficiency. No prejudices and mentality flaws would get in the way.

It resulted in a perfect fighting machine.

* * *

/File Island, Eastern Shore, 8:57 AM/

The six Digidestined and their Digimon stared quietly at the oncoming wall of gold energy. Izzy said, "Incredible..."

"But what the heck is it?! It sure doesn't look friendly!" exclaimed Tentomon, worry evident in his voice.

"...I think we should get away," whimpered Mimi as the gold wall continued to roar towards them.

The golden wall approached the island...and it clashed against a rocky spire jutting out of the water. The wall completely smashed the spire to pieces.

They seemed to the get the message. Tai yelled, "RUN!!!"

Five seconds later, the energy wave passed over them. The sheer force of the wave pushed them down before it roared onward...but it finally started dissipating as it passed the island, disappearing into nothingness.

The only signs that it had passed were the destroyed spire...and the fact that the six Digidestined's chests were glowing with their respective crests.

"Look! Our crests!" exclaimed Matt as the Crest of Friendship blazed brightly on his chest, shining through his clothes.

Gomamon, however, confusedly asked, "But where the heck did that wall come from?"

No one could really answer that.

Tai, however, knew that it involved the New Digidestined some way.

* * *

On top of Infinity Mountain, Blackwargreymon reemerged from his hiding place...which, ironically, had been the decrepit remains of Devimon's hidden lair from four years ago.

"Such power..." muttered Blackwargreymon. All of a sudden, he felt the urge to meet the one responsible for that light.

* * *

/End of the World, Arukenimon's Lair, Lower Catacombs, 8:58 AM/

"Did it pass?"

A Snimon grumpily replied, "I don't know Dokugumon! Kuwagamon, you check!"

"Alright, alright!" The Kuwagamon grumbled as poked its head out of one of the only two entrances left into the Lower Catacombs...and what he saw chilled him.

All of Arukenimon's Lair had been destroyed. Her insect swarm – save for the 40 Dokugumon, 19 Snimon, and 20 Kuwagamon that had taken refuge in the catacombs – had been annihilated.

Slowly, they all reemerged, stepping onto a land ravaged by yet another catastrophic power.

* * *

/End of the World, 8:59 AM/

Shaun shook his head to clear the spots swarming his vision. "Ow...what the heck was that?"

As his mind got itself back into order, he suddenly remembered what had happened.

Davis had gotten his crest...he had keeled over...then that explosion of power.

He had been correct. Something WAS different about Davis...but what exactly that difference was...it was unknown to him.

As he reached for his D-3, he paled. It was gone.

He hurriedly looked around, finally finding it on a smaller ledge below his own. "Aw cripes..." It had apparently fallen out of his pocket during his fall below the orb web.

"Shaun!"

Shaun looked up to see (Wargreymon) peering through the web at him. "You okay?" Shaun quietly nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine...what's going on up there?"

"Well, that light's gone, and I can't find Arukenimon..." (Wargreymon) was suddenly cut off as Arukenimon – who had gotten back onto the top of her web – kicked (Wargreymon) away with her two front legs.

The dark Mega chuckled as she said, "Aw, don't forget about me just yet!" She turned her eyes back to the remainder of her insect swarm. "Go my loyal insect swarm! Destroy the Digidestined!"

With that, the Champion Digimon that had taken refuge in the Lower Catacombs charged.

* * *

Arukenimon was going to be in big trouble.

She had failed in her mission: the Digidestined boy had succeeded in getting beyond the golden light. He had gotten the final crest.

Her only hope for salvation now laid in destroying them.

And she would do just that.

* * *

XVmon grumbled as he pulled himself out of the vaporized dust that had once been the Poison Thread sac. The golden wall had vaporized it, freeing him from its confines.

As another battle erupted around him between Arukenimon's Insect Swarm and the other Digidestined's partners, he took flight towards the Monolith of the Guardians, setting down behind his partner on the bridge.

Davis was still radiating with golden light...and a few moments passed before it disappeared. Finally, the boy stood, turning to face XVmon.

A large hole had been burned through his shirt. As for the Crest of Miracles...it was lodged into his sternum, shining a bright gold. It was one with him, and Davis was one with the crest.

XVmon grinned as he said, "Nifty accessory. Plan to keep it?"

"Yeah, I plan to keep it for awhile," replied Davis with a laugh. As the Crest of Miracles continued to glow, Davis asked, "Hey buddy...think you can go Ultimate?"

XVmon pumped his arms as he enthusiastically yelled, "I'm willing if you are!"  
  
"Alright then..." Davis retrieved his blue D-3 and shouted, "XVmon...DIGIVOLVE!!!"

The golden glow of the Crest of Miracles suddenly covered XVmon.

XVmon digivolve to......Paildramon!

The new Digimon that stood before Davis was only a few feet taller than XVmon, but the sight was much more imposing. Curved, reflective golden armor covered his thighs, waist, shoulders and sides. The armor was layered around the sides, offering extra protection to his ribs. His white, muscular abdomen had a different mark on it this time around: the symbol of Miracles. Golden gauntlets covered his forearms, with a slot in them for powerful spikes colored pearly white to come out of. Also, his shoulder guards had white thorns protruding from them, offering a defensive weapon against enemies. Aside from his regular pair of white wings – the same from the XVmon stage – he had grown another, smaller pair of blue wings above them. Also, attached to the armor at the hips were two mobile blasters that could be removed at will. Finally, he wore a white, angular helmet with a golden visor covering his red eyes, with a metallic piece – shaped like a mohawk – jutting from the top of his protective headgear. Then, in a more robust and confident voice than XVmon's, Paildramon yelled, "The name's Paildramon, and don't forget it! My Miracle Blaster will blast you to bits, and if that doesn't work, my Holy Javelin will!"

Davis grinned at Paildramon. "Wow...you look a lot cooler as an Ultimate Digimon!"

"Hey, it comes with the level," joked Paildramon.

A scream.

Davis paled; that was Kari that had screamed. "Paildramon, let's go!"

"Will do!" Paildramon grabbed Davis in his tough, blue hands and took off to the main battle.

* * *

Kari paled as Arukenimon stood over her, holding a sword made of spider silk in her right hand. "Get...get off!"

Arukenimon sneered as she held her sword at her neck, affectively keeping the others away from interfering. "Silly fool...even though I failed in my mission, I will redeem myself by killing one of you!"

"You wouldn't dare!!!" yelled Nefertimon. Moments later, a Kuwagamon crashed into her, sending her to the ground.

Arukenimon chuckled as she prepared to impale her through the neck. "Don't worry...you'll have plenty of time to cry in the afterlife!!!"

Kari screamed as she closed her eyes.

"Holy Javelin!"

Arukenimon yelped as a white spike – protruding from Paildramon's gauntlet – struck her in the side, followed by a low kick that sent her flying.

Kari kept her eyes shut, waiting for the inevitable.

When she opened them again – noticing she wasn't dead – she saw a large Digimon that looked like XVmon in armor...and Davis, with a hole in his shirt, holding his hand out to her. "Need a hand?"

Kari smiled as she replied, "Not a second too soon." As Davis pulled her to her feet...she suddenly noticed the crest embedded in his chest. "Davis...your crest..."

"What, this?" asked Davis as he looked down at it. "Eh, it hurt a bit, but not that much! I can take anything!"  
  
"Funny," interjected Yolei as she walked towards Davis and Kari with the others behind her, sans Shaun (obviously). "Considering how loud you screamed, I'd hate to see what happens if you really get hurt."

Davis grumbled; even now, Yolei still found a way to tick him off! "One of these days Yolei, you are going to get a serious dose of payback!"

"Shadow Sickle!"

Paildramon quickly slashed through the incoming wave of purple energy and aimed his blasters at the incoming Snimon. "Miracle Blaster!" Lines of thin, golden energy flew from his blasters, tearing through the Snimon in no time. Paildramon quickly turned back to the others and hurriedly said, "Excuse me, but we still have bad guys to deal with!"

Stingmon, Nefertimon, Aquilamon, and Ankylomon agreed as they charged into battle against the remaining bugs.

Meanwhile, as all of this was happening, (Wargreymon) turned his attention to Arukenimon.

Arukenimon shook her head wearily as she clutched her web, her mind in a tizzy. Where had that other Digimon come from?

"It's over Arukenimon!"

The Mega Digimon looked up and gasped; (Wargreymon) was holding a fully formed Terra Force in his hands. "You've lost."

Arukenimon couldn't believe it...everything had fallen apart. Her plan, her creative design...all of it had fallen apart. Her eyes darted everywhere, looking for something, ANYTHING, to tip the tables-

She looked down.

A smirk lined her face as she grabbed the web below her; even though her spider silk was nigh indestructible, she could control it. If she wanted it to detach from something...it would.

"This is it Arukenimon! Terra Force!" (Wargreymon) threw it.

In the blink of an eye, Arukenimon shot a Spider Thread from her wrist toward a large boulder outside of the orb web...then she pulled it taut, keeping her right hand on the orb web itself.

She pulled herself toward the boulder...and the web came with her.

The chasm was completely open.

* * *

Shaun, who had been in the process of trying to reach his D-3, heard the shout of 'Terra Force'.

He looked up and gasped as Arukenimon pulled herself out of the way, taking the web with her. It took a full second to realize what she had done...without her web, Shaun was vulnerable.

The Child of Wisdom knew it wouldn't take more than two seconds for the energy orb to reach him and annihilate him. Not even (Wargreymon) could save him now.

This had not been his first brush with death...not by a long shot. But the dull numbness that chilled him with each encounter was stronger this time...probably because he had come so far since his last REAL brush with his own mortality.

He had come so far...and suffered so much...to die like this?

He didn't scream. There was no need to.

As the Terra Force obscured his vision, he expected to see his life flash before his eyes, like in the movies. Rather, a blue flash nearly blinded his eyes.

Then, there was nothing.

* * *

The explosion was deafening...as was the silence that followed. Smoke billowed out of the hole as rock and rubble from the explosion fell to the ground below.

(Wargreymon) remained stock-still...something had happened. Something he wouldn't accept. Something he COULD not accept.

He slowly drifted into the smoke, his utter state of blankness giving way to a worried panic as he tore through the collapsed rubble of the chasm. _It can't be...you can't be dead...you can't be...not after everything we've been through! It can't be...!_

He saw it.

Shaun's orange D-3, covered with dust on the remains of a small ledge.

He slowly clasped onto it with his large hands, fingering it quietly. It couldn't be...it couldn't be...

"Ha ha ha ha!!!" Arukenimon's echoed laughter echoed through the chasm, tearing through (Wargreymon's) state of blankness. "I did it! I killed him! I killed a Digidestined! Ha ha ha ha!!!"

(Wargreymon's) muscles pulsated as he felt something he hadn't felt in a long time.

Rage.

* * *

Arukenimon's laughter and her boasts caught the ears of the Digidestined, who had turned their attention to the billowing pillar of smoke that now rose from the chasm.

And her proclamation of Shaun's death also shocked them.

"No way..." whispered Ken, a sudden chill overtaking his body. "Shaun's...dead...?"

Paildramon, who had also been shocked by the sudden news, suddenly realized he still held a struggling Kuwagamon by the neck in his hand. With a quick punch to the face, he knocked Paildramon out, letting it slump to the ground. Now he could focus on the matter at hand: Shaun's apparent death.

"No way, I don't believe it!" roared Davis as he suddenly took off for the chasm. He couldn't be dead. He refused to believe that a Digidestined could be killed. He WOULDN'T believe.

An earth-shattering roar suddenly erupted from the chasm.

(Wargreymon) had made his rage known.

* * *

Arukenimon's eyelids blinked as she heard the roar. (Wargreymon) was mad.

Suddenly, out of the rising cloud of dust rose (Wargreymon), his blue eyes flaring with an uncharacteristic rage.  
  
Before the arachnid could even move, (Wargreymon) had already struck.

_SHICK._

Arukenimon felt a sudden sensation of nausea roar through her as she looked down; (Wargreymon's) claws had impaled her in the stomach. She looked back up at (Wargreymon)...and he spoke with a tone as cold as death. "You killed him...and I'll kill you..."

Arukenimon chuckled as gray blood began to leak out of her wound and her mouth. "Heh heh...don't fool yourself. If I recall correctly, YOU killed him."

A feral growl erupted from (Wargreymon) as he tore into the hapless Arukenimon, his rage focusing his strength in a way he hadn't done in a long time. He was going to kill her...he was going to kill her...and he wouldn't feel any remorse.

As Arukenimon became nothing more than a mass of gray blood, tissue, and tattered clothes, Paildramon flew through the smoke and placed a hand on the Mega's shoulder. "Hey...you can stop now. It's over."

The words cut through the anger. (Wargreymon), covered with Arukenimon's gray blood from head-to-toe, stood as he looked one last time at the orange D-3 in his hand. "..."

As he let it drop to the ground, a pained roar escaped from his mouth as he took to the air and rocketed off to the west. As he left, Arukenimon's eviscerated body dissipated into tiny particles.

"Hey!" exclaimed Paildramon as (Wargreymon) disappeared beyond the horizon. "Get back here!"

As Stingmon walked towards him, he asked, "Any idea where he's off to?"

Paildramon shrugged...but he had a strange feeling that (Wargreymon) would be a very different beast...especially now that rage controlled him.

Meanwhile, a lone Black Gear – which had floated away from the remains of a Kuwagamon – floated above them.

* * *

/Inoue Apartment, Odaiba, 9:14 AM/

"Hey!" exclaimed Mantarou as a search engine came up. "Internet's back up!"

Siara's words had come true: the Great Seal was indeed broken.

* * *

/01-000-ALPHA, Desert Area, 9:15 AM/

UmbraDevimon already knew what had happened. His Black Gear told him what had occurred.

His servant, Arukenimon, was destroyed. Davis Motomiya had obtained the final crest, and – due to the great swell of power that had occurred – the barrier erected over the Digital World had indeed been broken. He could sense it.

But he couldn't continue his invasion plans. Not now.

Arukenimon – his link to creating more servants – was gone. Piedmon had rebelled – for whatever good it did the Dark Master – and had taken Grandkuwagamon with him. Even though he still had great masses of regular Digimon under his control, the Digidestined had suddenly become far too strong to abandon the Digital World just now.

Nevertheless – once Piedmon was routed – he would continue on. Perhaps there was a way to turn the Digidestined's new strength against them... "Gryphonmon, come." UmbraDevimon then took off for his base.

After pulling himself out of the ground, Gryphonmon obediently followed.

* * *

/Local Street, Odaiba, 9:17 AM/

Gennai couldn't believe his eyes and ears. He was currently staring at the window of an electronics store, his eyes focusing on the rack of television sets just beyond it. The news was on.

"**This is a news alert; the infamous Internet Lockdown seems to have ceased. Sometime before 9 AM, people began reporting in that access to the World Wide Web has returned, and computer-based networks have come back on as well. Although the sudden return of the Internet is puzzling, everyone considers it a blessing. The economy is expected to take a large leap upwards with the return of the computer networks..."**

_How...how?!_ Gennai's mind boggled; how had the Great Seal fallen?!

* * *

/Eastern Ocean, En route to File Island, 9:24 AM/

Piedmon leisurely pondered over what he would do to the Digidestined once arriving at File Island...a mad grin came to his face as all of the malicious ideas came to mind. _Yes...I'm going to have fun with them indeed..._

He was too busy pondering to notice the fast-moving figure that zoomed by Grandkuwagamon...and that figure was heading to File Island as well.

* * *

/File Island, Eastern Shore, 9:25 AM/

Agumon warp-digivolve to......Wargreymon!

Tai whooped enthusiastically as Agumon immediately warped to his highest level. "Alright! You did it!"

"Looks like Tai's suspicion's been proven correct," stated Izzy as he glanced down at his chest; the Crest of Knowledge was no longer glowing, but he could feel a power he hadn't felt in years.

Tai had suspected that something about the golden wall of energy had done something to them...something concerning their crest powers. To test his theory, Tai had just had Agumon attempt a warp-digivolution.

Matt grinned happily as he exclaimed, "This is awesome! Now our Digimon can go to their highest levels again!"

Mimi kneeled down next to Palmon and happily said, "You hear that? You'll get to be Lilymon again!"

Palmon sighed with content at the thought. "Yeah...I always feel pretty when I'm Lilymon!"

As for Wargreymon, he was looking down on himself quietly...for some reason, he didn't feel right.

Something was about to happen soon.

* * *

Blackwargreymon smiled at the sight.

The Agumon had just digivolved to his highest form...Wargreymon.

The other (Wargreymon) had not lied after all. He would indeed face two Wargreymon that day...and he would prove his strength!

He suddenly felt a familiar presence.

He turned eastward, facing the ocean...and saw a figure flying towards them.

Blackwargreymon grinned; it was the other (Wargreymon)...except he was covered in gray blood. And Blackwargreymon could sense something else...anger. Fury. Rage. _So...have you decided to go all-out like me?_

Whatever the reason for the other (Wargreymon's) anger, Blackwargreymon would enjoy fighting him...and Wargreymon.

* * *

He had to vent.

The anger that now fueled him was foreign...he had never felt this angry.

Rage.

The word described his state of mind perfectly. His rage was directed at Arukenimon...and himself. Arukenimon had been the one to remove the protective web that – whether he liked it or not – had protected Shaun...but it was his attack that had done it.

_Shaun..._

He had been Shaun's partner for...man, it was hard to remember how many years. But he knew one thing; they had been together ever since before the battle eight years ago...the battle between Greymon and Parrotmon that had occurred at Highton View Terrace.

That was a long time in and of itself...but if you factored in the time difference...it came to something else entirely. If he remembered correctly – one day in the Digital World equaled one minute on Earth – they had been in the Digital World for about 2,103,840 days...approximately 5760 years...and that was just up till the time differences were corrected. And if one added the one year before XeedMilleniummon's warping of the chronological barriers, as well as the four years succeeding the end of the time warp...the grand total was 5765 years...

(Wargreymon) clenched his eyes shut...he hadn't realized just how long it had been. Shaun had been forced to carry such a terrible burden...a burden that shouldn't have been given to a mere twelve-year old that had been robbed of his innocence...that had been robbed of his childhood...that had been robbed of happiness...

All because of one mistake. A mistake that Shaun had yet to fully repent for...

And now – just when that goal was in sight – he was gone.

Rage took over sadness at that thought. (Wargreymon) had to vent his anger, or it would consume him from within...he had seen it himself.

And the only way he could think of venting that anger was to fight Blackwargreymon as he had promised only the day before.

And – not only because he was a Dark Digimon, but was a creation of Arukenimon – he would show NO mercy.

* * *

/End of the World, Ruins of Arukenimon's Lair, 9:35 AM/

Davis held the dusty digivice in his right hand: Shaun's orange D-3.

And apparently, it was all that remained of him.

Ken looked down into the rubble-filled hole that led to what had once been the Lower Catacombs; Paildramon and Stingmon were busy breaking through the rubble. "Guys...you can stop digging now."

Stingmon stopped...but Paildramon didn't. The Champion said, "Hey...you can stop now."

"No way," replied Paildramon as he kept shoveling rocks aside. "Davis believes Shaun's still alive...and so do I! I won't stop until either I find him...or Davis tells me to stop."

As Davis held the orange D-3 quietly, a somber TK – holding the still unconscious Tokomon in his arms – approached him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Davis...just let it go. He's gone...there's nothing we can do."

Silence.

Then...a scoff. "And you call yourself the Child of Hope..."

TK hadn't expected that comment. Davis slowly turned to face him, his eyes burning with resolve as the Crest of Miracles reflected the sunlight. "SHAUN. IS. ALIVE. I'm sure of it! He's just not here!"

"That's impossible!" retorted Yolei; she too was affected by the Child of Wisdom's death, but she had to be logical. "No human could survive a blast like that! Even if he did, he would be dead by now!"

"HE'S. NOT. HERE." Davis patted his belly as he determinedly said, "My gut's telling me he's somewhere else, and it's never let me down before! You all make me sick...unless we see his body, we should all hope that he's still alive!!!"

Silence. Then shame. Davis had a point (as much as Yolei hated to admit it)...even if it seemed impossible, they should continue to hope that Shaun was alive.

Finally, Kari stepped forward. "Okay Davis. We believe you." Then, with a childish smile, she added, "Besides, my big brother DID appoint you as the leader, right?"

Davis grinned. "Don't you know it!" Then his grin turned into a frown as he gazed westward. "But now we have to go after (Wargreymon)...I think he went to vent some steam..."

Nefertimon cringed at the thought. "A Mega Digimon, venting steam? Imagine the chaos!"

"He's got a point," added Stingmon as flew out of the ruinous chasm. "If I recall correctly, I heard Blackwargreymon say something about 'File Island' before he flew off yesterday...I think (Wargreymon) might want to vent his steam against him."

"Then that's where we're going," said Ken.

"Right!" exclaimed Davis. "Paildramon, get up here!"

Down in the pit, Paildramon finally stopped digging and came out. "But aren't we going to look for Shaun?"

The Child of Miracles said, "Later. Right now, we have to get to File Island! And since you're the toughest Digimon of the bunch at the moment...you have to carry Ankylomon!"

Paildramon's mouth dropped from behind his mask. "No way! He weighs a ton!"

Ankylomon responded with dedigivolving to Armadillomon. With a happy grin, he asked, "This suit you better?"  
  
The Ultimate Digimon sweatdropped as he said, "Uh...yeah."

"It's settled then...off to File Island then," stated Aquilamon as Yolei mounted him.

Davis nodded as Paildramon picked him up in his right hand while picking up Cody and Armadillomon with the other. "Off we go!"

With that, Paildramon flew off, followed by Aquilamon, Stingmon – who carried Ken and TK – and Nefertimon – who carried Kari – as they moved westward.

But what Paildramon and Stingmon hadn't found in their digging was a hole that lay only a few feet under the top layer of the rocks and rubble.

That hole continued on in a straight line...all the way through the hard rock of the End of the World and out of its western side.

* * *

/10-000-CHI, 9:41 AM/

Why did he feel so...weird?

With weary legs, he slowly stood, taking in his surroundings. A small clearing in a forest, with a few small mountains to the west...where was he?

He then saw a patch of rainbow-colored flowers, shifting from one color to the next every second. With that, he realized his location; he had to be in one of the CHI sectors, considering that the flowers only grew in the CHI sectors.

How did he get there?

He felt...thirsty.

He looked over and saw a small pond. With eagerness, he stumbled over to the pond – feeling unusually clumsy – and dipped his hands into take a sip.

Then he saw his arms. _What the...?_

They were covered by blue armor, ending at his nimble, tanned hands.

He looked into the pond and gaped; Sonocomon was staring back at him...except it WASN'T Sonocomon.

It was him...WEARING a human-sized version of Sonocomon's armor.

Shaun looked at his own face, staring at his own reflection...and he finally realized why he was so clumsy; he hadn't realized a load of extra weight had been put on him. His green eyes looked on in shock.

For some inexplicable reason, he was wearing the Armor of Wisdom.

Then, Shaun screamed out of sheer shock and confusion! "**AAAH!!!** I LOOK LIKE SONCOMON!!!"

* * *

To be continued...

Next time...

Episode 34: Duel of the Wargreymon

* * *

Author's Notes: Two days! YES! (sighs with content) When you REALLY want to write something, the words just fly off, you know? :)

Now, before any of you utterly destroy me and/or call me a liar, let me quote my own words at the previous chapter.

'_But alas, something major will occur next episode...and it's not just the discovery of the final crest. I'm sure some of you have grown attached to the Digidestined...nevertheless, one of them is not long for this world.'_

I didn't SPECIFICALLY say that the major thing that would occur would be the death of a Digidestined. I did say it as a spoiler (a Digidestined WILL die before this story ends), however...but alas, no one dies...yet.

For all those who thought I would kill someone this chapter, go ahead and get yourself a glass of milk and watch some MacGyver...although I don't know how that'll help you become less gullible. But, what the hey! :P

Now...as for the major things that DID occur...let me spell them out for you.

_Siara_: The spirit created by the Guardian Beasts has revealed herself...and a ton of other stuff.

_The Great Seal's destruction_: The golden wall that Davis unleashed completely neutralized the Great Seal. Which means the return of the Internet! Happy day!  
  
_The original Eight Crests are Restored_: Their power has been rejuvenated by the Crest of Miracles.

_Siara's Revelations_: Power of union...and the four Holy Armors. I'll leave the guessing to you. :P

_Digital Limbo_: The realm where Digimon get reformatted has been unveiled (not like they did it in the show, but you know.)!

And of course, the one I'm sure you all NEVER expected...

_5765 Years_: Yes, that's how long Shaun's been in the Digital World. He's been there since before the battle between Greymon and Parrotmon...and technically, he's the oldest Digidestined of them all.

But before you cite, 'But why does he look like a 12-year-old?!', allow me to say this: it will be revealed shortly.

But you can look forward to a 2-on-1 battle between Wargreymon, (Wargreymon), and Blackwargreymon next time!

See you soon, and please review!


	34. Duel of the Wargreymon

Standard Disclaimer: Read what I said in any chapter before this. You know the drill.

Author's Notes: Sixteen reviews. Wow. Most I've ever gotten for any chapter...EVER. O.O

Anyhow...onward!

Miracles: Well think about it; without wisdom, one cannot use their powers to their fullest extent...and come on; wisdom is much more aligned with goodness than badness. :P

Anthony1: At this rate I'll have to program something dedicated specifically to responding to you; I'm running out of things to say.

Fallen Angel of Oblivion: That is correct; the 5765 years was the time in total, with 5760 of them being in digital time. As a matter of fact, the time-difference for my story is the same as the show; one Earth minute equaled one Digital day during the time between XeedMilleniummon's warping and the recalibrating of the times after Apocalymon's defeat. In other words, one Earth year equaled 720 Digital years.

gomababe: You'd better keep your opinions silent...at least until I reveal the four Holy Armors in the story. After that, feel free to send the opinions flying!

Dot Cubed: I assume the part that bugs you is the bit with the '5765 years' thing...let me just say that once Shaun explains everything ...your perception of him will change...and once I write 'Past Journeys' after this story ends...well, you'll have to see for yourself when it comes out.

And as for the hamburgers bit, they DO have McDonald's in Japan. :P

The Queen of All Ninjas: Even though I've been on your Author Alert list for a while, welcome to Zero 2 Ninja Queen! And if you ever found a way to get this on the air, I would be in your debt.

Snodin: If you'd think I'd pause writing this big ol' fic for one reviewer, you're crazy. I'm glad you like this revision nonetheless (especially with the Emperor; I always felt he wasn't that much of a villain in the show)!

As for Ken's gray school uniform, that was his cover. I mean, it wouldn't exactly be good to waltz around in your Emperor's garments at school. :P

And the bear's name was Monzaemon. But Monzaemon is more of a Champion than an Ultimate; I mean, Togemon beat him single-handedly in Season 1. ;) But thanks for pointing it out. (goes to fix it)

And please; space out the paragraphs and dialogue in your story. I REALLY want to read it, but the bunched up words is a turn off. And FYI, they're spelled 'parallel' and 'readable'. ;)

And since you reviewed more than once...(boots him off a cliff seven times over) :P

Digi fan: Well, you're going to wait anyway. :P

Silver Warrior: Don't assume (or theorize) too much...think about it; I changed Paildramon so he wouldn't be a DNA digivolved Digimon. DNA Digivolution will be slightly...different this time around. ;)

Begin!

* * *

_All of the crests have been obtained._

_Arukenimon has been defeated._

_Unfortunately, (Wargreymon) – thinking Shaun is dead – has gone off on a rampage._

_He seeks to cure his rage in a fight against Blackwargreymon..._

_And the results will not be pretty._

* * *

"Hello everyone, this is Izzy. Thing's have just gotten crazy to Nth degree! Davis got his crest, he spoke with the Guardians' Messenger, and then he caused this huge wall of golden light that somehow gave our Digimon the ability to digivolve to their higher forms with our crest powers again! But unfortunately, it looks like Shaun is dead...or is he?"

* * *

Episode 34: Duel of the Wargreymon

* * *

/10-000-CHI, 9:43 AM/

_Okay Shaun...calm down._

He had seen some strange things before. Heck, he'd have seen things that would've made Sigmund Freud go 'Wha...?'.

This bordered on the line between strange and Freud.

Right now, he was wearing the Armor of Wisdom...although for what reason, he couldn't really answer. All he knew is that the last thing he remembered before waking up was (Wargreymon's) Terra Force...

"Oh no...the others!" exclaimed Shaun as he suddenly looked westward; he had to get back to the End of the World and see if they were okay! For all he knew, they were still fighting Arukenimon and her insect swarm!  
  
Without hesitation, he leapt into the air and took off flying, zooming towards the End of the World at moderate speed.

It took a few seconds for what he was doing to catch up with him.

..._wait. I'm not supposed to fly!_

He suddenly halted, looking down with fear; he was actually _floating_. "Okay...this is getting REALLY weird."

The physical sensation of hovering in the air was almost foreign; the last time he had felt the sensation of flight himself had been during the battle with XeedMilleniummon...when he had been part of the mighty warrior known as Neomon. And that had been many millennia ago.

He had forgotten it felt.

Slowly, and carefully, he willed himself to set down onto the ground below. As Shaun looked down at himself, he realized that the armor was not just a fancy visage; somehow, he had become a humanized version of Sonocomon himself. "Whoa..."

He was in awe. He was in shock. He How the heck had the armor gotten on him anyway?

_Wait...that flash!_  
  
He remembered a blue flash overtaking his vision before the darkness came. Had the Armor of Wisdom somehow responded to his time of peril?  
  
No...it couldn't be; it would've happened before if that were the case. _Then...how?_  
  
Then it clicked; the golden light.

Somehow, the golden light had unleashed...something. Whether it was some great power or an ancient technique was beyond his knowledge...for the moment. He had to find out how this had come to be.

He needed to speak with Gennai.

But there was one problem; the Great Seal was still up. _Cripes...with that thing still up, I can't communicate with anyone outside of the Digital World!_

_BEEP-BEEP._

Shaun blinked; that was his D-Terminal. He looked down at where his left pocket usually was...and blinked; there was a small notch in the armor. Curiosity overtaking him, he pulled at it.

A small latch opened up, revealing his left pants pocket. "Nifty." He pulled the D-Terminal out and read the message.

* * *

_Dear Shaun,_

_I have absolutely no clue about what's transpiring in the Digital World. Less than two days ago, I activated the Great Seal in hoping that UmbraDevimon's forces would be deterred from invading the Real World. Now after all this talk of 'Internet Lockdown' and a big whirlwind over Mt. Everest, I suddenly hear all computer networks are operational again! What I want to know is this: what is going on?! Because the Great Seal has somehow been broken (after all, how else could this message be reaching you?)!_

_Please reply with a detailed report._

_Sincerely, Gennai_

* * *

Shaun paled at the realization. _The Great Seal...has been broken?_

No way. Could the golden light have been responsible for that as well?

Nevertheless, the breaking of the Great Seal would prove useful; it gave him a few more options. It would be easier to explain to Gennai what had happened in person...and, if possible, Shaun could get an explanation about how..._this_...had happened to him.

His objective clear, Shaun decided to fly there. "Okay...here we go."

He slowly willed himself into the air...and once he was airborne, he took a chance. He roared, "Blue Dash!"

In a flash of blue light, he broke the sound barrier as he sped off toward the End of the World.

However – little more than five miles to the north – the rest of the New Digidestined were flying westward...with Shaun's D-3.

* * *

/File Island, Outside of Primary Village, 9:50 AM/

Mimi's eyes fluttered as she saw her partner's Ultimate form hover in midair. "Oh Lilymon...you're just as beautiful as I remember!"

Lilymon cheerfully ran a hand up along one of her head's pink tulip petals as she said, "Well, I guess I age pretty well!" Her lithe, slender arms were covered by green sleeves ending in yellow petals around the wrists; shin-length shoes of a similar design – with the design of a sunflower on the top of the shoes – covered her lower legs. Her body was adorned by a pink dress, with a skirt made of pink tulip feathers. A pendant laced with golden leaves encircled her neck, and her pink tulip 'helmet' covered her waist-length, vine-like green hair. To round out her look were four wings made of thin, green leaves and huge, black eyes.

Gomamon, meanwhile, tugged on Joe's leg. "Digivolve me! Digivolve me!"

Joe sweatdropped as he glanced over at Izzy and asked, "Tell me; did digivolution to the ultimate level become an illegal drug while we were in the Real World?"

Izzy shrugged in response. "How should I know?"

Meanwhile, Wargreymon was staring eastward into the sky. Tai glanced up at him with a cautious eye, wondering what the heck he was staring at. Tai looked back at Sora and asked, "What's wrong with him?"

Sora gave Tai a 'I-don't-know' look before saying, "Well maybe he's just not used to his power."

"Or he could be staring at that guy," interjected Matt as he pointed at the figure setting down in front of them.

It was (Wargreymon)...and his pale blue armor, blazing gold chest plate, and silver hair were stained with gray blood. Arukenimon's blood.

"...(Wargreymon?!)" yelped Wargreymon, his surprise evident. He had heard Kari speak about Shaun's partner being a differently colored version of himself when at the Mega level...but he didn't think the blood was part of the normal wardrobe.

"(Wargreymon)...where are the others?" asked Sora, concern laced in her voice.

(Wargreymon) silently stared at Wargreymon, not even bother to answer Sora. The Child of Love nearly gasped as she peered into (Wargreymon's) eyes from the side.

Sorrow. Anger. Rage. A whole whirlwind of emotions was swirling under the blue depths of those eyes. _What happened to him?_

Finally, (Wargreymon) spoke. "Wargreymon...prepare yourself."

"Prepare yourself indeed."

Everyone turned around to see a dark creature fall onto the ground ten meters away, the collision creating a small shockwave that quaked the ground at their feet. The Digimon stood...revealing himself as Blackwargreymon. "At last...the promised battle is upon us."

"Promised battle? What is he talking about?" asked Tai incredulously.

Blackwargreymon snickered as he slowly approached. "What...did he not tell you? Fine then, I shall explain. The blood-stained (Wargreymon) you see before you promised me a battle one day ago: a battle between myself and the two Wargreymon that stand before me."

Wargreymon silently seethed; even though he did not mind fighting against the enemy, he wished that (Wargreymon) would've asked for his consent first.

Matt defiantly stepped forward and shouted, "Well if you're going to fight Wargreymon and...well, (Wargreymon), then you'd better prepare to fight all of us! Gabumon!" Matt pulled out his digivice and pointed it at Gabumon. "Warp digivolve!"

Gabumon warp-digivolve to......Metalgarurumon!

With a flash of light, Gabumon was replaced the metallic beast once more. His front paws and back feet were large and covered with pale blue fur, his pinkish-red claws sharpened to deadly perfection. His legs, head, and back were covered with shimmering blue armor, with golden rods jutting outward in diagonals from his shoulders. The tips of the rods ended in thin thrusters, from which a pale yellow exhaust was expelled, providing the Mega's means for flight. Red rims of metal covered his thighs, while his tail was a thick bar with a razor-sharp blade at its tip. Golden sheets of armor covered his chest, and his red eyes glared at the Blackwargreymon.

Taking this as their cue to go, Joe, Sora, and Izzy had their Digimon digivolve as well.

Gomamon digivolve to......Ikkakumon!  
  
Ikkakumon digivolve to......Zudomon!

The gargantuan digivolved form of Ikkakumon was a monstrous being of great power. His skin was tough, sturdy, and gray-colored, with orange fur covering his clawed feet, his left hand, and his head. A tremendously hard shell, which was covered with hardened spikes and metal bolts, covered his back. His upper canines were extremely long and sharp, and a barbed horn jutting out of his forehead. His dark blue eyes were filled with determination and confidence...and the final, most distinguishing characteristic was the Vulcan's Hammer he held in his right hand; a hammer made entirely of ChromeDigizoid.

Biyomon digivolve to......Birdramon!  
  
Birdramon digivolve to......Garudamon!

Garudamon was even bigger than Zudomon; easily as big as a Machinedramon. Red-brown feathers covered her thighs and wings, with light red feathers covering her arms, chest, and abdomen. Three light red feathers with yellow tips extended from her shoulders, while white-and-brown paint circling her forearms. Her tough, leathery talons were muscular, yet nimble, and her giant wings were tipped with yellow. White, fuzzy hair covered her neck, and a giant red mask with blue markings covered her head. Her green eyes were calm and poised, and her yellow, braided hair extended from beneath her helmet.

Tentomon digivolve to......Kabuterimon!

Kabuterimon digivolve to......MegaKabuterimon!

MegaKabuterimon was a larger, more robust version of his Champion form. His entire body was covered by a thicker, more durable red exoskeleton, with his wings being protected by a large, red carapace. His chest and abdominal area was protected by a white exoskeleton, whereas his four hands and two feet were covered with a nimbler, blue-colored covering. A spherical jewel made of turquoise was embedded into his back, adding more color to his overall design. His cheeks were lined with two, super-sharp teeth, and his horn – made of red exoskeleton – was fashioned into an axe design.

Blackwargreymon sneered as he said, "I'll give you one last chance; stand down, or suffer the consequences."

"Make us," snorted Metalgarurumon.

"You tell him Metalgarurumon!" cheered Matt.

"Fine." Blackwargreymon sheathed his gauntlet's claws as his yellow eyes narrowed. "You make that decision at your own peril."

At that, Blackwargreymon charged.

Metalgarurumon had no time to react in time; Blackwargreymon's muscular right fist embedded itself into his stomach, denting his blue armor. Matt's partner lost his breath as he was sent into the air by the blow.

In no time, Blackwargreymon turned his attention to the others.

He flew towards MegaKabuterimon and kicked him in the face, toppling him over on his back. Blackwargreymon then whirled around to see Zudomon preparing to swing his hammer.

"Vulcan's Hammer!!!"

Before the hammer could smash into him, Blackwargreymon zoomed forward and grabbed the hammer by the handle. Using the momentum of Zudomon's downward swing, he _flipped_ Zudomon over, throwing him down into MegaKabuterimon.

"Wing Blade!"

Blackwargreymon turned around to see the sharpened blade of fiery air rushing towards him. A feral roar escaped his mouth as he charged through the Wing Blade and towards the source; Garudamon.

With a vicious uppercut to the chin, Blackwargreymon sent Garudamon into a dizzy spell; then the Dark Mega flew upward and bashed into her head with his elbow, sending her crashing into the ground. Well, there was a bright side...at least her concussion dulled the pain of crashing.

"Flower Cannon!"

Blackwargreymon whirled around, kicking the green orb of energy that had come Lilymon. The floral Digimon yelped as the orb crashed into her abdomen...but that didn't compare to when Blackwargreymon grabbed her and threw her downward.

_CRASH!!!_  
  
Lilymon moaned as she sat up. "Ow...my head..." She then looked up...to see Garudamon, who had yet to finish falling. "AAH!!!"

_**CRASH!!!**_

With the other Ultimate Digimon taken care of, Blackwargreymon – who had done all of this within ten seconds – rushed toward Metalgarurumon, who had only now begun to fall back down.

Metalgarurumon screamed as Blackwargreymon drove his heel into his back, propelling him into the ground at high speed. A dust cloud kicked up as Blackwargreymon set down, his rampage done...for now.

Time: 15 seconds.

When the dust settled, Tentomon, Gomamon, Biyomon, Palmon, and Gabumon were all that remained of the five Digimon that rose against him. The other Digidestined paled at the sight of the beat down; Blackwargreymon had taken them out in a matter of seconds.

Blackwargreymon slowly stood back up, his eyes glaring at Tai, Sora, Matt, Mimi, Izzy, and Joe. "My strength is reserved for the Wargreymon, and them alone. Consider it merciful if you want...but I don't want to waste any more power destroying them. But if they interfere again...I WILL annihilate them." With that, Blackwargreymon turned towards Wargreymon and (Wargreymon). "I apologize for the delay. Now...shall we begin?"

(Wargreymon) shifted his eyes toward Wargreymon. "Ready?"

"No," bluntly replied Wargreymon. "But then again, I guess we have no choice."

"Correct." With a tremendous roar, (Wargreymon) charged. Wargreymon gave a loud battle-cry as he charged as well.

_It begins_, thought Blackwargreymon with a smirk. An animalistic roar escaped his gullet as his claws extended from his gauntlets. He too charged.

The duel of the Wargreymon had begun.

* * *

/Outside Warehouse #7, Tokyo Bay, Odaiba, 10:00 AM/

The man in the purple trench coat was happy. Happier than he had been in a long time.

It wouldn't be long now...once he found a suitable way to open up a portal to the Dark World, he would have his wish granted to him.

The man – Yukio Oikawa – suddenly tensed at a vibration in his pocket. He quietly pulled a D-Terminal out of his pocket and opened it. "Yes?"

"**Oikawa...how much longer must I wait?"** The voice on the other end was deep and masculine, with a hint of menace to it.

"Don't worry...the longer I eavesdrop on Gennai, the more likely I'll find out Ken Ichijouji's location...and once I do, I'll let you know what sector he's in."

**"See to it that you do. I only have enough power to open ONE gate to the Digital World, and I need the dark energy he contains. Without it, I can't get to the Real World...and you know your reward depends on my return to the Real World."**

Oikawa tensed...he couldn't fail this task handed to him. "Yes sir...I understand." With that, he cut the connection and put the D-Terminal back into his pocket.

He knew one thing; his 'benefactor' was becoming very impatient.

* * *

/File Island, Outside of Primary Village, 10:02 AM/

Earlier that morning, all had been calm and peaceful.

_BOOM!!!_

That serenity of that morning was gone. A section of forest had been incinerated – a large hole in the ground – by Blackwargreymon's red orb of energy. His target: the two Wargreymon.

Wargreymon dodged an incoming tree – a result of Blackwargreymon's previous attack – and looked at (Wargreymon). "We can't just dodge all day!"

"Then let me change that! Nova Force!" (Wargreymon) began spinning around in a yellow tornado, plowing through another airborne tree towards the Control Spire Digimon.

Blackwargreymon sneered as he brought his gauntlets up to bear, blocking (Wargreymon's) forward charge. With a snarl, he kicked (Wargreymon) away, sending him crashing into a nearby forest. "You're boring me. Fight harder!"

"Gaia Force!"

Blackwargreymon looked down to see an orb of orange energy rocketing towards him. He quickly descended downward to avoid the orb entirely...only to be grabbed from behind by (Wargreymon), who had gotten back into the air. He wrapped his arms under and around Blackwargreymon's shoulders, locking his hands into place behind the dark Mega's head. "NOW WARGREYMON!"

Wargreymon zoomed into the air. His intention: to ram straight into Blackwargreymon's abdomen with his horned head.

_SLAM!!!  
_

Blackwargreymon groaned as the air escaped his lungs. Wargreymon quickly backed away from the stunned Mega as (Wargreymon) let go of him. Without hesitation, (Wargreymon) slammed his right elbow into the back of Blackwargreymon's neck. The Control Spire Mega was sent rocketing towards the ground. With a tremendous crash, a cloud of dirt and dust was kicked up into the air.

"Did we get him?" asked Wargreymon, who was floating in the air beside (Wargreymon).

Chuckling.

That was what they heard emanating from the small crater Blackwargreymon had left in the ground. When it cleared, they saw Blackwargreymon standing there, chuckling to himself.

"What is he chuckling about?" asked Wargreymon, completely bewildered by their opponent's change in personality.

* * *

Blackwargreymon was happy.

He was feeling pain. _He was feeling pain_. "Yes...pain..."

He looked down at himself, looking at his dented chest plate. Pain was good; it meant he was facing a worthy adversary. Weaklings couldn't deal him any pain. Strong opponents could.

"Yes...this truly is the fight I've been waiting for!" With a laugh, he crouched down and leapt back into the air, rushing towards his two opponents.

* * *

"Terra Destroyer!!!"

The two Wargreymon quickly dodged the incoming orb of red energy...but that's what Blackwargreymon was expecting. – and hoping – for them to do. He quickly flew towards Wargreymon, kicking him in the back with his muscular feet. With a grunt, Wargreymon was sent flying to the opposite side of the island.

"RAAAH!!!" roared (Wargreymon) as he swung his right hand's claws at Blackwargreymon's back. Before they could make contact, Blackwargreymon whirled and caught them with his left gauntlet's claws. Blackwargreymon sniffed...and said, "You reek of Arukenimon. I assume the dried blood on your armor is hers?"

(Wargreymon) drove his left arm forward; Blackwargreymon caught it with his right. "Why do you ask?"

"Such a bloody appearance means that she died a horrible death. It doesn't seem to be in your character." As he said this, Blackwargreymon began pushing against (Wargreymon), trying to win the battle of momentum.

(Wargreymon) snorted as rage filled his eyes. "She took something precious to me...something that can't be replaced."

Blackwargreymon remained silent for a few moments as they continued their struggle in midair. Then...he smiled. "Ah...so your partner is dead."

(Wargreymon's) eyes widened. "How did-?"

"It is in the nature of every single one of the Digidestined's Digimon...I've seen it myself. I've been observing the six humans and their partners this past day...and the Digimon are delicate; subtle...weak. Their concern for their human partners causes them to hold back in battle...and it sickens me. I can see the rage in your eyes..." A smirk crossed his mouth as he continued on. "You want to destroy me...you want to tear me piece-by-piece. As a creation of Arukenimon, you see me as partially responsible for your partner's death...but because of the presence of the other humans, you still feel like you have to hold back. Am I correct?"

(Wargreymon's) silence was answer enough.

Blackwargreymon chuckled. "So I am...fine then. If they're that much of a distraction to you..."

Blackwargreymon quickly curled his legs into his chest, shooting them outward into (Wargreymon's) chest plate. (Wargreymon) moaned as he was kicked away. Free of the stalemate he and his opponent had just been in, Blackwargreymon zoomed down towards the Digidestined. As he aimed his claws for the closest one – Tai – he roared, "THEN I'LL JUST DESTROY THEM RIGHT HERE AND **NOW!!!**"

(Wargreymon's) breath escaped him as he tried to right himself; he couldn't let them die! "No! STOP!!!"

"Terra Destr-ACK!!!"

Blackwargreymon's attack was halted mid-sentence as Wargreymon rammed into his side with his shoulder. The energy that Blackwargreymon collected dissipated as Wargreymon launched an offensive of his own.

Blackwargreymon – a powerful beast that was capable of great strength – suddenly found himself on the defensive as Wargreymon sent a volley of kicks, punches, and slashes in the dark Mega's direction.

The Control Spire Digimon smiled as he tried his best to shield himself from an incoming claw thrust. _So...they fight harder when their friends are threatened. Interesting..._

"Nova Tornado!" Wargreymon began spinning at high speed, aiming the tip of his self-made tornado at Blackwargreymon's midsection.

"Two can play this game. Black Tornado!" Blackwargreymon responded in kind by spinning as fast as he could, creating a sharpened tornado made of black wind.

The two tornadoes clashed head-on.

They repelled each other, disabling each other. Blackwargreymon smirked as he flew towards Wargreymon, claws aimed at the throat. "Survive THIS!"

"Nova Force!"

Blackwargreymon paled as he slowly shifted his eyes toward his left; (Wargreymon) was spinning towards him as well! On impulse, Blackwargreymon took off the shield on his back and turned left. He brought it up just as (Wargreymon) neared him. A tremendous clashing sound reverberated through the air as the orange winds of Nova Force swirled around (Wargreymon).

Blackwargreymon scowled; defense didn't suit him. He much rather preferred to fight on the offense!

"RAAAAH!!!"

Blackwargreymon growled as his eyes saw Wargreymon charging at his right side. He couldn't divert his attention from Nova Force, otherwise it would skewer him! But if he let Wargreymon get any closer, he would be completely vulnerable.

With only last trick up his sleeve, Blackwargreymon split his shield into its two halves. He brought one to his right just as Wargreymon – whose gauntlets were clasped together, forming a super-sharp skewer – collided with him, his claws embedding themselves into his right shield. All the while, Blackwargreymon was fending off (Wargreymon's) Nova Force with only his left shield.

Wargreymon's mind boggled. _What?! How the heck can he fend us both off at the same time?!_

Suddenly, Blackwargreymon went on the offensive.

He brought his knee up into Wargreymon's chest plate, creating a large dent that dug into the Mega's skin. To round it out, the dark Digimon – during the minute moment that Wargreymon was stunned – brought his shield up and bashed it against the back of Wargreymon's head from above.

As Wargreymon was sent plummeting, Blackwargreymon reconnected his shield, giving himself more breathing room in his defense from (Wargreymon's) Nova Force. Then – using only his left hand to keep the shield in place – Blackwargreymon brought his right hand up, extended the claws...and swung.

_SLASH!!!  
_

(Wargreymon) was sent plummeting.

Blackwargreymon smirked as he reattached the shield to his back. Despite the fact that the left side of the shield had a boring hole in from (Wargreymon's) Nova Force – and that the right half had jagged claw marks from Wargreymon – it was still serviceable.

_CRASH!!!  
_

(Wargreymon) moaned as he dug himself out of the hole he had just made in the ground. With a snort, he muttered, "Well...he's stronger than I thought he would be..."

"Any more ideas?" grumbled Wargreymon as he dusted himself off.

(Wargreymon) suddenly glowered as a red glow shined over the entire island. "...um...I have one."

Wargreymon looked upward...and paled.

In the sky above, two blood red orbs were flaring like miniature suns; Blackwargreymon was summoning his Terra Destroyer attack...in BOTH hands. One orb for each hand.

"...we might want to try and stop that," finished (Wargreymon).

With a smirk, Blackwargreymon roared, "**_DOUBLE TERRA DESTROYER!!!_**"

His target wasn't the two Wargreymon.

Rather, it was the six Digidestined who were right outside of Primary Village.

* * *

The six Digidestined gasped as Blackwargreymon's two energy orbs neared them. Out of panic, Matt turned Gabumon and asked, "Gabumon! You need to warp digivolve!"

Gabumon sighed as he slowly stood. "I'm sorry Matt...I still haven't fully recovered from Blackwargreymon's beating..."

Doom was upon them.

Then they stopped.

At first, there was confusion. Then there was realization as Mimi exclaimed, "Look!"

Right in the path of the two orbs were Wargreymon and (Wargreymon) respectively, both of them trying to keep the red orbs from crashing into the ground where the Digidestined stood. Tai cheered, "Alright!"

Blackwargreymon silently set down between the two struggling Wargreymon, both of whom were still trying to deflect the red orbs. Even now, the momentum behind the Terra Destroyer orbs was pushing the two Wargreymon back.

The dark Mega sneered as he growled, "I'm disappointed...despite my efforts, you continue to fight for their safety...you sicken me. As strong as you are, you waste your strength on weaklings!"

"Hey! We're not weaklings!" protested the five Rookie Digimon.

Wargreymon – still struggling against the orb – managed to say, "Those Digimon...are stronger than you'll ever be...their strength is greater than yours!"

Blackwargreymon's yellow eyes widened at the statement. His body began to shudder as his muscles tensed up. Then – his voice filled with absolute rage – he said, "You have insulted me..."

A roar escaped his mouth as he charged for the Digidestined's partners. "_IF THEY ARE SO STRONG, LET ME SEE IF THEY CAN SURVIVE MY **WRATH!!!**_" The Rookies protectively gathered in front of the Digidestined as Blackwargreymon charged.

(Wargreymon) scowled as he readjusted his right hand to help deal with the blunt of the orb as he brought down his left arm; he _tore_ through the leather armbands – which strapped the gauntlet to his left arm – off with the horns on his helmet. He accidentally tore into his skin with the horn, but pain was secondary to what needed to be done. He swung his left arm backwards, sending his gauntlet flying.

Just as Blackwargreymon prepared to decapitate Biyomon – and Sora – with his claws, the gauntlet struck him in the back. A surprised yelp escaped his gullet as the momentum of the gauntlet sent him flying past the Digidestined. With a smile on his lips, (Wargreymon) continued pushing the red orb away.

Finally, the momentum behind the Double Terra Destroyer attack began to wane. With the pressure on their arms decreasing, both Wargreymon obtained enough leeway to kick the red energy orbs up towards the upper atmosphere. They would harmlessly dissipate in the sky moments later.

Wargreymon glanced at (Wargreymon's) bleeding left arm; a small hole was visible right below the biceps. "You okay?"

(Wargreymon) scowled as he tried to flex his arm; he could still move the arm around, but he couldn't flex it. It would take some time as an In-Training before it completely healed. "I'll be fine...but we still have someone to deal with."

Sixty yards away – right along the west border of Primary Village – Blackwargreymon was getting to his feet. A feral growl emerged from him as he pulled the gauntlet out of the shield in his back. With a snarling expression, he crushed it in his hand before tossing it aside. "They mock me..."

He turned around just in time for the feet of both Wargreymon to meet his face.

* * *

/End of the World, Ruins of Arukenimon's Lair, 10:30 AM/

Shaun scowled; his hands were covered with dirt and dust, and he was standing inside the ruins of the pit where he had 'died', supposedly.

But the trouble was...well, his D-3 was gone.

"Great..." He hadn't counted on the notion that the other children might've picked up his D-3 before leaving.

The question was where they would've gone. Certainly not to UmbraDevimon's Lair...but the only other option was File Island...where the older Digidestined were waiting.

His mind set, he slowly hovered into the air – a bit wobbly, as he was still getting used to the armor on his body – and roared, "Blue Dash!"

He burst off in a flash of blue light.

* * *

/File Island, 10:32 AM/

Blackwargreymon groaned as he slid across the ground; his torn and ruined shield, having taken enough abuse, finally slid off his back as he slowed to a stop. In his wake was a large trench through a forest, carved personally by Blackwargreymon's back.

The dark Mega slowly stood, rising to his feet just in time for Wargreymon to zoom through the forest canopy and kick him in the back of his right knee.

"AGH!!!" yelled Blackwargreymon as his leg buckled; Wargreymon took advantage of Blackwargreymon's vulnerable by ramming him into the back with his knee, sending him flying.

Dazed and confused, Blackwargreymon couldn't right himself. (Wargreymon) burst through the forest canopy and used his body to swing his limp left arm. The left arm – serving as a makeshift bludgeon – crashed into Blackwargreymon's face, sending him to the ground. As Blackwargreymon continued to try and pull himself up, (Wargreymon) kicked him straight into the air.

As Blackwargreymon was sent flying into the sky, both Wargreymon flew into the air above the Control Spire Digimon. They stopped several yards away from him, and – just as their foe reached the apex of his ascension – they rammed into him with their heads as hard as they could.

Blackwargreymon was sent plummeting into the base of Infinity Mountain, kicking up a tremendous cloud of dirt, rubble, and stones.

To finish it off, both Wargreymon charged their respective energy attacks...and threw them.

"Gaia Force!!!"

"Terra Force!!!"

The two orbs of orange energy crashed into the mountain moments later, carving a tremendous crater into its side.

(Wargreymon) smiled as he said, "I think we did it..."

"...you're a lot looser now," commented Wargreymon as he stared at the gray blood that had dried on his ally's armor; the red blood that slowly trickled from the hole in his left arm mixed with the dried gray blood on his arm, creating a decaying image. Nevertheless, Wargreymon could tell that his ally was...calmer, and at peace.

Truthfully, (Wargreymon) was. The rage that had gripped him was gone; now, only his sorrow over Shaun's death remained. At least now he could deal with it...the battle with Blackwargreymon had done wonders to him. With a sad smile, he replied, "Yeah...I am."

* * *

"Wahoo!" exclaimed Gomamon. "That was awesome!"

Tentomon nodded excitedly as he added, "Now that the fight's over, can we get their autographs? They kicked butt!"

Tai grinned as he jokingly replied, "Well, if you want an autograph, you'll have to talk with Wargreymon's manager...which happens to be me, by the way."

"Alright Tai, enough with the ego trip," muttered Matt as he felt the urge to smack Tai upside the head.

"Guys...I don't think it's over yet," muttered Joe as a tone of panic entered his voice.

Palmon hesitantly asked, "What do you mean?"

Izzy, who was staring at the mountain, suddenly gasped; he knew Joe was speaking about the red cracks appearing on the base of the mountain.

Suddenly, the ground beneath them began to rumble.

* * *

Wargreymon gaped at the red cracks appearing all over the mountain. "What...what is that...?"

"...trouble," groaned (Wargreymon) as he braced himself for what was to come.

At that moment, an earth-shattering roar was heard as Infinity Mountain vanished in a flash of red.

* * *

/Eastern Ocean, En route to File Island, 10:39 AM/

Piedmon blinked as Infinity Mountain suddenly exploded; they were about four miles away from the island, and his anxiousness to meet the Digidestined was suddenly superseded by his curiosity over the explosion. "Ooh...fireworks! Grandkuwagamon, step on it!"

"Yes, my master," dully replied Grandkuwagamon as he increased his speed. As they neared File Island, Piedmon held the Shadow Mallet firmly in his hands.

* * *

/File Island, Ruins of Infinity Mountain, 10:40 AM/

He was enraged.

Standing amidst the ruins of Infinity Mountain was Blackwargreymon; a red aura swirled around his bruised and aching body. With the exception of his helmet, all of Blackwargreymon's armor from the waist up – gauntlets included – was gone. His muscular body was covered with bruises and cuts...but he didn't seem to notice.

One thing was for sure; Blackwargreymon was furious.

A blood-curdling scream rushed from his mouth as he charged into the air; balling his hands into fists, he grabbed both of the surprised Wargreymon by the throats and plummeted downward. A humongous crash sounded as Blackwargreymon slammed them both into the ground, pinning them as hard as he could. Pure rage dominated his voice. "You have proven to be worthy opponents...but you have mocked and insulted my pride as a fighter! And now, you have fallen...so you must die."

Wargreymon struggled to speak as Blackwargreymon continued to push down on his throat. "Why...do you fight...?"

"A foolish question," answered Blackwargreymon as he continued to press down. "Those who deserve to live are the strong! Those who die are the weak! I prove that I am strong by defeating the strong!!! That is why I fight! That is why I exist!!! I exist to fight!!!"

It suddenly became clear. So mind-numbingly _clear_. Enlightened by the realization, (Wargreymon) asked, "...you don't know..."

Blackwargreymon, out of bewilderment, said, "What?"

"...you don't know why you're here. You don't know why you're fighting...do you?" asked (Wargreymon), his voice sounded clearer as Blackwargreymon subconsciously loosened his hold.

Blackwargreymon sputtered, "Nonsense! I fight to prove myself!"

"He has a point," added Wargreymon as the pressure on his throat decreased. "Why fight if you have no purpose for fighting? Your strength...is meaningless without a purpose..."

Blackwargreymon retorted, "I HAVE ALL THE REASON I NEED!!!"

"Then why can't you convince yourself?" asked (Wargreymon), his strikingly calm voice cutting through Blackwargreymon's rage.

Much to his own surprise, Blackwargreymon couldn't answer (Wargreymon's) query. He was confused...why were their questions so hard to answer? Why couldn't he answer them?

A sudden thought crossed his mind. _Why...why can't I say anything...? Why...why...why do I fight? Why do I **exist?!**_

A foreign voice broke through the relative calm of the fight's endgame.

"OBLIVION CRUSH!!!"

All three of the Wargreymon whirled as a black ray – surrounded by a pale blue outline – crashed into the ground in front of them. The sheer force of the ray's shockwave sent them flying, crashing amongst the Digidestined.

"Wargreymon!" screamed Tai as he ran to his partner's side.

"What the heck was that?!" demanded Matt as he looked at the fallen trio of Wargreymon.

Mimi looked up and screamed. "LOOK!!!"

Suddenly, a gigantic figure broke through the cloud of dust the strange attack had kicked up. It was Grandkuwagamon, with a laughing Piedmon standing atop his head. "Greetings Digidestined!!!"

"PIEDMON!!!" screamed the Digidestined.

"Yes, it is I!" said Piedmon as he held the Shadow Mallet in the air above him. "Behold the Shadow Mallet...the instrument of your destruction!!!"

* * *

/00-111-UPSILON, 10:46 AM/

Above the mountains of the UPSILON sectors, the New Digidestined were flying en route to File Island.

In Paildramon's right hand, Davis suddenly frowned. A quiet terror seeped into his bones...something big was happening.

Kari silently nudged Nefertimon to fly closer to Paildramon; she worriedly asked, "What's wrong Davis? You look...odd..."

Davis quietly replied, "Kari, tell the others to speed up. Something bad's happening...Paildramon, step on it!"

"Aye aye, Captain Davis!" With that, the Ultimate Digimon increased his speed. The other Digimon sped up as well.

Unbeknownst to them, however, Shaun was one mile behind, quietly following them at subsonic speed.

* * *

/Dragomon's Palace, City of Cthulu, Dark World, 10:50 AM/

With a thought, Dragomon banished the board that had once held Piedmon and Grandkuwagamon. Only three remained.

On the top board, the New Digidestined group were facing the right board. Once again, all of the Digidestined were small pawns...save for Kari, and surprisingly, Davis. Kari was once again the vibrant Queen, whereas Davis – Child of Miracles – was as large as a bishop, with a golden sheen covering his piece.

On the right board were the six older Digidestined, with figures of the three Wargreymon – looking weakened due to their battle – facing Piedmon and Grandkuwagamon, who were staring down at them.

On the bottom board were figures of UmbraDevimon, Puppetmon, Mummymon, and Gryphonmon; they were standing at the very bottom edge, waiting as events elsewhere transpired.

"Arukenimon has been destroyed...the Crest of Miracles has been uncovered, loosing powers unseen in the Digital World for years...and some that have never been witnessed." He moved the Piedmon piece one spot forward, putting it right in front of the Wargreymon pieces. "The fierce struggle between the three Wargreymon has left them too weak to face the combined strength of Grandkuwagamon, Piedmon, and the Shadow Mallet..."

A small glint reflected in his eye as he continued his little monologue. "But...Piedmon must carry out his plan quickly...for if he waits too long, his doom is assured."

* * *

To be continued...

Next time...

Episode 35: Piedmon Makes His Stand

* * *

Author's Notes: My apologies if this chapter seems shorter, but my entire life can't be dominated by writing. I had to take some time off whilst writing this 21-page chapter...time spent reading and playing America's Army. :)

Anyhow, please review! See you next episode!


	35. Piedmon Makes His Stand

Standard Disclaimer: If I owned Digimon, you'd be watching this unfold on TV instead of on the Internet.

Author's Notes: Good news everyone! I'm happy to announce that Zero 2: A Revision is the 4th largest pure Digimon story on the site (by pure as in from the Digimon section only; no crossovers that feature Digimon characters), behind only SSJ4Takeru's _DTamers Fusion: D-Reaper Saga Rewrite_, Cheetor640's _Canadian Digidestined_, and (before it was taken down) Psycho G's _Digimon 02: Endgame_!  
  
Of course, I still want to thank all those who've read and/or reviewed. ;) To many more episodes!  
  
To the reviews!

Anthony1: Action is warm?! O.O Well...who knew? (sarcasm alert!)

gomababe: Is it just me, or has 'fantastical' become this year's new word? (looks the word up) Oh wait...never mind, it's already in the dictionary.

Snodin: (chuckles) It's official: Episode 18 is my most controversial chapter in this whole story. :P  
  
Here's some reasons as to the inclusion of the dark tone and the movie references in Episode 18: I'd just watched Alien for the first time, and I'd just watched Terminator for the first time in a long while. Thus, an adrenaline rush. I mean, you can't just write _50 pages in 3 days_ normally! And don't worry about apologizing...I can't win em' all!  
  
As for you being a girl, I understand...but over the Internet, gender is cloaked by anonymity...and the booting off the cliff is mandatory for those who review more than once per update. SO SAYS THE AUTHOR! (boots her off a cliff three times...with an iron-tipped boot) :P

Miracles: 'Evil genius' means 'an evil person with a high intelligent quotient'. I mean, hasn't a wise GOOD guy appeared more than a wise BAD guy (if there ever truly was one)?

Dot Cubed: We can fly, we can fly, we can fly!!! (smacked) X.x

Digi fan: Wait no longer!

Fallen Angel of Oblivion: Ooh...now that's nice to know someone's giving me good grades. ;P

Crest of Water: Welcome to Zero 2 CoW! And don't worry...this fic is regularly updated!

Begin!

* * *

_Piedmon has finally made his move._

_The Digidestined on File Island have been weakened by the Wargreymon Duel._

_And with Grandkuwagamon and the Shadow Mallet, Piedmon seems invincible._

..._or is he?_

* * *

"This is Shaun speaking. Well, thing's have started getting weird for me...I mean, I'm WEARING Sonocomon's armor, and I have his same powers! But back on File Island, Blackwargreymon fought Wargreymon and my partner in a tremendous duel, and by the time it ended, Infinity Mountain had been utterly destroyed. Oh, and did I mention the fact that Piedmon has shown up again?"

* * *

Episode 35: Piedmon Makes His Stand

* * *

/00-111-UPSILON, One Mile Behind the Digidestined, 10:51 AM/

Shaun remained quiet as he slowly followed the Digidestined; the air rushed past him as he carefully made sure to remain out of their sight.

Honestly, he wanted to get to them and let them know he was okay...and alive, for that matter.

But he couldn't. Not with this new development.

He was a tad afraid of himself now...after all, he was wearing the Armor of Wisdom. He didn't know why he was wearing the armor...or what it was truly capable of. What if he accidentally let loose an attack in this state? That wouldn't prove very healthy for the others in the long run.

Before he could rejoin them, he had to speak with Gennai. He would know more about this...but to get to him, he had to get his D-3 back/

_Man, I just hope I can get it back without them seeing me..._

Suddenly, he heard something else.

_'Man, I hope Shaun's okay...'_

Shaun suddenly stopped. That voice had been Davis'. _Impossible...he's over a mile that way!_

* * *

Davis suddenly blinked as he looked around. "Who said that?"

"Who said what?" asked Paildramon.

Davis looked around himself once more...then shrugged. "Eh, never mind." _Seriously though...I swear I heard something..._

* * *

_'Seriously though...I swear I heard something...'_

Shaun paled as Davis' voice echoed through his head. "No way...that WAS his voice..."  
  
Given the sudden turn of events, he had to test it once more. He thought...loudly. He thought as if he were shouting in his head. _Yodel-ay-ee-hoo!!!_

* * *

Yolei raised an eyebrow; she had just heard yodeling. "Aquilamon, did you just hear someone yodel?"

Aquilamon mentally paused at the odd question. He then replied, "Uh...no."

"Okay..." muttered Yolei as she sat back, a confused frown on her face. _That's weird...I KNOW I heard yodeling..._

* * *

_'That's weird...I KNOW I heard yodeling...'_

"No way," muttered Shaun as he finally went to a full stop. This time, it was Yolei's voice he heard.  
  
He was hearing their thoughts. _Their THOUGHTS!_

THIS new development only made his decision clearer. Sonocomon DEFINITELY didn't have the power of telepathy. If that much was known...what other powers did Shaun possess?

Either way, he knew what to do. He continued slowly following the New Digidestined.

* * *

/File Island, Near the Ruins of Infinity Mountain, 10:55 AM/

It was all so _perfect_.

The Digidestined were right in front of him...all gathered into an easy-to-get place. His three prime concerns – the two Wargreymon and Blackwargreymon – were all at the edge of their endurance.

On the other hand, he and Grandkuwagamon were completely fresh.

He couldn't have done better.

Piedmon chuckled as the six children looked at him, fear evident in their eyes. _Now my plan to return to power begins! _"So Digidestined...are you all ready to become my mindless servants?"

They all blinked at the request; was Piedmon out of his gourd? Mimi suddenly shouted, "In your dreams you creep!"

Piedmon chuckled; he had expected confusion. "Oh...it'll be a reality by tomorrow. Once I turn you all into key chains, your minds will be erased in 24 hours! You'll all be nothing more than powerful puppets...and I will utilize your powers and overthrow UmbraDevimon! It'll all come down into one climactic battle...and this is the key!" boasted Piedmon as held the Shadow Mallet above his head. "The Shadow Mallet...the very weapon that sealed the Guardian Beasts away! Allow me to give you another demonstration! Oblivion Crush!"

Piedmon horizontally swung the Shadow Mallet; black rays with a pale-blue outline erupted from the two Trump Swords embedded into what had once been Puppetmon's Bullet Hammer. The rays converged into one, looking as large as the same beam that had sent Blackwargreymon and the two Wargreymon flying just minutes ago. Unlike the last one, this was a mere warning blast; it hit the ground twenty yards away from the three Megas, kicking up a shower of rock and rubble with a tremendous explosion.

Blackwargreymon growled as he leapt to his feet – ignoring the dull ache that claimed his whole body – and used his bare fists to punch straight through a large boulder that had been hurtling towards them. The boulder shattered into over a hundred pieces that harmlessly showered the ground. Blackwargreymon slowly floated into the air, glaring at Piedmon and Grandkuwagamon.

With a snarl, he said, "So...I see you are not one who keeps their word."

Piedmon smiled; Blackwargreymon was referring to what had happened yesterday; Piedmon had turned Grandkuwagamon into a key chain, whereas he had sworn to Blackwargreymon that such a fate would not befall him. "Oh, did I not mention that I have a habit of breaking my promises? Oh well...no hard feelings, eh Blackie?"

Blackwargreymon scowled as he roared, "Don't you dare demean me in such an insulting manner...I'll rend you limb from limb!!! Black Tornado!"

As Blackwargreymon charged for Piedmon, he commanded, "Grandkuwagamon, open a time portal twenty seconds into the past at the spot where the Wargreymon are."

"Yes master. Dimension Scissors!" His pincers tore into the air, opening a tear in the space-time continuum. Piedmon quickly pointed his Shadow Mallet at it and yelled, "Oblivion Crush!" A black ray zoomed into the red portal, which disappeared after the attack ceased.

Suddenly, Blackwargreymon was on the ground, moaning...as were the two Wargreymon. They were writhing on the ground, as though they had been hit dead-on by a powerful beam...and the spot where they had been lying was now no more than a large crater.

Tai blinked out of confusion. "Huh?! What happened?!"

"Manipulation of the past is a wonderful thing," said Piedmon as Grandkuwagamon's pincers clacked together. "I simply attacked the spot where the three Megas had been a mere twenty seconds ago...through the time portal of course. I could beat you all up in the past before you could even lay a finger on me! And with your best hopes being these three weak Wargreymon...your hopes are no more!"

"We'll see about that!"

Piedmon – and everyone for that matter – looked over at Gabumon, who had been the one standing up. Behind him, Biyomon, Tentomon, Gomamon, and Palmon were staring defiantly at Piedmon.

A slight frown crossed the Dark Master's face; he had presumed that the other Digimon had been dealt with in a previous battle, judging from how they had been lying on the ground. He had been incorrect...rather, they had just been quickly stunned and knocked around.

It didn't matter. All good things – and plots – ended dramatically. His final step would end in a tremendous battle with the Digidestined and their partners...then, after a glorious victory, he would move on to UmbraDevimon himself.

"Very well then! If you want to make your demise a showy one, then come on!" boasted Piedmon as he leapt down from Grandkuwagamon's head.

At that, the Digimon digivolved for the second time that day.

Gabumon warp-digivolve to......Metalgarurumon!  
  
Biyomon digivolve to......Birdramon!  
  
Birdramon digivolve to......Garudamon!  
  
Tentomon digivolve to......Kabuterimon!  
  
Kabuterimon digivolve to......MegaKabuterimon!  
  
Gomamon digivolve to......Ikkakumon!  
  
Ikkakumon digivolve to......Zudomon!

Palmon digivolve to......Togemon!  
  
Togemon digivolve to......Lilymon!

Wargreymon slowly got to his feet – still sore from both Oblivion Crush attacks – and muttered, "I'm not ready for this..."

"We have no choice," replied (Wargreymon), his left arm dangling at his side.

"Say what you will," stated Blackwargreymon as he flexed his fingers; he was already feeling that rush again...the rush one got when facing a strong opponent. "I have no qualms about fighting them."

Piedmon smiled as he landed softly on the ground, Shadow Mallet in hand.

Four Ultimates. Four Megas.

Him, Grandkuwagamon, and the Shadow Mallet.

He pitied the Digidestined right now.  
  
_Oh well...there's no room for mercy in this world!_ Piedmon giggled as he charged. "Let the festivities begin!"

* * *

/Archfiend Castle, Dark World, 11:09 AM/

It was the opposite number if Cthulu. Cthulu was the city where Dragomon was in charge...where all of the sea was under its dominion.

Archfiend Castle was to the land what Cthulu was to the sea; as a matter of fact, it sat in the very middle of the lone spherical continent in the Dark World.

The castle was situated in the midst of a tremendous 1,000 yard-wide chasm that delved over a mile into the ground. Around the chasm was a tremendous black and gray forest, and – because it grew on negative energy – it was called the Dark Forest. A massive stone bridge extended from the outer edge of the chasm toward the castle itself, which was built upon large stone columns that extended to the bottom of the abyss.

Archfiend Castle itself was comprised of two main structures; the main structure – which the bridge connected to – was a square-shaped construction. Four large towers with pointed pinnacles were conjoined at the corners of the square, with the Keep situated in the very center of the square. The Keep was a large, stone column that extended two thousand feet up; the walls were so thick that even a missile wouldn't make a scratch. As for the Keep's stone roof...it jutted upward, forming two, curvy horn-like structures.

As for the second part of the castle – which connected to the main castle via a stone overpass – it was basically a series of towers joined together, forming a myriad collection of sharpened spires. It was essentially the living quarters for those who lived there...and the prison for anyone who defied the castle's master.

Archfiend Castle...

Within the confines of that massive castle was a being of darkness...one strong enough to rival – or, God forbid, surpass – Dragomon in his unholy power.

* * *

/Keep Gateway, Archfiend Castle, Dark World, 11:11 AM/

The small figure exhaled heavily as he came to a stop outside the Keep Gateway. "Man...I wish the boss would just get some windows..."

The figure was no bigger than Patamon; he was essentially a talking head with feet and wings. His light blue feet had three talons – two sticking forward and one sticking back – each of them colored blood red. His head was covered in dark gray fur, with a large blue covering extending over his wings and forehead. His fangs were sharp, and his yellow eyes glinted mischievously. To round the image off was the image of a skull on the covering's forehead.

It was none other than DemiDevimon, mischief-maker extraordinaire...and former toady of Myotismon.

Of course, he had long been reborn since the mighty VenomMyotismon had eaten him. Now he had a NEW boss.

DemiDevimon groaned as he slipped through the small grating of the metallic gate. As he popped through onto the other side, he quickly began traversing the labyrinth of the Keep. "Man...I always forget where to go! You'd think he'd put up a directory or something!"  
  
DemiDevimon was in a hurry...and for good reason.

His boss needed him to report on the status of the slowly growing invasion army, which was now gathering in the smaller half of the castle.

And when his boss summoned him, DemiDevimon hurried; the one in charge of Archfiend Castle despised idleness.

* * *

/File Island, Near the Ruins of Infinity Mountain, 11:14 AM/

Grandkuwagamon prepared to open another portal into the past, intending to wreak more havoc on the very near past. "Dimension Sciss-"

"Nova Tornado!"

Grandkuwagamon groaned as Wargreymon scratched his side. This wasn't good; now that they knew he could manipulate the past, the Digidestined wouldn't let him open portals.

Very well. His Dimension Scissors had...other uses.

"Dimension Scissors!" His pincers glowed dark blue as he grabbed onto Wargreymon, who had turned around for another strike. Wargreymon groaned as he was struck...and suddenly fell to the ground, his body creating a tremendous crater in the ground.  
  
Wargreymon's mind boggled; he felt like his body weighed over a ton! "Why...am...I...so...heavy...?"  
  
Grandkuwagamon chuckled as he stared at the struggling Wargreymon. "My Dimension Scissors not only opens portals into the past...they also affect the dimensional and spatial properties...and now, you're feeling the force of 20 Gs being applied to you, and you alone."

Wargreymon grimaced at this knowledge. _Twenty times the force of gravity...good grief._

Grandkuwagamon smiled as he turned to face his next opponent-_SMASH!!!_  
  
A red orb of energy crashed against his face, burning away part of his exoskeleton. "AGGH!!!"  
  
When the pain subsided, he looked forward to see Blackwargreymon; in his left hand was another Terra Destroyer orb. "Let us play a round of catch. HAH!!!" With that, he heaved the powerful energy ball toward Grandkuwagamon.

Grandkuwagamon quietly opened his mouth as his pincers stretched outward; a dark red orb of energy – much darker in color than Blackwargreymon's Terra Destroyer – formulated in his maw. Finally, he roared, "Catastrophe!"

The dark red orb of energy rushed forward, colliding with the Terra Destroyer sphere in a tremendous explosion, resulting in a very large shockwave.

Blackwargreymon was thrown backward by the wave of air; Grandkuwagamon used his middle pair of arms to grab onto the ground, saving him from being blown away. As Blackwargreymon was sent tumbling, Grandkuwagamon charged.

* * *

Meanwhile, Piedmon was surrounded on all sides.

Garudamon, MegaKabuterimon, Zudomon, Lilymon, and Metalgarurumon glared at the Dark Master defiantly as they prepared to strike.

Piedmon smiled; this whole scenario was ALWAYS trite: they attack en masse, he kicks their proverbial butts...the usual.

Metalgarurumon attacked first. "Metal Wolf Claw!" Slots in his armor opened up, revealing numerous ice-tipped missiles. They all fired, converging on Piedmon's location.

Piedmon quickly leapt into the air, avoiding the missiles entirely. After the initial explosion, a gigantic crystal of ice could be seen standing where Piedmon had once stood. Piedmon immediately aimed his left palm – Shadow Mallet held in the right hand – and yelled, "Clown Trick!"

Metalgarurumon leapt away from the orb of transparent energy. MegaKabuterimon immediately attacked. "Horn Buster!" His tremendous horn flared with brilliant blue electricity, shooting at Piedmon at high speed.

Piedmon quickly grabbed one of his Trump Swords out of his back scabbard and held it outward. It acted like a lightning rod, absorbing the electricity _into_ the sword. With a smirk, Piedmon swung his sword upward, letting the electricity strike another target: Lilymon.

"WAAH!!!" screamed Lilymon as the electric blast sent her sailing; she had been flying up to get the drop on the Dark Master when Piedmon had hit her with MegaKabuterimon's attack.

The insectoid Ultimate sweatdropped. "Whoops..."

"Apologies won't get you anywhere! Oblivion Crush!" Piedmon swung the Shadow Mallet, letting another powerful ray of dark energy erupt from within; MegaKabuterimon wailed as the beam hit him dead on, sending him crashing into the ground.

"Vulcan's Hammer!" Zudomon roared as he struck the ground with his tremendous hammer, creating a yellow beam of energy that zoomed toward Piedmon.

Suffice to say, that fared as well as the Horn Buster attack had fared. Piedmon sheathed his Trump Sword and struck the beam with the Shadow Mallet. The result: the yellow ray was deflected towards Metalgarurumon, who had been busy trying to get a good vantage point for his Ice Stream attack.

Metalgarurumon yelped as he was sent tumbling; Piedmon quickly turned in time to see Zudomon swinging his Vulcan's Hammer downward. "TAKE THIS!!!"  
  
"Oh, but I insist you keep it!" retorted Piedmon as he swung the Shadow Mallet straight into the Vulcan's Hammer. Tremendous vibrations rattle both Digimon...but in the end, Zudomon lost. The Shadow Mallet cracked the Vulcan's Hammer right down the middle.

Zudomon gasped as he looked at the garish crack that spread throughout his hammer. "No way! This is made of ChromeDigizoid!!!"

"Not even the strongest metal in the Digiworld can withstand the Shadow Mallet! Oblivion Crush!" Zudomon was sent tumbling by the black-and-blue ray that struck his chest, knocking him for a loop.

Deciding to go on the offensive, Piedmon leapt up into the air, Trump Sword in hand once more. Garudamon was his target...and she knew it.

Garudamon flew up into the air and launched an attack for the sake of giving her some more room. "Wing Blade!" The fiery phoenix roared toward Piedmon, who immediately cut through it with his Trump Sword. He continued charging towards the flying bird.

Garudamon desperately tried to keep the dark Mega away; she swatted at him with her tremendous hands. Piedmon easily dodged it and kicked her in the face with his heel. As stars and flashbulbs popped in her eyes – a result of the jarring dizzy spell she was undergoing – Piedmon whipped out a familiar handkerchief. "Cloth of Disappearance!"

Garudamon yelped as the cloth grew in size, enveloping her immediately. She struggled...but as Grandkuwagamon had discovered little more than 24 hours ago, it was futile. After the struggling stopped, Piedmon set down and retrieved his cloth. He quietly picked up the Garudamon key chain and clipped it to his belt.

Sora screamed at the sight of this; she couldn't handle this again...not again!!! "**_NO!!!_** GARUDAMON!!!"

Piedmon reveled in the Digibrat's screams. It was refreshing.

_One down._

"Flower Cannon!"

Piedmon sheathed his Trump Sword and aimed his hand upward at Lilymon, who had just launched an attack. "Clown Trick!" The circular energy blast rushed upward. "And here's an encore!" With those words, he launched another Clown Trick upward.

The first Clown Trick nullified the green energy of the Flower Cannon attack. The second continued rushing upward, crashing into Lilymon with a loud crack.

"AAH!!!" screeched Lilymon as she was sent crashing into the ground, her body smoking from the energy Piedmon had unleashed upon her. Mimi yelled, as her partner lay there, unmoving. "LILYMON!!! GET UP!!!"

"Too late! Cloth of Disappearance!" Not even giving Lilymon a chance to get up, the cloth completely enveloped her. There was no struggle.

Mimi gasped; it was happening again...they were all going to be turned into key chains! "No...no...**LILYMON!!!**"

Piedmon giggled as he retrieved his cloth and clipped the Lilymon key chain onto his belt. _Two down..._

"Ice Stream!"

Piedmon gasped as the whitish-blue stream of frigid energy enveloped him; in his reveling of the Digidestined's suffering, he hadn't even sensed Metalgarurumon coming up behind him.  
  
Ever so quickly, his entire body was encased in an icicle; had he been weak enough, he would've been incinerated, as Puppetmon **_should have_** been four years ago – no thanks to Grandkuwagamon.

Metalgarurumon snorted as he stared the frozen Dark Master. "Good riddance."

_SMASH!!!_

Metalgarurumon paled; Piedmon had just broken out of his icy prison! He growled as Piedmon turned his amused gaze toward him...then, he spoke. "Tsk tsk tsk...you shouldn't have done that...now you must be punished for being a bad boy!"

"Bring it on!" roared Metalgarurumon as he charged.

_CRASH!!!_  
  
Metalgarurumon yelped with sudden pain as Blackwargreymon crashed into him; the Control Spire Mega had just been thrown aside by Grandkuwagamon, courtesy of the behemoth's pincers.

Piedmon grinned as he tilted his eyes toward Grandkuwagamon. "Excellent work." Grandkuwagamon smiled; his master was pleased with him.

"Terra Force!"

Grandkuwagamon groaned as an orb of orange energy crashed into his back; he turned around to see (Wargreymon) rushing toward him, left arm dangling in the wind.

"Let me deal with him master!" roared Grandkuwagamon as his enormous wings buzzed; he took to the air slowly as he fired off another sphere of dark red energy. "Catastrophe!"

* * *

/Western Ocean, One Mile West of File Island, 11:29 AM/

It had taken awhile, but he was finally nearing his old home.

Although he had packed enough provisions for the trip – and despite the fact his raft was as sturdy as could be – the sea was not a voyage for those who got seasick easily.

Luckily, Leomon was not like that...although he was getting tired of seeing nothing but blue water in every direction.

As he saw File Island loom ever larger, a smile crossed his face. "Home at last..."

Then he noticed something odd...actually, he noticed quite a few things that were odd.

Smoke rising from the island.

Battle-scarred lands.

Energy attacks whizzing back and forth.

And the most jarring sight was the lack of one...specifically, that of Infinity Mountain. Only a jagged base remained of the once proud mountain.

Leomon's face contorted into one of shock and disbelief. "By the Guardian Beasts...what has happened to my home?"

Shock gave way to stern concentration as Leomon leapt off the raft and began swimming toward shore. There was no time to waste.

* * *

/File Island, Near the Ruins of Infinity Mountain, 11:31 AM/

Blackwargreymon grimaced as he sat up; his whole body felt like a mass of gelatin. At this rate, he would expire...as much as he hated to admit it, he was reaching the end of his endurance.

Metalgarurumon snorted as he got up and prepare to take off...but then he glanced back at Blackwargreymon, who had yet to stand. With a scathing tone, he asked, "What's wrong? I thought you _loved_ to fight."

Blackwargreymon grumbled; despite his tiredness, he knew Metalgarurumon bore no kind feelings toward him. "Save your words...fight on if you wish. There's no point...Grandkuwagamon and Piedmon have proven to be the better fighters. There is no reason to continue on."

Metalgarurumon remained silent...then he said one more thing before taking off. "You're a disgrace...quit if you like...but others are depending on me to fight. I have no choice but to keep fighting!"

As Blackwargreymon watched Metalgarurumon burst off, his mind puzzled. _This group of Digimon confuses me...even though they possess great strength, they refuse to fight to prove themselves. But when they face foes of much greater power, they fight despite the knowledge they will fail! Why do they fight?_  
  
His eyes drifted over to the children. Was it...because of them that they continued to fight? _I still don't understand it! They fight for those weaklings...they can't even fight! Why do they risk their lives for them?!_  
  
He couldn't understand it...but why couldn't he understand it?

It was something he intended to investigate further...and to that, he would have to ask the Digidestined's Digimon. And they wouldn't be able to answer him if they were all destroyed.

Besides...they still continued to fight. Why shouldn't he? If he quit, it only meant he was a weakling...and no matter what, he would NEVER be classified as a weakling! "If they will fight on..." Blackwargreymon got to his feet and charged ahead. **_"...THEN SO WILL I!!!_**"

* * *

Wargreymon grumbled as he slowly crawled out of the crater his body had formed. It was a good thing Grandkuwagamon's powers lasted only temporarily...but his body was still under the grasp of a fierce aching pain.

As he looked around at the sight of the conflict raging around him, he saw Blackwargreymon and (Wargreymon) in the middle of a fierce battle with Grandkuwagamon; meanwhile, Metalgarurumon, Zudomon, and MegaKabuterimon were doing their best to fend off Piedmon.

Piedmon was the bigger threat...but if Grandkuwagamon was the weaker of the two, he could be taken out sooner. Then, they could ALL focus on Piedmon.

His mind was made up. He flew into the air, claws aimed at Grandkuwagamon's underbelly. Mustering all of his strength, he struck.

The claws struck against the tough exoskeleton...but there were scratch marks.

Good...it meant the armor wasn't impervious. He continued striking at Grandkuwagamon's underbelly. The insectoid Mega, oblivious to Wargreymon, continued swiping at (Wargreymon) and Blackwargreymon with his pincers.

The scratches turned into cracks...the cracks turned into fractured pieces...and finally, the soft meat underneath the exoskeleton was visible.

Wargreymon jammed his claws into the soft tissue. Black blood squirted from the wound.

* * *

Grandkuwagamon howled as pain suddenly erupted throughout his entire body; he truncated his attack and stomped all about, his nerves screaming from the pain that enveloped him. Small quakes shook the land as he stomped his large feet about, causing Wargreymon to finally fly out from under him: the continuous shock of the thundering Mega was too great for him to continue holding on.

Grandkuwagamon seethed as he used his middle pair of arms to feel the bleeding hole in his skin...the pain...it hurt so much! "You..." Grandkuwagamon glared straight at the three multi-colored Wargreymon, hatred flaring in his eyes. "You...I'll kill you!!! Catastrophe!!!"

The dark red orb rocketed from Grandkuwagamon's mouth. The three Wargreymon dodged...but the energy sphere flew on.

A tremendous explosion sounded as the Catastrophe attacked struck the border of Primary Village.

* * *

/File Island, Primary Village, 11:35 AM/

Elecmon grumbled as he quickly herded the Baby Digimon into a large group; he couldn't believe his rotten luck! _This can't be happening again..._

Four years ago, Primary Village had been destroyed...and he had never been able to truly forgive himself for all of the lives that had been lost that day...he could still remember the macabre sight of the crushed Digieggs...

Now it was happening again... 

But he would NOT let them suffer the same fate again! "Come on my Babies! Onward!"

As Elecmon quickly hurried a throng of Botamon and Punimon along, he suddenly head an explosion; it had been the Catastrophe attack that Grandkuwagamon had launched.

A quake rattled the village...and to Elecmon's horror, one of the toy towers was toppling toward him and the Baby Digimon! "Oh no!!!" He wouldn't be able to get away in time!

Death, it seemed, was inevitable.

But it was not to be.

As Elecmon suddenly realized they weren't crushed, he looked up to see a wet Digimon holding the fallen tower above his head, saving them all from destruction.

It took a few moments for him to realize that it was Leomon. "Leomon?!"

"Hurry!" commanded Leomon as his biceps bulged under the weight of the tower. "Take the Baby Digimon and the Digieggs to Toy Town on the other side of the island! I do not want the destruction of Primary Village four years ago to become a repeat incident."

"You and me both!" concurred Elecmon as he quickly gathered the Botamon and Punimon out from under the tower. Seeing nothing there, Leomon slowly edged away from the tower before letting it drop by his feet.

_There...now for the big fish_. With that, Leomon charged off toward the battle.

* * *

/File Island, Near the Ruins of Infinity Mountain, 11:37 AM/

"Terra Force!!!" With his working right arm, (Wargreymon) threw an energy orb at Grandkuwagamon.

The tremendous Control Spire Mega crushed it with his pincers; he then rushed forward – his thunderous footsteps causing quakes all around the area – and rammed into (Wargreymon) with his head, sending Shaun's partner flying backward.

(Wargreymon) groaned as he landed with a loud _thud_; he had crashed amongst the scarred forest where Blackwargreymon had carved a trench in the ground with his back. Shaking his head, he came to his feet.

The battle was starting to wear away at him...and he couldn't keep fighting much longer with his left arm in the condition it was in.

"RAAGGH!!"

(Wargreymon) turned his head toward the forest's mouth; Metalgarurumon had just crashed into the ground. "Huh...?"  
  
"Black Void!!!"

Metalgarurumon quickly leapt to his feet and rushed away from the incoming attack: a black ball of energy, which crackled with purple electricity. The ball collided with the ground where Matt's partner had just stood; the energy expanded into a massive sphere twenty yards in diameter.

When the dome of dark energy dissipated, it showed something that reminded (Wargreymon) of Chimeramon's Shadow Viper attack; the entire area the sphere had encompassed was gone, as if it had been deleted into nothing.

Moments later, Piedmon landed aside the new crater – Shadow Mallet still brimming with the energy of the Black Void attack – and pointed his left palm toward Metalgarurumon. "Clown Trick!"

As Piedmon fired blast after blast at Metalgarurumon, (Wargreymon) saw his chance. He could end it all now.

His mind set, he leapt into the air towards Piedmon's vulnerable back.

* * *

Piedmon chuckled as Metalgarurumon fled from his barrage of energy blasts. "Run little doggy, run!"

As Metalgarurumon charged beyond his range, Piedmon clutched the Shadow Mallet with both hands, seemingly preparing to fly after his foe.

That's when he whirled around, smacking into (Wargreymon's) face with the backside of the Shadow Mallet as if it were a sledgehammer. A deafening _crack_ sounded as (Wargreymon) was sent sprawling...the crack had been his helmet fracturing apart. It wasn't enough for it to break apart completely...but its structural integrity was drastically reduced.

Piedmon chuckled as (Wargreymon) writhed on the ground, now suffering from a massive concussion. "Naughty naughty...no trying to stab Uncle Piedmon...but!" Piedmon grinned maliciously as he unsheathed one of his two Trump Swords, holding it above (Wargreymon) with his left hand. "On the other hand, Uncle Piedmon can stab you."

With that, he thrust his Trump Sword through (Wargreymon's) left shoulder joint and into the ground, pinning him on the spot.

An ear-shattering howl escaped (Wargreymon's) throat as his left arm's nerves exploded with pain. The already strenuous condition of his left arm deteriorated even more as red blood began gushing from his shoulder, mixing with his own dried blood – from the wound in his elbow that had rendered the arm useless – and Arukenimon's dried blood, from when he had utterly eviscerated her from earlier.

He couldn't move...any attempt to do so caused the Trump Sword to cut at him even more. What was worse was the fact that he was pinned...

(Wargreymon) was completely at Piedmon's mercy.

Piedmon smiled as he pulled out a familiar white cloth. "Now...it's your turn."

Piedmon suddenly disappeared; his image was replaced by that of a humanoid lion.

It took (Wargreymon) a few moments to realize that the lion – Leomon – had just kicked Piedmon in the back, sending the Dark Master into the forest. Leomon knelt down and slowly pulled the Trump Sword out of (Wargreymon's) shoulder. "Are you alright, my old friend?"

(Wargreymon's) answer was honest; he slowly shook his head as he slowly crawled over to the nearest tree and leaned against it. As he took in deep breaths, he finally dedigivolved to his In-Training form, (Koromon). "Thanks for the save Leomon...but I'm completely tapped. I can't fight anymore..."

"Do not worry (Koromon)." Leomon held Piedmon's Trump Sword tightly in his left hand, with his own, larger sword in the right hand. "I will use my blade...and he will feel the sting of his own weapon!" With that, Leomon charged.

* * *

Piedmon scowled as he got to his feet; someone had just kicked him out of the blue. "Who dares...?"

He turned to see Leomon charging at him with two swords. Leomon roared as he leapt into the air and brought his swords downward, aiming for Piedmon's neck.

Piedmon quickly aimed his palm up and shouted, "Clown Trick!"

Leomon grunted as the energy orb crashed into his stomach, sending him backward into the forest. Piedmon growled as he held his Shadow Mallet with both hands. "Try and strike me in the back, will you?" With a snarl on his face, he aimed the Shadow Mallet at the forest; black electricity began crackling in the open holes in what had once been the Bullet Hammer.

He fired; out of the two open holes of the Shadow Mallet came two black orbs of energy. They merged together into a crackling orb that – as Piedmon shouted, "Black Void!" – roared into the forest.

Leomon dodged it; the sphere of black energy deleted a whole throng of trees nevertheless.

Piedmon scowled as he stomped into the forest. "Here kitty, kitty, kitty..."

* * *

Blackwargreymon roared as he chucked two tremendous energy balls at Grandkuwagamon. "Double Terra Destroyer!!!"

Grandkuwagamon snarled as he widened his pincers, roaring, "Dimension Scissors!" Desperation had been the key; he would've been hurt immensely by the two orbs...so he had to send them SOMEWHERE.

One large portal opened up right in front of the Terra Destroyers; the two energy spheres were engulfed, and the portal closed immediately afterwards. Grandkuwagamon chuckled. _Good riddance._

"That was cheap!" roared Wargreymon as he rammed straight into the left side Grandkuwagamon's head...and it was made particularly devastating because at the same time, Metalgarurumon had unleashed his icy breath upon Grandkuwagamon's right pairs of feet.

This resulted in Grandkuwagamon being unable to stop himself from toppling over. The insectoid Mega yelped as he toppled over onto his back.

His weakened underbelly was open.

"Gaia Force!"

"Terra Destroyer!"

"Metal Wolf Claw!"

The two energy spheres and the missiles rushed toward Grandkuwagamon and collided with him, creating a tremendous explosion that rocked the entire southern half of the island.

* * *

/Eastern Ocean, En route to File Island, 11:54 AM/

"Ready?" asked Paildramon; in his left hand was Submarimon...and within was Cody, at the controls.

"Roger that!" said Cody and Submarimon simultaneously.

Without a doubt, Submarimon was a fast traveler underwater. Out of all the Digidestined's Digimon, only Sonocomon could outpace him.

Submarimon and Cody were going to travel by sea to File Island; they would get there roughly ten to thirty minutes ahead of the others. Once arriving, Cody would send them a message about the condition of File Island.

With Cody and Submarimon ready for action, Paildramon reared his left arm and prepared to throw them.

At that moment – roughly one hundred feet above them – a large white portal opened, and the two Terra Destroyer orbs rocketed downward towards them; apparently, Grandkuwagamon's time portal had sent Blackwargreymon's two energy spheres into the _future_.

Everyone looked up and gaped; Yolei screamed, "WHAT ARE THOSE??!!"

Paildramon immediately aimed his blasters upward and shouted, "Miracle Buster!" Stream after stream of golden lines streamed into one of the Terra Destroyers.

Fifty feet above them, the left orb exploded after the continuous barrage. This resulted in an energy shockwave that caused the other one to explode...and the tremendous airborne tremor pushed all of them down into the ocean.

* * *

Shaun raised an eyebrow at the event he had just witnessed. "...huh...?"

As the other Digidestined were hurled into the water, he suddenly realized his chance. Without a second thought, he zoomed toward them at high speed, plowing into the water several hundred meters away from their position.

* * *

Disorientation.

It was something that always claimed someone when hurled into the water...especially after one had just been in the sky.

Davis quickly tried to reorient himself as he thrashed through the water...he caught a glimpse of Stingmon pulling Nefertimon and Aquilamon to the surface...Yolei pulling Ken upward...to Davis' dismay, TK helping Kari move up towards the surface...Submarimon swimming around them all, making sure they didn't start sinking...

His pocket was being picked. He felt a hand fishing around in his pocket...and then it immediately vacated the pocket.

Impulsively, Davis immediately checked his pocket...and paled; Shaun's D-3 was gone!  
  
Someone had just outright _stolen_ Shaun's D-3!  
  
He quickly tried to reorient himself...and he finally could see the rippling lens that was the ocean's surface. Some armored figure was swimming upward...and in his right hand was Shaun's D-3.

_Hey! Get back here!!!_ Davis quickly swam as hard as he could; the thief had already broken the surface...and went above and beyond it. _Wha?!_

The spot from which the thief had arisen from suddenly parted outward, as though a tremendous force had been pushed against it. Although Davis didn't know it, it was the 'thief' going at supersonic speed right above sea level.

By the time Davis had finally gotten to the surface, the thief was gone.

"Darn it!!!" roared Davis as he punched the water angrily. How could he have let some two-bit thief steal Shaun's D-3?! Man, Shaun's going to be so angry when we break the news to him...

Meanwhile, the others were breaking the surface. Ken – after making sure Yolei hadn't choked on any sea water – swam over to Davis and asked, "You okay?"  
  
"No," replied Davis bitterly. "Someone just stole Shaun's D-3! We have to find the thief and get it back for Shaun!"

Ken's concerned countenance remained...then he finally said, "Davis...I'm afraid you're too parochial when it comes to Shaun."

"Paro-key-what?" 

"What I mean is...you're limited in vision. You have to be willing to accept that Shaun is dead...and let's face it Davis; if Shaun were still alive, he would've contacted us via his D-Terminal by now." Ken's eyes told Davis that – even though he didn't want to accept it – he had to acknowledge that Shaun was dead.

Davis' gut instinct battled cold, hard logic over the situation. Logically, Shaun was dead...but his instinct told him not to believe it.

His gut instinct won out. "No way Ken...I won't believe it!"

Ken frowned at Davis' decision. "Fine then...just don't yourself up over it."

Suddenly, Submarimon emerged from near their position. "You guys alright?"

As Paildramon arose from the water behind Davis and Ken, the Child of Kindness answered, "Yes; we're fine."  
  
"All right. Cody and I are going to go ahead and move on to File Island. See you there!" With that, Submarimon went back underwater and burst off for File Island.

* * *

In the sky above the Digidestined's location, Shaun was looking down at his own D-3. "Yes!"

He had what he had come for.

With his objective accomplished, he immediately set a course eastward for the SIGMA sectors. Once he arrived, he would immediately open a digiport and head to the Real World.

* * *

/File Island, Near the Ruins of Infinity Mountain, 12:01 PM/

Grandkuwagamon grimaced at the sight of his abdomen; it was barely recognizable.

Most of the nigh-impenetrable armor around his stomach had been obliterated by the previous round of attacks Wargreymon, Blackwargreymon, and Metalgarurumon had launched at him. One more strike there...and he would be done for.

No. He would not die today!

Grandkuwagamon quickly righted himself and roared, "CATASTROPHE!!!"

He launched a dark red orb of energy at Blackwargreymon. The dark Mega dodged the attack as it sailed away into the blue sky above.

Nevertheless, Grandkuwagamon kept firing. Volley after volley. The three Megas opposing the Control Spire beetle were forced to keep dodging as the Catastrophes continued coming. Some struck the island, damaging the once beautiful landscape even more.

Metalgarurumon frowned; at this rate, all of File Island would be obliterated!

Pain arched through his body as one of the Catastrophe orbs detonated on him, sending his smoking cyborg body down towards the island's surface. A cloud of dust and dirt was kicked up by the impact.

"METALGARURUMON!!!" exclaimed Wargreymon as concern overran his instincts to keep dodging Grandkuwagamon's attacks.

It cost him dearly.

One of the Catastrophe orbs crashed into his back, igniting upon his back shield. The resulting energy explosion flung him into the ground, joining Metalgarurumon where he now lay.

Blackwargreymon scowled at the sight. _Never let useless emotions cloud your judgment!_ His thoughts were put to rest as he continued dodging an ever-heavier volley of Catastrophes.

"WARGREYMON!" shouted Tai out of concern. Things weren't going to well...at this rate, Piedmon and Grandkuwagamon were going to emerge victorious! "We've got to do something!"

"We've got bigger problems," muttered Joe as he pointed to the only three Digimon facing Piedmon: Leomon, MegaKabuterimon, and Zudomon.

"Horn Buster!!!"

Piedmon quickly used the Shadow Mallet to knock the surge of electric energy back at MegaKabuterimon; sparks danced and crackled across the Ultimate Digimon's chest as his own attack clashed into him. MegaKabuterimon moaned as he was sent sprawling.  
  
Piedmon wasted no time. "Cloth of Disappearance!"  
  
A few seconds later, MegaKabuterimon joined Garudamon and Lilymon in their fate. Piedmon hurryingly picked up both his cloth and the MegaKabuterimon key chain before turning to face Zudomon.

Not even caring about the state of his hammer, Zudomon roared loudly as he swung it downward, hoping to crush Piedmon.

The Dark Master smirked as he completely shattered the Vulcan's Hammer, courtesy of an upward swing with the Shadow Mallet. Zudomon was sent off-balance as his weapon broke into a thousand pieces, and this gave Piedmon the opening he needed. "Cloth of Disappearance!"

Zudomon's struggling didn't help matters at all. In moments, he too was turned into a key chain. Piedmon giggled as he retrieved his newest prize. "Nothing like a good catch to satisfy the sadistic villain!"

He immediately whirled around and slammed his foot into Leomon's face, who had been trying to run Piedmon through with both of his swords. Despite pain that rushed across his face, Leomon got to his feet.

Unfortunately, he did so just in time for Grandkuwagamon to knock Blackwargreymon's body into him. Both Digimon collapsed to the ground as Grandkuwagamon slowly approached Piedmon.

Piedmon smirked as he looked at the key chains around his belt; soon, they would ALL be his little toy soldiers, fighting for him.  
  
His eye caught a Black Gear hovering in the sky above, transmitting all of the carnage to UmbraDevimon's mind. Piedmon defiantly held his last Trump Sword at the Black Gear before boldly boasting, "Look hard UmbraDevimon! This is what will await you when I come!!!"

* * *

Blackwargreymon frowned; he was completely and utterly spent. He had nothing left to continue on. All he could was sit up and let his body sit there...waiting for the inevitable.

Leomon groaned as he got to his feet; he was slightly better off, considering how he was the freshest one of them all. Nevertheless – being a mere Champion Digimon and whatnot – he too was reaching the end of his endurance. "Do you have any energy left?"

Blackwargreymon bitterly replied, "No..." It hurt to say it...it hurt to admit his weakness. His pride as a fighter roared at him to continue on...but his body refused to move. He would utterly fall apart if he continued on. "If you have any energy left...fight if you will."  
  
Leomon nodded. "If nothing else, I will protect the Digidestined with my life!" With that, the mighty warrior raced over to protectively stand in front of the Digidestined.

For the umpteenth time that day, Blackwargreymon found himself wondering why such powerful warriors spent so much strength protecting such weaklings.

* * *

Joe started trembling and moaning as he slumped to the ground onto his knees. "That's it...we're toast..."

"Nonsense! I'm sure we have some last-ditch idea...right?" asked Izzy, who was clearly fishing for nothing. He too doubted their chances.

Suddenly...Tai chuckled. "Well...we've got nothing else to lose. Let's beat up on them with our bare fists!"

"Tai...you're the only one crazy enough to think of something that stupid." Despite those words, Matt smiled. "Why not?"

With that, the Children of Courage and Friendship walked past Leomon and towards Piedmon and Grandkuwagamon.

Sora immediately yelled out of protest. "Stop! Come back!"

Leomon shouted, "Please! Don't throw your lives away!"

Tai and Matt did not listen.

* * *

Piedmon did not share their opinions; he rather enjoyed the last show of bravado they were putting on. As he pulled out his Cloth of Disappearance, Piedmon humorously said, "Well now, looks like the first two volunteers have stepped up! Tell me, do you want to be tortured, or do you want to skip straight to my little cloth?"

Matt sneered at Piedmon as a smirk crossed his face. "Go ahead and do your worst. We'll take you on!"

Piedmon laughed at the Child of Friendship's audacity. "Such foolishness! How I love it...look around you!" exclaimed Piedmon as he pointed at the ubiquitous destruction around them. "Look around you! This island has been devastated by destruction and a conflagration of power! Despite everything you threw at us, you have failed!" Finally, with a mocking tone, he added, "Why continue to struggle when it's pointless to resist?"

Tai chuckled as he and Matt continued their rebellious strides toward the Dark Master and his crony. "Even if it's hopeless, we've pulled miracles out of our sleeves before..."  
  
At that moment, Tai and Matt simultaneously roared one phrase.

"...**_AND WE'LL DO IT AGAIN!!!_**"  
  
Their digivices suddenly glowed a blaring white, as if synchronizing with Tai and Matt's resolve. Piedmon frowned at the light show. "What is this?"

Like Piedmon – and Tai and Matt – the other Digidestined were clueless. Mimi nervously muttered, "Izzy..."  
  
"Before you ask, I have no idea what's going on," interjected the Child of Knowledge.

Suddenly, over thirty yards away, the idle bodies of Wargreymon and Metalgarurumon started glowing.

Wargreymon mumbled, "What's...going...on...?"

"Don't...know..." replied Metalgarurumon; his voice was hoarse; both Megas were without strength.

That was about to change.

_**BIG TIME.**_

* * *

/Eastern Ocean, En route to File Island, 12:11 PM/

Even though they were still wet (and Davis still bitter about the theft of Shaun's D-3), the New Digidestined had continued their flight to File Island.

Suddenly, one phrase ran through Davis' mind like an errant locomotive.

_Power of union._

Davis suddenly blinked; where had that come from?  
  
Either way, he suddenly felt a strange aura permeate the air...something big was happening.

* * *

/File Island, Near the Ruins of Infinity Mountain, 12:12 PM/

Suddenly, the bodies of Wargreymon and Metalgarurumon started floating.

White light completely overtook them; they were like blinding beacons to the eyes of those witnessing them. Piedmon scowled at the sight. "What trickery is this?"

Without warning, Wargreymon's limbs flexed outward as he roared.

"**_Wargreymon!_**"

As he shouted his name, Wargreymon's body morphed into an arm-like form, with his head turning into the hand; the rest of his body morphed into a whitish energy.

"**_Metalgarurumon!_**"

The same thing happened to Metalgarurumon; his body morphed into what looked like an arm as well. Slowly, the two arms drifted closer to each other...and then the bright energy that was leaking from them merged.

"**_DNA Digivolve to..._**"

The combined energy morphed into a taller, more humanoid shape. Wargreymon's arm was the left one, with Metalgarurumon's being the right. The arms crossed over each other in an X-pattern...and then the light faded.

The newly formed being was twice as tall as Wargreymon...and he was more imposing in a way that could never be described with mere words. White, shimmering armor covered his long, elongated legs, his large feet, and his powerful chest; underneath the armor was the actual body, and it was covered by a black bodysuit. The claws on his feet were made of gold, and his chest plate – which had striped blue markings running horizontally from the sides to the sternum – had a glistening ruby embedded in it. The left arm – Wargreymon's arm – was a larger version of Wargreymon's helmet, colored orange instead of silver. Also, a yellow shield adorned his left shoulder, with the Crest of Courage embroidered on it in blazing orange. As for the right arm – Metalgarurumon's arm – the head was larger as well, with the tremendous maw of Metalgarurumon snapped shut; apparently, the new change had rendered all of Metalgarurumon's head into cybernetic parts. The spiked shoulder pad that adorned his right shoulder had the Crest of Friendship emblazoned on with calm blue. The new being's helmet could be seen despite the fact his arms were crossed, and three spikes jutted out from it: one white one extending upward as part of the helmet itself, with two yellow spikes protruding out like horns.

And then...he uncrossed his arms, letting his glaring green eyes stare out at Piedmon and Grandkuwagamon. Finally, a deafening roar escaped his mouth as the transformation ended.

"**_OMNIMON!!!_**"  
  
Suddenly, Piedmon felt very afraid.

* * *

/01-000-ALPHA, UmbraDevimon's Lair, 12:15 PM/

As the Black Gear over File Island transmitted these new happenings to him, UmbraDevimon couldn't help but laugh.

_Well well...it looks like Piedmon will have to learn his lesson the hard way..._

* * *

To be continued...

Next time...

Episode 36: Omnimon

* * *

Author's Notes: You thought I wouldn't introduce Omnimon? Well here he is!  
  
And by the way; by the time the next episode comes out, I'll have taken my PSAT test (which determine whether or not I get a scholarship or not). Wish me luck!  
  
Please review, and see you next time! 


	36. Omnimon

Standard Disclaimer: Behold...I don't own Digimon.

Author's Notes: Well...looks like Omnimon's caused quite a stir...but there are some misconceptions I have to clear up!

TO THE REVIEWS!

Fallen Angel of Oblivion: You will NEVER see Dragomon carry out his plan within the bounds of Z2: A Revision. His plan will be carried out in a separate story, called (title subject to change) 'Shadows of the Light'.

And no, I haven't forgotten that bit about the burning building, red demon, and crying children part...that'll come into play VERY soon.

Snodin: ...(walks up to her...and squirts some liquid onto her face with a water pistol) CALM DOWN. This is the INTERNET; the only things I can rightfully lay claim to are Shaun, Sonocomon, and UmbraDevimon. Otherwise, trying to apologize to me about a similar or identical idea is useless. Sorry if I sound harsh, but I don't want to continually apologize about this sort of thing.

SR71Will: A butt kicking...is DEFINITELY in the future.

Silver Warrior: Two things I need to correct.

First off: 2,000,000 years...not going to happen. Disregard ANYTHING regarding time calculations made in the first season, because I'm NOT going to write a story that spans 2,000,000 years...over 5,000 will be tough enough as it is. Here are MY calculations: one Earth minute equals one Digiworld day. One Earth day equals 1440 Digiworld days. One Earth year equals 525960 Digiworld days. Multiply by four (the number of years) to get 2,103,940 Digiworld days. Finally, divide by 365.25 to get 5760 years. And that's all I'm saying on the subject. Although I try my hardest to make sure my 02 revision fits with Season 01, I have no choice but to alter some things.

Next is the impending fight between Omnimon and UmbraDevimon. Although Omnimon is as strong as he was in the movie, you are VASTLY underestimating UmbraDevimon's strength. To see why, read the episode.

Oh...almost forgot. (boots Silver Warrior off a cliff) :P

Anthony1: (UNABLE TO REPLY)

M-i-r-a-c-l-e-s: Well...then don't type. O.o

Dot Cubed: Is it just me, or do people like Omnimon a lot?

AnT: Welcome to Zero 2 AnT!

Speaking of story length...I will NEVER have enough patience to write chapters of such length where a chapter is equal to 18,720 words on average (which is the average number of words for each of your story's chapters). Even if I wanted to, the need to update and to appease the readers won't let me. Still, welcome!

Digi fan: (rings a bell) Let's get ready to RUMBLLLLLLLLLLLLLE!!!

reviewer: Hey! A generic name! :D Welcome to Zero 2!

Ooh...first reviewer to regard Episode 18 in a COMPLETELY positive light! :D

Nephest: Welcome! As for the beginning – where Shaun seemed to be more significant than the canon characters – it was due to the fact he was an OC; since this is based off a TV cartoon, I didn't concentrate on the canon characters as much because a lot of people knew what they were already like (with a few tweaks here and there). But don't worry; the canon characters will be fleshed out even more as the story goes on!

gomababe: Beginning the update!

Begin!

* * *

_The power of union: DNA Digivolution._

_Omnimon is the union of Wargreymon and Metalgarurumon._

_Now, they face Piedmon and his Shadow Mallet._

_But will he be enough to conquer the weapon that felled the Guardian Beasts?_

* * *

"Hey, this is Tai speaking! We just keep going through battle after battle here at File Island! Right after the whole 'Duel of the Wargreymon' bit, Piedmon and Grandkuwagamon show up to wreak havoc! Unfortunately, we got into a bit of a fix...but then, when things were getting hopeless, my digivice glowed at the same time as Matt's! Wargreymon and Metalgarurumon were suddenly illuminated in a bright light...and they fused together into Omnimon...and he looks AWESOME!!!"

* * *

Episode 36: Omnimon

* * *

/Warehouse #7, Tokyo Bay, Odaiba, 12:16 PM/ _Things have gotten way out of hand..._

Thoughts similar to that one were buzzing through Gennai's head at the moment, agonizing him like buzzing gnats.

It was a good question as well; in a matter of only two days, things had completely unraveled. The Great Seal – a barrier so powerful that only a Guardian Beast would've been able to break through it – had been broken...but by what?

That's why he had e-mailed Shaun...and it was taking too long for him to reply. _What's taking him so long?_

_BEEP-BEEP._

Gennai quickly pulled out his D-Terminal and read the message within.

* * *

_Dear Gennai,_

_The only way I can accurately tell you everything that has occurred these past two days will have to be told in person. I'm at the digiport in 00-111-SIGMA. Reply when you've configured a nearby computer to connect to this sector's digiport._

_Shaun_

* * *

"What could be so important that he has to show me?" wondered Gennai aloud as he walked over to a corner of the old warehouse. Nestled in the corner was an old computer terminal; it had once been used for relaying information to other warehouses and suppliers concerning schedules, incoming shipments, and outgoing cargo. Since it was connected to a computer network, it could be used. 

Gennai held his right hand out, and black wires pulsating with blue light emerged from small slits under his fingernails. Long ago, back when Gennai and a number of other humans had been chosen by the Guardian Beasts to become the Order, he had had the wires become one with him. These wires allowed him to connect with any computer and alter digital code, programming, and network paths. As he aged, it became harder and more painful to use these wires...but he didn't have his computer with him. He would have to alter the network path manually.

With a thought, Gennai connected the computer terminal's network to sector 00-111-SIGMA.

He quietly let the wires recede before replying to Shaun.

* * *

_Dear Shaun,_

_Use the digiport._

_Gennai_

* * *

Moments later, the computer terminal's screen flashed brightly. A figure was spat out from within before the light faded...and when Gennai saw who it was, he nearly soiled himself. "AAAH!!! What happened to you?!" 

Shaun – still decked out in the Armor of Wisdom – replied, "Well...I was kind of hoping you could tell me."

* * *

/File Island, Near the Ruins of Infinity Mountain, 12:19 PM/ 

Piedmon looked quietly upon Omnimon with a wary eye. _Where did he come from?_

More importantly, there was the fact that 'Omnimon' was a DNA Digivolved version of Wargreymon and Metalgarurumon. Since when did DNA Digivolution exist? He had never heard of it.

And why did he suddenly feel so...scared? _Me? Scared? Nonsense!_

Omnimon quietly stared at them...was he taking their measure? Grandkuwagamon grunted – a modicum of pain lanced through him with each step – as he stepped forward. He loudly asked, "Who are you?!"

Omnimon finally spoke. "My name is Omnimon, the DNA Digivolved form of Wargreymon and Metalgarurumon! My Transcendent Sword will slice through anything, and my Supreme Cannon will destroy everything it fires at!"

Grandkuwagamon scoffed; apparently, he was not impressed. "Master Piedmon, he is bluffing. He is not strong enough...allow me to destroy him for you."

Piedmon knew Grandkuwagamon was mistaken; Omnimon was stronger...but Piedmon wasn't quite sure HOW strong he was. Grandkuwagamon would be his guinea pig. "Go ahead."

Grandkuwagamon smiled as he charged a large orb of dark-red energy in his maw, roaring, "CATAS-"

"Wait!" yelled Omnimon.

Piedmon sweatdropped as Grandkuwagamon facefaulted. The Control Spire Mega quickly got back up and roared, "WHAT NOW?! Are you admitting defeat?!"

"No." Omnimon casually opened his left hand – the Wargreymon head – and pulled out a long, flowing cape. It was pearly white on the outside, but on the inside it was blood red. He quickly clasped it onto his shoulders and looked back at Grandkuwagamon with a smirk. "A superhero just isn't super without the cape."

Grandkuwagamon ground his teeth together as he seethed; this fool was mocking him! "I'll...I'll show you! CATASTROPHE!!!" The dark-red orb of energy rocketed away from Grandkuwagamon and towards Omnimon, as if hungry to devour him.

Omnimon opened his left hand once more, letting a ten-foot long sword extend from within. It was a double-edged blade made of shimmering silver; on the flat of the sword – both sides, mind you – was a large line of thick ChromeDigizoid to reinforce the blade. On the ChromeDigizoid were orange lines of Digital code, incomprehensible to human eyes.

Omnimon reared his left arm as the Catastrophe loomed ever closer.

When Grandkuwagamon's energy orb was only fifty yards away, Omnimon roared, "Transcendent Sword!!!"

He swung.

An earth-shaking clash sounded as the metal of Omnimon's blade clashed with the energy of Grandkuwagamon's attack.

That was all it took.

The Catastrophe was refracted back by the Transcendent Sword, as if it were a baseball being hit by a baseball bat. Omnimon was the batter...and Grandkuwagamon, unfortunately for him, was the pitcher.

Grandkuwagamon didn't have any time to scream; his own attack crashed into him, annihilating his front pincers on the spot. More of his exoskeleton was burned away.

Omnimon wasted no time; he zoomed into the air and aimed his right hand – the Metalgarurumon cannon – at Grandkuwagamon. His right hand opened up, revealing a large cannon made of gold that extended out for five feet.

Omnimon unleashed his second attack.

"Supreme Cannon!!!"

A white-hot orb of holy energy – no more than three feet in diameter – rocketed from the cannon with a tremendous _boom!_ A sonic boom sounded as it neared Omnimon's target: Grandkuwagamon.

Before he could even contemplate what the orb of light was, Grandkuwagamon was hit.

The sphere exploded in a flash of white light, creating a plume of gray smoke that zoomed over a hundred feet into the air. The shockwave knocked Piedmon backwards, and even the Digidestined were brought to their feet.

Omnimon remained silent as the shockwave passed him, not affecting him in the least. His cape billowed behind him as the wind rushed away from the spot where Grandkuwagamon had been.

When the smoke cleared, nothing remained of Grandkuwagamon. Only a deep crater – which still steamed from red-hot rock – remained.

* * *

Tai's mouth practically dropped to the ground at the sight. "...did Omnimon just destroy Grandkuwagamon?!" 

"I believe your assumption would be correct," muttered Izzy, equally as surprised as Tai...and the others.

Matt couldn't but smile with pride; that was HIS partner up there! Well, half his partner anyway. _Man...he's so freaking awesome!_

Leomon's eyes narrowed as he took in what he was witnessing; such a ferocious and adept fighter...never had he seen the practical personification of a just warrior before. _Maybe he will be what we need to turn this war in our favor._

Meanwhile, Blackwargreymon was fighting the urge to feel jealous. Such a mighty warrior...the epitome of a fighter...and he couldn't test himself against Omnimon! Why did he have to be cheated?!

Piedmon, meanwhile, was scowling. Omnimon was indeed powerful...perhaps as powerful as a Guardian Beast. _No matter...I hold the Shadow Mallet! I sealed the Guardian Beasts away with this very weapon! This battle is already won!_ "You're very impressive Omnimon..."

"Thanks for the compliment."

"But unfortunately for you, this battle can only have one winner!" Piedmon's Shadow Mallet crackled with power as he roared, "Oblivion Crush!"

* * *

/Throne Room, Keep, Archfiend Castle, Dark World, 12:25 PM/ 

DemiDevimon panted as he entered a large, shadowy room. "Finally...the Throne Room!"

The dark, gloomy Throne Room's only source of light was the six torches that were affixed to the wall, casting flickering shadows across the stony floor. An unsettling sight, however, was that the flames were colored a ghostly blue. Six, ridged columns – with a winged, horned demon depicted on them – stretched upward toward the ceiling in two rows of three; there was one row on each side of the room. A long, thick purple carpet rolled from the entrance toward the end of the room...and it came to a stop at the foot of a stone throne, which was ornate and carved into the appearance of what appeared to be the mouth of a demon...which was sort of ironic, especially considering the one sitting in it.

DemiDevimon hurryingly walked over to the foot of the throne and bowed. "Your humble servant has arrived with the information you have requested, my liege!"

The figure in the throne stood...and the pale blue light of the torches finally illuminated him.

He was eight-feet tall...but that wasn't why he looked so fearsome. His entire body was covered in a red robe-like uniform – with a large, cone-shaped hood that covered the head – save for the hands and wings. His hardy, leathery wings were covered purple on the inside, with black fur covering the outside; also, sharp red spikes protruded from the highest tip of his wings. He wore tough purple shoes with a curled tip around the toes, and his pale blue-white hands stuck out from his long sleeves; like the spikes on his wings, his claws were colored red. The sharp protrusions around the shoulders indicated shoulder guards of some kind under the robes...but aside from that, there were no other features jutting from under the uniform. The bottom of the uniform, as well as the rim of the sleeves, was lined with gray thread; also, yellow markings that looked like interconnected eyes lined the cuffs of his sleeves and the bottom rim of his robes. A long, elliptical triangle was woven onto the front of the uniform; it was colored gray with a yellow trimming. Also – in turquoise thread – were three eye-shaped designs stuck together in a single column; an angular line stretched downward before merging with a sign universally known as a symbol of evil: an upside-down star, also called a pentagram. That same mark of evil could be seen on the forehead section of the hood, except this time it was threaded on with yellow fabric. Also, a silver pendant – with two markings that looked like sharp horns – hung over his chest, supported by a necklace of purple beads. Finally, two pale white horns extended from his temples and curved upward...and pale, piercing blue eyes gazed out from within the darkness under the hood.

He was Demon: Lord of Archfiend Castle...and, aside from Dragomon, the most powerful Digimon in the Dark World.

Demon looked down at DemiDevimon and – in a deep, hoarse voice – said, "Rise and report."

DemiDevimon rose and began his report. "Well boss sir, the Bakemon Army is in tip-top shape! They're training according to schedule, and Colonel Soulmon is making sure they stay on schedule! As for the four Black Generals, they are guiding and tutoring the Bakemon as you requested."

"Excellent. If I am to invade the Real World, I will require a competent fighting force. I will not stand for incompetence," replied Demon, his voice inspiring terror and fear with every word.

DemiDevimon nodded as he began his suck-up routine. "Exactly! I mean, my previous boss Myotismon used Bakemon too, but they were a bunch of slackers and fools! Not like this bunch, no sir!"

Demon's piercing glare quickly silenced DemiDevimon. "I despise suck-ups. Keep that in mind, lest your life be forfeit."

"Yes boss!" hurriedly answered DemiDevimon, who suddenly went into a defensive position on impulse.

Content that DemiDevimon got the point, Demon sat back down in his throne. "Now all I need is Ken Ichijouji...and if Oikawa keeps up his end of the deal, we'll have him soon. After that, I can finally invade the Real World."

"Boss...not to sound ignorant and whatnot, but why do we need that kid anyway?" asked DemiDevimon.

Demon's glare sent DemiDevimon into a spastic fit. "Uh, well, what I mean is, uh, but I, erm, please don't kill me!"

"Ken is necessary for my plan...a plan over four years in the making." Demon chuckled as he clutched his hand; soon, his dark power would more than quadruple, and his former strength would return...and then some. "Without the Dark Spore I planted in him, all of my planning will be for nothing."

* * *

/Eastern Ocean, One Mile East of File Island, 12:30 PM/ 

Submarimon quietly zoomed through the water; File Island loomed ever larger above the surface, which was a scant few feet above them. Cody was inside, letting Submarimon do the swimming.

Cody was contemplating the current chain of events...and he was pondering the fate of the other Digidestined. Aside from (Wargreymon's) fury over Shaun's apparent death, Cody had a feeling that something big was happening on File Island...but what?

"Cody, we're about to surface!"

Cody was taken out of his mind set by Submarimon's voice. He slowly replied, "Roger that." The Armored Digimon cautiously breached the surface of the ocean, letting Cody get a glimpse of File Island.

Cody gasped out of shock; the entire island looked like a war zone.

And right now, he could see one figure heavily attacking another figure, who was dodging the attacks with an almost casual ease.

Cody numbly thought, _What's going on over there?_

He quickly sent a message to the other Digidestined; long story short, it told them to get to File Island ASAP.

However, during his sudden fit of dread, Cody had inadvertently sent the message to 'All Digidestined'; he had no time to type every single D-Terminal address.

As a result, his message went to Shaun's D-Terminal as well.

* * *

/Warehouse #7, Tokyo Bay, Odaiba, 12:32 PM/ 

"And that's the gist of it all so far," finished Shaun, who was leaning against the dirty wall of the warehouse.

Gennai nodded as his mind proceeded through the events that had occurred in the past two days; the immediate aftermath of the Great Seal's activation, the return of Piedmon and Puppetmon, the abandonment of his house, the finding of the Crest of Kindness at Primary Village, the finding of the Crest of Caring within Azulmon's brain, the finding of the Crest of Humility in sector 00-010-PSI, Arukenimon's trap at the End of the World, the finding of the Crest of Miracles, Shaun's last moments before blacking out...and finally, when he had awoken in Sonocomon's armor.

Gennai sighed as he muttered, "I should've known...I had hoped they would not have been necessary..."

Shaun raised an eyebrow at this; did Gennai know something he didn't? "What are you talking about Gennai?"

Gennai got more comfortable in the chair he was sitting in before answering. "Well...you know that your entry into the Digital World nine years ago caused quite a stir with the Guardian Beasts. As you know, they can predict the future quite accurately...but your coming into the Digital World messed up their prophecies. Do you really realize how much the Guardian Beasts had to do to prepare for the new future you've caused?"

Shaun remained silent as he contemplated the possibility. Then, he said, "So you're saying the Guardian Beasts created the Crests of Wisdom, Kindness, Caring, Humility, and Miracles because of me?"

Gennai nodded. "You see Shaun, while you were traveling the Digital World soon after you arrived, the Guardian Beasts called a secret meeting with the Order. The subject was you."

Shaun was stoic; the Guardian Beasts had called a meeting because of him? Well, in retrospect, they were right to call a meeting...especially considering how much things had changed.

"The Guardian Beasts were fearful for the future; dark forces were suddenly going to become much stronger, and to combat these stronger threats, new tools would be needed. Also, these tools had to be created quickly; Milleniummon, at that point in time, was going to arrive soon. If they waited too long, they would be unable to create those tools in time before the battle with Milleniummon. They also had something else to consider: Apocalymon was going to break free from the Great Wall of Fire much sooner than he should have. Instead of breaking out in a year after XeedMilleniummon's destruction, he ended up breaking out in a month."

Shaun grimaced. "Yes Gennai, but-"

"AND don't forget that the Dark Masters were created three months after Apocalymon escaped. It should have been 50 _years_ (Digital World time, mind you) until they were created!" Even though he had said what he had meant to say, Gennai continued on. Apparently, he had now gone on a rant. "Remember: EVERY action has a consequence. Your actions extenuated the time between XeedMilleniummon's defeat and the rise of the Dark Masters! Had things gone as they should've gone, the Guardian Beasts would've had more time to recuperate their power!"

Shaun frowned; his lips quivered with a hint of annoyance and irritation. "I know, but-"

"Had they been able to recover their power, the forces of darkness wouldn't have been able to grow as powerful as they have now! And even though the Dark Masters would've sealed the Guardian Beasts in Digital Limbo anyway, at least the New Digidestined wouldn't have to deal with what they are facing now...and what they will soon face! But because of you, the New Digidestined may very well face dark enemies many times stronger than what they should've faced!"

"**_I KNOW GENNAI!!!_**" roared Shaun, his patience finally reaching its limit. His jaw was locked into place as he shouted, "DON'T YOU THINK I KNOW THAT BY NOW?! I KNOW THAT MY ACTIONS HAVE CHANGED EVERYTHING!!!" Shaun walked over to Gennai and glared straight into his seemingly closed eyes. Shaun cut an imposing figure – props to the Armor of Wisdom for that – but Gennai didn't flinch.

Shaun quietly, yet venomously, said, "Let me tell you this again...because I've told it to you over and over again over the past five thousand years." He paused, and then he said once more in a solemn tone. "What would you have done?"

Gennai had no answers.

"They died," said Shaun as one lone tear fell from his right eye. "They ALL died...and it was because of _me_ that they died! Wouldn't you have done anything within your power to save those you love and care for?!"

Gennai sighed as he nodded. "I understand Shaun...forgive me for my rant, but I partly blame myself for everything you've been through. No one should be forced to suffer as you have."

Shaun's silence was good enough a reply for Gennai. The Child of Wisdom quietly stated, "Now...WHY am I wearing Sonocomon's armor?"

Even now, Shaun couldn't hear his D-Terminal beeping beneath his armor.

* * *

/File Island, Near the Ruins of Infinity Mountain, 12:40 PM/ 

Piedmon grimaced as he circled around Omnimon; no matter what he did, he had been unable to land a single hit on the fusion warrior! _Accursed whelp...I'll hit him eventually! _"Black Void!"

Omnimon remained silent as the crackling orb of dark matter rocketed toward him. Without any effort, he sliced through the energy sphere with his Transcendent Sword. The energy attack was negated, and it dissipated into harmless particles.

Piedmon seethed as he charged. "FINE! IF YOU'RE SO TOUGH, FIGHT ME HEAD ON!!!"

Omnimon grinned as Piedmon charged toward him. "If you insist on dying, then be my guest!"

What followed could be best be described as an old-fashion sword duel...except Piedmon used a mallet instead of a sword.

Piedmon swung upward with the Shadow Mallet, firing another Oblivion Crush at the omnipotent warrior as he did.

As the dark torrent of energy crashed into Omnimon's head, Piedmon cackled. "Ha! How does it feel? The power of the Shadow Mallet is quite impressive, is it not?"

When the attack ceased, Piedmon's eyes nearly bugged out of his head.

Omnimon still had his head attached to his shoulders. The only thing indicating any damage was burn marks on his armor. Piedmon stuttered, "W-what?!"

"You're going to pay for my armor's cleaning bill." After that, Omnimon stuck his right into Piedmon's abdomen, pushing against the Dark Master's vibrant clothing. "Supreme Cannon!"

Piedmon was sent flying.

The orb of holy energy burned at his clothing and skin, pushing him downward towards the jagged and crumbling pile of rock that had once been Infinity Mountain's base. A humongous explosion sounded as Piedmon crashed into the ground. Omnimon slowly floated down towards the site where Piedmon crashed, intending to finish the job.

"Woohoo!" cheered Mimi with enthusiasm...then she suddenly gasped. "Oh no! We can't let Omnimon destroy Piedmon!"

Everyone looked back at her incredulously. Joe finally yelled, "Mimi, have you lost your marbles?! Why not?!"

"Piedmon still has our partners!" screamed Mimi.

That knowledge suddenly hit them; Piedmon still had Garudamon, Lilymon, MegaKabuterimon, and Zudomon as his key chains. If Piedmon was destroyed now...

"I'm afraid your dear warrior has already moved in for the kill."

Everyone turned around to see Blackwargreymon slowly limp his way towards them; his right hand was clutching his left side, and his left arm was bleeding from a wound near the deltoid. A wry smirk crossed his face as he watched Omnimon descend into the smoke cloud. "For a warrior of his caliber, he does not need such arbitrary concerns..."

"Our partners aren't like that," growled Tai, whose eyes were glaring at their enemy/semi-ally. "They fight to protect us!"

Blackwargreymon scoffed as his eyes looked upward into the sky above, which suddenly started getting cloudy. Quietly, he whispered to himself, "I'll never understand these emotions..."

Meanwhile, over two miles eastward, the rest of the New Digidestined were en route to File Island.

* * *

Omnimon looked down at Piedmon quietly; the Dark Master's gut was a mess. Several lacerations made by the explosion were letting red blood ooze out...but fortunately for the Dark Master, the cuts weren't large enough to let his entrails spill out. 

Piedmon glared up at Omnimon with a bitter stare in his eyes; blood slowly leaked out of his mouth as he clutched the Shadow Mallet in his right hand. He hatefully growled, "Your eyes...you pity me, don't you?"

"Only the path you've chosen. I'll give one chance of salvation: hand me the key chains, and promise you'll live the rest of your life in the light of justice and virtue. If not, I'll impale you right here," stated Omnimon; to make his point clear, he held the sword a mere foot above Piedmon's chest.

Piedmon remained silent...and then he giggled. "Stupid fool...**_SEAL OF OBLIVION!!!_**"

Omnimon was suddenly caught off guard by the new attack; snake-like lines of pulsating 0s and 1s emerged from the Shadow Mallet. They quickly ensnared Omnimon in a sphere-like prison. The fusion warrior grimaced as he slowly looked around himself. "What kind of technique is this?"

Piedmon snickered as he slowly stood, left hand slowly hovering over his abdomen. "The Seal of Oblivion...in a matter of minutes, your soul will be locked away in Digital Limbo. Your body will be nothing more than a lifeless husk. True, the Guardian Beast's bodies were destroyed before I sealed their souls away...but I'm confident you'll suffer their fate. Say hi for me when you reach Digital Limbo."

Omnimon remained silent. Finally, he chuckled. "Poor poor Piedmon..."

"What's so humorous?" asked Piedmon, a self-assured smile on his face; he thought he had this battle in the bag.

"This." At that, Omnimon's Transcendent Sword suddenly pierced through the barrier around him.

A blank stare from Piedmon.

Omnimon smiled as the 0s and 1s disappeared. Piedmon still had the same blank stare on his face. Finally, Omnimon said, "See? Your Shadow Mallet isn't all it's cracked up to be."

Piedmon was in absolute awe. The Shadow Mallet – the very weapon that had been the end of the Guardian Beasts – had proven to be useless against this new warrior. _How...how can this be?!_

Omnimon's eyes suddenly looked beyond Piedmon; his eyes were focusing on several figures setting down behind Piedmon. The super-powerful warrior smiled as he pointed his sword beyond the Dark Master. "Look Piedmon...more guests."

Piedmon turned to see a chilling sight; the rest of the New Digidestined were standing behind him.

After nearing File Island, Paildramon had picked up Submarimon from the ocean, setting him down onto the island itself. He had dedigivolved, and then armor-digivolved once more...except this time around, he became Digmon.

Now, Paildramon, Digmon, Stingmon, Aquilamon, and Nefertimon were boring holes into him with their piercing eyes. Davis grinned as he yelled, "We've got him cornered!"

Piedmon paled; he was as good as beaten...but _HOW?!_ He had the Shadow Mallet! Everything had fallen into place perfectly! Yet, he had lost...

_This can't be...I can't lose!!! I'm Piedmon, the greatest Dark Master of all! I can't lose!!!_

Piedmon was in such a daze that he didn't even notice TK walk up and snatch the four key chains off of his belt. Tokomon – who was sitting on TK's head – looked at his old foe confusedly. "TK...can I just go ahead and put him out of his misery?"

TK nodded. He had no sympathy for Piedmon...or for anyone who dared to fight for the forces of darkness. "Go ahead Tokomon. Digivolve!" Tokomon hopped off of TK's head as he began glowing.

Tokomon digivolve to......Patamon!

Patamon digivolve to......Angemon!

Angemon digivolve to......MagnaAngemon!

Piedmon suddenly blinked; he came out of his semi-comatose state to come face-to-face with MagnaAngemon. The Ultimate extended his purple blade, saying, "This time, I'll make sure you perish. Farewell Piedmon."

Just as MagnaAngemon raised his arm to strike, a red portal opened beneath Piedmon. The stressed and defeated Dark Master yelped as a skeletal hand grabbed his legs and pulled him under. The red portal closed moments later.

Davis yelled out of frustration. "No fair! We were about to cream him!"

Omnimon shook his head; Piedmon had escaped only to prolong his life for a little while. _Oh well..._ "MagnaAngemon, can you cure the others?"

MagnaAngemon turned his attention to the four key chains in TK's hand. A rainbow-colored sheen came over his wings as he said, "Do not worry...they will be back to normal in no time."

* * *

/01-000-ALPHA, UmbraDevimon's Lair, 12:51 PM/ 

Piedmon winced as he was tossed onto the floor of the dark room. He muttered, "Agh..." When he finally opened his eyes again, they were staring up at the stoic face of UmbraDevimon. "...I see. You saved me to rub my failure in my face." An ironic smile came to the Dark Master's countenance as he said, "Well, you might as well write your will as well! That wretched Omnimon was too powerful for even the Shadow Mallet to defeat! If I couldn't defeat him, neither can you!"

Silence.

Then, chuckling.

Finally, all-out laughter, courtesy of UmbraDevimon. Piedmon snarled as he yelled, "What's so humorous?!"

"Poor fool...you really don't get it, do you?" replied UmbraDevimon as he spread his four arms out wide, showing his entire body off. "My body is an amalgamation of the data of the Digidestined's partners! Do you understand what that means?"

It took a few seconds for Piedmon to realize it...then he paled. "No...it can't be..."

"Yes," said UmbraDevimon as a smirk came to his face. "With the exception of Davis, Yolei, Cody, and Ken's partners, all of the Digidestined's Digimon are connected to me! When they digivolve, I get stronger!"

Piedmon stepped back, fear evident on his features. "No...it can't be!"

"But even if they were all to change into their Baby forms...I would still be as strong as the average Mega Digimon. That's the beauty of this body! And as they continually digivolve into higher and higher levels, my strength grows..." UmbraDevimon smirked as he flexed his arms; a dark purple aura flared around his body, giving him a more imposing appearance.

Piedmon couldn't believe it; how could UmbraDevimon be so powerful?! "No...I REFUSE TO BELIEVE IT!!!" He held his Shadow Mallet with both hands and roared, "OBLIVION CRUSH!!!"

The stream of dark energy was completely negated by an upward swipe by UmbraDevimon's skeletal right hand. At the same time, Piedmon was struck in the side by UmbraDevimon's lower left hand, causing a lance of pain to shoot up his side.

As Piedmon crashed into the wall, UmbraDevimon coldly said, "I thought you would be smarter than this Piedmon. This is something I thought Puppetmon would do...but certainly not you. Oh well...I guess your lust for power was too great. But you have rebelled against me...and for that, you must be punished." The red index finger on his right Devimon hand began glowing brightly. "Normally, a Black Gear would suffice...but I'm going to make this hurt."

Piedmon subconsciously began backing away...but there was only the wall behind him. He had nowhere to go. "Wait...stop...!"

"Now Piedmon, prepare yourself...FEEL THE **_TOUCH OF EVIL_**!!!" UmbraDevimon's lower right hand rocketed toward Piedmon's forehead...and his red index finger broke through the skin. It went a full centimeter into Piedmon's skin before stopping...but it would be enough.

"**AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!**" Piedmon's scream echoed throughout UmbraDevimon's Lair; the burning pain roared through his entire body, eating away at his conscious mind. After one whole minute of the intense pain, Piedmon's mind was completely erased.

UmbraDevimon removed his finger from Piedmon's forehead; in the very center was a centimeter-deep hole that exuded smoke and steam. Piedmon slumped to his knees, his weakened and broken body finally giving in to the stress it had undergone in the past battle.

The Dark Master, in a sense, had finally fallen.

UmbraDevimon smiled; that was one thorn out of his side. His eyes shifted toward a darkened corner of the room, where Mummymon had arrived to see the spectacle. "Mummymon...heal Piedmon with your Healing Tapestry. I have business to take care of." UmbraDevimon ripped a portal in the floor and jumped into it.

Mummymon sighed as he walked over towards Piedmon. "The poor soul...but that is what happens when he defies my master."

* * *

/Warehouse #7, Tokyo Bay, Odaiba, 12:59 PM/ 

"So...when the Guardian Beasts created the Digieggs, they made four of them different from the others?" asked Shaun.

Gennai nodded. "Exactly...the Digieggs of Wisdom, Light, Hope, and Miracles were given special abilities compared to the others. Unlike the others, these four – which were called the Holy Armors – have the power to be donned by the Digidestined who wield. That power just needed to be unlocked first."

"And the key to that lock was the Crest of Miracles," muttered Shaun, finally realizing why the Armor of Wisdom reacted to his moment of peril only AFTER the Crest of Miracles had been unlocked.

"Exactly. The Guardian Beasts also locked away other powers that could only be unlocked by the Crest of Miracles. DNA Digivolution was one...and the energies of the older kids' crests were restored as well."

Shaun quietly took this all in. "I see...but it doesn't explain why I can read minds with this armor on...and HOW THE HECK DO I GET IT OFF?!"

Gennai shrugged. "I don't know. Just try willing it away."

Shaun grumbled as he closed his eyes. "Fine then..." He quietly concentrated, trying to will away the armor with a thought.

To his surprise, it suddenly disappeared. "Hey...it worked! I was thinking it would be more complicated."

"The simplest solution is often the correct one," stated Gennai matter-of-factly. Suddenly, his ears perked up at the sound of beeping. "Hey...is that your D-Terminal?"

Shaun suddenly realized it; he quickly pulled out his D-Terminal and flipped open the protective lid. "I wonder how long it's been beeping...it sounds muffled under the Armor of Wisdom." He quickly read the message.

* * *

_Dear Digidestined,_

_Davis, Yolei, TK, Kari, and Ken, please hurry up to File Island. Something big is happening!_

_Cody_

* * *

"Hmm...something big at File Island..." 

"What's going on?" asked Gennai out of curiosity.

Shaun put his D-Terminal back in his pocket and said, "Well, Davis, Ken, and the others are heading for File Island...for something big apparently..." What that big thing was, however, was the question.

But outside the warehouse...right by one of the windows...

Oikawa couldn't believe his good fortune; they had practically _handed_ the location of the Ichijouji child to him! Yes! This is perfect!

He quickly scampered away from the window and took out his D-Terminal. He opened it up and selected the only option on the screen; it was an icon of a demon, with the words 'Demon-Com' under it. It was how he communicated with Demon.

He clicked on it. Without hesitation, he eagerly spoke into it. "Lord Demon!"

* * *

/Throne Room, Keep, Archfiend Castle, Dark World, 1:04 PM/ 

Demon remained silent as a rectangular object descended from a small slot in the ceiling. It was a small computer monitor: the only object of any technological merit in the entire castle. DemiDevimon yelped out of surprise as the monitor lowered. When it finished descending, Oikawa's face appeared on it. **"Lord Demon!"**

Demon's eyes narrowed; if Oikawa wasn't calling with news about Ken... "Speak."

"**I have good news! I know where Ken Ichijouji is!"**

Demon's mood lightened considerably. Finally, his target for so long was within his grasp. "Excellent. Where in the Digital World is he?"

"**According to what I've heard, Ken Ichijouji is at File Island...and if he's not there, he WILL be there soon!"**

"I see..." File Island. It was wonderful spot...surrounded by ocean on all sides...it was the perfect place to capture his prize. Ken would not be able to run. "Well done Oikawa. Head for the Highton View Terrace. I will arrive there with my army soon...and you will soon have your reward."

A smile came to Oikawa's face; he said, **"Thank you."** Then, he cut the connection.

Demon smiled; the time had finally come.

Now he just needed his retriever. His eyes squinted as he exhibited one of his unique powers: telepathy._ SkullSatamon_.

A voice replied moments later. _'Yes my lord?'_

_Come to the throne room. The time has come._

'_Yes sir. I will be there as quickly as possible.'_

* * *

/File Island, Outside of Primary Village, 1:09 PM/ 

"...I wish I could DNA Digivolve," muttered Paildramon as he stared at Omnimon. Right now, all of the Digidestined and Leomon had gathered around in a loose circle. Blackwargreymon was more aloof: he was over twenty yards away, staring at the battle-scarred fields. Also, Garudamon, MegaKabuterimon, Zudomon, and Lilymon were back to normal, courtesy of MagnaAngemon's Magna Antidote.

Davis chuckled as he said, "Ah don't be down! You're still the best Digimon around!"

"I think this a 'difference of opinion' situation," cracked Yolei. As expected, Davis seethed and roared, "WHY YOU LITTLE-!!!"

Sora, Mimi, and Kari sweatdropped in response; Sora turned to Cody and asked, "Do they argue like this all the time?"

"You don't know the half of it," replied Cody, a half-amused smile on his face.

Meanwhile, Izzy and Ken were busy pondering over the ramifications of the whole 'DNA Digivolution' thing. Izzy mumbled, "Hmm...I wonder what it was that triggered it..."

"More to the point, why Tai and it have been anyone else just as easily...?" muttered Ken, his mind lost in thought.

Their partners sweatdropped. Stingmon asked, "How long do you think they'll go at it?" MegaKabuterimon shrugged in response.

Joe looked up at Zudomon and asked, "Shouldn't you have dedigivolved by now Zudomon? The fight's over."

"Well...for one, that guy's still over there," said Zudomon as he pointed at Blackwargreymon. "Plus, we've been through battle after battle already...who knows? We might go through another one any minute from now."

* * *

Blackwargreymon sat by himself...alone...separated from the rest of the victors. 

Truthfully, he wasn't the victor. Omnimon had been the victor of that battle...and not him.

It hurt in a way that he couldn't put in words...he possessed such great strength. THAT much was obvious...but it hurt to know there were others who were stronger than he.

But he would become stronger...that was all he had to live on now. His strength was his only reason for living. He would continue becoming stronger...

A flash of red.

His yellow eyes looked over at the ruins of Infinity Mountain, seeing the red portal that had opened up near the mountain's base...and to his surprise, a very familiar figure stepped through. _What is he doing here?_

* * *

Everyone suddenly turned around; Aquilamon calmly said, "We have company." 

TK's eyes narrowed as he stared at the very being he despised so much...out of all the villains they had faced four years ago, Devimon was the one the Child of Hope despised the most.

(Koromon) moaned out of exasperation. "Oh man...not another battle..."

"Don't worry!" said Tai reassuringly. "We have Omnimon; what could go wrong?"

Omnimon, as if to prove Tai's point, pointed his right hand at UmbraDevimon. "Let's finish this now. Supreme Cannon!"

A large boom sounded as the white-hot orb of energy erupted from Omnimon's cannon. Two seconds passed before it crashed into UmbraDevimon, exploding on contact.

Davis whooped with enthusiasm. "Yeah! That takes care of him!"

"Fools..."

Everyone blinked; the voice had been Blackwargreymon's. The Control Spire Mega chuckled as he said, "No battle is ever won that easily..."

"What are you talking about? Omnimon just toasted UmbraDevimon!" retorted Matt.

"Uh, guys...you might wanna reconsider," warned Digmon; nervousness laced his voice as he pointed at the cloud of smoke where UmbraDevimon had been.

Sure enough, a silhouette was visible in the smoke...and when it cleared, UmbraDevimon was standing there, smirking heartily. The only damage done was a burn mark on his chest...except it was only the size of a basketball.

Davis gasped out of astonishment and disbelief. "NO WAY!!!"

UmbraDevimon smiled as he slowly walked toward them. "Come now...it wouldn't be fun if I were THAT easy to destroy." He opened his maw, revealing a swirling mass of black and red fire. "DARK VIPER!!!"

* * *

/Keep Gateway, Archfiend Castle, Dark World, 1:14 PM/ 

The Ultimate Digimon known as SkullSatamon remained silent as the gateway to the Keep opened.

Although he looked lanky, he was one of Demon's four Black Generals. His body was nothing more than a tough, red skeleton with some other touches attached for reinforcement. His rib cage encircled a metallic orb of some kind, and his sternum was in the shape of a winged bat. Tattered leather armbands adorned his upper arm, and seemingly oversized metal gauntlets covered his hands. Black leather pants – reinforced by metal sheets – covered his lower body, and a long, brownish cloth was tucked into both of his gray belts. Iron-tipped boots covered his feet, and his right hand held a wooden scepter. Red bone was attached to both tips of the scepter, and the top tip encircled a yellow orb. The only evidence of skin, however, covered the upper half of his head and his lean, leathery wings. His forehead was covered by the symbol of a red winged bat, and his pale white eyes glowed dully inside his empty sockets.

SkullSatamon – in a hoarse voice – mumbled, "I hope Demon has finally found the boy...I'm getting tired of training those Bakemon."

The gate opened up, and SkullSatamon flew inside.

* * *

/File Island, Near the Ruins of Infinity Mountain, 1:16 PM/ 

In hindsight, Omnimon should've attacked in unison...for all the good it would've done.

Despite everything that the Digidestined had accomplished, UmbraDevimon STILL seemed invincible. Even though Angewomon had taken Nefertimon's place, her added assistance was proving useless.

Paildramon and MegaKabuterimon circled around the monstrosity and attacked.

"Miracle Blaster!"

"Horn Buster!"

UmbraDevimon used his upper left arm to block the attacks; they did next to nothing to him. All the while, he was keeping his Dark Viper trained on Omnimon, who was doing his best to ward it off with his Transcendent Sword.

Leomon leapt into the air and aimed his right fist at UmbraDevimon. "Fist of the Beast King!"

The flaming lion's head did nothing at all.

"Gold Rush!"

"Striking Spike!"

"Flower Cannon!"

"Wing Blade!"

"Feather Gale!"

The cavalcade of assaults were just as ineffective; no matter what they launched at him, their attacks just weren't affecting UmbraDevimon. And if they didn't stop him at this rate, Omnimon would be overwhelmed.

Angewomon and MagnaAngemon flew above the others. Angewomon yelled, "We need to focus our attacks!"

Paildramon suddenly had a flash of inspiration. "Say...are we going to go for the Energy Drill thing again? If so, we'll need Raidramon!"

MagnaAngemon smiled as he extended his blade. "Something to that affect. Just fire when we tell you to!" The two angelic Digimon retreated into the sky; Angewomon raised her arms above her head whilst MagnaAngemon rotated his arm in a circle.

"Heaven's Charm!" A pink halo emerged above Angewomon, glowing with a myriad of colors.

"Gate of Destiny!" The familiar golden-colored gate appeared once more in the sky, and when it opened, it began sucking everything in. Fortunately, it was high up enough that all it got was air.

Zudomon looked at everyone and yelled, "Everyone! If you have an attack, use it! Thor's Lightning!" His horn crackled with electricity, and it zoomed towards the Gate of Destiny. Then he fired another round at Angewomon's pink halo. Zudomon, however, rarely used his Thor's Lightning...because it was rather weak for an Ultimate attack, and his Vulcan's Hammer was far superior.

Everyone took this as their cue.

"Miracle Blaster!"

"Horn Buster!"

"Wing Blade!"

"Flower Cannon!"

"Striking Spike!"

"Horn Laser!"

"Gold Rush!"

"Fist of the Beast King!"

Blackwargreymon remained silent as he watched the Digimon pour their powerful attacks into the two angels.

..._shouldn't I contribute?_

Blackwargreymon didn't know WHERE that had come from...but after hearing everything recently about 'helping' those who were weaker, he decided to try it. Either that or face destruction for insubordination against UmbraDevimon.

He used the remainder of his fighting energy. "DOUBLE TERRA DESTROYER!!!"

One orb went into the Gate of Destiny. One went into the pink halo.

One second later, Blackwargreymon collapsed to the ground; he had nothing left. He couldn't even sit up now...but oddly enough, he felt a strange sense of satisfaction.

All of the energy had been gathered. White lightning crackled from the pink halo and onto Angewomon's left glove; the feathers on the glove extended upward, forming a crude bow. The energy formed into the bow's string, and the arrow itself. "Ready MagnaAngemon?"

MagnaAngemon redirected the gate at UmbraDevimon as he closed his palm. "Yes."

"Celestial Arrow!"

"Gate of Destiny...Reflect!"

The white arrow and the concentrated ray of rainbow-colored energy rocketed towards UmbraDevimon.

UmbraDevimon, to their slight surprise, ceased his attack on Omnimon. He whirled around and roared, "Umbra Scream!"

A powerful gust of wind – tinged with a dark aura – erupted from his maw. The blast of unholy wind completely refracted the concentrated duo of attacks, sending them into the upper atmosphere.

Fortunately, this had been part of the two angels' intention...to give Omnimon some breathing room.

Immediately, the DNA Digivolved warrior leapt for UmbraDevimon and aimed his Transcendent Sword at the base of UmbraDevimon's neck.

_SLAM!!!_

Omnimon's breath escaped his lungs as UmbraDevimon – with speed belying his large body – immediately made a 180 and smashed him into the ground with his lower right hand. UmbraDevimon chuckled as he said, "Fool. I'm not as weak as you perceive me to be."

Omnimon remained silent; he had no doubt UmbraDevimon was about to go for the kill.

* * *

/Throne Room, Keep, Archfiend Castle, Dark World, 1:22 PM/ 

SkullSatamon slowly approached Demon, bowing down at the demonic Mega's feet.

"Rise SkullSatamon."

SkullSatamon did so, and then asked, "So...the boy has truly been found?"

Demon smiled malevolently. "Indeed." His two hands sizzled with black electricity...and a white portal opened above them. "Come SkullSatamon...we head for the Digital World."

SkullSatamon obediently followed his lord and master through the portal.

* * *

/File Island, Near the Ruins of Infinity Mountain, 1:23 PM/ 

Tai was in absolute shock. After seeing how Omnimon had so handily defeated Piedmon and Grandkuwagamon, it was an utter astonishment that UmbraDevimon was trouncing ALL of their partners. "This can't be happening!"

"Unfortunately, it is," muttered Cody with a matter-of-factly tone.

Goosebumps suddenly rose on Kari's arms; she clutched them impulsively as she whispered, "Hey...did anyone just feel a chill?"

Davis' eyes suddenly narrowed; he was feeling it too...and something else... "Guys...I think something big's about to happen."

Suddenly, a black portal appeared in the middle of the sky. Yolei glared at Davis and roared, "YOU HAD TO OPEN YOUR MOUTH!!!"

* * *

UmbraDevimon paused. Someone familiar was coming...someone powerful. 

He turned his gaze upward and gasped; out of a dark portal came two figures...UmbraDevimon immediately recognized Demon. _What?!_

As a Dark Digimon, Devimon had been born in the Dark World...and as a result, he knew of the most powerful beings in that forsaken realm. Demon and Dragomon were the strongest of them all, hands-down...which is why UmbraDevimon was all the more frightened by the demon's sudden appearance. _What is Demon doing here?!_

In a sudden fit of panic, UmbraDevimon looked down at Omnimon and said, "We'll finish this later." With that, he tore open a red hole in the air with his lower right hand's index finger and jumped into it.

Omnimon blinked out of curiosity; UmbraDevimon has just retreated...and he acted as though he had been afraid. _But of what?_

Suddenly, he caught a glimpse of the black portal in the sky. "Huh?"

* * *

Everyone stared at the black portal above the sky out of confusion; no one knew who the two figures were. 

Suddenly, Mimi realized UmbraDevimon was gone. "Hey! UmbraDevimon's gone!"

"You're kidding!" yelled TK...partly out of disbelief, and partly out frustration (frustration that stemmed from the fact an old foe had gotten away).

Meanwhile, Ken found himself staring at to the horned figure in the red uniform quietly...and he couldn't remove his eyes from him...but why?

Suddenly, a very familiar voice broadcasted itself into his mind.

_'I see you...'_

Ken instantly recognized the voice...and it filled him with dread and terror.

Out of an impulsive desperation, Ken burst off running, screaming the whole way. "**_AAAHH!!!_** _STAY AWAY FROM ME!!!_"

Everyone looked back at Ken with sudden shock at his new behavior. Yolei frantically yelled, "Ken!"

In the sky above, Demon said, "The fleeing one. Get him...and be quick. I can't keep the portal open for long."

"Yes my lord." SkullSatamon burst off through the sky towards Ken; despite his gangly appearance, the demonic Ultimate was one of the fastest and most agile Digimon around...as he proved by catching Ken Ichijouji in four seconds. "Got you!"

Ken started writhing and screaming; a horrifying fear had enveloped him...a primal fear that overrode all logic and reason.

Stingmon shouted, "KEN!!!" He flew into the sky and aimed his spikes at SkullSatamon. "Striking Spike!!!"

SkullSatamon looked down at Stingmon and sneered. "Worthless bug! Bone Scepter!!!" He aimed the yellow orb on his scepter towards Stingmon, unleashing a yellow beam of energy that crashed into Stingmon and sent him crashing into the ground. He immediately reverted to Minomon.

Everyone couldn't believe what their eyes were witnessing; Ken was being kidnapped right in front of them!

As SkullSatamon disappeared into the portal, Demon looked down at them with a smile. _Soon...you will all perish._ With that, he disappeared into the portal behind him, which – in turn – vanished into nothingness.

It took a few seconds for it to set in. The silence was suddenly broken by Yolei, who screamed, "KEN!!!!!"

"Who...who were those two?" muttered Davis out of curiosity. And why did they grab Ken?

Meanwhile, (Koromon) was boring a hole into the sky where the portal had been moments ago. _Demon..._

* * *

/Dragomon's Palace, City of Cthulu, Dark World, 1:27 PM/ 

Dragomon sighed as he looked down at the three boards; on the bottom were Piedmon, Mummymon, Puppetmon, and UmbraDevimon. On the left board were the pieces of the Digidestined, Leomon, and Blackwargreymon...but on the right board, there were only two pieces: Demon and Ken Ichijouji.

Right now, Dragomon was upset.

Although he knew Demon had been up to something, he did not know what it was. That had always been one persistent quality of Demon...he had been the only Digimon to ever truly rival him.

"Demon..." muttered the titanic beast as he glared at the chess piece. "What are you up to...and why is the boy so important?"

* * *

To be continued... 

Next time...

Episode 37: Sins

* * *

Author's Notes: Well folks...Demon has made his appearance (pronounced like in the show, but spelled differently). 

Before some of you review as to why Demon now has telepathy...remember, my story. :P

And another thing; we are nearing the first anniversary of Zero 2! Come November 2nd, Zero 2 will be a year old!

Anyhow, please review!


	37. Sins

Standard Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon. But I do own a watch!  
  
Author's Notes: My major notes will come at the bottom of the episode.

To the reviews!

Malebolgia: Welcome to Zero 2 Malebolgia! But I'm afraid I'll have to quash your XeedMilleniummon theory; he's not coming back.

Fallen Angel of Oblivion: Answers to your questions!  
  
1 – After this story ends.

2 – Not even close!

Snodin: Good...I'd hate to squirt you again. Don't you know how expensive bottled water is nowadays? X.X

Silver Warrior: Trust me...you'll see the next Holy Armor a lot sooner than you might think. ;)

Anthony1: Demon's plan is revealed in this episode! And concerning the (UNABLE TO REPLY) thing...well, I had nothing to say to you. Seriously. :P

AnT: I'm afraid not. I didn't see all of Digimon Tamers, but I did see most of it. It's good as it is...besides, I've got a lot planned out as is. There's not going to be an 03 rewrite.

Dot Cubed: Well, all requests will have to be submitted in writing. :P

gomababe: Are you sure you know? You might be surprised...oh, and do you mind adding 'Zero 2: A Revision' to your C2 Community?

Digi fan: Indeed.

starauthor32: Let's just say these episodes combine quality AND quantity! :P

masamune: Yep; after all this is Zero 2, a place where Digimon are stronger than normal!

reviewer: ...talkative little guy, aren't you? O.o

HogwartsKnight: Welcome to Z2 HK! As for your request...just wait and see. ;)

Begin!

* * *

_Dragomon._

_UmbraDevimon._

_And now Demon._

_The Digidestined have three enemies; one is biding his time, one is active, and one is preparing to make his initial move against the Digidestined._

_But it begs two questions._

_One...can the Digidestined stand against them all?  
  
And two...what does Demon have in store for Ken Ichijouji?_

* * *

"This is Mimi talking! Even though I don't really know this, Shaun had a heated conversation with Gennai about a lot of stuff, and he learned a bit too! As for us, we watched as Omnimon totally destroyed Grandkuwagamon! And as for Piedmon, Omnimon acted like me at a fashion shop during a sale: unstoppable! But then UmbraDevimon showed up and started beating ALL of us, even with the New Digidestined! Just when I thought things couldn't get more hectic, two guys came out of a portal in the sky and kidnapped Ken! To add to the confusion, UmbraDevimon ran like a scaredy-cat! What's going on here?!"

* * *

Episode 37: Sins

* * *

/01-000-ALPHA, UmbraDevimon's Lair, 1:28 PM/

Why had he run like that? _I can't believe I made such a foolish mistake!_

UmbraDevimon was furious; in his sudden fit of panic at the sight of Demon, he had fled. As a result, the Digidestined now had time to recuperate themselves when they SHOULD'VE been destroyed!

But they weren't...and it would cost him dearly in the short run.

However, it wouldn't take much to get back on top of things. And really...what did he have to fear? With his new body, he could very well DESTROY Demon! Of course, it depended on the Digidestined...

That was his problem. His body's strength depended on the Digidestined...and if they were destroyed...

_No...how could I have overlooked such a flaw?!_

Aside from his own body, every facet of Chimeramon's body had been linked with the Digidestined's Digimon. Even if they were at the Baby level, he would still retain the strength of the average Mega...but if their partners were destroyed, his body would deteriorate into nothing...and he would be Devimon once more.

That would not do. He had to keep the Digidestined on the defensive, yet forcing them to continually digivolve...that way, his power would remain continuously high.

His plan was clear. He would have to confront Demon and destroy him...and it had been known by a lot of the Dark World's denizens that Demon had ambitions for invading the Real World. After all, he had tried it once before over twenty years ago.

UmbraDevimon would have to move first. He would assemble every single Digimon under the control of his Black Gears...and he would invade the Real World.

But to make sure the Digidestined would not follow, he had to leave a warrior behind to keep them on their toes...but it had to be someone powerful enough to contend with Omnimon. Not Mummymon...not Gryphonmon...Piedmon had already tried and failed...and certainly not Puppetmon...

UmbraDevimon growled; he had only one choice: corrupt one of the Digidestined, and use him – or her – against the others.

The question was...which one?

Until he figured out, he would summon his army in the meantime. His red eyes closed as he sent a telepathic message to all Digimon under the control of his Black Gears. _All who serve me, hear my call! Your lord and master beckons you to come to my lair! Come now, and be quick about it!_

The message was sent.

* * *

/File Island, Outside of Primary Village, 1:31 PM/

"We've got quite a dilemma on our hands..." muttered Izzy as he cupped his hand around his chin. Since Ken's abduction, all of the Digimon had since dedigivolved to their Rookie levels (with the exception of Angewomon, who had returned to her Champion form of Gatomon).

What Izzy said was no lie; Ken had been taken somewhere by an as-of-yet unknown enemy, and one the former Emperor had apparently met before...

Unfortunately, their last meeting had to have been unpleasant for Ken to react in the way he had.

"What puzzles me is UmbraDevimon's reaction," stated Cody. Armadillomon immediately said, "Yeah! He ran like a chicken!"

TK's eyes hardened at that statement. "And that's what disturbs me..."

"Huh? What do you mean?" asked Tai. Davis and Veemon both simultaneously asked, "Don't keep us in suspense!"

"Well...if UmbraDevimon was powerful enough to beat all of us without breaking a sweat..." said TK.

Kari suddenly caught on, judging by her sharp intake of breath. "And if he ran after just looking at the guy who took Ken..."

It finally set in. Joe voiced their suspicions with a fearful tone, "...then how strong is that guy?"

Yolei crossed her arms quietly, her arms downcast. _Ken...we'll find a way to get you back._

* * *

/Throne Room, Keep, Archfiend Castle, Dark World, 1:33 PM/

"OW!!!" yelped Ken as he thrown onto the floor by SkullSatamon. He grimaced as he rubbed his aching shoulder. Without hesitation, he turned over to see the piercing eyes of Demon stare right into his. SkullSatamon and DemiDevimon stood beside the mighty Mega.

"SkullSatamon. DemiDevimon. Leave us," ordered Demon.

DemiDevimon and SkullSatamon obediently left the Throne Room. Ken Ichijouji and Demon were now alone.

Demon smiled as he looked at the trembling Ichijouji boy. "Ken...it's been a long time. You've proven to be quite elusive...but I've finally caught you."

"WHO ARE YOU?!" demanded Ken, his fear for the demonic figure showing.

Demon put on a tone of mock surprise. "Why Ken...I'm shocked. I thought you would remember me."

"I remember you. Who ARE you? What's your name?!" yelled Ken.

"Ah...you want my name!" he replied with mock realization. Judging by the narrow look Ken suddenly got, Demon knew the boy realized that as well. "My name is Demon...and you are in Archfiend Castle."

Ken subconsciously began backing away; his back met the nearest pillar, preventing him from backing away any further. His legs still pushed against the floor. The Child of Kindness bravely asked, "Why did you kidnap me?"

"Simple...you are the key to my return to power."

Ken puzzled for a bit. "What do you mean? I don't have any power you can use."

Demon chuckled at this. "You're wrong. Within you lies the key to the great power I need to invade the Real World..."

"I'm telling you, I don't have what you seek!" retorted Ken.

Demon remained silent; the boy was rather adamant about it. Finally, the Mega sighed before saying, "Fine then...if I must explain myself, then so be it. Sit back...you're in for quite a tale."

* * *

/01-000-ALPHA, UmbraDevimon's Lair, 1:38 PM/

UmbraDevimon looked down at the four Digimon standing in front of him. "Mummymon."

Mummymon stood at attention, his body in 'Mummy Mode'.

"Gryphonmon."

Gryphonmon stood on his four legs, looking up at his master with quiet concentration.

"Puppetmon."

Puppetmon grumbled; he had been making the final touches to his new console when UmbraDevimon had summoned him to the main room. Although he had been surprised to see UmbraDevimon give him the Shadow Mallet, he was outright shocked to hear UmbraDevimon tell him what had happened to Piedmon. Needless to say, Puppetmon had no ideas of using the Shadow Mallet against UmbraDevimon.

"Piedmon."  
  
The now healed Piedmon numbly looked up at the mighty Digimon of darkness; even though Mummymon's Healing Tapestry had healed him, the centimeter-deep hole in his forehead remained.

"All of you...I'm afraid my plan for domination must be accelerated. A new foe has appeared, and I have no choice but to gather my entire army for an invasion of the Real World," said UmbraDevimon, his voice calm and composed.

Puppetmon snorted. "So? Who's the big, bad Digidestined that's scared the ugly out of you?"

"Not a Digidestined," replied UmbraDevimon, his red eyes glaring at Puppetmon; how could the ignorant fool be so flippant at a time like this. "I'm sure even YOU'VE heard of Demon."

Puppetmon's dismissive attitude immediately disappeared. "WHAT?!"

"I thought that would get your attention." UmbraDevimon heard an assortment of hoots, growls, and roars outside; his Digimon army was slowly gathering outside his Lair. "My entire army will be here within the hour...then all I'll need to do is find a suitable Digidestined to corrupt."

* * *

/File Island, Outside of Primary Village, 1:40 PM/

"...everyone...you need to witness this," muttered Leomon as his stared eastward.

All of the Digidestined looked eastward...and paled.

A whole fleet of Digimon were swimming towards them...and in the sky, a whole armada of flying Digimon stormed at high speed toward their general direction. As for the land-based Digimon, they hitched a ride on the larger aerial or naval Digimon.

"What are all those Digimon doing?!" yelled Palmon.

Gatomon's eyes narrowed as her eyes caught some black smudges on the steadily approaching horde. "Black Gears...on ALL OF THEM."

Everyone gasped; all of those Digimon had to be part of UmbraDevimon's army!!!

Gomamon quietly muttered, "Even I can't think of a good joke for this situation." His volume was so low that no one else heard him.

They were innumerable. In the sea, the enemy numbers included Whamon (not including the one the Digidestined are friends with, mind you) and the Divermon, among others.

Seadramon: the serpentine Champion was at least fifty feet long, but they were quite strong for their level. Their bodies were colored turquoise, and red stripes crossed around their body at seven-foot intervals. Their scaly underside was colored a pale white, and angular masks made of gold covered their heads. The only part of their heads that could be seen were their mouths – filled with razor-sharp teeth – and their pale blue eyes. Unlike Dark Spirals, the Black Gears did not change eye color. Their attacks were Ice Arrow and Hydro Breath.

Shellmon: they were essentially giant mollusks; the Champion Digimon's main bodies were housed within large, spiky shells that swirled upward like conical pyramids. The only parts of their pink, fleshy bodies that extended out of the gray shells were their arms and heads: their arms ended in thick, sucker-tipped hands. Their heads had yellow, tentacle-esque feelers sprouting from the crown, and their bulbous eyes were blue. Their attacks were Hydro Cannon and Drill Shell.

Gesomon: these squid-like Champions were a tad wilier in nature. Their slimy, white-colored bodies were formed in an arrowhead fashion, with black stripes running vertically up their forehead. Grayish tubes were connected to the sides of his head, and flap-like tentacles protruded from his flat bottom. His thin, sinewy arms ended in large, round hands with three spikes coming out of each one. His attacks were Octo Thrash and Ink Blast.

Raremon: a candidate for 'ugliest Digimon'. Nothing more than a mass of purple sludge with gray claws and pieces of metallic junk embedded into him. Aside from dopey red eyes, they were without much personality. Their attacks were Breath of Decay and Sludge Bomb.

MegaSeadramon: the final part of the mighty naval force was the digivolved form of Seadramon. Unlike the scaly underbelly of Seadramon, MegaSeadramon's was covered with white feathers. Their bodies were blood red, with blue stripes going across at ten-foot intervals along their seventy-foot long bodie. Like Seadramon, the mask was angular and gold, but it was sleeker, and meaner looking. Green hair extended from the back of his head, and a sharp, angular horn extended from the mask. Their attacks were Thunder Javelin and Hydro Blast.

That concluded the naval portion of the incoming force.

The aerial faction of the Digimon army included Airdramon, Snimon, Kuwagamon, and Unimon...along with some others.

Saberdramon: this Champion was the viral cousin of Birdramon, and the changes were only cosmetic; replacing the flaming red feathers and sky blue eyes of Birdramon were the fiery black feathers and dull red irises of Saberdramon. Their attacks were Black Saber and Flame Wing.

Okuwamon: the Ultimate form of Kuwagamon, as well as the dedigivolved form of Grandkuwagamon. Four nimble legs sprouted from their gray abdomen, and dark gray sets of ridged skin showed on the inside of their legs. Two layers of hardened exoskeleton covered their hulking chest, and tough, hulking arms extended from it. Their hands ended in pincers, and a similar, longer pincers extended from the sides of their mouth. Their green-skinned head was covered by more exoskeleton, and dark gray hair grew from beneath this protective top. Their four, insectoid wings were covered by a sheath of exoskeleton, and red markings adorned the head, arms, and legs. Their attacks were Double Scissor Claw and Obliteration.

Megadramon: cybernetic Ultimate Digimon of the Data variety. Scales of yellow armor protected their underbelly, aiding their leathery orange skin in protecting their innards. Their two, muscular arms ended in cybernetic attachments, with holes in the palm for letting missiles fly out. Their rounded, elongated head was covered with a smooth mask made of gray metal; light purple hair extended from the back of the mask, trailing down the Digimon's backbone to the tip of their tail. Finally, two purple wings extended from their back. Their attacks were Dark Side Attack and Ultimate Slicer.

Gigadramon: much like Saberdramon was to Birdramon, these Ultimate Digimon were the viral cousins of Megadramon. Their skin was pale blue, and their protective armor was colored dark blue instead of yellow. They still had cybernetic hands, but their wings were made of solid gray metal instead of purple skin. Also, their hair was blue instead of light blue. Their attacks were Genocide Missile and Guilty Claw.

Devidramon: draconic devils of the Champion level. Their muscular bodies were covered by a dark gray jumpsuit all over, with the exception being their mouths. Leather bands encircled their forearms, and red claws extended from their hands. Black scales covered their long, lean tail, and two pairs of thin, emaciated wings protruded from their back. Finally, four eyes of blood-red tint glared out of their head, and the skin around mouth was pale white. Their attacks were Crimson Claw and Red Eye.

Finally...the land-based force. Since they had to cross by sea, numerous members of the naval and aerial Digimon had to carry them. Once they reached land, the land and aerial Digimon would carry the naval Digimon to their destination. Among the numbers of the land Digimon were Gazimon, Gizamon, Veggiemon, RedVeggiemon, Numemon, Tyrannomon, DarkTyrannomon, Deltamon, Monochromon, Frigimon, Goblimon, Gorillamon, Elecmon, and Gotsumon.

Such a tremendous fighting force...and it was coming straight toward them!

"Um...is it too late to run?" mumbled Tentomon.

"That would be a big 'YES'!!!" yelled Patamon.

Blackwargreymon scoffed. "Fools...they are not here to fight us." His yellow eyes watched the oncoming hoard quietly...and they continued to watch them as the powerful army avoided File Island entirely as they continued westward. "They were heading westward the whole time."

"Oh...that's a relief," muttered Sora.

"But where are they heading...and why such a huge force?" asked Hawkmon.

Whatever the answer, it wasn't good news.

* * *

/Throne Room, Keep, Archfiend Castle, Dark World, 1:42 PM/

Ken paled at the words Demon had just spoken to him. "No...it's impossible!"

"Why? Is it that hard to believe?" asked Demon, a slight curiosity evident in his tone. "Is it truly that difficult to comprehend? That I, Demon, was the greatest foe of the original Digidestined?"  
  
It was true; Demon had just finished explaining how over twenty years ago, he had faced the very first team of Digidestined – those that had first fought Apocalymon and sealed him behind the Great Wall of Fire – in a titanic struggle. As it had happened, those five children had halted Demon and his small force of Bakemon and Vilemon from entering the Real World; the battle had cost Demon a large portion of his strength, and he had been sent back to the Dark World.

But even so...it didn't explain why Demon wanted _him_. "But why do you want me?

"Simple Ken...my plan to return to power started long ago...but it required special circumstances." Demon stared straight into the young boy's eyes, as if peering straight into his soul. "Four years ago, I planted a Dark Spore within you...and it has a few side affects."

"...Dark Spore?"

To emphasize his point, Demon summoned a Dark Spore from within his body; he held his right hand out – palm up – and used some of his power to create it. It looked like a dark spore: a spiky, hardened seed that was an inch long in diameter. "The Dark Spore. My tool for corruption."

Ken suddenly had a flashback moment; he remembered..._he remembered!_ The Child of Kindness impulsively brought a hand to the back of his neck. "Four years ago...you..."

"Exactly," said Demon with a cruel smile. "Four years ago, when you came to the Dark World, I implanted a Dark Spore into your neck. Since then, you have grown in strength and intelligence exponentially...but at a price."  
  
Ken had a dark, foreboding feeling in the pit of his heart. "...what price?"

Demon grinned; this would be delightful. "You see Ken, your strength and intelligence increased as your soul endured corruption at the hands of my Dark Spore. The darker your spirit became – and the more powerful the Dark Spore got – the stronger and smarter you became. In a sense...you owe the creation of the Digimon Emperor to me."

Ken's eyes flared with anger; all of the suffering he had caused...all of the blood he had spilled...because of this demon!!! "How dare you...HOW DARE YOU?!"

Demon chuckled at Ken's sudden vengefulness. "Ooh. Getting vengeful? Good...it just gives the Dark Spore more dark power. "

Ken paused at this, suddenly realizing what Demon was getting at. If the Dark Spore stored more power the more a soul became corrupted...then how much power had it absorbed in four years?

Ken Ichijouji suddenly made a very terrifying realization: what if Demon got his hands on the Dark Spore?

"You've realized it."  
  
Ken was jolted out of his thoughts by Demon's voice. The dark Mega chuckled as Ken's eyes widened. "Telepathy is a useful power, is it not?"

Ken tried to calm his breathing, but the constrictive and darkened atmosphere within the room wasn't helping him any. As he continued to try and back away – failing to do so, seeing as how a pillar was right behind him – a thought came to mind: his D-3. "I have a question for you...did you send me a digivice four years ago?"

"Correct. It was necessary for you to actually come to the Dark World," replied Demon.

"How? Only Digidestined can obtain digivices...and you're not a Digidestined," retorted Ken, his purple eyes glaring at Demon. "You took it from someone, didn't you?"

"Correct. I'm pleased that the Dark Spore has made you intuitive...it's a good indicator of its power." Demon paused for a quick moment before continuing. "You see, before the original Digidestined sent me back to this barren world, I took one of their digivices...and I also managed to procure a D-Terminal almost eight years ago."

Ken blinked out of curiosity. _How did he acquire a D-Terminal?_

"I'll tell you," said Demon, his telepathic powers showing through once more. "You may not be aware, but after XeedMilleniummon was destroyed, there was a messy aftermath. Due to the warping of the spatial barriers between worlds, a large hole had been opened, bridging the Digital World and the Dark World together. The hole only existed for a week...but a swarm of Dark Digimon stormed into the Digital World at that time. What followed was a tumultuous period of fighting known as the Great War."  
  
"That doesn't explain how you got the-"

Demon's piercing glare promptly silenced Ken. "Do not interrupt me again, you impudent whelp. Now, as I was saying...I still stayed here in the Dark World, because the Guardian Beasts would've tracked me down, and I was in no condition to face them. However, I did send SkullSatamon to scout out the battles and return if he found anything that would be useful to me. He returned before the hole closed with a D-Terminal...and as time passed, I devised a plan...and it would require a human."

Ken frowned; he knew Demon was speaking of him. "But why me? Why couldn't you just use a Digimon for your Dark Spore?"

Demon smiled; he anticipated this question. "Simple...I thought about it in terms of eventually payoff. I could put a Dark Spore in 1,000 Digimon, yet the power I would gain would be nothing in comparison to that of a single human."

"But why?" asked Ken, this time out of genuine curiosity.

"Think about it: a Dark Spore gains power when it corrupts the host's soul. Dark Digimon are infected with darkness and evil anyway, so that's a wasted Dark Spore. The same goes for viral Digimon, as they are corrupted in nature, even if their souls are not. Data-type Digimon are just as easy to corrupt, for they are not protected against evil and darkness. Vaccine Digimon are more difficult; their bodies are built to withstand negative energy, but my Dark Spore will corrupt even Vaccine Digimon over time...but none of them compare to humans." A malicious grin came to the Mega's face. "Although humans are inherently evil and sinful, they have the capacity to shine brighter than even the most powerful Vaccine Digimon...and that is especially true for children, who have yet to succumb to their sinful nature."

Ken paled. "And that child...was me..."  
  
"Exactly. I tried as hard as I could to keep taps on the Real World, trying to find a suitable candidate for my plan. Then I found you..." His tone took on a veil of pity. "Poor little Ken...stung by the loss of an older brother, yet still filled with the desire to outdo him...but unfortunately, he has no idea how."  
  
"Shut up..." muttered Ken as he clutched his head; the mocking laughter of the Digimon Emperor began filling his head.

Demon smiled as he continued on. He enjoyed tormenting others for amusement. "But then a digivice came out of his computer...a digivice I had manually programmed with another fraction of my dark power. It took him to the Digital World, giving the young child a good impression of the place he would visit many more times in the future."

"Shut up..." repeated Ken.

"And then he tries to go back again, obviously enjoying the idea of returning to the Digital World...except the digivice is programmed to bring him to the Dark World – to _me_ – the second time he tries to cross the barrier between worlds! He comes to me...and you know the rest," finished Demon with a smirk.

Ken began sweating...oh how he rued it all! Why did he pick up the digivice? Why did he corrupt it in the Dark Ocean?

"About that," said Demon, his voice interrupting Ken's session of self-inflicting agony. "The reason you submerged the digivice into the Dark Ocean – thereby turning it into the Dark D-3 – was because I bombarded your small, impressionable mind with telepathic messages, telling you to 'put it in the black water'. You subconsciously did it, even without realizing what you were even doing...and once it became the Dark D-3, your path to darkness was paved...all you had to do was walk it."

"Shut up...!" moaned Ken, his voice becoming stronger in intensity.

"Finally, I came to you, telling you how to become greater than your brother...the lie about Order and Chaos was rather fitting, in my opinion...and once I put the Dark Spore into your neck, your path to darkness was sealed."

"SHUT UP!!!" roared Ken, the Emperor's laughter echoing through his mind at full force.

Demon laughed at the boy as he writhed. "You insolent fool...after you returned to the Real World, I looked for someone who would watch you while the Dark Spore grew in strength. Once I found a suitable agent, I gave him the D-Terminal and instructed him to spy on you...but as luck would have it, the human masses began worshipping your strength and intelligence, making it harder for my agent to follow you...but you're finally here."

Ken's mind finally got the idea of moving behind the pillar; he continued to back away from the monstrous being. "Stay away...stay away from me..."

"Now now Ken...I've waited too long for you to back away from me now." Demon slowly strolled over to Ken's trembling body. "Your sins, trespasses, and dark ways have been charging the Dark Spore for a long time...and I intend to harvest that spore's power and make it my own."

Ken finally got the idea to flee, his legs pumping his body towards the wooden door to the Throne Room. He wasn't going to let his sins contribute to this monster's power!

"Not so fast." Demon held his arms forward, and they _extended_ toward Ken as he fled. The Ichijouji child yelped as the tough hands of Demon clutched his shoulders, halting him on the spot. He struggled futilely as Demon pulled him back. "Let me go!"

Demon pinned Ken to the floor with his left hand, and his right hand hovered over the back of his neck. "The pain you are about to experience is unlike any you've ever endured before. Struggling will just increase the chance of me cutting open a jugular vein. If you still value your life...hold still."

His right hand began to crackle with dark blue electricity...and then he pierced Ken's skin with his index finger. Demon slowly spread the skin away, revealing the Dark Spore within. It was bound by a number of tendons and muscle tissue. Slowly, but surely, Demon cut through them.

Ken gasped as a burning pain erupted through his entire body...but he was fortunate; had he been able to see what Demon was doing, he would've fainted...or at least vomited. He was unable to speak. _Stop it...stop it...it hurts...it hurts...STOP IT!!!  
_

Demon smiled as he cut through the few remaining straps of body tissue holding the Dark Spore within Ken's body; even listening to the boy's panicked thoughts was enjoyable.

Finally, he extracted the Dark Spore. "At last..." Demon stood, walking away from the unmoving Ken; due to Demon's precision cutting, very little blood leaked from the small hole in Ken's neck...but it was agonizing nevertheless.

Demon looked at the Dark Spore with a measure of admiration; it glowed with a dark blue aura, the dark power within eager to find a new shell. It was even showing a few cracks: a sign that it had stored so much unholy energy that it was on the verge of breaking. Finally...all of the dark power gathered for four years would belong to him.

Without a second thought, Demon consumed the Dark Spore. He swallowed it in one gulp.

Suddenly, his muscles bulged. A dull groan emerged from Demon's throat as the Dark Spore's gathered power – which had been waiting to break out for so long – roared through his being, energizing him with energy he had not felt in years.

As power surged through Demon, the Emperor's voice rolled through Ken's mind. **_Don't worry Ken...even though I've left your soul, Demon will put my darkness to good use...ta ta. Ha ha ha ha ha!!!_**

All the while, Demon's muscles continued to bulge. Such power...such power!

"At last...my former strength has returned...and more!!!" Demon cackled as he flexed his arms, a dark blue aura flaring around his body.

Demon was now back at his former strength...except this time, he was even stronger.

* * *

Outside of the Throne Room – standing by a wooden door with Demon's inscription carved into it – SkullSatamon and DemiDevimon suddenly paled.

DemiDevimon stuttered, "What the...what was that I just felt?"  
  
"Demon's power...it's surpassed his former strength," muttered SkullSatamon, his eyes widened in awe; in all the years he had served Lord Demon, he had never felt such power.

'_SkullSatamon. Come to me.'_

SkullSatamon immediately entered the Throne Room at Demon's behest. After looking at the unmoving child on the floor, the Ultimate Digimon asked, "What is your bidding my lord?"

Demon's right hand crackled with dark power; a white portal to the Digital World opened up behind SkullSatamon. "Ken Ichijouji's usefulness has faded. Do with him what you will."

SkullSatamon quietly grabbed Ken, letting the boy dangle in the air. "My lord...would it be permissible to have some 'fun' with the other children? It's been a long time since I've actually encountered an enemy."

Demon frowned; he remembered SkullSatamon's appetite for inflicting torture. "Very well...but in one hour, I will open a portal above File Island. I expect you to come back. If not, I'll assume you've been destroyed...and if you show up so much as one second after one hour has passed, I'll annihilate you. I won't tolerate tardiness...not from one of my Black Generals."

SkullSatamon nodded. "Yes my lord...I will not disappoint you." With that, SkullSatamon leapt into the portal with Ken in tow. It closed behind them moments later.

The time was 2:00 PM.

* * *

/Warehouse #7, Tokyo Bay, Odaiba, 2:00 PM/

Gennai sighed as he handed Shaun's D-Terminal back to the boy. "No such luck..."

Shaun frowned as he pocketed his D-Terminal. For the past hour, Gennai had been trying to use both the computer terminal – and then Shaun's D-Terminal – to access his few cameras on File Island. Two had been based on Infinity Mountain, with the third and final one being based in the field between Primary Village and Infinity Mountain.

The computer terminal had been a dud because its processor had been utterly incapable of handling live video feed...plus, Gennai hadn't been able to access them.

After trying Shaun's D-Terminal – and failing – Gennai had to come to one conclusion. "Shaun...either my cameras are on the fritz, or something big's happening at File Island."

Shaun frowned as he clutched his orange D-3. "Well...guess I'll to head there, won't I?"

The old man nodded. "Before you go, try donning your armor again."

"Alright..." Shaun stood a few feet away from Gennai before crossing his arms. The words came to his head immediately, just as they had for every Digidestined when their partner first digivolved – or, in the case for the New Digidestined, armor-digivolved.  
  
"**_HOLY ARMOR ENERGIZE!!!_**"

A flash of blue light covered all of Shaun's body; Gennai covered his eyes until the flash faded. When he looked back at the Child of Wisdom, the Armor of Wisdom adorned him once more. "Nice," muttered the old man.

Shaun got a good feel for the armor; it would take some time to get used to it completely. "See you later Gennai." He held his D-3 toward the computer terminal and yelled, "Digiport open!"

One flash of light later, and Shaun was gone. The digiport took him to the last-used sector: 00-111-SIGMA.

* * *

/File Island, Near the Ruins of Infinity Mountain, 2:02 PM/

"LOOK!!!" yelled (Koromon) as he gazed into the sky.

Everyone looked up and gaped; in the sky, hovering in front of a closing black portal, was the same skeletal Digimon that had kidnapped Ken...and in his hand was the Child of Kindness himself.

"KEN!!!" yelled the Digidestined as they watched their friend dangle helplessly in the air, totally at the mercy of the demonic Digimon holding him.

SkullSatamon smirked as he whispered into Ken Ichijouji's ear. "Hope they like you."

Then he let go. Ken was too exhausted to even scream.

Wormmon yelled, "KEN!!!" A white sheen overtook him immediately.

Wormmon digivolve to......Stingmon!

The insectoid Champion zoomed into the sky, his wings buzzing as fast as they could. 100 meters above the ground, Stingmon caught the weakened Ken. "Ken? Ken! Say something!"

Ken didn't answer.  
  
Growling, Stingmon set the flaccid Ken on the ground gingerly, letting the Digidestined crowd around him. Izzy asked – mostly to himself, "What happened to him...?"

When Davis turned him over, they got their answer. The girls – and Davis, Tai, and Matt – all gasped at the sight of an inch-deep hole in the back of Ken's neck. Tai yelped, "AGH!!! What is that?!"

Yolei numbly looked at the bloody hole; someone had cut into that hole. _Ken...who did this to you?_

"Bone Scepter!!!"

Everyone whirled their heads upward to see a yellow ray of energy erupt from the yellow orb in SkullSatamon's staff. He glared at them maliciously, roaring, "That was just a warning shot. Prepare yourselves!"

Stingmon's voice rumbled as he glared daggers at the Ultimate Digimon. An indescribable rage came over him...but he knew it was because Ken had been hurt. Ken had NEVER been hurt like this before...and it was personal to Stingmon.

_Don't worry Ken...I'll avenge you!_ Stingmon roared as he charged upward toward SkullSatamon, murderous rage evident in his eyes.

It was exactly what SkullSatamon wanted. A mind clouded by rage was ill suited to battle. As Stingmon extended his spikes and charged faster, SkullSatamon yelled, "Demon Bone!!!"

His wooden scepter glowed with a red aura as he dodged Stingmon's attack and struck the Champion in the back. The result: Stingmon crashing down to terra firma.

SkullSatamon smirked as he began zipping back and forth. "Catch me if you can!"

He flew with such speed that it made it impossible for the Digidestined to track him down. Tai grimaced as he turned to Agumon. "Think you guys can DNA Digivolve again?"

Agumon shook his head. "No...UmbraDevimon didn't fight us much, but he packs one heck of a punch!"

Matt grumbled at this. "Then what are we going to do?"

Davis clutched his D-3 tightly. "Well, we're still fresh!" He was referring to the New Digidestined, and he was right: they hadn't been subjected to the battle with Piedmon and Grandkuwagamon, and despite UmbraDevimon's sound thrashing, they still had plenty of reserves. "Ready Veemon?"

"You bet Davish!" replied the exuberant rookie.  
  
At that moment, everyone's D-3s glowed...

Veemon digivolve to......XVmon!  
  
XVmon digivolve to......Paildramon!  
  
Armadillomon digivolve to......Ankylomon!

Patamon digivolve to......Angemon!

Angemon digivolve to......MagnaAngemon!

Gatomon digivolve to......Angewomon!

...except Yolei's. Hawkmon looked at his partner worriedly and asked, "Yolei?"

Yolei slowly fingered Ken's forehead...and the Child of Kindness looked up at Yolei with sorrowful eyes. His voice came out as a whisper. "Forgive me...he's using my sins...I'm sorry..."

Yolei's jaw clenched into place. Ken, despite everything he had done, was a forgiven boy – no, man – and his soul had repented for his past misdeeds (in a lot of people's eyes, anyway). For someone to do this...

"Joe...do you have any first aid equipment?" asked Yolei, trying her best not to cry.

Joe promptly pulled out a small emergency kit from a pocket inside his jacket. "That I do. You should go help the others."

Yolei nodded as she turned to Hawkmon. Even though she didn't notice it, her crest – the Crest of Caring – began glowing a dull red. Hawkmon did. "Yolei..."

"Hawkmon, there's no time for talking! We've got a bad guy to fight!"

Hawkmon smiled at Yolei's confidence. "Right-o!"

Yolei then pulled out her red D-3 and pointed it at Hawkmon. "Digivolve!"

Hawkmon digivolve to......Aquilamon!

And this time, he went the next step.

Aquilamon digivolve to......Silphymon!

Unlike the usual trend of a bigger increase in size between digivolutions, Silphymon was the exception to that: he was only seven feet tall. However, he was lithe and agile; a gray belt with a red jewel embedded in the center encircled his waist, separating the radically different halves of his body. Below the waist, his legs were covered with brownish-red feathers down to the knees; below the knees, tough, hardy yellow skin was visible all the way down to the feet, with his three toes – two in the front and a small one around the heel – ending in sharp white talons. Long tail feathers of similar color extended from the back of his waist and to heel-level. Above the waist was a tough, muscular body covered with thin white feathers. A thick layer of metal, strapped on by black straps that encircled his upperbody, covered his chest. Similar, but rounder, pieces of metal covered his shoulders, serving as shoulder pads. Bands of gray cloth encircled his wrists, and large, red-tipped feathers of white color extended from his forearms. His head was more human-liked in appearance, as evident by the human-like mouth that was seen; the thin white feathers ended in a circular rim around the mouth, allowing the tanned skin to be seen. A mane of red hair extended from the back of his head; also, two large white feathers extended diagonally upward and backward from his temples. Finally, a large visor – made of chrome, with a red helmet-like top protecting the head – covered his eyes. Then, he spoke in clear, confident voice...sort of a cross between Shurimon and Aquilamon. "I am Silpyhmon, and unless you're as fast as Sonocomon, you won't be able to catch me! You'll fall prey to my Static Buster, and I'll go for the kill with my Sonic Force attack!"

Yolei looked at Silphymon with a measure of awe. "Wow. Pretty slick."

Silphymon smiled. "Thanks. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a fight to attend!" Silphymon immediately burst into the sky, showcasing his tremendous speed. Yolei blinked out of astonishment. _Wow. He IS fast..._

* * *

"Bone Scepter!"

Ankylomon grunted as the yellow energy crashed into his back; his armor was providing admirable protection, but he was far too slow to do anything...

"Tail Hammer!"

...which included attacking. Ankylomon grumbled as SkullSatamon flew out of range. "Blast it!"

Paildramon grabbed his hip-based guns and aimed them at SkullSatamon. "Miracle Blaster!"

SkullSatamon weaved in, out, and around the stream of golden energy bullets; he was far too agile for Paildramon to nail a hit. "Demon Bone!"

Paildramon grunted as the scepter crashed into his gut, sending him to the ground at high speed. Even though he landed on his feet, Paildramon still made a sizeable crater. The draconic Ultimate grumbled, "Stupid skeleton...should stay in Davis' science class..."

The demonic Ultimate chuckled. "Stupid fools...you can't catch me in a million years!" Oh, what a rush he was feeling...it had been too long since he had battled.

"Allow me to prove you wrong!"  
  
SkullSatamon looked back to see Silphymon charging an orb of static electricity in her hands. "Static Buster!"

* * *

/Eastern Ocean, En route to File Island, 2:11 PM/

Shaun was feeling uneasy.

In a way, he was scared...because he had spent a long time preparing for events that never came to be. In all reality, that had been why he had been able to anticipate things so well early on...because he KNEW they would happen.

But they didn't.

Now, he was dealing with something that started to eclipse all of his careful preparation.

And for some reason he couldn't quite put his finger on, Shaun felt a tad uncomfortable about the immediate future...but he didn't know why.

Those thoughts continued to run through his mind as he sped off toward File Island.

* * *

/File Island, Near the Ruins of Infinity Mountain, 2:13 PM/

Blackwargreymon watched the fight with a quiet curiosity.

Ever since his creation, he had craved a good fight...and no more than a day ago, he had been promised a fight that he had hoped would satiate his hunger.

However, he had gotten more than he bargained for.

When he had faced the two Wargreymon earlier, he had puzzled over the fact they would not face him at full strength for fear of hurting their friends.

Then – during the fight with Piedmon and Grandkuwagamon – he had felt confusion over how they fought on, despite the fact they faced a much greater foe.

And while it all happened, Blackwargreymon had been consumed by an ever greater frustration over why he couldn't understand it.

"GAH!!!"

Blackwargreymon watched quietly as Stingmon landed on the ground in a heap, dedigivolving to Wormmon on the spot. Despite this, he tried to stand up.

_Forget this_, thought Blackwargreymon with a scowl. He would not gain understanding by standing around doing nothing. The only way he could understand was to experience it.

And even though he was far too weak to battle, and far too tired to take anymore damage, Blackwargreymon would do it anyway...if only to understand _why_.

Then he saw SkullSatamon charge.

* * *

"Celestial Arrow!"

SkullSatamon swiftly dodged the arrow of holy energy as he saw MagnaAngemon come into view, blade extended and left hand clenched. "Gate of Destiny...RELEASE!!!"

The blood-red stream of energy roared toward SkullSatamon, eager to devour him.

SkullSatamon was not amused. "Demon Bone!!!"

He struck the stream of red energy, redirecting it to another target: Paildramon.

"Uh oh," muttered Paildramon as he struck head on, becoming enveloped in an explosion. Moments later, he fell to the ground and dedigivolved to Veemon. "Oy...pretty colors..."

SkullSatamon smirked as he continued his downward charge towards the nearest Digidestined: Kari Kamiya. "Stay still, little girl!!!"

Kari suddenly had an overwhelming chill envelop her body, freezing her to the ground – figuratively speaking, of course. The feeling she got from the Dark World...SkullSatamon exuded that feeling in _droves_.

And she couldn't move. _Why can't I move...someone help me...!_

"KARI!!!"

The Child of Light was suddenly shoved away by none other than the Child of Miracles. Unfortunately, this brave act put Davis in SkullSatamon's direct path.

Before any could even scream, SkullSatamon's scepter began glowing red; he was going to impale Davis with his Demon Bone attack.

Davis clenched his eyes shut.

**_SHICK!!!_**  
  
No pain. _Uh...shouldn't this hurt?_

Davis opened his eyes and saw why he wasn't hurt: Blackwargreymon had taken the blow for him. _Huh...?_

* * *

Blackwargreymon felt a tad...dizzy.

He looked down at his gut; the scepter had run through him. As SkullSatamon pulled the scepter out, Blackwargreymon saw black blood ooze out of the wound. _I should be feeling pain...so why does it feel so...painless?_

Even as a cold numbness enveloped his body, Blackwargreymon felt...serenity.

There was a strange satisfaction running through his veins...even though he was dying, he felt at peace. _Is this why they fight to protect those weaker than them? To feel this feeling...?_

As he slowly slumped to his knees, Blackwargreymon's mind squelched that train of thought. _No...there's more to it...I just know there is...but will I ever find out?_ A wry grin came to his face as he thought about it. _Maybe I'll understand...after I'm reborn...will I even be reborn?_

As his body began the process of deletion, his yellow eyes caught a glimpse of Davis'.

In those eyes, Blackwargreymon saw shock, confusion...and sorrow. _Do I see sadness in those eyes...?_

Then he thought no more.

* * *

Davis remained stock still as Blackwargreymon's body dissipated into nothingness. "No...but...why?!" Blackwargreymon had been their enemy! Their foe! A creation of Arukenimon, who had been UmbraDevimon's servant!

And yet...Blackwargreymon had given his life for him.

_Maybe he wasn't as bad as we thought he was...why else would he save me? _

"Oh well. He won't be missed. Now back to business," stated SkullSatamon as he aimed his scepter at Davis.

Sadness and confusion were replaced by cold, hard anger. Davis glared straight at SkullSatamon with a look that made the demonic Digimon recoil. The Ultimate thought, _What...? Who is this boy to look at me this way?_

"Listen bub! I don't know who you are, why you kidnapped Ken, or what kind of pleasure you have in attacking us!" yelled Davis as a golden sheen began enveloping him. If he were aware of it, Davis didn't show it. "But you just killed someone who gave his life for mine! And anyone like that is worth having as a friend! And you just killed him..." Rage flared through Davis' body as his whole body glowed with a tremendous light. "**AND I WON'T FORGIVE YOU, _YOU MONSTER!!!_**"

Everyone cringed as the golden light blinded their vision. SkullSatamon recoiled at the bright light. _Who is this child?!_

When the light faded...Davis had changed.

Golden armor covered his entire body, with the exception of his face. Thick, blocky armor covered his feet, and golden plates of shimmering metal covered his legs, with a 'V' shaped protrusion sticking out the top of the shin guards. His entire upper body was covered by a singular piece of golden armor, and the Crest of Miracles was emblazoned on the chest. Segmented plates of golden metal covered his arms; golden gloves enwrapped his hands, with golden blocks covering the knuckles. Large, angular shoulder pads had thrusters sticking out of the bottom; similar pieces of armor encircled his waist, much like they did with Magnamon. Finally, his helmet had 'V' shaped prongs sticking upward; unlike Magnamon, however, Davis did not have a mask that covered his face.

The Child of Miracles looked down at himself in wonder. "...whoa..."

The Digidestined did the same thing; Mimi pointed at Davis and looked at the others with a dumbfounded look on her face. "Um...did Davis just become a Digimon?"

"For lack of a better explanation...I think you're right Mimi," muttered Cody.

SkullSatamon was also in awe. In all of his years, he had NEVER seen such a thing.

Davis reached the conclusion that he had – whether he understood it or not – become Magnamon. Thus, he should fight like Magnamon.

"Magna Punch!"

And to SkullSatamon's eternal surprise, he was sent flying by a golden punch delivered to his abdomen.

* * *

/Dragomon's Palace, City of Cthulu, Dark World, 2:22 PM/

Dragomon suddenly froze. _What power is this that I feel...?_  
  
It was emanating from the Child of Miracles. In response to this, Dragomon transformed Davis' piece into a golden pawn; not as important as the Child of Light...but now he had come into his own as a power all his own.

The Child of Miracles had made his power known.

* * *

"Static Buster!!!"

SkullSatamon grimaced as an orb of static electricity crashed into his back, jolting him with an electric shock.

Things had gone bad in a quick hurry; that golden boy had proven to be quite an annoyance...and now the other Digimon had begun rallying around him. _Blasted child...who the heck is he?!_

"Magna Gun!"

SkullSatamon crossed his arms out of defense; golden bullets pecked away at him...but his attention was focused on Davis...and not the two angels coming up behind him.

"Celestial Arrow!"

SkullSatamon gasped as a lance of pain shot up his side; although the arrow had only grazed his backbone, the holy energy stung his unholy body. He whirled around...

"Gate of Destiny...RELEASE!"

...just in time for a blood-red stream of energy to plow into the ground in front of him. The explosion sent SkullSatamon skidding across the ground; he came to stop moments later.

When he sat up, he saw Davis and the others advancing toward him. SkullSatamon grimaced; he had assumed that these children were weaker, especially considering how important Demon had deemed Ken Ichijouji. Therefore, he assumed that Ken was the strongest...but he assumed wrong.

SkullSatamon growled. _I may go down...but I'll take at least one of you with me!!!_

* * *

In the sky above File Island, Shaun stared down in absolute shock.

When he had neared the island, shock had immediately set in once he noticed Infinity Mountain was gone. As he neared, he became even more astonished at the sight of the battle-scarred fields and forests.

Finally, the greatest shock of all came when he saw SkullSatamon. _WHAT?! SKULLSATAMON?! BUT HE'S DEMON'S SERVANT!!! WHAT'S HE DOING HERE?!_

As he watched the fighters near SkullSatamon...he paled as SkullSatamon leapt over them and roared toward the nearest targets: Tai and Sora.

Shaun's eyes widened. If they died...everything he had done...everything he had sacrificed...everything he had suffered...ALL of it would be for nothing.

Rage. Anger. Fury.

He would NOT let it all go to waste.

And thus, Shaun charged, yelling all the way down.

* * *

"**NO!!!!!!!!!!!**"

Everyone paused, even SkullSatamon; they looked up at the voice and saw a blue figure charging downward.

Only TK got a glimpse of the figure's face. _Wait...THAT'S SHAUN!!! HE'S ALIVE!!!_

SkullSatamon paled as the enraged being roared, "**_LEAVE MY MOTHER AND FATHER ALONE!!!!!!!!!!!_**"

_SLAM!!!_

SkullSatamon roared at the sudden pain that enveloped him; in one swift movement, Shaun had kicked straight through SkullSatamon's backbone, bisecting him. Shaun held SkullSatamon's upper half by the neck, glaring straight into the demon's pale eyes.

Then – in a cold, yet enraged tone that no one had ever heard from Shaun before – he said, "The next time you see Demon will be in Digital Limbo. Prepare a spot for him...because he'll be there soon."

SkullSatamon dissipated into nothingness right then and there, leaving only Shaun...and a bunch of confused and shocked Digidestined.

Davis suddenly realized it was Shaun. "Shaun...is that you?!"

Shaun quietly nodded; (Koromon) quietly hopped toward Shaun with a smile. "You are alive..."

"I am," replied Shaun; the chill he felt earlier was back.

"Dude! Why haven't you contacted us! We were worried sick!!!" yelled Davis, absolutely upset at this. After looking at Shaun's armor again, he realized something else; Shaun was the armored figure that had taken the orange D-3 from earlier! "And you were the one who took the D-3 from me earlier! Why didn't you come to us earlier?!"

Before Shaun could explain, Tai asked a rather intuitive question. "Uh...Shaun...when you attacked SkullSatamon, he was heading for us. And you said 'leave my mom and dad alone'...what kind of joke is that?"

Shaun immediately froze on the spot; THIS explained the chill he experienced earlier: foreshadowing of an innate kind.

He quietly looked down at (Koromon), whose initial joy was replaced by calm concern. The look in the In-Training's eyes said it all: _You have to tell them._

_I know (Koromon)_, thought Shaun with a sigh; he dismissed the Armor of Wisdom with a thought and looked at the others quietly...and sorrowfully. He couldn't lie his way out of this. "Everyone...gather around. I need to explain a few things..."

In all actuality...those 'few things' would utterly shatter their perceptions of Shaun.

* * *

To be continued...

Next time...

Episode 38: (CENSORED)

* * *

Author's Notes: No, the next episode title is not (CENSORED). Next episode is a HUGE chapter...and I don't want even the episode title to give away anything!  
  
Anyhow...(clears his throat and takes on a serious tone)

_Zero 2: A Revision_ began on November 2nd, 2003. But in all actuality, it began over three years ago in 2001 as 'The New Digi-Episodes'. Back then, I had only recently begun writing...and I used predictable words, plot devices, and a crappy script format. I abandoned it a few months later.

Then, in 2003, I found the story sitting on my hard drive. The ideas swirled again...and my writing style had improved by then. I started writing again...and I made the decision to redo ALL of Season 02...not just part of it.

Thus, this story was born.

In 13 days, it'll be November 2nd, 2004: an important day for two reasons.

One: this story will become one-year old. That is a landmark in and of itself.

Two: Shaun finally explains EVERYTHING...and I mean everything. His past, his origins, his apparent connections with Demon...everything.

In 13 days...on November 2nd, 2004...Shaun's past is revealed.

Prepare yourselves.


	38. The Future's Past

Standard Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon. (glances over at the Toei ninjas standing behind him) Hey, I wrote the disclaimer, alright! Put the katanas down!

Author's Notes: Happy birthday to Zero 2:D Yay! First anniversary episode!

Miracles: Are you positive you know what's going to happen? Things are a bit different from NDE... ;)

gomababe: Oh, you can wait! And as for your story, I've already left a review.

Anthony1: Yep...38 episodes in one year. Maybe I'll be able to complete this fic by next year. ;)

AnT: Heh. Nice 04 reference.

Dot Cubed: Don't you worry...you won't be confused ANYMORE after this episode.

masamune: Oops. Here's your belated welcome to Zero 2! Oh, and you might wanna tape that jaw back on. :P

Digi fan: For those who having trouble with consistent cliffhangers, make sure you bring hiking equipment.

Malebolgia: Well...the method and reasons behind such a thing might surprise you. Don't be too quick to judge. Let's just say I might package this differently. ;P

Silver Warrior: Don't worry: as long as you don't review more than once per chapter, you're safe from my foot and the cliffs. ;P

Oh, and can I have the whopper if you're not going to eat it?

Snodin: Oh...this story is NOT winding down. We still have two more villains to introduce!

ficmaster: Welcome to Zero 2, ficmaster! I'm glad you think this story 'rocks'...but does it 'boulders'? 'Pebbles'? 'Stones'? (shot for the bad puns) Ow. x.x

reviewer: Wow. You're REALLY exuberant. 0.o BTW, it's November **2nd**, not the 13th.

Cloud-821: Welcome to Zero 2 Cloud! I'm glad you think this story is so engrossing and involving; it shows I've got something good going!

Warning to the younger readers: since this chapter contains some rather brutal scenes – and some heavy subject matter – this chapter may be constituted as PG-13 by some, much like Episode 18. You have been warned.

Now...let the revelations begin!

* * *

_At long last...the time has come._

_A young boy has shouldered a burden he was never meant to carry..._

..._but now, he finally reveals why he carries that burden._

_These are the revelations of Shaun._

* * *

"Hi everyone, it's TK. Well, Ken went through quite a traumatic experience at the hands of our newest foe: Demon. As it turns out, Ken owes the creation of the Emperor to the Dark Spore, a strange little seed that grants dark power, and stores more unholy energy as time goes on! Demon extracted the Dark Spore, and his power multiplied as a result! Meanwhile, UmbraDevimon gathered his forces up...but Demon's servant SkullSatamon attacked us after returning Ken! To our surprise, Blackwargreymon sacrificed himself to save Davis, and Davis suddenly donned the Armor of Miracles! But the biggest surprise of all was Shaun...before killing SkullSatamon, Shaun said something about his 'mother and father'...did he mean Sora and Tai?"

* * *

Episode 38: The Future's Past

* * *

/File Island, Outside of Primary Village, 2:51 PM/ 

Drowsiness.

Darkness soared through his eyes...no wait, his eyelids were just closed.

He finally opened them...and Ken saw Joe hovering him. "Ah. You're awake!"

Ken rose shakily...and he impulsively reached for the back of his neck. Over the spot where the hole had been from Demon's 'surgeon job' was a bundle of gauze and bandages, sealed on by medical tape. Ken muttered, "Huh...?"

"Although the nature of this injury is beyond my ability to discern, it should heal up. Just don't put a lot of stress on it," said Joe as he stowed his medical equipment back into his jacket.

Ken silently mumbled, "Th...thank you..." He felt...odd...if not vulnerable. When Demon had extracted the Dark Spore...did it also take the strength and intelligence it had granted him?

No...he still remembered the knowledge he had accumulated...but his wits felt sluggish...and his memory felt fuzzy...and he felt lethargic. _I wonder how much of my fame I owed to that Dark Spore...?_

"Good...you're up..."

Ken blanched at the sound of that voice. _No...it can't be..._ He turned around to see none other than Shaun. "...Davis was right! You are alive!"

"I never died in the first place," muttered Shaun; he sounded morose and upset...and he had every right to be. After all, he had royally screwed up...and now he had to tell all of them everything.

Right now, he was sitting with his back against a toy tower; they were outside the very border of Primary Village, and the other Digidestined had gathered into a loose semi-circle around him. Shaun had decided to wait until Ken awoke to say anything...because what he had to say was for Ken's ears as well.

Now they were all there...and it was time.

"Okay Shaun...what do you have to tell us?" asked TK with a stern glare. Ever since Shaun had first joined, TK had had doubts about him...but they had been allayed after Ken had first been revealed as the Emperor. But after the call from the hospital – when they had called concerning Shaun's lack of records – his suspicions had returned.

Now he might get the answers to old questions he once had.

Shaun sighed. _Well...here goes_. "Everyone...I've lied to you."

Everyone remained stock silent. Davis – sans Armor of Miracles – thought, _Odd way to start a talk_. "Uh...why?"

"Well..." Shaun grimaced; this was harder than he thought it would be. "I lied to you about coming from America...I lied about being here for a year...heck, I didn't even tell you the whole truth about my name?"

"Then what is it? Yaibaman? Great Gazoo? Tell us!" demanded Veemon.

Shaun sweatdropped at the two cartoon references; apparently, Veemon had been watching a lot of TV whilst in the Real World. "Well...my first name IS Shaun...but my last name...is Kamiya."

Tai and Kari froze; he had the same last name as them! They both wanted to ask the same question...and Kari beat Tai to the punch. "But...how? Are you a distant cousin of ours or something?"

Shaun shook his head. "No...I'm not." His green eyes suddenly looked over at Tai. "Tai..." Then, they shifted over to Sora. "Sora..."

"...yeah?" asked Tai and Sora simultaneously, their voices laced with nervousness.

Shaun's body tensed; he had been dreading this moment for a long time...and he had hoped he would never have to say it. "...well...the truth is...15 years from now, I will be born as the second child of Tai and Sora Kamiya."

A figurative lightning bolt of shock crashed through the minds of the twelve other Digidestined. The knowledge was almost too much for them to digest...and I mean, think about it: a 12-year-old claiming to be the child of 15-year-olds!

Suddenly, Matt breathed a sigh of relief. "Whew...for a second I thought you two had...well, you know."

It only took the older kids a few moments to connect the dots. Tai – face flushing with annoyance – yelled, "MATT! That's gross! You know we're not like that!"

The rock star snickered as he replied, "I know, I'm just being goofy."

Shaun sweatdropped at Matt's remark. _Boy, he sure knows how to be serious._

"Besides, it's impossible: for Shaun to have been born from Tai and Sora, they'd have to be 3 when Shaun was conceived...and that is clearly unfeasible," said Izzy with a knowing look in his eyes. "Of course, there has to be some other explanation for his claim."

Shaun chuckled. "Yeah...you're right." His eyes drifted over to the New Digidestined before he said, "I'm sure you remember how I spoke of Ryo Akiyama and Milleniummon, right?"

Cody nodded. "Yes...wait..." A flash of realization hit the young boy. "Milleniummon's time warp!"

"Bingo," answered Shaun as he looked into the sky. "Like I said, Ryo went back in time 26 years from now due to the time warp...but the thing is, Gennai preserved that warp."

* * *

/Flashback...well, Flashforward if you think about it...whatever, just read/ 

/Local Park, Odaiba, 26 Years from Now/

Gennai sighed as he pointed a rod-like device at the swirling vortex in the year. It crackled with blue electricity; it looked like nothing more than rippling hole in the sky.

Gennai looked older; he wore a set of black robes over his frail and feeble body, and his face had gotten more wrinkled. His ponytail was gone; the only hair on his head now existed as a limp mustache and a white goatee. Aside from his robes, the only physical things that could be seen from him were the four wires jutting from his back.

Gennai pressed one button on the rod...and the large, one-inch cube attached to the rod's end suddenly launched forward into the sky. It enlarged immediately, eclipsing the thirty-foot vortex in size within moments. Then, much to the shock of those watching him, the cube swallowed the vortex...and moments after that, it shrank back down to its one-inch size.

The old member of the Order looked at the blue-colored cube quietly; he had been slaving in his workshop for two days constructing it. Ever since Milleniummon had torn the vortex open two days ago – and since both Milleniummon and Ryo had been sucked into it – the whole time warp had been fluctuating.

Thus, he had created the Chronologic Preserver...and with it, he would place the time warp in stasis.

_Hopefully, this'll keep it open long enough for Ryo to come back..._ Even though he was moving on in years, Gennai would do all he could to preserve life.

And meanwhile – standing by his two parents – was an eleven-year-old Shaun Kamiya, staring at the little cube that held the vortex his best friend had disappeared into. _I hope Gennai can find a way to bring Ryo back..._

/End Flashback...yes, I'm sticking with flashback, since this all takes place in Shaun's past. Keep reading/

* * *

"So...this 'Chronologic Preserver'...it held the time vortex in a stasis?" asked Ken. 

"Yes," answered Shaun, his eyes recalling the expression on Ryo's face as he had been pulled back into the vortex. _If only he knew what he was going to face..._

"But you still need to explain WHY you came back!" exclaimed Yolei. "I mean, one doesn't time travel for the heck of it, you know?"

Shaun sighed; this was going to tread into very uncomfortable territory. "...yeah. I did it because..." His jaw clenched as his lip began to tremble; he hadn't dwelt on the images running through his head for a long time.

"Because what! Tell us!" yelled Davis; like before – when Shaun had spoken of the entire story behind the Flan Digimon, thus talking about Ryo and Milleniummon – Davis was getting really into this intriguing tale.

"Tell us! Tell us! Tell us! Tell us!" chanted Veemon, Hawkmon, Armadillomon, Patamon, and Wormmon. (Koromon) didn't say anything; he already knew the story by heart.

"...because...you all died." There. He had said it.

Everyone remained stock silent.

Finally, Ken said, "Is that all?"

Shaun looked at him incredulously. "What!"

"He has a point," admitted Izzy as his mind began working. "Time travel is a very theoretical practice, but there is one universally accepted truth: no matter what is done to change the past, the event that you went back in time to change will still happen."

Even now, the looks Shaun was getting from some of the other Digidestined were telling him that they weren't taking his story seriously.

"That's not it...I didn't say how..." muttered Shaun. "You didn't die of old age, or sickness, or anything like that! **_You all died at the hands of Demon!_**"

The name caused Ken to pale; so soon after his traumatizing experience, the mere MENTION of Demon's name caused the Child of Kindness to shiver. "D...Demon...?"

* * *

/Flashback/ 

/Local Park, Odaiba, 27 Years from Now/

A twelve-year-old Shaun Kamiya's eyes widened as he stared at the Odaiba skyline; red fire danced across the night sky, a result of the destruction a monstrous demon had unleashed upon the city. Screams could be heard in the air. _...he's really going to do it...I've got to try and stop him!_

With that, Shaun burst off into a run.

_"That's right...in my time, Demon had battled the New Digidestined sometime after Christmas Day. He was too powerful, but Ken used the dark power within his Dark D-3 – trust me, things were different from now – to open a portal to the Dark World; he was sealed away there...but he said he would be back..."_

As Shaun continued to run through the park, he ran through a throng of cherry blossom trees...and then he gasped at what he saw above him. "No...!"

_"...and he did come back."_

The body of Mimi dangled in the air above; she was tied to a cherry blossom branch by a red scarf she had personally designed herself...and the scarf was strangling her neck. Her eyes bulged out of her head.

She was already dead.

Shaun resisted the urge to scream. Demon worked quickly. "The others...I've got to warn them!"

_"Yolei and Ken had already had their hearts torn out by Demon the instant he broke out of the Dark World, so Mimi was the third to die...next was Matt..."_

Shaun stared numbly at Matt's body; it lay lifelessly in the street, blood pooling around it. The second-born Kamiya child cringed at the grisly sight: Matt's throat had been impaled by an electric guitar: Matt's old electric guitar from his days as a member of the Teenage Wolves. Unfortunately, Matt's glorious singing voice wouldn't be sounding off any more. "Eew..."

_"Then, Izzy..."_

"No..." muttered Shaun as he stared at the wall of an electronics store; Demon had driven a laptop into Izzy's abdomen...and not just any laptop: it had been Izzy's old pineapple laptop. But that wasn't all; he had given the Child of Knowledge a crude crucifixion: a mouse cord ran through each wrist, with the USB port of each mouse embedded into the wall behind him. He hung limply in the air, with the mice being the only thing holding him in the air.

Izzy had bled a very painful death.

_"Next was Joe..."_

Joe was lying on the sidewalk; he had met an end similar to Mimi. His entire body was wrapped in gauze and sealed with medical tape, turning him into a mummy, sans the head covering. However, Shaun saw that Joe's mouth and nostrils had been sealed with medical tape: he had been asphyxiated.

Shaun could only grimace as he continued on. He had to get to his apartment. Hopefully, his parents hadn't died yet...

_"Cody was the next one I found..."_

Cody had been killed in a fashion much like his father: death by gunshot. Cody was found dead next by a sniper rifle...ironically, the same kind Hiroki Hida had been killed by. However, Cody hadn't died a quick death: his entire body was laced with burns, courtesy of Demon. The bullet to the temple had been the killer though.

Shaun continued on.

_"Next, TK..."_

TK was by far the grisliest death; red-hot stakes were embedded into his wrists and ankles, pinning him to the ground. Sitting beside him was a sizzling rod of steel...and after seeing the burn marks crisscrossing TK's body, its use was obvious.

The greatest shock was that he was still alive. "TK..."

TK shifted his eyes over to Shaun; he was not long for this world. "Shaun...Demon passed by ten minutes ago...he already destroyed Patamon..." His burned face was etched with tears: he had seen Patamon die in front of his very eyes mere minutes ago. "Metalgarurumon already went to Tai...only Omnimon has a chance now...hurry..."

TK breathed his last.

It was harder for Shaun: he watched a beloved friend – who treated all of his loved ones like family – die in front of his very eyes. It made seeing his dead body that much harder.

Shaun stood up and burst off again.

_"I learned later that before Matt had died, he had sent Metalgarurumon off to Tai's house...I only hoped he had caught up with Wargreymon in time...finally, I got to my house..."_

The Kamiya Apartment was on fire. Shaun paled as he ran even faster. _Oh no...am I too late! I can't be!_

Suddenly, Tai ran out; in his arms were Shaun's two little siblings: his red-haired little brother Aaron, and his brown-haired little sister Sarah. All of their faces were blackened; a result of the smoke being exuded from the red fire. Plus, since it was nighttime, they wore nothing but their pajamas.

Tai yelled, "SHAUN!" The older Child of Courage – now sans super deformed hair, having a more mature haircut – quickly let Aaron and Sarah down in front of Shaun. Tai glared down at his second eldest child quietly. "Where have you been!"

Shaun withered under his father's glare. "...I was in the Digital World...and when I came back, I saw this."

"I see," muttered Tai as he tried to console the wailing Aaron and Sarah: the former was five-years old, with the latter being four. "Listen...did you see anyone else?"

Shaun frowned as he tried not to cry...not in front of his little siblings, and certainly not in front of his father. "Aside from Uncle Davis, Aunt Kari, and mom, I've seen them all...they're all dead..."

Tai's teeth clenched together at Shaun's words. Was it really be true? Were all of his friends...dead? "Listen...your mom's still trapped inside. Wargreymon's already DNA Digivolved with Metalgarurumon into Omnimon, and he's searching for Demon. Just stay right here!" With that, Tai burst back toward the apartment building.

Shaun wrapped his arms around his little siblings. Of all the times for Derrick to be on a trip to Okinawa, it had to be now. _I wish my older brother were here...Derrick would be able to handle this! He'd be able to help my dad, no sweat!_

"I highly doubt that."

_"That's when he appeared again..."_

Shaun froze at the sound of that voice. "...no..." He risked turning around...

"Oh yes."

...to see Demon, standing triumphantly behind the three Kamiya children. His narrow blue eyes stared into Shaun's green eyes quietly. Aaron and Sarah immediately started whimpering at the sight of the monstrous demon.

Finally, Shaun yelled, "GO AWAY! You killed them...you killed them!"

Demon chuckled at the young boy's anger. "Indeed...and I'd do it again, and again, and again. Now if you excuse me, there are only four left...and I'm about to cut that number in half."

With that, Demon rose into the hair, his hands raised above his head. Shaun looked up at him out of confusion. _What is he doing...?_

Then, an orb of gray energy formed in the Mega's hands.

* * *

Tai wiped the sweat off his forehead as he knelt down beside Sora; her legs were pinned under a tremendous section of the ceiling, which had fallen down upon her in her attempt to flee the burning building. Tai asked, "Your legs okay?" 

"Honestly, no," muttered Sora as she coughed; the smoke and heat was starting to get to her. "What about the children? Are they okay?"

"They're fine. Shaun's back, and I left the little ones with him. Now just hold on, and let me get this off of you!" With that, Tai began trying to lift the section of ceiling off of Sora.

But outside, Tai was unaware of Demon's impending attack.

* * *

Shaun paled at the sight of the tremendous orb of gray energy in Demon's hands; it was even bigger than Wargreymon's Gaia Force! 

The purpose of it became all too clear. _No...he wouldn't dare..._

Demon boldly roared, "And with this, two of the last four Digidestined die!"

Impulse. That was what gripped Shaun's body as he stood and roared, "NO...!"

"Apollyon..."

"**DON'T!**"

"CRUSHER!"

The gray orb was thrown. A tremendous explosion sounded as the Apollyon Crusher struck the base of the fifty-story apartment building. The screams of Tai and Sora Kamiya sounded as the building collapsed upon itself.

"**_NO!_**" howled Shaun as he watched the building vanish in a cloud of ash and fire. Aaron and Sarah continued to cry; their young minds were incapable of handling such things as death and destruction in such a capacity.

Demon laughed as he boasted, "Only two left! My revenge will soon be complete!" With a flap of his wings, Demon flew off into the sky.

As Demon disappeared from sight – as Shaun glared at him – the boy felt an emotion he had never felt before: pure, unadulterated hatred. _Demon...I swear I'll get you for this!_

/End Flashback/

* * *

Shaun's body trembled as he tried not to cry. "He killed them in front of my little brother and sister's very eyes...do you know what that can do a young child's mind? They were scarred...after that night, they withdrew...they never said anything after that." 

After this new information, the Digidestined were starting to treat this story more seriously. A catastrophic event had occurred to influence Shaun's decision to travel into the past...and Demon's killing of the Digidestined was that event.

"...but what about Kari?" asked Gatomon.

"And Davish! What happened to him?" exclaimed Veemon.

Shaun sighed and tried to regain control of his emotions. "...I'll tell you."

* * *

/Flashback/ 

/City Streets, Odaiba, 27 Years from Now/

Shaun had taken Aaron and Sarah with him; he had to get to Davis and Kari...otherwise, all of the Digidestined would be dead. _And it's all my fault...all my fault..._

Ken. Yolei. Mimi. Matt. Izzy. Joe. Cody. TK. Tai. Sora...all of them were dead. _All because of me..._

The guilt was almost too much to bear.

A large crowd of city denizens ran past Shaun; most of Odaiba had been cleared out by now. It seemed like only he remained. _I hope the others are still safe in Primary Village._

"PUT THEM DOWN DEMON!"

Shaun recognized that voice. _XVmon!_ He quickly picked up his little siblings – one in each arm – and rounded another intersection corner.

What he saw made him gasp.

In the very middle of the street was Demon. In his right hand was Davis...and in the left, Kari. Standing in a semicircle formation behind him were XVmon, Angewomon, and Omnimon.

Kari – in pink pajamas, her shoulder-length hair ruffled and unkempt – screamed, "Let us go you monster!"

Demon chuckled as his fists clutched the scruff of their pajama collars. "I think not...I've come this far to fulfill my vengeance, and I intend to do so."

"Demon, you're surrounded...surrender now!" demanded Angewomon, her Celestial Arrow aimed at the demonic Mega.

Omnimon glared at Demon with his piercing green eyes...it was if he was scanning the horned monstrosity. Finally, he said, "Come on Demon...you're nowhere near as strong as before...you only caught us by surprise. If you kill them...we'll kill you."

Demon smirked at this. _I know._

Finally, Davis – wearing a white shirt and blue shorts, his once spiky hair now cut into a flattop – glared defiantly into Demon's eyes. "Let me tell you this...one day, our children will be the end of you...they WON'T stand for this."

Demon chuckled at the man's words. "Defiant to the last..." Demon smiled as – in less than a second – his hands let go of their clothes and latched onto their faces. "I look forward to that day...I will delight in proving your prophecy wrong. But until then...**_BURN._** Chaos Inferno!"

Shaun closed his little brother and sister's eyes. He forced himself to watch the horrible spectacle.

Davis and Kari screamed as the flames of Demon incinerated their faces. Despite their words, XVmon and Angewomon couldn't help but gape at the sight: despite the fact he was surrounded, Demon had just attacked their partners!

Omnimon, however, had no such limitations. "WE WARNED YOU! TRANSCENDENT SWORD!"

Demon said nothing as the sword ran through his back, piercing his stomach and protruding out of his abdomen. Quietly, he dropped Davis and Kari to the ground. Their faces were unrecognizable: nothing but a pile of burnt and blackened flesh remained.

Demon turned around at Omnimon...and smiled. The DNA Digivolved warrior looked at Demon with confusion. "What the...?"

"I am a Digimon, like you. I will eventually reborn. However, humans do not have that luxury." A smirk came to the demon's face as his body slowly deleted. "I have destroyed the Digidestined. My mark has been made on humanity. Deletion is a small price to pay...but I know that none of you will be around by the time I am reborn." As his body dissipated from the feet up, he cackled. "Heh heh...till then, I'll see your soul in Digital Limbo. Ha ha ha ha!"

Finally, the demon was no more...but he had indeed made his mark.

The legacy of the Odaiba Digidestined was well and truly over.

Shaun fought the bile that began rising up his esophagus; he felt like vomiting. So much death...so much devastation...all because of him...

_"That's when I discovered something truly horrific...something that Demon already knew."_

"...I feel empty."

Shaun blinked; that had been XVmon talking. _Man...that's not his usual tone..._ Shaun kept watching from a distance.

Angewomon placed a hand over her heart; her body trembled uncontrollably. "So do I...but why?"

"It's a feeling this half felt when Matt died," replied Omnimon as he raised his right arm, which signified Metalgarurumon's half. "And the other half felt it when Tai met his end...I just know it."

"Then what are we going to do?" said XVmon as he wrapped his arms around himself. "This feeling of pain – of failure – it hurts...I don't want to live with this..."

"I don't think we were meant to. As the partners of the Digidestined, we are connected with them..." Omnimon sighed as his arms limped by his sides. "If they die...we aren't meant to live."

XVmon and Angewomon understood...and, as odd as it was for them to comprehend, they found themselves agreeing with Omnimon.

They knew what to do.

Omnimon pointed his still-extended Transcendent Sword at his chest. Angewomon charged a Celestial Arrow and held against XVmon's chest. XVmon grabbed Angewomon's throat, preparing to do the deed.

"On the count of 3," said Omnimon. "1..."

"I'm sorry XVmon," whispered Angewomon as she held the Celestial Arrow tightly.

"2..."

"As am I," replied XVmon as he tried to calm himself.

"**3!**"

XVmon tore through Angewomon's unprotected throat; the angel didn't even try defending herself. Angewomon pierced XVmon in the chest with her arrow. Omnimon ran himself through with his own sword. They dissipated into oblivion before their bodies even hit the ground.

Shaun's eyes widened at the sight: for all intents and purposes, they had just committed suicide. _But...but...WHY!_

* * *

/End Flashback/ 

"Whoa, stop it! TIME OUT!" yelled Tai. "This is totally crazy!"

"A load of bull is more like it," muttered Matt. "Suicide? Come on...our partners aren't like that."

"Exactly," said Shaun with a heavy tone. "But Digimon that are partners of the Digidestined are quite different than other Digimon."

"Uh...how so?" asked Gomamon.

"You Digimon have a deep connection to your partners, as does (Koromon) to me. It goes very, very deep...almost to the level of symmetry, except it only goes one way. To put it bluntly, changes to the human affect the Digimon as well," answered Shaun.

(Koromon) hopped forward, saying, "What he says is true...Shaun's been in very critical condition before...like with when UmbraDevimon mutilated us. I was feeling the same inner pain Omnimon, Angewomon, and XVmon felt...except not to the length that made me want to kill myself."

Izzy's face contorted into a dour expression as he said, "So...if we die...our partners are deleted."

"No...they die," admitted Shaun. "Gennai confirmed this for me...if a Digidestined dies, their partner dies...and even if their body is reformatted and reborn as a Digiegg, their soul is not."

The thought quieted the Digidestined. It was very unsettling...even though they never outright admitted it, they always held the belief Digimon were – more or less – immortal. But that wasn't the case for their partners: like those they were partnered to, the Digimon had a limited lifespan.

Leomon looked over at Shaun quietly. "I believe you want to get back on topic to your story?" Leomon had no questions; he had heard the whole story before. He slowly got up and walked away towards Primary Village.

"Oh, right." Shaun cleared his throat as he looked around. "Any more questions?"

Ken spoke. "Concerning the whole time travel thing, I still don't understand the reason as to why you decided to do it." Ken sighed as he impulsively rubbed the bandaged spot on his neck. "I understand your sorrow about the death of the Digidestined...but I went through the same thing when Sam died. Death is a natural part of life...and as much as I sound like a pessimist for saying this, it was just their time, no matter how much you may not believe it."

Shaun stood up at this; his green eyes glowered fiercely at Ken's violet eyes. "You understand **_nothing_**."

Silence.

"Um, pardon the interruption, but wasn't that a bit rude?" meekly asked Wormmon.

Shaun's body trembled even more; he was about to admit something that had kept him up for many a night. "You don't understand...how could you? If it wasn't for Demon, none of you would've died...if it wasn't for him, I wouldn't have to be here..." Suddenly, the tears came flowing as Shaun's face contorted into one of total rage...directed at himself. "**_IF I HADN'T FREED DEMON, NONE OF THIS WOULD'VE HAPPENED!_**"

"WHAT!" yelped the Digidestined and the Digimon – save for (Koromon) and Leomon – as they impulsively backed away. Mimi stuttered, "Wh-wh-wh-what do you mean!"

"I mean what I said," said Shaun as the repressed tears finally began to leak out, his hands clenched into tightly balled fists. "I was the one who freed Demon...and it was because of me that you all died."

* * *

/Flashback/ 

/Local Park, Odaiba, 27 Years from Now/

_"It was almost a whole year after Milleniummon had traveled back in time with Ryo...and it was about two weeks before the dark day Demon broke free when I started hearing voices..."_

_'Help me...'_

Shaun looked over his shoulder swiftly. "Who said that?"

No one was within speaking distance behind him; the closest people behind him were at least twenty yards away.

"Hey, you okay bro?"

Shaun turned around to see his brother Derrick, basketball in hand. Derrick – like his father before him – had inherited the puffy, super deformed hair, except it was not as large...or as long. His hair was fiery red in color, and he had a lean, muscular build. He wore blue denim jeans with black sneakers, and a white shirt – covered by a green vest – covered his upper body. His skin was tanned – a tad more so than Tai's – and his eyes were ocher in color. He was Derrick Kamiya: 20-year-old firstborn son of Tai and Sora Kamiya.

It was the month of July, and Derrick had come back home on vacation from his college university at Okinawa. He was only the first of many; soon, all of the original twelve Digidestined and their children would gather in Odaiba for a family reunion of sorts.

Shaun – who had idolized his brother for a long time – had been playing basketball with him when he had suddenly heard a voice come out of thin air.

Shrugging it off as though it were nothing, Shaun said, "Just thought I heard something...now, where were we? Oh yes, I was winning, wasn't I?" said the second eldest child with a smirk as he lunged for the basketball.

Derrick smirked as he began dribbling. "Only in your wildest dreams!"

_"That was only the first time...throughout the week-and-a-half that followed, I kept hearing the same voice in my head, saying things like 'Rescue me' and 'Release me'...it was starting to get annoying...and then, on the day before Demon killed you all..."_

Shaun laid in his bed quietly, staring out his bedroom window at the shining sky of the Odaiba skyline. Tomorrow, they were all going to go on a picnic at the park, and after the kids were all going to play in the Digital World...

He was contemplating whether or not to tell his parents about the strange voices he had been hearing. They had been coming a lot more frequently, and – to be honest – they were getting annoying.

As Shaun turned to sleep, he heard the voice again.

_'Shaun Kamiya!'_

Shaun blinked; the voice had never said his name before. He quietly said, "Who's there?"

_'An old friend of the Digidestined.'_

Shaun immediately sat up as he looked around his room, trying to find the source of the voice. "Who are you? Where are you?"

_'Like I said, I'm an old friend of the Digidestined...and I'm trapped in a horrible place.'_

"Why have you been speaking to me?" asked Shaun, his eyes still darting from corner to corner of his room.

_'It's been a long time since I've seen the Digidestined...we were allies a long time ago in the fight against evil, but one of the enemies sealed me away in a horrible place...I've tried to contact the other Digidestined, but they can't hear me!'_

Shaun remained silent. "Go on..."

_'Then I tried reaching you! It's taking a lot of my power, but I've finally managed to create a stable telepathic link with you! Now I can tell you how to set me free!'_

"But what can I do?" asked Shaun. It was official; he had bought into the voice's story.

_'That's what I'm about to tell you! And once you help me escape from my prison, I can surprise the Digidestined! It'll be so much fun!'_

Shaun smiled at the thought of his parents and the other Digidestined meeting this old friend of theirs. "I love surprises! Okay...what do you want me to do?"

_'Just listen carefully...'_

_"I was told what to do...and I memorized every facet of the voice's plan."_

_'I'm sorry, but I have to shut the link down...I'm getting too tired!'_

"Wait," whispered Shaun as he stared into the air. "What's your name?"

_'That's part of the surprise! And remember, don't tell anyone what I said!'_

Then the voice disappeared.

Shaun couldn't help but grin. _Oh boy...this is going to be great!_

_"How wrong I was..."_

The next day came, and all the Digidestined had gathered in the park. It was now late in the afternoon, and the Digidestined were going to enjoy some quality time amongst themselves while their children played in the Digital World on File Island.

Shaun quietly walked over to Ken as he reviewed the plan in his head. _Okay...that guy told me that I need Ken's digivice for the plan to work...don't know why I can't just use my orange D-3, but oh well!_

Yes, Shaun had his own D-3...however, he had no partner to call his own just yet. As a matter of fact, that's what the kids were going to do that day; while the Digidestined spent time together, their children – sans Derrick, who had to make a quick trip back to his university at Okinawa – would head to File Island to get a partner from Primary Village. They had already left without him – except Aaron and Sarah, as they were still too young to have a partner – but Shaun had used the excuse of having to use the bathroom to not go along with them. Now he could carry out the plan.

Shaun walked up towards Ken and tugged on the Child of Kindness' arm. "Excuse me Mr. Ichijouji!"

Ken looked down at Shaun quietly. "What is it Shaun?" His overall physical appearance had changed little, although his body was a tad more muscular. He wore neatly ironed khakis, which went quite well with the blue dress-shirt he wore.

"Sir...as embarrassed as I am to admit it...I forgot my D-3," said Shaun as he sheepishly looked down, trying to look the part of a meek and embarrassed boy who had forgotten something. "Is it alright if I borrow yours for the afternoon?"

Ken chuckled as he pulled out his digivice – the Dark D-3 – and handed it to Shaun. "Alright then...just don't lose it, okay?"

"Okay!" Shaun pocketed the Dark D-3 and ran off for the computer terminal. In that day and age, a computer terminal lined the sidewalks of every single park in Tokyo. It provided Internet access for a small payment...but it also served as a free digiport.

Ken smiled as the boy ran off. _It's good to know he won't have to grow up facing the hardships we did._ He turned away to join the others in the festivities-

Wait. His eye caught something.

He turned to see Shaun hold a D-3 towards the digiport...except it was orange. _Wha?_

Shaun, in his moment of excitement concerning the strange voice's plan, had inadvertently pulled his orange D-3 out of his pocket; he had had it with him the whole time. _Okay...the voice told me to think of sector 01-000-ALPHA, and the D-3 would take me there_. "Digiport, open!"

In a flash of light, Shaun was gone.

Ken remained silent as his eyes remained fixated on the spot Shaun had just stood at. _He had his own D-3 all along...but he asked to use mine because he said he forgot his! Why did he lie to me?_

Ken's instincts as a Digidestined suddenly kicked in; something was up.

"KEN! HURRY UP!"

Ken turned around to see his wife, Yolei, walking towards him quickly. Since it was a hot summer day, she was wearing a red skirt, coupled with red sandals and a white T-shirt. Her lavender hair was as long as her back, and she still wore glasses. "Ken, the others are already moving ahead of us! Let's go!"

"Wait...I let Shaun borrow my D-3...even though he had his own with him," said Ken quietly.

Yolei scoffed as she said, "THIS is why you're lagging behind? Come on, the other kids probably just dared him to do it. Let's go!"

"NO YOLEI," stated Ken, his voice firm and resolute. "Something stinks about this...we should at least check it out. If I'm wrong about this, you can pay me back later."

Yolei snorted as she pulled out her red D-3, following Ken towards the computer terminal. _Rass'n frass'n...silly Ken and his silly bad feelings..._ She stopped beside Ken at the terminal and said, "File Island, right?"

"No...don't think about any location at all. We'll just let the digiport take us to the last selected portal." Ken sighed as he thought about why Shaun lied. Why would he lie anyway? He had nothing to lie for...did he?

"Digiport open!"

In a flash of light, the husband and wife were gone.

/End Flashback/

* * *

Shaun had wisely kept out the mention of Ken and Yolei – and earlier, Davis and Kari –being married. He didn't want to stir up the idea of predestined marriages...because that would REALLY mess things up. 

"So you went to 01-000-ALPHA, the site of the Emperor's old base, correct?" asked Cody. Ken slightly tensed at the mention of the Emperor; that piece of his past was still a sore spot for him.

Shaun nodded. "Yes...but in my timeline, UmbraDevimon didn't exist to turn the ruins of the base into his lair. It remained as ruins until Paildramon destroyed it a while later...but even though he destroyed it, the darkness that had powered the base still remained, if only in a faint form...and consequently, the barrier to the Dark World was very weak there.

* * *

/Flashback/ 

/01-000-ALPHA, Ruins of the Emperor's Base/

Shaun squinted at the sight before him; the wind was blowing the sand around the decrepit rubble of the Emperor's Base, making it hard to see. _Okay...he said he would use his power to try and force open a gate here...but I would have to open the gateway for him._

As he looked around, he saw it.

In the sky above was a black circle. That had to be it. _Okay...now to say the words._

As Shaun walked aimed the Dark D-3 towards it, Ken and Yolei stumbled out of the gate behind him. Yolei muttered, "Hey...isn't this your old base?"

"It is," muttered Ken as his eyes glared upon the ruins that had once been his base. "But why would Shaun come here? And why would he need my Dark D-3?"

Yolei suddenly saw the black circle in the sky. She gaped; Ken's bad feeling had proven to be true! "I think it might be that!"

Ken tilted his head upward, gasping at the sight of the black circle. "What is that...?"

Then, the words sounded out like a death knell.

"Dark portal, _OPEN!_"

Ken and Yolei remained stock silent as a black ray emerged from the Dark D-3 – for a small inkling of dark power still remained – crashing into the black circle. When the ray faded, the black circle was gone.

All that remained was a portal to the Dark World.

Yolei stuttered at the sight of the dark, empty place. "No...why did Shaun...!"

"Why indeed," growled Ken as he stomped over to Shaun. "SHAUN!"

Shaun froze as he turned around; Ken and Yolei had followed him! "Uh, look Mr. and Mrs. Ichijouji, it's not what you think-"

"Oh really?" yelled Ken as he stood high above Shaun. "And just why are you opening a portal to the Dark World!"

"Simple."

A chill ran down Ken and Yolei's spines at the deep, coarse voice...the same voice of an old foe.

Shaun recognized it as the voice he had spoken to. "Hey! It's your old friend!"

A horned being emerged from the portal, which immediately closed behind him. When the being slowly set down on the sandy ground in front of Ken, Yolei, and Shaun, he could be seen to be none other than Demon. "Well, to be truthful, I'm not their friend...but I am an old acquaintance."

Shaun looked at Demon confusedly. Even though Demon looked truly vicious, Shaun had seen powerful Digimon. He innocently asked, "You aren't their friend?"

"Indeed..." said Demon as his blue eyes stared at Yolei and Ken, who were slowly backing away from the monstrous Mega. "I've come to settle an old score."

Fear overtook the Ichijouji couple. They burst off running away from Demon.

Demon grinned as he flapped his wings and zoomed towards the fleeing Digidestined; his clawed hands struck them, pressing them down into the ground. He flipped them over and placed his hands upon their chests. "I'm going to enjoy this..."

As Ken and Yolei struggled, Shaun yelled, "Hey! What are you doing! Who are you!"

Demon chuckled as he tilted his eyes back toward the Kamiya child. "My name is Demon...and I'm going to kill them."

"**DEMON!**" yelped Shaun out of eternal shock. He had heard Aunt Kari speak of him before...he had been one of the New Digidestined's greatest foes...and he had been helping him. "No...you tricked me..."

"Exactly," replied Demon with a smirk as his claws glowed with red-hot heat. His eyes stared at both Ken and Yolei, who continued to struggle under his claws. "The two lovers..."

_SPLURTCH!_

A dull groan escaped from both of the Digidestined as Demon plunged his hands under their rib cages, clutching their hearts in his demonic grasp. Blood began leaking out of Ken and Yolei's mouths as Demon pulled their still-beating hearts out of their bodies. "And as lovers, your hearts die together."

As Demon turned around – incinerating the hearts with his Chaos Inferno – he saw Shaun staring at him with wide eyes. "You...you killed them..."

Demon chuckled. "Of course...they dared to think I could be so easily defeated. So many years ago, they sealed me away in the Dark World...I swore I would be back. And I am...thanks to you."

Shaun paled at the realization; he had freed Demon. Demon had spoken to him telepathically...and now Demon was free. "You tricked me...YOU TRICKED ME!" Shaun charged in a blind rage, aiming to punch Demon's lights out.

_SLAM!_

Shaun went down to the ground in a flash; Demon had swiped his face with the backside of his hand, sending the boy downward. Shaun winced at the stinging pain in his face.

Demon calmly reached into Shaun's pocket and pulled out the Dark D-3. "I'll take that." With one swift movement, he crushed the digivice in his hands, absorbing the dark power that remained within. "Once again, thank you for releasing me," said Demon with a smirk; watching the boy's face clench was very enjoyable. "Now, I'm off to take my revenge. Ta ta." Demon cackled as a black ray of energy emerged from his palm, crashing into the TV and opening the digiport to Odaiba.

In a flash of light, he was gone.

Shaun grimaced as he slowly got to his feet. He couldn't believe he had been tricked...that monster had deceived him! _I...I have to get back and warn the others!_

As he got to his feet, his eyes fell upon the lifeless bodies of Ken and Yolei Ichijouji, their lifeless eyes staring into the sky. A hole existed in the abdomen of both bodies: the spot where Demon had plunged his hand through the skin and up to the rib cage where their hearts had been. He couldn't just leave them like this...

So for the next couple of hours, he dug a large hole in the sand with his hands. After digging a ten-foot hole, he slowly lowered Ken and Yolei's bodies down into it, burying them in the same grave. After that, he dragged a large stone – a remnant of the Emperor's base – and stuffed into the sand over the grave. He also took a jagged piece of metal and carved words into the stone.

'HERE LIES KEN AND YOLEI: HUSBAND AND WIFE'

As Shaun let the metallic rod drop to the ground, he bowed. "Forgive me...I'll avenge you both..."

With that, Shaun took his orange D-3 and returned to Odaiba.

_"And when I returned, I found a fiery nightmare."_

/End Flashback/

* * *

Shaun's lip trembled as he scowled at the ground, twisting the grass with his hands. "He lied to me...he tricked me, deceived me...he used me to break free...and once he broke out, he killed you all..." Shaun raised his head again, looking at them with weary eyes that made him look a lot older than he seemed. "Now do you understand? Demon may have killed you...but your blood was on my hands." 

A wave of understanding finally swept through those listening to him. Shaun went back in time not only to try and save them...but because Demon had made it personal by using him. Shaun was on a mission – not one that was necessitated by the others, heavens no – but one that he decided to undertake himself.

"So...how'd you go back in time anyhow?" asked Agumon.

Shaun snickered...but it had a sad tone, as if recalling something unfortunate. "This is when things unraveled..."

* * *

/Flashback/ 

/Gennai's Warehouse, Odaiba, 27 Years from Now/

_"Gennai had a house in the Real World now...it was an old, abandoned warehouse that sat on the edge of Tokyo Bay. It was where he lived...and it was about one week after Demon's attack..."_

"GENNAI!"

Gennai turned around quietly; he had reformed the warehouse into quite a furnishable place. Sitting on the right side of the warehouse were his living facilities: bed, kitchen, and his television. On the left side of the warehouse, his equipment and workshop sat. Finally, a tremendous computer – transported out of his old house in the Digital World – sat at the very back of the warehouse. However, there was something else beside it: a giant pedestal with a ten-foot ring situated upon it.

Gennai looked at Shaun, who stormed towards him quietly. "I need to talk to you Gennai!"

"About what? Your foolhardy plan? Sorry, but I won't do it," replied Gennai with a resolute tone.

_"You see, I had asked Gennai two days before about using the time warp in his Chronologic Preserver to go back in time by one week. I would simply prevent myself from freeing Demon...and that would be it. Gennai declined."_

Shaun frowned at the old man. "Listen...you owe the Digidestined. They've saved both worlds a lot of times...you owe them a chance to have their lives saved."

"Impossible Shaun! The time warp goes a time period we don't even know about! You could end up ten years in the past, or ten years in the future!" retorted Gennai.

Shaun gazed up at the tremendous ring. "Yeah? Why have you been working on the Temporal Regulator?"

Gennai froze: he had mentioned the Temporal Regulator to Shaun over the phone two days ago. The Temporal Regulator, for all intents and purposes, was capable of altering time vortexes. "Well...I've been working on it so that I can send scanners to different points in time. I'm hoping that I can find Ryo with this device."

"And you can use it to send me back in time! I can stop Demon from breaking free this way!" exclaimed Shaun; he was very adamant about this.

"And I'm saying it's untested! There's no way to tell what'll happen!" rebutted the old man.

"All the more reason to do it now! If we wait too long, there might not be a chance to go back in time if you can't make it foolproof!" yelled Shaun.

After an intense standoff between their glaring eyes, Shaun finally said, "Please Gennai...please...Demon deceived me...he used me to break free...the blood of my parents and the other Digidestined are on my hands...please, just do it."

_"I was practically pleading...and he gave in."_

Gennai sighed as his shoulders slumped. "Fine...fine..."

Shaun smiled a genuine smile as Gennai walked over toward his large computer. _Thanks..._

_"Two hours passed."_

Gennai remained silent as he inserted the Chronologic Preserver into a cube-shaped slot in the Temporal Regulator's pedestal. The inner rim of the massive ring glowed blue...and the massive vortex opened up within the Temporal Regulator.

It was the same time warp that Milleniummon had created almost a whole year ago.

Shaun looked upon the warp quietly. "So, I just jump into it?"

"No," replied Gennai as he finished connecting the wires that laced between his computer and the Temporal Regulator. "You have to be converted into data first; this way, controlling your flow through the vortex will be easier. You'll have to open up a digiport through my computer."

Shaun nodded as he took out his orange D-3. He whispered, "...I'll stop this from happening..."

"Leaving?"

Shaun and Gennai whirled around to see three people enter the warehouse. All of them were people Shaun and Gennai knew.

The one on the left was Derrick Kamiya himself; after news of Demon's attack reached Okinawa, he had immediately flown back to Tokyo.

The one in the center was a female, about Shaun's age. Long, curly blonde hair went down to her back, lending her an air of elegance. Her blue shorts, black sneakers, and red T-shirt – an old one with a PuffyAmiYumi logo on it – countered that elegant air with a tomboy's aura. Her eyes were pure blue, and her body was lean, but feminine. She was Elizabeth Ishida, daughter of Matt and Mimi Ishida.

The one on the right was a male, also about Shaun's age. He had a wild streak about him, which was characterized by his fidgety manner and his super-spiky brown – with streaks of red dye – hair. He wore a blue denim vest over a jet-black shirt, and he also wore orange sweatpants. His red eyes had a defiant edge to them, and he was quite muscular for his age. Finally, he wore white soccer cleats with blue soles. His name was Hiroto Motomiya, son of Davis and Kari Motomiya.

The one who had spoken first was Derrick. Shaun slowly nodded. "Yeah...this is the only way I can save the our folks and the other Digidestined." _And my soul_, thought Shaun bitterly. Over the past week, he had been tearing himself apart over what he had done...and he knew he had to do something soon, or he would go insane.

Elizabeth calmly walked up to Shaun...and slugged him in the face, sending the second eldest Kamiya child to the ground. "OW!" yelped Shaun as he rubbed his face. "What was that for!"

"I'll tell you why!" roared Elizabeth, her face a mixture of anger and disappointment. "You were going to leave without telling us!" 

Shaun grimaced as he got to his feet. "And? It's only going to be back in time by one week! And how'd you know I was here anyway?"

"We followed you," muttered Hiroto as he leaned against the warehouse wall. "You were acting weird all week. Just making sure you weren't going to kill yourself or anything."

Shaun snorted at Hiroto. "I'm NOT going to commit suicide. I'm trying to save the Digidestined!"

Derrick looked calmly at his brother. Shaun stared fiercely at his older brother and said, "Let me guess; you want to stop me too?"

Derrick remained silent.

Then, he said words that would stick with Shaun for a long, long time. "Do what you must...but you must bear the consequences of anything you do."

Shaun had nothing to say in response to his older brother...but he couldn't help but think of his brother still being the coolest guy in existence. _...thanks Derrick._

Suddenly, Elizabeth stepped up towards Shaun, staring right into his eyes. Shaun couldn't speak in the face of the girl he had grown up with as a friend.

Finally, Elizabeth sighed, her tone becoming soft. "You're going to go no matter what I say...but I want you to be careful. Okay?" To emphasize it, she leaned forward and kissed Shaun on the lips.

Derrick chuckled as he thought, _About time_. Hiroto's jaw dropped at the scene. "Hey! Since when were they an item?" Derrick shifted his eyes toward Hiroto and quipped, "...let's just say your picture would be next to the word 'dense' in the dictionary."

Shaun slowly stepped back, his face blushing at the sudden kiss. "Uh, well, uh...man, I knew you guys shouldn't have come. You expect me to try and leave after that?"

"If you're you, I certainly hope so," muttered Elizabeth, her attitude momentarily morphing back to the enraged girl that had existed mere moments ago before the kiss.

The distance between Shaun and Elizabeth quintupled in the span of a second. Even though she was the second eldest child – and first daughter – of Matt and Mimi, she seemed to have somehow gotten Yolei's legendary temper.

"It's ready."

Shaun turned around to see Gennai sitting in the large chair in front of his computer, re-verifying the coordinates. "The warp has been set to take you back in time by eight days. This'll put you in the Digital World one day before Demon's attack. All have you to do is stop yourself from getting to Demon."

Shaun calmed himself by taking a few deep breaths. He walked up towards the computer and pulled out his orange D-3. He looked back once more at Derrick, Elizabeth, and Hiroto before aiming his D-3 at the computer. "See you guys REAL soon."

_"You have no idea how wrong I was."_

"Digiport, OPEN!" Shaun vanished into the computer screen with a flash of light...and he was gone. A radar-like dish extended from the base of the Temporal Regulator, and it shot a stream of 0s and 1s – assembled in Shaun's rough shape – into the time vortex.

Things immediately went wrong.

"Uh oh," stated Gennai.

"What do you mean 'uh oh'!" exclaimed Hiroto, his fiery temperament showing. "Uh oh is not good! Don't tell me you said 'uh oh'!"

Elizabeth hurried up to the computer, demanding, "What's happening?"

Much to Gennai's chagrin, the time warp's coordinates were already changing. "Darn it...the vortex is already warping the preset coordinates! I can't keep a track on Shaun!"

Suddenly, and inexplicably, Shaun's D-3 signal within the vortex disappeared.

Gennai growled. "He's already exited the vortex..." When the old man looked at the final coordinates, he paled.

**EXIT TIME**_: 36 YEARS AGO_

**EXIT POINT**_: SECTOR 00-111-IOTA_

Elizabeth gasped at the sight of the number '36'. "No..."

Derrick scowled as he looked into the time vortex. His last words to Shaun had turned out to be more truthful than he thought. _Stupid thoughts...had to open my big, mental mouth._

/End Flashback/

* * *

Shaun didn't mention Elizabeth's kiss, the fact that she was Matt and Mimi's daughter, or that Hiroto was Davis and Kari's son. _Man...this talk is a lot harder than I thought it would be._

"Hey, how'd you know what happened after you exited the vortex?" asked Palmon out of curiosity.

Shaun replied, "One of Gennai's scanners found its way to me some time later, and I learned what happened after that...but now back on-topic. Instead of taking me back by eight days, the vortex took me thirty-six years into the past...it's been nine Earth years since I exited the portal."

Everyone remained silent.

"Well, nine years isn't THAT bad," replied Izzy. "Definitely longer than eight days, but the wait is still doable, especially if you change your goal to destroying Demon instead of stopping yourself."

Shaun snickered at Izzy's logical remark. "Izzy...I said NINE Earth years...only the last four years and the one year leading up to XeedMilleniummon's destruction were actual years in both worlds. In the four years between XeedMilleniummon and Apocalymon...I lived on Digital World time."

"What do you mean? What's different about Digital World time?" asked Davis.

"XeedMilleniummon warped the temporal barriers around the Digital World...after the day he was destroyed, one minute on Earth equaled a day in the Digital World," answered Shaun.

Suddenly, TK said, "You were the other Digidestined who fought with Ryo." He had finally connected the dots whilst Shaun had been talking.

"Bingo," replied Shaun with a sad smile. "I WAS the other child who fought alongside Ryo against Milleniummon..."

Everyone stood quiet as they let Shaun gather his thoughts. Izzy was busy calculating the total amount of time that had passed. _Okay, one Earth minute equals a Digiworld day. Sixty minutes...so one Earth hour equals sixty days..._

"Something bugs me though," interjected Tai. "If you didn't have a partner when you went back in time, how'd you get (Koromon?)"

Shaun smiled as he patted his partner on the head. "This is the first positive thing I've had to say all day..."

* * *

/Flashback/ 

/01-000-IOTA, Hidden Cave, 9 Years Ago/

_"It was about a week after I had emerged from the time warp...turns out I warped right outside of the Order's base. Although I wasn't in the time I wanted, it was nice to have humans around."_

Shaun peered into the cave entrance quietly. "You sure this is where the digiegg is?"

Gennai nodded. "I'm positive." The Gennai of nine years ago was much younger and virile; he wore a set of tan and brown robes, and he looked no older than someone in his 20s. His light purple eyes sparkled with intelligence, and his brown hair was cut into upward spikes. _Of course, I was told by Azulongmon himself to come here, so I know it's here._

In the past week, the Order had been thrown upside down by the arrival of Shaun Kamiya. His story had been told already, and – all told – he wasn't happy that he had been brought back 36 years into the past. As a matter of fact, he had been downright enraged.

But as Shaun – and the Order – acclimated to this new situation, Azulongmon – the Guardian Beast of the Digiworld's Eastern Region – had given Gennai explicit (and secret) instructions to head to this cave in 01-000-IOTA. He had been told Shaun would find his partner here...and something else. _I certainly hope it's worth it though...this young boy is on the verge of snapping._

_"I have to say that, well...let me just say that I had a short fuse for the short week following my emergence from the time vortex."_

Shaun seethed as he made large strides into the cave, his walk strong and forceful. He had been so infuriated...he was only supposed to go back in time by EIGHT DAYS! How was he going to stop himself from freeing Demon if that event was 36 freaking years in the freaking future! _Gah...stupid time warp and stupid Demon and stupid stupid stupid..._

Suddenly, he saw a digiegg...but it looked different than a normal digiegg.

It was dark blue in color, and it was about the size of an average digiegg, but that's where the similarities ended. It stood on a flat base, with two angular protrusions jutting out of the two front corners. The front surface was curved like a semicircle, whereas the back was completely flat. The top of the digiegg curved backward, ending in three sharp spikes that extended diagonally upward. Finally, a blue crest symbol was emblazoned on the front of the digiegg. It was an upside down triangle with a small dot in the middle; outside of the main triangle's sides were smaller, right side up triangles, one for each side.

_"It was the Digiegg of Wisdom...although I didn't know that when I found it."_

Shaun calmly lifted it up. "Weird looking digiegg...looks like one of those special digieggs the New Digidestined used."

Suddenly, a dark blue light extended upward from the spot where the Digiegg of Wisdom had sat. When the light faded, (Agumon) was standing there.

Shaun's green eyes looked into (Agumon's) green eyes.

Finally, (Agumon) said, "You lifted the Digiegg of Wisdom...you must be my partner. I was told by Azulongmon that the one who lifted the digiegg would be my partner."

Shaun had no words to say. _...I have a partner?_

/End Flashback/

* * *

(Koromon) smiled as Shaun rubbed his head. "(Agumon)...well, (Koromon) at the moment...he was the only thing keeping me sane in the beginning...not long after that, I changed my goal from stopping myself to destroying Demon, like Izzy said." Shaun paused to take a quick breather. Finally, he continued. "Three months after that, I found my crest after it fell from the sky. Three weeks later, he achieved the Mega level. Two months later, Milleniummon and the Flan Digimon appeared...and one month later, Ryo finally emerged from HIS time warp." 

"So you actually went further back in time than either Milleniummon OR Ryo?" asked Hawkmon.

"Indubitably," replied Shaun with a smile. "That was certainly a happy time...but we didn't have a lot of free time to enjoy. One month after Ryo appeared, he froze Milleniummon in the Crystal Prison. Three-and-a-half months later, Milleniummon digivolved into MoonMilleniummon. One week later, he became XeedMilleniummon...and one week after that – one full year after I emerged from the vortex – XeedMilleniummon was destroyed...but there was a nasty side affect."

"The warping of the time differences," answered Ken.

Shaun sighed as he recalled the day EVERYTHING went down the tube. "Exactly..."

* * *

/Flashback/ 

/End of the World, 8 Years Ago/

Shaun sighed as he stared at the devastation that the battle between XeedMilleniummon and Neomon. Massive chunks of land had been torn from the barren wasteland. Tremendous canyons had been carved into the ground. Any vegetation that had existed beforehand utterly ceased to be. Blackened shadows that had been etched into the land by the combatants' energy attacks.

Shaun sighed. _Man...so much devastation. But it was worth it..._

However, there had been one loss: Ryo and his partner Cyberdramon.

After XeedMilleniummon's destruction, his collapsing data had combined into a time warp...and Ryo and Cyberdramon had both been drawn into it. Whether it led back to Ryo's proper time was beyond him...but Shaun was going to miss him. _At least I had SOME time with him..._

BEEP-BEEP!

Shaun blinked; his D-Terminal was beeping. He pulled it out and-

"_Hey!" _

"Davis...no interrupting..."

_"But Shaun, I just have one question!" _

"Fine. What?"

"_Where'd the D-Terminals come from anyway? You have one, we new guys have one, but the older kids don't! What's the deal?"_

"_The D-Terminals are communication devices developed by the Order. Gennai WOULD'VE given D-Terminals to the older kids, but he had no time to work on them, considering the machine which manufactured them was destroyed by the Dark Masters when they invaded the Order Base. Satisfied?" _

"Yep."

"_Good. No more interrupting! Continuing on!"_

Anyhow, Shaun pulled out the D-Terminal and read the message within.

* * *

_Dear Shaun,_

_Get back to the Order Base. I have something important to tell you!_

_Gennai_

* * *

"Well, that can't be good," muttered Shaun as he walked over to the slumbering (Botamon). He was already tired enough as is... 

He picked up his sleeping partner and looked up at the four Guardian Beasts. "Excuse me! Can I trouble you guys for a ride to the nearest digiport? I need to get to the Order Base!"

Baithumon stepped forward and kneeled. "You have done much good by helping us fight XeedMilleniummon. I will grant this small favor to you."

_"Anyhow, after I arrived at the Order Base...I got quite a shock..."_

"**_WHAT!_**" The echo of Shaun's shout could be heard outside of the Order's base.

_"...I discovered XeedMilleniummon had warped the temporal barriers around the Digital World. I wasn't happy."_

/End Flashback/

* * *

"XeedMilleniummon exuded so much dimension-altering power that his very presence in the Digital World altered the time differences between worlds." Shaun sighed as he leaned back against the toy tower, his voice low and dull. "It made everything much more complicated..." 

"NO WAY!"

Everyone sans Shaun turned the heads toward Izzy; he was hunched over his laptop, sweating profusely. _No way...I went over the calculations three times...there's no way..._

"Izzy? What's wrong?" asked Tentomon.

Izzy slowly turned his head towards Shaun, who now looked at Izzy as if he knew what the Child of Knowledge had discovered. Izzy mumbled, "If one Earth minute equals one Digital World day...and if you add the five years of normal time...you've been in the Digital World for 5769 years..."

"**_WHAT!_**" yelled the other Digidestined out of pure shock; there was no way that could be true!

Shaun chuckled. "Bingo...you are absolutely correct..."

"But-but-but-but-but-but-but-but you'd be an old geezer by now!" stuttered Matt. "You don't even look older than twelve!"

"A side affect of traveling through Milleniummon's time vortex. It was something that affected both Ryo and me...throughout the five months he was here, he didn't age...and I haven't aged at all."

As Shaun stared into the infinite sky above, the words came pouring out on their own. His voice sounded like it belonged to a lifeless husk instead of a child barely into puberty. "I've seen much...and I've suffered much...I've experienced so much war, death, and destruction over the five millennia I've been here. Any good times I've derived from this whole Godforsaken mission have been severely outweighed by the bad..." The tears started to stream from his eyes, even though the Child of Wisdom didn't sob. "All those I love and have gotten near me these past millennia have died...my innocence is dead...my childhood is dead...even death doesn't want to come near me. I've tried to kill myself to escape the pain..."

Everyone sat around in utter and total surprise; they would've NEVER figured Shaun as one to try and commit suicide.

"But I never could go all the way...my body always came back from the brink, struggling to hang on...because I still had a mission...and I am cursed to fulfill it." An ironic smirk came to his face as he lowered his head to the ground. "My older brother was right...I have to bear the consequences of my actions...and I've come to two conclusions over the years. Either time travel is an endeavor that requires tremendous sacrifice to get what you want...or fate has it is in for me."

Finally, he looked back up at the Digidestined...and they were shocked at what they saw.

Physically, Shaun hadn't changed. However, his green eyes – which had once maintained a façade of youthful confidence – were now completely open. Within the murky depths of those green eyes, the experience of one who had seen so much swam errantly. Shaun now looked a lot older than he appeared to be.

Shaun dully said, "That's why none of you can understand my pain...or why you never can. There are many things my brain has blocked away, simply because they were too horrible to recount...and there were times where I became so hardened that I forgot how to weep..."

Finally, the Child of Wisdom stood, staring at the Digidestined around them. "Well...you have all just heard the story of Shaun Kamiya: a child who released the demon that killed the Digidestined...and a child who has suffered more than many men see in their lifetime...now if you'll excuse me, I have to go be alone..." As he turned around and walked away, the Digidestined could hear him mutter, "...just like I'm destined to always be alone in the end..."

As he drifted out of sight, the Digidestined were left to their thoughts.

TK, for one, was particularly shocked...but he finally knew why Shaun neglected to reveal his past.

Meanwhile, a Black Gear hovered above.

* * *

/01-000-ALPHA, UmbraDevimon's Lair, 4:23 PM/ 

UmbraDevimon remained silent as he contemplated his next move.

His Black Gear had watched the fight with SkullSatamon. It hadn't been close enough to hear anything – except the loudest of the explosions – but he had seen the Child of Miracles fight.

He had his candidate for corruption.

But the question was how to isolate him...how to get him alone so that he could entrap the boy...

_That's the key to the riddle, now isn't it?_ UmbraDevimon frowned as he continued thinking.

"EUREKA! Finished at last!"

UmbraDevimon scowled as his eyes whirled over to Puppetmon and his gamestation. "You wretched marionette...don't you have anything better to do!"

Puppetmon sweatdropped as he stopped his celebrating. "But it's my newest creation! I'm going to subject the Digidestined to the toughest obstacle course in history! I'll lace it with traps, enemies, and dead ends...oh, it'll be so much fun to watch them wander and die alone!"

'Alone' was the key word.

Puppetmon waited for continued criticism...but it didn't come. "Eh...don't you have anything else to say?"

Instead of glaring...UmbraDevimon smiled wickedly. "No...as a matter of fact, you've just given me an idea."

* * *

/Throne Room, Keep, Archfiend Castle, Dark World, 4:26 PM/ 

Demon was not in a good mood.

He had opened a portal to the Digital World – now that his power was back, such a thing was easy for him – at 3:00 PM.

SkullSatamon had not returned.

Demon was still upset because of it; he had lost a powerful Black General...and SkullSatamon would NEVER dare to miss an appointed time. He knew better than to incur Demon's wrath. It could only mean that the Ultimate had been destroyed in battle.

_Oh well, it matters not_. SkullSatamon had already taught the Bakemon Army all of the combat knowledge he had known. Even if a capable leader had been lost, he was still in a good position. 

Tomorrow, Demon would invade the Real World.

Demon smiled as he thought of tomorrow. Soon, the Demon Corps would be the greatest force the Real World had ever seen.

* * *

/File Island, Outside of Primary Village, 4:30 PM/ 

"5769 years...who would've thought?" muttered Matt.

Gabumon quickly said, "For the record, I didn't."

Meanwhile, Davis was pacing back and forth; he was trying to think of ways to console Shaun. I mean, come on: Shaun DID look bummed out, and for good reason. _Surprise party? No. Surprise soccer match? No. Trip to the arcade in Odaiba? Hmm...no. Gah, what to do!_

"Hey, where'd Tai go?" asked Kari.

"And Sora?" asked Biyomon as she flapped her wings, hovering in the air.

* * *

/File Island, Ruined Forest, 4:35 PM/ 

Tai and Sora both walked through the forest quietly; earlier that day, the forest had been subject to the tremendous battles that had been the Wargreymon Duel and the struggle against Piedmon and Grandkuwagamon. Deep trenches were carved into the ground, and a large number of trees had been cut down, burned away, or simply uprooted.

Tai and Sora had a goal in mind: the consolation of Shaun.

In a way, they owed it to him.

They finally found him, sitting Indian-style on a stump. He was staring off into the forest, his back turned to them.

As the Children of Courage and Love neared the Child of Wisdom...

"I don't expect you two to change your lives for me."

They both nearly jumped out of their skin; the voice belonged to Shaun, who did not turn to face them. He continued to speak. "Even though you might think otherwise, you two are only my parents in appearance...I don't expect you two to become my mother and father, because honestly, you aren't them. However...I'll still fight my hardest to protect you and the other Digidestined...but my soul won't know true peace until Demon is dead."

Slowly, Tai and Sora stepped closer, finally stopping two feet behind Shaun.

Tai quietly said, "Listen...we might not understand the pain you've suffered...and we probably never will."

"But that doesn't mean you have to carry that burden alone," said Sora in her sweet, motherly voice. "We're ALL Digidestined...so we're all family in a sense. Family members help each other...and we'll help you with your pain." As she said this, she placed her left hand on Shaun's left shoulder.

Tai – who was standing to Sora's left – placed his right hand on Shaun's left shoulder as well. "All of us will."

Shaun said nothing. He replied by reaching up with his right hand and clutching Tai and Sora's hands tightly.

In that one instant, that small gesture said more than any amount of words ever could.

* * *

To be continued... 

Next time...

Episode 39: Puppetmon's Obstacle Course

* * *

Author's Notes: (looks at computer clock) Hmm...finished nine days ahead of schedule. I could've updated this earlier...but you know, this wouldn't have as much MEANING if I hadn't updated in on my story's birthday, you know? 

Speaking of which, I want to thank all of the people who've read this story. I also want to thank all of the reviewers, who I will point out in the list below:

Anthony1, Charmeleon, Digifriends, Silver Warrior, Cookirini, Martial Arts Master, Nickomon, Digifan, Magnus1, Duke Devlin, Miracles, Bohemiat, A Nony Mouse, SR71Will, Lance Murdock, Serena Hart, NoRatCat, ... (now known as Dot Cubed), dee-unlm1t3d, Anon e Mouse Jr, Digikaiser3605, Mimato-4eva, starauthor23, Fallen Angel of Oblivion, gomababe, Snodin, the Queen of All Ninjas, Crest of Water, masamune, reviewer, Nephest, Malebolgia, AnT, HogwartsKnight, ficmaster, and Cloud-821.

Makes the 195 reviews seem not as big anymore, neh:P

Anyhow, thank you all who have read this story; I would continue to write anyway...but you've got to admit, reviews are a nice incentive. ;)

Here's to another year!

See you next episode, and please review!


	39. Puppetmon's Obstacle Course

Standard Disclaimer: I am Ultra. I like lawyers! They like me too! In fact, they like me so much that they've given me a contract that negates the need for me to say 'I don't own Digimon!'

(a lawyer slowly walks up and whispers into author's ear)

...what? They haven't? THEN NUTS TO THIS!!! (whips out a laser cannon and starts blasting) DIE PITIFUL LAWYERS OF THE POLITICAL SYSTEM!!!

Anyhow, Zero 2 – as of the end of this episode – is now over 300,000 words! This makes it the 3rd largest story in the Digimon section! Yippee!

To the reviews (which are now over 200, so yippee again!)!

The Queen of All Ninjas: I can't make any guarantees...uh, please put the shurikens down. O.o;

SR71will: May I point out that the season 03 storyline does not exist here? The fate of Ryo after the battle of XeedMilleniummon will be revealed in due time.

Anthony1: GAH!!! CURSE YOUR INSIGHT!!!

Ahem. Anyhow, they will NOT appear in this story...but you never know what might happen in 'Past Journeys'...;)

Cloud-821: Believe it or not, I found the waiting to be quite unbearable myself...except it was more about the insight of the readers instead of actually waiting to read the story.

And congrats on the RvB reference! (boots Cloud off a cliff for reviewing more than once) :P

masamune: Here's some duct tape.

ficmaster: Would you like some cooked cliché to go with those pureed puns of yours? :P

Fallen Angel of Oblivion: That's a good question. Just read on, and I'll try to surprise you. ;)

Dot Cubed: I will admit that I am a fan of Daikari. Have been for years...and I'm glad you're so emotionally attached to Shaun. Oh, and the first episode you reviewed was 'Episode 23: Friend or Foe?' You asked about the Destiny Stones. :P

Snodin: Of course it would be gruesome...did you think otherwise? ;P

Ninetalesuk: Welcome to Zero 2 Ninetales! And it seems you have a Digimon for commentary as well (glances over at gomababe...and more specifically, Aquamon). Anyhow, I'll take a glance at Frontier sometime.

Digi fan: Who would want to go through that?

gomababe: You'll see what Puppetmon's up to in this episode. ;)

Begin!

* * *

_Shaun's past has been revealed at last...and his suffering has been made known._

_However, no time can be allowed for pity or rest..._

_UmbraDevimon is on the move once more._

* * *

"Hi everyone, it's TK. Well, Shaun finally spilled the beans about his past...and I have to say, I can see why he didn't want to tell us anything in the beginning. He's from the future apparently, and he's come back to try and stop himself from freeing an evil Digimon called Demon. Why? Well, Demon immediately killed all twelve Digidestined in the future! Shaun took it upon himself to stop Demon from being freed...but something went wrong. He ended up further back in the past than he wanted...and he's had to live for so long. At least we're here to help him out...but you have to wonder: how much has he experienced?"

* * *

Episode 39: Puppetmon's Obstacle Course

* * *

/Warehouse #7, Tokyo Bay, Odaiba, 4:45 PM/

The blue Honda rental car slowed to a stop outside of the dilapidated warehouse. Slowly, its two passengers stepped out.

The one who stepped out of the driver's side – which is the right side in Japan – was male. His light black hair was combed and styled with hair gel, giving it a shiny appearance. His blue eyes were covered over by small, round sunglasses, and his skin was more white than tan. He wore a white collared shirt with a blue stripe running across the chest, and he also wore neatly ironed khakis. He wore black dress shoes made of polished leather, and his body was off a lean, yet not muscular build.

The one who stepped out of the passenger's side was a woman. Her orange hair fanned out behind her head, and it had a stylized, shiny appearance to it. Her whitish skin was silky smooth in complexion, and her amber eyes complimented her childish face. She wore a white shirt that was tucked into a pink, knee-length skirt. She wore small snadles with red thread encircling her little toes, and a green headband encircled her forehead.

The man was Keisuke Tachikawa. The woman was Satoe Tachikawa.

Mimi's dad and mom...and needless to say, the last day-and-a-half of their life had been miserable.

Well, 'miserable' would be an understatement.

They had immediately gone to La Guardia airport in New York, seeking the fastest flight to Japan. The quickest flight – a 20-hour flight that would require a stop in Alaska to refuel – was unavailable. A flight directly to San Francisco was unavailable, because bad weather was plaguing the Bay Area.

Thus, they flew to Texas. One hour after they arrived in Dallas, a flight to Los Angeles opened up; the weather plaguing San Francisco had been moving northward from the City of Angels, and now LAX was open for travel.

They immediately flew to Los Angeles International Airport. After that, they went on an eleven hour, thirty minute flight to Tokyo, Japan...and the flight had been miserable. Thankfully, the flight had occurred through the night...so they passed most of the time sleeping.

Upon arriving in Tokyo, it was in the morning. They immediately went to the Takenouchi household – after getting a bite to eat and futilely trying to follow Toshiko's directions over the cell phone – and got directions to the warehouse they were at now.

They were tired. They were cranky. They were suffering flight lag.

And now, they wanted to know where their daughter was.

Keisuke furiously pounded on the metal door of warehouse #7. "HEY!!! Um..." He bashfully turned to his wife. "What was his name again?"

Satoe sweatdropped as she said, "Gennai."

"Oh yeah," replied Keisuke with a goofy grin before turning back to the door. "GENNAI!!! OPEN THIS DOOR!!!"

It opened immediately, revealing the frail form of Gennai. "Ah...the Tachikawas. You don't have to be so loud, you know."

Keisuke and Satoe looked down at the old man out of confusion; surely this wasn't the man who had kidnapped their daughter...was he?

"Come inside, and I'll bring you up to speed." With that, Gennai walked inside, followed soon after by Mr. and Mrs. Tachikawa.

* * *

/File Island, Outside of Primary Village, 4:50 PM/

The Digidestined were dealing with the day's aftermath in their own way.

Tai and Sora were just hanging loosely around Shaun, watching the Child of Wisdom remain in solitude away from the rest of the Digidestined. If anything, the two were curious about how the boy – well, a man, if you think about it – was handling everything he had told them.

In a way, it seemed as though Shaun was experiencing those events for the first time...but then again, who would be able to recount such events without feeling anything?

Joe was currently replacing the bandages on Ken's neck; the Child of Kindness was feeling a tad weary after the ordeal he had been through. Yolei was trying to console him.

Mimi had decided to try and find any Baby Digimon left behind in the village. Matt was doing the same for the digieggs.

Izzy was busy trying to connect to the Internet; he had been unable to check the news recently.

Cody was sitting near the base of one of the toy towers, thinking about various things. TK was doing the same thing...and he was thinking of a way to apologize to Shaun for his suspicion during the initial period of time they had known each other.

Davis was busy trying out his new Armor of Miracles...well, he would if he could find Shaun. Seeing as how Shaun was able to don the Armor of Wisdom in a similar way, Davis reasoned that he knew something about it.

Kari, meanwhile, was trying to find something to eat for everyone. Hey, everyone got hungry once in a while, right?

Now, we turn our attention to Joe.

* * *

Joe looked at the wound quietly, slightly wincing at the sight of it. "Eech. How'd you get this wound anyway?"

"...Demon," muttered Ken, his eyes downcast.

"But why?" asked Yolei, who was sitting down in front of him. "It can't be just because he got a kick out of it...because if he did, this guy's one sick individual."

Ken sighed as he resisted the urge to feel the hole in his neck. "He did it to extract the Dark Spore from me..."

Wormmon raised one of his hands and said, "Uh-"

"Four years ago, Demon put a Dark Spore into my body," replied Ken, answering Wormmon before the question could be asked: he already knew that's what his partner was going to ask. "It corrupted my soul the longer it remained in me...and he harvested it, using the dark power it had accumulated to recharge himself..." His face hardened as he recalled the past four years of his life. "He used me...he used Shaun...he's a monster..."

Yolei winced as she thought about it; Ken's soul had been tarnished for four years...and the Emperor had been formed...all because of a demonic Digimon who wanted the power to destroy...

Yolei slowly wrapped her arms around herself, her eyes becoming downcast. It was all becoming too much...they were only children! They shouldn't have to deal with such things! Why couldn't they just notify the Army and let them take care of it?!

But she knew that it couldn't happen like that...they were Digidestined. They were those chosen to protect this world.

Oh, how she loathed their destiny at that moment. _I want to go home..._

Hawkmon, somehow sensing Yolei's troubled thoughts, placed his right wing on her shoulder. "Don't be afraid Yolei. We'll all be fine."

The Child of Caring turned around, facing her partner with a glad, yet sad smile...even in such troublesome times, she had great friends. "Thanks Hawkmon."

Suddenly – with no warning – the ground beneath the Digidestined and their partners disappeared. All over the island, the Children of Destiny screamed and yelped as they were devoured by the darkness under the ground.

* * *

Suddenly, a tremendous pedestal rose out of the ruins of Infinity Mountain...and all of the Digidestined were on it.

"What the?!" yelped Davis as he looked around with shock. "What happened?!"

Gatomon's fur rose as she narrowed her eyes. "Something's up..."

"But what oh what, THAT is the question," said Tentomon with a corny Shakespearian accent.

"**Guess who...?"**

Everyone suddenly looked upward in the direction of the voice...and to their shock, they saw a floating monitor with the face of a very familiar foe.

Puppetmon chuckled as he enthusiastically exclaimed, **"Who's ready to play another game?!"**

* * *

/01-000-ALPHA, UmbraDevimon's Lair, 5:00 PM/

Puppetmon chuckled as his eyes momentarily drifted to the Shadow Mallet; the mighty weapon was implanted into a small slot in his large gamestation – a massive array of monitors and computer terminals – and the power boost that it gave the assortment of gadgets and devices was rather useful.

Now – after spending the last hour transforming the underside of File Island into a massive obstacle course – he was ready to have some fun.

"Alright you bozos!" yelled Puppetmon, speaking into a large microphone. "Listen up!"

* * *

/File Island, Ruins of Infinity Mountain, Pedestal, 5:01 PM/

"**Alright you bozos! Listen up!"**

Gomamon jokingly cracked, "Do we have to?!"

Puppetmon glared at the tiny Rookie. **"Well duh!!! Now listen: it's time for another round of the Puppetmon Games!"**

The older kids – and their partners – all groaned; they had already experienced Puppetmon's little 'games' before. Tai and Sora had been forced to fight holographic fighters collectively called Twinmon. Matt, Mimi, and Joe had been forced to race against five Puppetmon drones on a trap-filled raceway. Izzy had been forced to engage Puppetmon in a series of riddles, with the stakes being Tentomon's life.

Needless to say, they weren't eager to partake in another round of the former Dark Master's devious challenges.

Veemon looked up and excitedly asked, "Really?! What kind of games are we playing?"

Everyone facefaulted. Veemon looked around them confusedly and asked, "Eh? Why are you all on the ground?"

Puppetmon resisted the urge to laugh. **"Well, I'll tell you! Today's big game is a tremendous obstacle course that's been carved out of the island's underside! But it's not just any old regular obstacle course!"**

Suddenly, Puppetmon's face disappeared from the monitor, showing three familiar faces: Gryphonmon, Piedmon, and UmbraDevimon himself. The marionette's voice continued to speak. **"There are five different parts of my obstacle course! And they're all different...just try and survive!" **

At that moment, holes opened up below the Digidestined's feet. Five different groups were swallowed.

Davis, Kari, Veemon, and Gatomon.

Shaun, Tai, Sora, (Koromon), Agumon, and Biyomon.

Ken, Yolei, Wormmon, and Hawkmon.

Cody, Joe, Izzy, Armadillomon, Gomamon, Tentomon.

TK, Matt, Mimi, Patamon, Gabumon, and Palmon.

The five groups were taken to different locations under File Island...and a myriad of obstacles awaited them.

* * *

/Underside of File Island, Obstacle Trial #1, 5:06 PM/

"WAAH!!!"

Davis, Kari, Veemon, and Gatomon landed on their rumps with a thud, kicking up a cloud of dust around them.

"Ow..." muttered Veemon as he slowly stood. That's when he finally got a good look around. "Davish..."

As Davis got to his feet, he replied, "What?"

"Where are we?"

At that moment, they all saw where they were. They were in a massive underground cavern; numerous halogen lights were strung along the ceiling, illuminating the ruins all around. To be more specific, the ruins looked as though the belonged to ancient Greece: fallen columns, broken pillars, crumbling buildings, and decrepit temples. It made for one incredibly complex maze.

Gatomon suddenly froze; she felt like a pair of eyes was burning into the back of her head. "We should move...there's someone in this place. In a place like this, we could be ambushed at any time."

"Gatomon's right," muttered Kari, concurring with her partner. "We should move."

As Kari and Gatomon walked along, Veemon looked up and asked, "Davish? Can you put on that Magnamon suit again?"

Davis frowned; he had been trying to think of the words to put on the armor. After all, with the way things operated in the Digiworld, there had be some kind of magic words to do it, right? "Well, yeah...when I figure out that suit's 'abra kadabra' or whatever..."

"Abra? Kadabra?" replied Veemon out of bewilderment. "Davish, I didn't know you were into Pokemon..."

Davis sweatdropped as he walked alongside his partner, slowly trailing behind Kari and Gatomon.

Meanwhile, 100 meters above them...

The narrow yellow eyes of Gryphonmon leered quietly at the four trespassers below; his feet were latched into the rocky ceiling, with his tail's mouth offering extra grip to the surface.

He was waiting...waiting for the moment when they would least expect him.

Then, he would swiftly terminate them.

* * *

/Underside of File Island, Obstacle Trial #2, 5:09 PM/

(Koromon) digivolve to......(Agumon!)

(Agumon) moved his left arm with a smile; it was good to have feeling back in it after Piedmon had impaled earlier. "Well, I'm ready!"

Shaun nodded as his eyes stared at the dimly lit tunnel ahead of them. "Then let's go." With that, Shaun and (Agumon) walked onward, with Tai, Sora, Agumon, and Biyomon walking slowly behind them.

Sora sighed as her eyes stared sadly at the 5777 year-old child. "He looks down," whispered Sora to Tai.

Tai whispered back, "Well, I would be too if I went through what he's been through."

"Plus, he's had to tell it to us...I bet that made it harder," replied Biyomon.

Agumon blinked as he saw Shaun step through the light of a stationary floodlight. The Child of Wisdom was...trembling. "Hey, I think he's crying."

Tai and Sora focused on Shaun's body; indeed, it was trembling slightly. Was he crying over a sorrowful memory?

Sora slowly walked over and muttered, "Shaun...?"

Suddenly, Shaun stopped. Tai and Sora stopped as well...and then they saw Shaun turn around, his face illuminated by the light of a nearby floodlight pinned to the wall.

And he was...laughing. The trembling had been him trying to contain his laughter. Finally, he chuckled uncontrollably, almost slumping to his knees as his voice echoed throughout the tunnel.

"Gee, glad to see you're cheerful," said Tai, his tone unamused after expecting Shaun to be sobbing.

Shaun got to his feet, apologetically saying, "Sorry about that...just remembered something funny. I didn't think about it much anymore, considering I don't dwell on the past as much as I used to...but I just thought about it, and I couldn't help but laugh."

"Well now that you're thinking about it, mind enlightening us?" asked Biyomon innocently.

Shaun grinned as he said, "Alright...how would you guys like to hear about how the rivalry between Leomon and Ogremon began?"

* * *

/Underside of File Island, Obstacle Trial #3, 5:12 PM/

Ken, Yolei, Wormmon, and Hawkmon looked around quietly.

The cavern they were in was of tremendous size; a multitude of stalagmites and stalactites protruded from the surfaces of the room, almost dwarfing out the lights. Unlike the other obstacle courses, the lights within this cavern were yellowish and dull, as though imitating the light of a setting sun.

Ken's eyes narrowed; something about this place was wrong. "Be careful...there's someone in here."

Yolei could only nod; she too felt a strange aura emanating from this place. It was as if...someone were there...

_Whoosh._

Yolei yelped at the sudden rush of wind that occurred right behind her. She whirled around, squealing, "What was that?!"

_Tup-tup-tup-tup._

Wormmon squeaked out of shock, courtesy of the footsteps he heard amongst the stalagmites. "What was THAT?!"

"Yolei."

Yolei looked down at Hawkmon, he suddenly looked deathly serious. "Yeah?"

"Digivolve me to Shurimon...trust me," uttered Hawkmon, his blue eyes looking calmly around the dimly lit area.

There were two opponents in the cavern...and if Hawkmon was correct, he would need the skills of a shinobi to emerge victorious.

Yolei fearfully pulled out her red D-3, her eyes darting every to search for the mysterious beings. "Alright...armor digivolve!"

Hawkmon armor-digivolve to......Shurimon: The Shinobi of Sincerity!

Shurimon stood silently amongst Ken, Yolei, and Wormmon; his eyes – covered by the black mask over his face – stared intently around the cavernous room.

Finally, he roared, "DOUBLE STAR!!!" His vine-like arms extended into different parts of the cavernous room, crashing through numerous stalagmites.

The two figures leapt from the shadows and into the light, revealing themselves to the Digidestined.

The one to Shurimon's left was small: barely three-and-a-half feet tall. To be blunt, he looked like Pac-Man with shrimpy legs and arms almost as long as his whole body. His light-tan skin only could be seen around his chubby mouth and lower body, as chain mail covered his arms and legs. His hands and feet were covered by red cloth, fashioned into gloves and shoes respectively. His entire upper head was covered by a mask of red cloth, tied into a tight knot around the back of his head. Spiky pads of dark gray metal covered his shoulders, and a razor-sharp katana – sheathed in a blue sheath – was tied to his back. Orange eyes stared out from the holes in his mask...except they were red, no thanks to the Black Gear in his back. With a nasally voice, he yelled, "I am Ninjamon, mighty warrior of the shadows! I am a master at ninjitsu, and I'll show you why I AM a master when I use my Ninja Katana and Shadow Image attacks!"

The one to Shurimon's right, on the other hand, was large: nine feet tall. His body was covered by a dull green jumpsuit – with everything from the shins down stripped away – and the sleeves were ripped off, revealing scaly purple skin beneath. His knees were covered by kneepads fashioned like imp heads, and his right foot was covered by a purple sock and a brown sandal...but his left foot was uncovered, revealing the hardened skin and his long red toenails. Plates of rusted copper armor covered his thighs, shoulders, and arms, and a copper shogun helmet covered his head. A horned demon head adorned his helmet's top, painted gold. Also, a large mane of violet hair extended from his helmet, giving the warrior an aura of wildness. Also – in his right hand – a massive seven-foot blade, with a red hilt and made of perfectly sharpened steel. Yellow eyes glared out from eyeholes in the helmet...but thanks to the Black Gear in his chest, his eyes were blood red. "My name is Musyamon...and I am a mighty warrior with a blade that can cleave you in two! My Bloody Blade will do the deed, and my Shogun's Charge will knock you senseless!"

Shurimon's eyes narrowed at the sight of the two Black Gear-controlled Champions; he knew something had been up. "So...I assume you two are part of this obstacle course."

"Of course!" roared Ninjamon as he unsheathed his blade. "But my business is with you...it would be unfair to face you two-on-one."

Musyamon grinned as he pointed his massive blade at Ken, Yolei, and Wormmon. "That's why my business is with them."

Shurimon frowned as he momentarily entertained the notion of facing both of them on his own...but he knew Stingmon would be able to handle Musyamon. "Very well then...Wormmon, I entrust the care of Yolei and Ken to you."

With that, Shurimon leapt into the shadows above. Ninjamon smirked as he followed suit.

This left Wormmon to face Musyamon. Wormmon looked back at Ken and asked, "Mind giving me a boost?"

Ken smiled as he pulled out his black D-3. "Of course. Digivolve!"

Wormmon digivolve to......Stingmon!

Stingmon extended his spikes as Musyamon raised his blade. The demonic warrior grinned as he faced Stingmon. "Now...let's see who can cut the deepest."

* * *

/Underside of File Island, Obstacle Trial #4, 5:16 PM/

Cody, Joe, Izzy, Armadillomon, Gomamon, and Tentomon grimaced at the sight around them.

They were stuck on one island of rock within an enormous cavern. The ceiling were strung with halogen lights, making the entire cave as bright as day.

Of course, it only served to expose the obstacle ahead of them: whirlpools.

There were so many...and they could clearly see no exits above ground. They had to find their way out through the water...which meant navigating through the harrowing whirlpool-infested water.

The Digidestined already knew that...

Armadillomon armor-digivolve to......Submarimon: The Reliable Sea Guardian!

Gomamon digivolve to......Ikkakumon!

Ikkakumon digivolve to......Zudomon!

...and now, they were preparing to make their journey into the deep.

Zudomon barely fit on the island; he immediately settled into the water, opening his mouth. "Come on in!"

Tentomon began sweating profusely at the sight of Zudomon's sharpened teeth. "Um...do we have to go in there?"

"At least it has space," replied Izzy. "I'd rather been in the mouth of a Digimon I trust instead of being cramped up in a tight space."

You see – due to Cody, Joe, and Izzy's their current situation – they had to think of a way to get through. So they devised a plan; Joe, Izzy, and Tentomon would get a ride in Zudomon's massive mouth underwater. Since Cody was the pilot of Submarimon, he needed the space to move around: this negated the notion of packing into Submarimon's compact cockpit.

Cody jumped onto Submarimon and looked at the others as the glass dome closed above him. "You guys ready?!" he shouted loudly.

Tentomon sighed as he muttered, "Yeah..."

"If it's any consolation, I'm a little nervous as well," said Joe with a reassuring, yet nervous tone.

"Come on, show a little faith here!" complained Zudomon as the two Digidestined and Tentomon hopped into his gaping maw; moments later, he closed his mouth shut, enclosing the 'passengers' in an airtight compartment.

At that moment, Submarimon and Zudomon plunged under the surface.

* * *

/Underside of File Island, Obstacle Trial #5, 5:19 PM/

"Just freaking great," muttered Matt with a displeased tone.

All around them was death incarnate.

Trap doors in the floor. Winding gears fixated into massive alignments in the air, held up by metallic rods of tremendous size. Spikes attached to rotating columns crisscrossed the entire cavern. Holes that led to an endless abyss.

It was like the inside of a clock...except many times larger, and with death traps.

And right now, Matt, TK, Mimi, Gabumon, Patamon, and Palmon were within that death trap.

The only light in the room was provided by a single set of halogen lights attached to a revolving orb in the epicenter of the room's ceiling. The lights, with their constant movement, made navigating through the room all but impossible.

Disorientation and patience were the name of the game here.

Patamon gulped at the sight of all the moving spikes. "This place is scary..."

"And we have to make it through all of it somehow!" exclaimed Gabumon.

"Question is, where's the exit?" asked Palmon. That was a good question; it was useless to move without knowing where the exit was...they could end up wandering into a trap.

Matt sighed; it was time to take charge again. He was about to speak-

"We should split up."

Matt blinked; that voice wasn't his. He turned his head to see TK, the source of the voice. "We should try and stay in range of each other's digivices, but in a place like this, it could be easy for something to ambush us. If one of us is ambushed, at least the others will be safe."

"I concur!" cheered Mimi.

Matt looked at TK with a look of astonishment; that's what HE was going to say!

Apparently, his brother had become more of a leader in his absence. "...I concur."

TK smiled as Patamon hopped onto his head. "Alright then...stay safe!" With that, TK and Patamon ventured off into a steam-filled passage full of spike-covered gears.

Matt and Mimi exchanged one last glance before venturing off into different pathways, their partners close behind.

* * *

/01-000-ALPHA, UmbraDevimon's Lair, 5:22 PM/

Puppetmon smiled as his eyes drifted between the monitors. "Okay...two brats are in Gryphonmon's Ruins...Piedmon's waiting for those three at the end of the Labyrinth...my two Shinobi warriors have engaged two more Digibrats..."

His eyes narrowed as he saw Zudomon and Submarimon navigating through the whirlpool-infested waters of the Depths. "Hmm...can't let them get through. Better release the MegaSeadramon." He pressed a small blue button on the console before turning his attention to another screen.

Puppetmon chuckled at the sight of three more Digidestined – more specifically, the brat TK – navigating through the fifth trial of his Obstacle Course. "Yes...let's see if they can survive my Gauntlet..."

Puppetmon giggled madly; this was going to be a fun night.

* * *

/Underside of File Island, Gryphonmon's Ruins, 5:24 PM/

Davis slowly scaled over a fallen pillar, reaching the top and hopping down onto the dusty ground on the other side. The Child of Miracles looked around and grimaced; even though he and Kari had been on the move for about twenty minutes now, it still looked as though they hadn't moved an inch. _Man, this place is huge..._

His eyes drifted ahead to Kari, who was walking along a path that winded through a set of dilapidated Grecian buildings. Gatomon was off the beaten path, acting as a scout of sorts. Veemon, however, was on a cliff edge above them all, traveling at a roughly equal pace laterally to Gatomon's left side; he was up there to take in the sights.

Davis found himself sighing, his feet moving faster to try and keep up with the female Kamiya child. _Kari..._

He adored the Child of Light. Kari was his best friend – well, of the human variety – and she had been for over three years. When no one else would be his friend, Kari came forth and became his friend. She was everything to him...he would do anything for her.

That's why he was so upset about TK. _Darn that TC...Kari always hung out with me before he came along!!! I hardly even see Kari anymore...well, outside of our missions in the Digital World, that is..._

"Davis."

Davis was jolted out of his thought processes by Kari's voice; she had stopped by a large pillar atop which a large halogen light was affixed. This gave the surrounding area a sizeable amount of illumination...and Davis could see into Kari's eyes, which were stern and calm.

Davis tried to reply as calmly as he could. "Um...yeah? You needed something?"

Kari sighed, causing Davis' mind to go on the alert; when she sighed, it meant she was about to speak about something personal. "Well, now that we're alone, I want to talk to you about something."

Davis mind went into overdrive; what could Kari possibly want to ask him that necessitated them being alone? Was she...was she going to ask him to be her boyfriend? Davis mentally smiled at that thought. _Oh YES!!! She ditched the hat-boy and went with the guy with the goggles! After all, chicks dig the goggles!_ "Well, what is it?"

"It's about TK," said Kari.

Davis' initial hopes were quickly dashed. _Aw...don't tell me she decided to become his girlfriend!!! NO!!! That can't be!!!!!!_ The mental image he was conjuring up now was a wedding between TG and Kari...and Davis was trying to get into the church to object to their union...but he couldn't get in. _No...it can't be...Kari's my best friend..._

"And before you go ballistic, I'm not becoming TK's girlfriend."

Davis facefaulted; in a matter of twenty seconds, he had gone from normal to high to low to normal again. "KARI!!! Stop messing with me!!!"

Kari looked at Davis out of confusion. "...okay...don't know what you're talking about, but I have something to talk to you about TK nonetheless."

Davis quickly regained control of his emotions. He told himself, _Okay...don't lose your head, man._ "So...what is it you want to talk to me about?"

"Well...I wanted to apologize."

Davis blinked out of genuine bewilderment. "Apologize? For what? You didn't do anything!"

"It's what I DIDN'T do that I'm apologizing for," said Kari, a measure of regret in her voice. "I wanted to apologize for not spending time with you like I did before TK came around...it's just, well..." She looked at Davis quietly, remorse filling her amber eyes. "It's just that I hadn't seen TK in four years...you had no idea how happy I was to see him again. He's one of my best friends...and I wanted to get reacquainted with him after not seeing him for so long."

Davis remained silent as Kari spoke; even though he didn't like TK that much – when it came to Kari, that is – he had to admit he was a nice guy. And he WAS Kari's friend...who was he to argue?

Finally, Kari continued, "But it's no excuse for not spending time with you like I used to. I know you've been getting jealous of TK...I've noticed it, TK's noticed it...even Tai has." Kari stifled a laugh at the thought of Tai's dense head. "So while we're out here, I wanted to apologize. I've just been so preoccupied with trying to see TK again – and with our missions to the Digital World and whatnot – that I sort of put you to the wayside...and I'm sorry for that."

After Kari finished speaking, Davis Motomiya couldn't help but smile. This was why he loved her...because she was the greatest friend – human friend, mind you – one could ever ask for. "Kari...thanks." He then extended his right hand toward her, intending to shake her hand out of a truce. "Friends forever?"

Kari smiled...and then she walked up to Davis and hugged him tightly. "Of course...friends _do_ hug each other, right?"

Davis felt like fainting: Kari was HUGGING him. _Don'tpanicdon'tpanicdon'tpanicdon'tpanicohboyohboyohboyohboy-_

_THUMP._

Davis fell backward onto the ground, almost fainting out of sheer excitement...I mean, Kari DID hug him. He muttered, "Oy..."

Kari Kamiya looked down, embarrassment – and a slight bit of humor – etched onto her face. "Whoops...sorry Davis."

Over thirty yards away, Gatomon shook her head. "That Davis, I swear..."

Right behind her, a hulking figure was standing above her, preparing to swipe her head off with his tremendous claws.

* * *

Seventy feet above – on the cliff edge – Veemon was leaning over the side, staring out over the large ruins. "Boy...it's like a city..."

Crumble.

Veemon paled; he looked down at his feet to see the cliff edge collapsing under them. "Uh oh."

Veemon yelped as he fell, parts of the cliff falling with him. Moments later, he crashed into the ground...well, he WOULD have, had the Digimon behind Gatomon not broken his fall.

Gatomon whirled around at the crashing sound; Veemon was in a pile of junk, groaning. However, the Digimon he had landed on was flying away into the darkness above. Gatomon recognized him as one of the Control Spire Digimon from when UmbraDevimon introduced his Dark Obelisks two days ago. "It's Gryphonmon!!!"

Kari gasped as she gazed upward towards the dark ceiling. Even Davis got up, seemingly better from his self-induced faint.

Suddenly, the voice of Gryphonmon cut through the air. _"The feline is lucky...had the young Rookie not fallen on me, her head would be separated from her body right now."_

Gatomon froze as she realized it. Gryphonmon _had_ been sneaking up behind her...he'd snuck up on HER!!! _How'd he do that...? How'd he get past my ears and my nose?!_

"Show yourself!" yelled Davis, his voice echoing throughout the ruin-filled cavern.

"_I will...you pitiful beings are fools. You attempt to fight Lord UmbraDevimon, even when you know it is futile...I am merely his instrument."_ Gryphonmon's voice came as an echo...no one could tell where he was.

"Davish, digivolve me!" shouted Veemon as he stood up from the wreckage. Gatomon looked over at Kari and yelled, "Same here!"

Davis and Kari quickly pulled out their D-3s, which began glowing as they pointed them at their partners.

Veemon digivolve to......XVmon!

XVmon digivolve to......Paildramon!

Gatomon digivolve to......Angewomon!

The two Ultimate Digimon got into a defensive circle around their partners, looking all around to find the source of Gryphonmon's voice.

Davis grumbled; if only he could transform into 'Davis the Magnamon' or 'Magnaman' or whatever the heck you called it! _Man...how the heck do I call upon the Armor of Miracles?_

Suddenly, the words hit him like a bolt of lightning. _Holy Armor Energize...what the heck, might as well try._

Davis roared, "HOLY ARMOR ENERGIZE!!!"

In a flash of bright golden light, the Armor of Miracles encompassed Davis, as it had when he fought SkullSatamon mere hours ago. Davis looked down at himself, grinning as he did. "Oh yeah! Now this is what I'm talking about!"

Kari looked at Davis with awe. "How'd you do that anyway?"

Davis suddenly sweatdropped. "Er...beats me."

"_It matters not."_ Gryphonmon's voice cut through the air once more. "I will cut you down where you stand..." _Except for the golden child_, thought Gryphonmon with an emotionless face. He had no idea why his lord had told him to spare the boy's life, but such things were not to be questioned. _"Here I come."_

Angewomon impulsively charged a Celestial Arrow. "Any sign of him Paildramon?"

"Nope," muttered Paildramon, his Holy Javelins extended.

Unbeknownst to any of them, Gryphonmon was swooping down at them from above.

* * *

/Underside of File Island, The Labyrinth, 5:30 PM/

Tai, Sora, Agumon, and Biyomon were rolling around on the ground, laughing their hardest. (Agumon) looked at them quietly. "Boy, they apparently like your story."

"Apparently," muttered Shaun, a grin etched onto his face.

Tai was the first to stop his laughter. "Oh man...no kidding...now, tell me again...HOW did it happen?"

Shaun raised an eyebrow out of amusement. "Want to hear it again, eh? Okay...here we go again."

* * *

/Flashback/

/11-000-ALPHA, Piximon's Domain, 5744 Years Ago (Digital World Time)/

The desert around the area was sweltering. To the north, more desert. To the south, a coniferous forest that stretched onward...and in the sector was an invisible barrier that led to Piximon's private domain.

_"It was 21 years after I emerged from the time warp, and I had been convinced by Gennai to head to Piximon's domain in 11-000-ALPHA. Apparently, Gennai thought it would be a good idea for me to get some training from the renowned Piximon...but as you know, I wasn't the only one there."_

The diminutive Ultimate Digimon stared at the three in front of him. Although he was only ten inches tall, he held great power...and great wisdom. His body was small and round, covered by pink fur except around the face. His arms and shrimpy legs were also covered by pink fur, save for the hands and feet. Around his shins were black bands of leather, and his feet ended in three toes, each with sharp pink talons. Two feathery wings extended from his shoulder blades, and his black eyes were large and bug-like. In his right hand was a long blue spear, with a length of red cloth tied around the base of the spear's sharp tip.

He was Piximon.

And right now, he was staring at three guys who wanted to be his pupils: Leomon, Ogremon, and the human boy known as Shaun.

"So," said Piximon, his voice high-pitched and nasally. "You three want to be my pupils, eh?"

Leomon, Ogremon, and Shaun nodded quietly. They were sitting on their knees on the dusty ground outside of Piximon's house. Behind them was the immense forest that led to Piximon's barrier, and behind Piximon was the massive stairway leading to his Shinto-style house, which sat atop a colossal pedestal of gray stone. Leomon and Ogremon were not as muscular, they weren't as battle-hardened, and they had no scars. They were young, eager, and itching to fight. Shaun was a tad more experienced...but not capable of fighting adeptly.

"Well, tough cookies! If you want to be my pupil, you have to pass some tests first!" yelled Piximon, waving his spear around wildly.

Leomon implored, "Please master Piximon, let me be your pupil!"

_THWACK!!!_

Leomon winced as Piximon whacked him on the forehead with the blunt side of his spear. "Giving me a title is meaningless; I'm not your master because you're not my pupil! Capiche?"

Leomon numbly nodded; Ogremon muttered, "Gee, what a tight-wad..."

_KAPOW!!!_

Ogremon yelped as Piximon struck his forehead. "Rudeness won't get you anywhere in this camp, nope nope nope! If you want to be my pupil, you've got to have discipline, maturity, and patience!" He flapped his wings and hovered right in front of Shaun's facing, staring eye-to-eye. "Any other questions?"

Shaun blinked out of bewildered confusion. _Dad was right...this guy is an 'in-your-face' type of trainer_. Shaun slowly shook his head.

Piximon smiled. "Good! Now that that's settled, time for the first trial for you three." He immediately pointed his spear to the stairway. "Up those stairs, on the double!"

Leomon, Ogremon, and Shaun all groaned.

_"Yep. Piximon was just as tough as he was when you guys met him...and over the next three weeks, we all 'trained' to meet Piximon's pupil standards."_

Mopping.

Scrubbing floors.

Washing windows.

Racing up and down steps.

_"Needless to say, Piximon's 'training' was unorthodox...and by the end of the three weeks, it was clear Ogremon had fallen behind Leomon and myself in terms of performance. Now it was 'graduation' day."_

Ogremon, Leomon, and Shaun sat on their knees, which stood upon small floor pads. They were in the barren center courtyard of Piximon's house, and Piximon himself was standing in front of them all.

"Alright you slackers, the time has come to choose my pupils! Since I'm not one to be subtle, allow me to name my pupils: Shaun and Leomon."

Shaun and Leomon breathed a sigh of relief. Ogremon roared, "WHAT?!"

Piximon quickly aimed a retort at Ogremon. "Before you argue or quibble at me, I'll say this: you're immature, and you have no patience to be disciplined! But if you want to leave honorably, stay around and cheer for the successful ones."

Ogremon grumbled as he sat back down. "Gah..."

_"Of course, Ogremon had no intention of leaving honorably..."_

"**_YEOW!!!_**" yelped Leomon as he brought his tail up; hanging onto its tip was a small crab. Shaun blinked at the sight. _Huh? How'd that happen?_

He turned his head to Ogremon, who was snickering.

_"I told Leomon about it later, after Ogremon had left. Piximon had given the both of us a week off before our training began...so Leomon hunted down Ogremon. As it turned out, Ogremon went to the Gazimon town in 01-111-BETA..."_

Leomon looked at the small, two-story inn with silence; if what the denizens of the town had told him were true, Ogremon was currently taking up residence there. "Well...here goes."

He ventured into the Inn, and walked up to the front counter, where a Gazimon was sitting there quietly. "Excuse me, but is there an Ogremon here? And if so, what room?"

The Gazimon muttered, "Room 12. He went out for a bit, but he didn't check out."

Leomon grinned. Perfect.

He quickly walked up the stairs to room 12 and entered; since the Inn was rather small in terms of budget, it didn't have lockable doors.

Leomon quickly walked into the bathroom and switched the shampoo bottle for another bottle and left.

Immediately after Leomon turned the corner of the street, Ogremon returned to the Inn. Leomon left 01-111-BETA with a smile.

_"Leomon doesn't know for sure what happened...but he told me what his plan was...I can imagine it went something like this:"_

Ogremon grumbled as he grabbed a twig out of his hair. "Blasted Woodmon. Got to take a bath..." He quickly hopped into the bathtub, turned on the showerhead, picked up the bottle of shampoo and poured it onto his white hair...

After he got out of the bathroom and looked in the mirror...

"**AIE!!!**" Ogremon screamed at the sight in the mirror; his hair was...was...PINK!!! "THAT WASN'T SHAMPOO...THAT WAS HAIR DYE!!!"

He checked the 'shampoo' bottle, enraged at what had just happened.

That's when he finally saw the wrapping around the bottle. It was in Leomon's handwriting...and the face of lion was sticking a tongue out at him, with words right below it.

'OGRES SUCK! LIONS RULE!'

Ogremon crunched the bottle in his hands, staining his green palms with pink dye. "Leomon...THIS MEANS WAR!!!"

/End Flashback/

* * *

/Underside of File Island, The Labyrinth, 5:36 PM/

Tai, Sora, Agumon, and Biyomon were sent to the floor again, their laughter echoing throughout the dark tunnel. Tai managed to choke out, "Man...I never thought such a serious rivalry would start like that..."

"You know, the ironic thing is," said Shaun, a sly smirk coming to his face. "They've fought and destroyed each other so many times now that I think they've forgotten WHY their rivalry started."

"That WOULD be ironic!" exclaimed Biyomon, chuckling as she thought about it more.

Suddenly, the floor beneath them parted, and they dropped into the darkness below. They didn't even have time to scream.

At the end of the tunnel – no more than fifty feet away, stood Piedmon, his hand on a small lever. Swirling around him were five Black Gears...and at that moment, they entered his back, giving him an immense power boost.

Piedmon gasped; his muscles bulged, and his body increased in height by a whole foot. His orange hair dulled in color, and his clothes all turned into varying shades of black and gray, save for the red heart on his mask and – of course – his eyes. He looked down at himself quietly, he was darker, and his power had increased.

Suddenly, UmbraDevimon's voice echoed through his mind, transmitted by the Black Gears. _'I've given you a little power boost...not enough to handle Omnimon, but enough to take down those three...especially in the confines of Puppetmon's Labyrinth. Now go.'_

Piedmon nodded wordlessly, walking back toward the end of the tunnel and pushing the same lever back into the 'up' position. The hole in the floor closed...and a doorway at the end of the tunnel opened up, revealing a stairway that spiraled downward, lit only by torches.

Piedmon walked downward; the stairway would take him to the very bottom of the Labyrinth...and he would pick off the three Digidestined one-by-one.

* * *

/Underside of File Island, Shinobi's Sanctum, 5:40 PM/

Shurimon's eyes scanned the dark ceiling of the cavern quietly. The fight had been a lot more troublesome than he had initially bargained for.

Ninjamon, despite his miniature size, was an agile and adept combatant. Also, his tiny size carried an advantage in the stalactite and stalagmite-filled cavern they were fighting in: it enabled him to hide in the tiny crevices between the rocky protrusions.

"Ninja Katana!"

Shurimon immediately whirled around, bringing up his shuriken-esque left hand and using to block Ninjamon's katana; the diminutive Champion had been sneaking up behind the Armored shinobi, using his small size to his advantage.

Ninjamon smirked. "I see you aren't a pushover like I thought you would be."

"I will concede the fact that you are a challenging opponent...but this environment works to your advantage," said Shurimon with a knowing smile.

Ninjamon's smirk grew wider as he pushed his blade even harder towards Shurimon. Truthfully, it was an odd scene: both combatants were upside-down in the air, with the only thing holding them to the stalactites being their feet. The ancient arts of the shinobi were being used to their fullest in this match. "Of course this place helps! Why start a fight when you can't hold the advantage from the start?"

"A wise tactic...but I have something to even the odds." With that, Shurimon leapt away from Ninjamon, crossing his limbs into a familiar stance. "Shadow of Leaves."

At that, tremendous trees erupted from the ground, the walls and the ceiling; the leaves distorted the dull light of the room even more, causing a number of different shadows to fall everywhere. Ninjamon leapt away as a tree broke through the stalactite he had been standing on. "What the devil?!"

Shurimon smirked as he landed on a growing tree. After the entire forest finished growing, he leapt right into the thickest part of the underground woodland. His voice echoed around Ninjamon. _"Now the fight really begins..."_

Ninjamon landed on the branch of a wall-borne tree, standing calmly atop it. So...he thinks this little forest can stop me, eh? I'll show him! With that, Ninjamon fashioned the thumb and index finger on both hands into an 'L' shape...and he joined them together in front of his face. "Shadow Image!"

Immediately, his distorted shadow came to life, splitting off into four shadow copies of Ninjamon. The real Ninjamon smirked as the glowing red eyes of his shadow copies opened. "You know the drill. Split up and find Shurimon!"

The shadows wordlessly leapt into the thick of the forest. Ninjamon did so as well.

Now we turn to Musyamon.

"Shogun's Charge!"

Stingmon grunted as Musyamon rammed into his chest with his armored shoulder, sending the insectoid Champion into the wall. Taking advantage of Stingmon's vulnerability, Musyamon lowered his blade and charged. A red aura surrounded his sword as he roared, "Bloody Blade!"

Stingmon quickly leapt brought his hands, extending his wrist-bound spikes. He caught the Bloody Blade with them, struggling to push them aside.

From the very start of the fight, the odds had been against Stingmon: the flimsy membranes that had once been his wings were a testament to that.

At the very start of the fight, Musyamon had dealt the first blow. That blow had been in the form of cutting off Stingmon's wings with his blade, thus rendering Stingmon's big advantage – flight – null and void.

Thus, the fight had become nothing more than a bout consisting of close quarters combat...an area where Musyamon held the advantage. Even Stingmon's tactic of launching his spikes from a distance hadn't worked; at a distance, Musyamon was more than capable of dodging Stingmon's spikes.

And that's how the fight had gone: Stingmon's flight capability was no more, Musyamon could not be touched by Stingmon's long-distance attacks, and – in close quarters combat – Musyamon held the advantage with his elongated blade.

And unfortunately, Stingmon was beginning to wane under Musyamon's overbearing assault.

On the sidelines, Ken grimaced as Musyamon continued pressing his blade ever closer to Stingmon. _No...Stingmon's in trouble..._

Yolei, meanwhile, was not feeling very good. Even though the emergence of the tremendous trees was the signature sign of Shurimon's Shadow of Leaves technique, it made standing in the cavern even more unbearable. The trees obscured the only light in the entire room, and it made her feel more...claustrophobic.

She wanted to go home...but she couldn't.

Suddenly, her eyes saw something emerge from one of the trees, staring at her with red eyes.

* * *

One of the Shadow Ninjamon stared quietly at the battle taking place below.

Musyamon versus Stingmon.

He sneered; Shurimon was not here.

But he saw the humans...oh, what the hey, it wouldn't hurt to make them bleed.

With that, the shadow Digimon leapt downward, katana aimed at the neck of Yolei Inoue.

* * *

Yolei paled at the sight of the shadowy being leaping from the branch of a tree and towards her, dark katana in hand. _What the?!_

"LOOK OUT!!!"

Ken barreled into Yolei's side, bringing her out of harm's way...but the katana still hit flesh.

Ken's flesh.

"_AGGGH!!!_" roared Ken out of agony; the katana sliced open the skin on his back, causing a small spat of blood to erupt. As Yolei and Ken both fell to the ground, some blood splashed over the Child of Caring's glasses.

She felt like vomiting.

Satisfied at what he had done, the shadow Ninjamon leapt back into the treetops, seeking out Shurimon at a breakneck speed.

Ken slowly stood up and brought a hand to his upper back; although the cut was a good foot long running horizontally across his body, it was thin – barely a centimeter. Nonetheless, it was still bleeding. Ken grimaced as he removed his hand to find it slick with blood. _Just what I need...another wound._

"Ken...you're hurt..." Yolei's lip began trembling; this was too much! In the past two days, she had been chased through a house by two deranged Dark Masters, endured the indignity of four male Digimon stumbling upon them in a hot spring, obtained her crest from the brain of a evil Flan Digimon, scaled a whole mountain range, nearly been eaten by five Dokugumon whilst still ALIVE, and now she was stuck in a dark place with Digimon that wanted to kill them and now she had Ken's blood on her! IT WAS JUST TOO MUCH!!!

Ken noticed Yolei's shuddering frame, and the delirious look in her eyes. _Oh no, she's starting to panic._ One thing was for sure; the Shinobi's Sanctum wasn't a good place to panic in.

Thinking of the only thing he could to calm her down, he grasped her shoulders tightly. Ken spoke as firmly as he could. "Yolei. CALM DOWN."

Yolei began hyperventilating. "But, but this is just too much, and you're hurt, and I wouldn't have your blood on me if I hadn't been in that shadow's way then you wouldn't be hurt-"

"SNAP OUT OF IT!!!" yelled Ken, his face moving right in front of Yolei's face.

Yolei Inoue suddenly froze, her panicking put to a halt by Ken's close proximity. "..."

Ken sighed, his head sagging downward. "Look...this is only a small cut. It's nothing compared to what you and the other Digidestined have done for me..."

"Ken...what are you talking about?" asked Yolei incredulously, her aggressive and bold nature seemingly returning to her tone. "What have we done for you? Practically the only thing we've ever done is fight you when you were the Emperor." She suddenly paled; she had mentioned the Emperor to Ken.

Ken, for some reason, smiled at this...even though it was a sad one. "That's what I mean...you may not realize it, but when you and the other Digidestined fought and destroyed Chimeramon, you freed me from the darkness that plagued my soul...it took Wormmon's destruction and a coma for me to overcome the Digimon Emperor." He slowly looked up into Yolei's eyes, his open, purple eyes making him look awfully vulnerable. "You and the rest of the Digidestined saved my life – and my soul – when you destroyed Chimeramon. Had you all not come to the Digital World...I might still be the Emperor."

Yolei remained as silent as death; honestly, it felt weird to hear Ken make such an open admission. "Ken..."

At that, Ken stood up and smiled at the Inoue girl. "So trust me, this little cut is nothing...at least not when it's compared to what you've all done for me."

Suddenly, the Crest of Kindness began to glow. Ken and Yolei looked at it in awe; Yolei muttered, "Your crest..."

_SLAM!!!_

Shurimon groaned as he was slammed into the ground; all five Ninjamon – the four shadows and the original – had ambushed him in the trees and sent him crashing into the ground. The five Ninjamon leapt backward, and the four shadows disappeared. Ninjamon smirked as he held his katana tightly. "Now to finish you off!"

Stingmon grunted as he was forced down to one knee, his arms beginning to wane under Musyamon's overbearing strength. His spikes were already being cut through by his enemy's Bloody Blade...at this rate, he would be split in two.

"STINGMON!!!"

Stingmon took the risk of turning his head towards Ken...and he blinked. A violet light was shining around his chest. _Ken...?_

Ken Ichijouji, Child of Kindness, yelled, "Digivolve!!!"

At that moment, Stingmon was surrounded by a violet light.

Stingmon digivolve to......Dinobeemon!

Musyamon leapt back at the sight of the hulking figure that replaced Stingmon. His mouth was wide open out of sheer shock. "What...is...this...?"

The Ultimate Digimon that replaced Stingmon was fifty feet high. The entire Digimon looked like the infamous tyrannosaurus rex of ancient times. His green skin was tough and leathery in feel, and his hulking legs were muscular; also, his large feet ended in three toes, each with a large, grayish claw. His tail was at least twenty feet long, and it too rippled with lean muscle. His large mouth was filled with razor-sharp teeth, capable of tearing an enemy into pieces. Of course, there were insect elements as well: the arms of the mighty Ultimate were long and ambidextrous – unlike the shrimpy arms discovered in T-rex fossils – and they were covered by green and black plates of exoskeleton. His claws were all long and sharp, and a small hole existed in the exoskeleton over the wrist: the spot where the wrist-bound spikes could extend. His entire back and chest were covered by numerous plates of tough green and black exoskeleton, and four insect-like wings – each fifteen feet in length – extended from a mound of black insectoid armor over his back. Over his dinosaur-esque face was mask of green exoskeleton, extending upward from both cheeks and converging on the forehead. His pure red eyes were large and bulbous, and a yellow 'Y' symbol adorned the insect armor on his forehead. Finally, the tremendous Ultimate – in a loud, gruff voice, with a small trace of Stingmon's mannerisms – roared, "I am Dinobeemon!!! I have the strength of a T-rex and the versatile power of an insect! My Dino Thrash will tear my foes to pieces, and my Insect Spike will sting you to no end!!!"

Ninjamon stared up at the massive beast in awe; he didn't even notice Shurimon get up and hop back to Yolei's side. "...Musyamon?"

"Yeah?" said Musyamon, his Bloody Blade aimed upward at the massive dinosaur-insect hybrid.

"I think we're in over our head," finished Ninjamon.

Dinobeemon flashed a toothy grin at them. "You've got that right." Then – after an earth-shattering roar – Dinobeemon whirled around and slugged them with his massive tail, sending the two Black Gear-controlled Digimon crashing through a multitude of trees.

* * *

/Underside of File Island, The Depths, 5:58 PM/

Cody sweated profusely as he veered the joysticks hard to the right.

Submarimon responded by veering hard to the right, keeping pace with Zudomon as they swung around one of the many whirlpools in the blue waters they were in.

Cody nearly yelped as a bolt of lightning zoomed past Submarimon, crashing into the rock wall many, many meters away. "Oh man...this isn't good."

It wasn't; right now, three MegaSeadramon were pursuing them through the whirlpool-infested waters of the Depths.

In all honesty, it had been easy at first. Navigating their way through the massive underwater vortexes was easy once they neared the underground lake's bottom, where the diameter of the vortexes were shorter.

Eventually, they reached a metallic gate. Cody had assumed it was their way out.

But that's when the three MegaSeadramon had suddenly appeared from within; the gate had opened, and the three Ultimates immediately began chasing them. Zudomon and Submarimon had immediately high-tailed it into reverse...and now they were being chased all around the whirlpools.

"Thunder Javelin!!!" roared the lead MegaSeadramon, his horn crackling with light-blue electricity. The stream of lightning zoomed through the narrow space between Submarimon and Zudomon, barely missing them.

_Whoa!!!_ Zudomon clutched his massive hammer tightly, trying not to stir around too much. _I sure hope the guys are okay in my mouth._

"Thunder Javelin!"

Zudomon paled as another bolt of lightning barely missed hitting them. _Alright, that does it!_ He quickly turned around and threw his Vulcan's Hammer at the three serpentine predators; he immediately began swimming forwards again after turning around.

Two of the MegaSeadramon dodged the massive hammer. The third did not. It crashed into him with a resounding pow, sending him sailing into the nearest whirlpool. MegaSeadramon was barely conscious when he crashed into the massive propeller creating the whirlpool.

Moments later, his shredded body dissipated into minute particles.

The other two MegaSeadramon continued their pursuit; it had come full circle now. Now, Submarimon and Zudomon were swimming as hard as they could into the darkness beyond the receded metal gate.

The two MegaSeadramon followed them.

* * *

/Underside of File Island, The Gauntlet, 6:03 PM/

Matt grimaced as a blast of exhaust rushed past his face. "Stupid exhaust."

Right now, Matt was venturing through a part of the Gauntlet littered with trap doors and pipes. Literally, small, thin pipes wired all around the room, exuding steam and smoke at random intervals.

Gabumon frowned as he raised his leg over a small pipe, setting it down on the other side. "Be careful Matt...this place is dangerous..."

"Don't worry Gabumon," replied Matt calmly as he began scaling over a set of pipes, slowly setting both feet down. "I'm fine. Don't worry about me-"

He suddenly disappeared; he had just set foot onto a trap door.

"MATT!!!" yelled Gabumon; he hurriedly clambered over the pipes and peered down.

To his relief, Matt had caught onto the ledge; five feet below the Child of Friendship were a set of razor-sharp spikes.

Matt sweatdropped as he looked down; had he not caught the ledge, he would be skewered right now. "Okay...maybe you should worry."

* * *

Mimi tried her hardest to control her breathing; she was currently standing on a horizontally rotating gear.

Mimi and Palmon were currently navigating their across a bottomless chasm; their only mean of getting across lay in the horizontal gears set up at random intervals over the abyss. They had no choice but to carefully jump from gear to gear.

One mistake and they would fall into a bottomless pit.

Palmon gulped as she kept her vine-like fingers out; she had to be ready to catch Mimi – or a gear, should she herself fall off – if she fell. "Man, I hope the others are having an easier time than us."

"You and me both Palmon," muttered Mimi as she hopped to the next gear.

She slipped. Her foot didn't catch the edge of the gear...

...and she fell. "**AAAAHH!!!!**"

Palmon quickly latched onto Mimi's waist with her Poison Ivy; cautiously, she hauled the Child of Sincerity onto the gear she was standing on. "You okay Mimi?"

Mimi held her midriff gloomily, her face turning a little green. "Only if you count your stomach being turned upside-down as 'okay'."

* * *

TK slowly crawled under a set of rotating spike columns; Patamon hugged TK's head as hard as he could, doing his best to stay low.

Finally, they reached the other side. The metal grating beneath them rattled as TK stepped towards the large, ten-foot door several yards away. "Think that door might lead us out of here?"

"I hope so!" exclaimed Patamon. "This place gives me the willies!"

TK found himself agreeing with Patamon. "You and me both." TK reached for the door handle...turned it...and opened it.

"Boo."

TK and Patamon paled to see the face of UmbraDevimon staring right at them with a wicked smile. The titanic Digimon of darkness wryly said, "What? Surprised to see me?"

Before TK could react, UmbraDevimon forcefully aimed a puff of breath at Patamon, sending him flying into the ceiling with a thud. The collision knocked the poor Rookie unconscious.

TK whirled around and screamed, "PATAMON!!!"

"Worry about yourself Child of Hope! For you must feel the **Touch of Evil!**" UmbraDevimon extended his lower right hand through the door, touching the back of TK's neck with his glowing red index finger. He didn't penetrate the skin...but TK was only human. His mere touch would be all that was necessary.

The pain that arched through TK's body was extremely painful; he couldn't even scream. Nevertheless, the desired effect occurred; a glazed look came over TK's eyes.

He was now UmbraDevimon's slave, if only for a short while; unless the skin was penetrated, the demonic aura from the Touch of Evil that possessed the body would not last.

It mattered not; UmbraDevimon only needed a short while.

UmbraDevimon smirked as he wrapped his hand around TK's tiny body and pulled him into the darkness beyond the door. _Good...you will help me attain my REAL prize, young TK._

With that, UmbraDevimon descended into the dark chasm beyond the door. That chasm was actually a massive tunnel that was situated underneath the entirety of Puppetmon's Obstacle Course.

UmbraDevimon quickly made his way to Gryphonmon's Ruins, leaving the unconscious Patamon behind.

* * *

/Underside of File Island, The Depths, 6:08 PM/

Submarimon and Zudomon rocketed out of the water; the underwater tunnel ended in a large hole that surfaced in another cavern. Cody hopped out of Submarimon's cockpit, allowing the Armored Champion to dedigivolve to Armadillomon. "That was close," muttered Cody Hida.

Zudomon lowered his mouth towards the floor, allowing Joe, Izzy, and Tentomon to plop out rather ungracefully. All of them looked rather seasick. Joe mumbled, "Now I remember why I hate sea travel..."

Zudomon sweatdropped as he nervously scratched the back of his head. "Sorry."

Armadillomon suddenly looked towards the end of the cavern. A ray of sunlight poured through the ceiling. "Look! I think we found an exit!"

"Oh joy!" cheered Tentomon. "We can finally leave this detestable place!"

Suddenly, a large geyser of pressurized water broke through the ground in front of them; on the rear of that geyser was MegaSeadramon. The geyser of water had been his Hydro Blast.

The Digidestined gasped at the sight of the serpentine Ultimate; they turned to head back to the pool only to see the second MegaSeadramon rise out of the water.

They both attacked at once. "Thunder Javelin!!!"

Both bolts of lightning converged on Zudomon, electrifying the defenseless Ultimate mercilessly. Joe's partner screamed as the Thunder Javelins drained him of energy...and when the attacks ceased, only Gomamon remained.

Izzy paled as he stared at one MegaSeadramon...and then the other. "I'm afraid leaving is out of the question for now, Tentomon!"

* * *

/Underside of File Island, Shinobi's Sanctum, 6:11 PM/

The coming of Dinobeemon had completely turned the fight around.

"Dino Thrash!"

Musyamon howled with pain as Dinobeemon latched onto him with his teeth, mercilessly swinging him from side-to-side. Finally, the massive T-rex/insect hybrid let loose, causing the demonic Champion warrior to go flying.

"Swirling Shuriken!"

Ninjamon gaped as he brought his katana up to bear against the oncoming projectile.

He only succeeded in getting his katana severed in two. "Nuts!!!" Ninjamon leapt backwards, landing beside Musyamon. Both Digimon got to their feet, staring defiantly at Dinobeemon and Shurimon.

"Surrender now," demanded Shurimon. "There is no chance for you to win. If you concede, we will destroy the Black Gears that enslave you to UmbraDevimon."

Ninjamon scoffed as he pulled out a small gray pellet from inside his right glove. "That's what you think...heed my words: we will finish this fight some other time!" With that, Ninjamon threw the pellet onto the ground.

A cloud of gray smoke erupted, shrouding Musyamon and Ninjamon from sight. Dinobeemon quickly beat his wings, clearing away the smoke.

They were both gone.

"No way!" yelled Dinobeemon out of frustration. "They got away!"

Shurimon sighed as he put his gigantic shuriken back on his back. "Do not worry...I am sure that they will keep their word and come back for us one day. And we will be ready for them."

* * *

Ken smiled; the battle was over. "Thank goodness..."

He suddenly felt something rubbing against back. He tilted his head back to see Yolei, sans orange helmet. She was using it to wipe the blood off of his wound, seeing as how her white gloves were too dirty to do so. "Yolei..."

"Be quiet. I'm trying to get the blood off this wound," replied Yolei as she slowly rubbed her helmet back and forth. She muttered, "Man, wish I had some bandages."

Ken couldn't help but smile at the sight of her flowing lavender hair. A tint of red came to his face as he said, "You should keep your helmet off...you look better without it."

Yolei stared back at Ken, dumbfounded at the sudden compliment. Despite her mind's protests to the contrary, she couldn't help but blush.

* * *

/Underside of File Island, The Labyrinth, 6:14 PM/

"Man, this place is huge..." mumbled Tai as his eyes continuously scanned the dark area behind the Digidestined.

After falling into the torch-lit labyrinth below the dark tunnel, the three Digidestined had consigned themselves to a small group.

Shaun had energized into the Armor of Wisdom, and (Agumon) had warp-digivolved into (Wargreymon).

Sora and Biyomon were five feet behind Shaun, keeping their eyes trained on the ceiling; since the Labyrinth's tunnels were ten feet wide and thirty feet tall, there was the possibility that someone would sneak up on them from above.

Five feet behind Sora and Biyomon were Tai and Wargreymon, keeping their eyes trained behind them. They couldn't afford to be ambushed from behind.

"Tell me about it," muttered Shaun, his eyes scanning the dimly lit passage ahead of them. The claustrophobic environment of the Labyrinth was making him edgy...which was why they needed to get out of there as quickly as possible. It wasn't good for them to be on edge for long.

Nevertheless, they were being followed...for Piedmon was trailing them, just out of Tai and Wargreymon's range of vision.

* * *

/Underside of File Island, Gryphonmon's Ruins, 6:16 PM/

"Mythic Blast!"

Twin green rays of power erupted from Gryphonmon's eyes, tracing lines into the ruins around Kari and Davis. Moments later, explosions erupted from where the lasers had hit. When the smoke cleared, Davis had protectively covered Kari from any rubble.

Kari looked up at Davis, graciously saying, "Thanks for the save."

"Don't mention it," replied Davis with a wide grin. He immediately rocketed into the sky, aiming to pummel the heck out of Gryphonmon.

As Kari watched Davis ascend into the air, she couldn't help but feel a bit jealous. _Man...I wish I could help out. I feel like the odd man out...well, odd GIRL out, I should say..._

"Miracle Blaster!" Paildramon aimed his two cannons toward Gryphonmon; lances of golden energy zoomed upward, trying to land a hit on Gryphonmon.

It was no use; the Control Spire Digimon was too fast. He zoomed downward at high speed – folding his wings like a peregrine falcon – and rammed into Paildramon with his head, sending the Ultimate Digimon downward into the ground with a resounding crash; the sound reverberated throughout the entire site of the ruins, causing an echo to sound out.

"Celestial Arrow!"

Gryphonmon suddenly moved upward with a powerful flap of his wings; the arrow of holy energy sailed harmlessly under him, crashing into the wall far beyond. Gryphonmon immediately roared towards Angewomon, crashing into her midriff at high speed. She too crashed into the ground, right beside Paildramon. "Pathetic."

"This ISN'T!!! Magna Punch!"

Gryphonmon tilted his head to see Davis' right fist. The fist – covered in a golden aura – crashed into his cheek, sending him flying...well, that's what WOULD'VE happened, had Gryphonmon not done what he was going to do next.

"Mobius Bite!"

The snakehead at the tip of Gryphonmon's tail suddenly sprang to life. Its jaws opened wide and latched onto Davis' left forearm. The jolt caused Gryphonmon's flight to stop...and his momentum was transferred to Davis, causing the Child of Miracles to go flying. The snakehead let go of Davis' forearm, allowing Davis to rocket downward towards the ground.

Just as Gryphonmon intended.

_KA-RASH!!!_

"Davis!!!" yelled Kari; she ran towards the spot where Davis had fallen. When the dust cleared, she saw Davis lying there, still in his armor...but he hadn't gotten up yet. "Are you okay?"

Davis grumbled. "Gah...he somehow paralyzed me...I can't move!"

"That's what the venom of my Mobius Bite is supposed to do." Gryphonmon's voice reached their ears; he quietly set down in front of them, his yellow eyes staring at the two Digidestined intently. "My master is arriving soon. I suggest you surrender now...I'm sure he would much rather deal with you all himself instead of arriving to find your bodies to be no more than corpses."

"You lay a hand on Kari's head and you'll regret it!" roared Davis.

Gryphonmon glared at Davis. "Mythic Blast!" The twin rays crashed into Davis' abdomen, resulting in a large explosion. The Child of Miracles howled in pain; his armor hadn't been breached, but the searing heat of the explosion was EXTREMELY painful.

"DAVIS!!!" screamed Kari. Her pleading eyes turned to Gryphonmon, hardening into a glare. "You leave him alone you jerk! You can't attack him while he's down! That's dishonorable!!!"

"Hold your tongue, little girl," growled Gryphonmon. "I will not hesitate to destroy you...and your partners can't do a thing about it."

Kari clenched her teeth...because she knew Gryphonmon was right. Paildramon and Angewomon were probably unconscious; after over thirty minutes of fighting the mighty Mega, the two had reached the end of their reserves...they had probably dedigivolved to their Rookie level, for all she knew.

But she would still protect Davis...because he was her friend.

And right now, the same thought ran through their heads.

_Davis/Kari is my friend...he/she would stand up for me no matter what...and I'll do the same for him/her!!!_

Suddenly, Davis' and Kari's D-3s glowed brightly. Gryphonmon stared at the lights – one emanating from Kari's left pocket, and the other originating from deep inside the Armor of Miracles – out of curiosity. "What is this...?"

Another pair of lights caught Gryphonmon's attention. He whirled around to see the bodies of Paildramon and Angewomon floating into the air, glowing like miniature suns.

Suddenly, Paildramon's limbs extended outward as he roared.

"**_Paildramon!_**"

Paildramon's body condensed into a small mote of golden light. As this happened, Angewomon's body stretched outward as she shouted.

"**_Angewomon!_**"

Her whole body condensed into a mote of white light. The two motes of light swirled around each other; both of their voices yelled at once.

"**_DNA Digivolve to..._**"

The lights combined, and they exploded outward. When the bright flash faded, a new being was there, floating in the sky, giving off a heavenly aura that illuminated the whole cave. The body was about twenty feet tall, and it was easy to see that the new Digimon was a fusion of the two aforementioned Ultimates. The body was covered all over with draconic blue skin, but it was more lithe and lean than Paildramon's muscular form. A white bodysuit covered the body from the neck down to the waist, covering the being's crotch. Pads of golden armor encircled the chest and hips, offering more protection to the body. Around the lean, legs of the new Digimon were white holsters; in each holster was a dagger made of blazing gold. The lean, yet muscular arms of the being – which were not covered by the bodysuit, as it had no sleeves – were covered by golden gauntlets around the wrists; these gauntlets had a small slot to the front, obviously for some kind of attack. Two pairs of wings extended from the back: the upper pair was large, feathery angel's wings, ten-feet each in length. The lower pair was comprised small, five-feet wings, covered in blue dragon skin. The head of new Digimon was covered by a silver helmet – with a cross-shaped visor – that prevented the entire face from being seen, save for pale blue eyes behind the visor. To finish the look, long locks of platinum hair extended from the back of the helmet. Finally, the being spoke in a voice that sounded like Angewomon's and Paildramon's mixed together.

"**_AETHERDRAMON!!!_**"

As this new Digimon shouted her...er, he...um (we'll just stick with the male persuasion)...HIS name, a new symbol flashed into on the bodysuit over the chest: a fusion of the Crests of Light and Miracles.

Gryphonmon paled at the sight of the new being. _This is just like when Piedmon and Grandkuwagamon faced the Digidestined mere hours ago...when they faced Omnimon..._

Gryphonmon didn't waste any time. "MYTHIC BLAST!!!" He poured as much power as he could spare into the twin green lasers that erupted from his yellow eyes; they rocketed toward Aetherdramon at high speed.

Aetherdramon immediately drew out his two golden daggers, shouting, "Miraculous Daggers!!!" The two daggers – which had the Crest of Miracles emblazoned on their silver hilts – immediately cut through the two lasers, effectively negating the energy right there.

Gryphonmon paled. "No!"

Davis and Kari looked on in awe. Simultaneously, they mumbled, "Whoa..."

With a flap of his two pairs of wings, Aetherdramon zoomed like a shot toward Gryphonmon, daggers in hand.

Gryphonmon cursed to himself. As Aetherdramon neared, he roared, "Mobius Bite!!!"

Immediately before they neared, Aetherdramon aimed his left gauntlet at the Control Spire and roared, "Heavenly Arrow!"

A holy arrow of white energy rocketed from the slot in the left gauntlet; Gryphonmon roared as the arrow impaled itself into his front right leg, burning away at the dark matter underneath. Also, as Aetherdramon moved past the snakehead...

_**SHICK!!!**  
_  
Aetherdramon landed behind Gryphonmon without a sound...and he pocketed his left dagger. One second later, Gryphonmon's tail – snakehead and all – fell to the ground, separated from the body by a clean cut. It dissipated into nothingness moments later.

Gryphonmon growled; this new Digimon was utterly humiliating him! _I cannot suffer this indignation before my master arrives...I must destroy this 'Aetherdramon' now!!!_

Gryphonmon immediately turned around and leapt toward Aetherdramon, aiming to slice his head off with his powerful claws.

**_SHICK!!!_**

Gryphonmon howled with pain as Aetherdramon's right Miraculous Dagger impaled his chest. Gryphonmon couldn't believe it: in a split-second, Aetherdramon had whirled around and impaled him in the chest...

_Forgive me Lord UmbraDevimon...I have failed._

Gryphonmon's body exploded in a flash of golden light. Aetherdramon silently sheathed his right dagger.

The battle was over.

Now that Gryphonmon was gone, the toxin of the Mobius Bite was no longer in effect. Davis leapt up and quickly morphed into 'fan-boy mode'. "THAT WAS AWESOME!!! Aetherdramon, you ROCK!!!"

Aetherdramon just shrugged. "It feels weird though..."

"Really? How so?" asked Kari out of curiosity.

"Paildramon is a guy. Angewomon's a girl. Do you know how awkward it feels for a guy and a girl to share the same mind and the same body?" answered Aetherdramon bluntly.

Davis and Kari stopped at that; they suddenly realized why Aetherdramon had been so quiet; he – or she – was coming to terms with being a male AND a female at the same time. "Okay...that's awkward," mumbled Davis.

Chuckling. Sinister, malicious chuckling.

Aetherdramon suddenly grabbed both Miraculous Daggers, his eyes hardening at the sound. "That's UmbraDevimon's voice."

Davis and Kari's eyes stared darting around; where was the chuckling coming from?

Suddenly, the titanic hybrid Digimon erupted from the ground below. His red eyes stared malevolently at them all...and then he spoke with an evil smile.

"I hope you're in the mood for another battle."

* * *

/Warehouse #7, Tokyo Bay, Odaiba, 6:29 PM/

Meanwhile...

"YOU BRING MIMI BACK RIGHT NOW!!!" roared Satoe AND Keisuke, chasing Gennai around his large table.

Gennai grimaced as he ran as fast as he could. "I'm getting too old for this!"

* * *

To be continued...

Next time...

Episode 40: UmbraDevimon's Trap

* * *

Author's Notes: I take back what I said at the beginning of this chapter; Zero 2 is now the largest Digimon story on this site (not compared to Digimon 02: Endgame, but that story's no longer up).

W00t-tastic.

By the way, 'aether' is Latin for 'heaven'. Aetherdramon basically means 'heaven dragon monster'. Does it fit well?

And FAO...did I surprise you enough? ;P

Oh, and some keen-eyed readers might notice that I changed Dinobeemon's appearance; since he was originally an alternate fusion form of XVmon and Stingmon, I had to change it a bit. Love it? Hate it? Indifferent?

Oh, and I know there are going to be SOME people who liked the inclusion of Ninjamon (eyes Snodin). :P

Please read and review!


	40. UmbraDevimon's Trap

Standard Disclaimer: The official equation for writing 'I don't own Digimon!' as a disclaimer is this: 3x 24 - 4a - y

Or is that the equation for ticking off Star Wars fans...I forget. Oh well.

Author's Notes: At the time of this writing, Halo 2 has come out for Xbox. If my productivity declines soon, blame the game. :P

To the reviews!

ficmaster: Let me put it this way; Aetherdramon is a fusion of two Ultimates. Omnimon is a fusion of two MEGAS. Omnimon lost to UmbraDevimon. Case in point. ;P

Silver Warrior: I take it you were satisfied by Shaun's true origins.

Oh, and Aetherdramon's situation isn't really that new; if you recall from the original show, Silphymon was a fusion of Aquilamon and Gatomon...and the former is male and the latter is female. The show writers just didn't pay much attention to it. :P

Oh, almost forgot. (boots him off a cliff) :P

Dot Cubed: Experiencing, not assuming, is the key to understanding. In other words: read the freakin' story. :P

Ninetalesuk: Already have.

reviewer: Emoticons!

emotionlessangel37: Welcome to Zero 2 ea37! And continue reading on...you might like it. ;)

Anthony1: (tapes Anthony's mouth shut) NO ALLUDING TO NDE!!!

Malebolgia: He's MY creation...everyone got that? Aetherdramon is MINE. **_MINE MINE MINE MINE!!!_** (hit over head by a phone) Ow. x.x

Digi fan: You always say 'can't wait', but you always end up waiting! Paradox? Oxymoron? You decide. :P

Cloud-821: It doesn't matter; it depends on how many times you reviewed between each update. Ask Snodin...she's been subjected to the boot MANY times. Isn't that right my little precious? (strokes boot affectionately)

(boot suddenly cackles evilly)

...that can't be good. o.o;

Snodin: Insane? Au contraire...I DOUBT my sanity all the time! Those who are sure they are sane are insane...and those who doubt their sanity are sane, for they must be sane to question themselves. Case in point...an irrelevant case, but a case nonetheless!

The Queen of All Ninjas: ...ninjas eat sugar?

masamune: Maybe super glue would help?

gomababe: It was just a friendly hug! Davis and Kari are not boyfriend and girlfriend.

Begi-_POW!!!_ (is hit in the back of the head by ticked off Star Wars fans before being dragged off and thrown into the belly of the Sarlacc beast from Return of the Jedi)

(continues to write on his laptop, then shouts out of the beast's belly) Don't worry! I won't be digested for 1000 years! I have time to finish!

----

_UmbraDevimon has a devious plan in the works..._

_But the question is, what is that plan?_

----

"Hey guys, it's Davis talking! After Shaun finished explaining his past, we were all doing our own thing when Puppetmon showed up and trapped us in his big ol' obstacle course! I'm sure the others are doing fine – Stingmon digivolved to Dinobeemon by the way – but I got to go with Kari! Believe it or not, she APOLOGIZED for not spending a lot of time with me: how good of a friend is that?! But our time was interrupted by Gryphonmon...but our partners DNA Digivolved into Aetherdramon and kicked his butt! But before we can take a breather, UmbraDevimon showed up! Can't we get ANY breaks?!"

----

Episode 40: UmbraDevimon's Trap

----

/Highway, Odaiba, 6:30 PM/

Jim Kudo sat behind the wheel of his gray Honda silently, the nightly traffic of Tokyo clogging up the streets.

His destination: the Motomiya household.

His motive: to soothe Jun, who had looked quite down after he had run into her at the park earlier that morning.

His means: his psychological experience learned thus far from college.

Jim remained silent as he slowly moved through traffic.

----

/Underside of File Island, Gryphonmon's Ruins, 6:31 PM/

Davis, Kari, and Aetherdramon remained silent in the face of UmbraDevimon, who slowly walked toward them with purpose.

The titanic Digimon smirked as he approached them. "So, you've got a new ally...I can see the features of both partners on him. You must be another DNA Digivolved beast, are you not?"

Aetherdramon clutched his Miraculous Daggers tightly; the voices of both Angewomon and Paildramon came out at once. "I am. The name's Aetherdramon."

UmbraDevimon chuckled as he walked under a bright halogen light. "Aetherdramon...so, you decide to pit a DNA Digivolved Digimon against me, for all the good it'll do you." As UmbraDevimon walked past the brightness of the halogen light, he quickly set something – that something being TK – behind a pillar, doing it so quickly that the others didn't catch it. UmbraDevimon remained silent as he advanced. _Once that boy carries out the plan, all the pieces will be in place._

UmbraDevimon then stopped. He was now 100 yards away from the three left in the tremendous cavern. Aetherdramon and Davis glared quietly at the monster, their bodies shining brightly in the darkness of the cave.

Finally, UmbraDevimon raised his upper right arm and motioned them to come. "Come, if you dare."

With that, Aetherdramon and Davis – glowing in the Armor of Miracles – charged.

----

/Underside of File Island, The Labyrinth, 6:34 PM/

**_BOOM!!!_**

Shaun, (Wargreymon), Sora, and Biyomon whirled around at the sound; Tai and Wargreymon had already been staring that way. Something had destroyed a section of the corridor behind them, causing a shower of rock and dust to erupt from the newly-formed hole in the corridor's wall.

"What was that?!" yelped Biyomon.

"Whatever it was, it came from behind," muttered Wargreymon as he got into a defensive stance; the blast had originated somewhere in the corridor they had just exited. Right now, that corridor was beyond a right corner.

Shaun remained silent, his mind trying to locate the other presence with them in the Labyrinth. So far, no luck; it was as though the one who had fired that attack was without a mind...

And, in the case of the one sneaking up behind (Wargreymon), that was true.

Piedmon had been the one to launch that attack; after firing it to the Digidestined's rear, he had circumvented their position by going a different way around. Now he was right in front of them.

And because UmbraDevimon's Touch of Evil had wiped Piedmon's mind, Shaun couldn't detect him.

Quietly, and without warning, Piedmon grabbed (Wargreymon's) neck.

"GACK!!!"

Everyone whirled around at (Wargreymon's) startled shout...

...and when they saw Piedmon's hands – the left encircling the neck and the right placed against the head – they paled.

Piedmon was in a prime position to break (Wargreymon's) neck.

Shaun's eyes widened at the sight. _No..._

Something had to be done...but if Piedmon saw any of them make a move, he would break (Wargreymon's) neck.

Five seconds later, Shaun moved.

_**CRACK!!!**_

(Wargreymon) fell to the ground.

----

/Underside of File Island, Shinobi's Sanctum, 6:38 PM/

"Hey! I think I found an exit!"

Ken, Yolei, and Dinobeemon whirled around at the sound of Shurimon's voice; shortly after the battle with Ninjamon and Musyamon, the entire forest had been removed by Shurimon's 'Light of Blue Fire' technique, and the Digidestined had immediately set about looking for an exit.

And now, Shurimon was standing in front of large, metal door; it sat behind a large pylon upon which a light sat. It was crude, but effective; the light drowned out everything in its immediate vicinity, preventing the door from being seen at first glance.

Ken looked upon it warily. "Hmm...looks pretty thick."

Seconds later, the fifty-foot door was sent flying off of its hinges, courtesy of a headbutt by Dinobeemon. Ken, Yolei, and Shurimon sweatdropped. "Uh...nice hit?" said Ken.

"Thanks!" exclaimed Dinobeemon with a happy smile.

Beyond the metallic door sat a long tunnel...and at the very end was an elevator platform, leading – presumably – to the surface.

"Let's go!" Dinobeemon burst off toward the elevator; Ken quickly followed.

Shurimon, meanwhile, glanced at Yolei quietly. "Pardon my asking, but where is your helmet?"

Yolei lightly smiled; the orange helmet had been left behind in the Shinobi's Sanctum, and it was stained with Ken's blood. "Well...I just decided it was time for a wardrobe change. It was getting dirty anyway."

----

/Underside of File Island, The Depths, 6:40 PM/

Tentomon digivolve to......Kabuterimon!

Kabuterimon digivolve to......MegaKabuterimon!

The horned beetle glared defiantly at one MegaSeadramon, and then the other. Even now, it was clear he was at a disadvantage against the two Ultimates.

Joe began sweating as he knelt down beside an unconscious Gomamon. "Oh man...this isn't good..."

Cody frowned; there had to be a way out...there had to. But how? There was no way they could outmuscle the two MegaSeadramon-

_Calm down Cody._

Cody suddenly calmed down as he remembered his grandfather's voice. His wizened – and wise – grandfather. Cody had once been told a very important lesson that pertained not only to Kendo...but to life as well.

_'If you are in a troublesome situation, and no strategy you think of can work, you're thinking in the wrong direction. Do not change your strategy...rather, change your TACTICS. After that, the answer becomes shockingly simple.'_

Cody felt a sudden calm descend over him. _Okay...force and strength won't work here. I have to think of a different tactic..._

Their own strength wasn't going to work here. They had to use something else to their advantage...

And that's when Cody looked up at the stalactites. _That's it...!_

He looked down at Armadillomon, holding his green D-3 toward the young Rookie. "Armadillomon, digivolve!"

Armadillomon digivolve to......Ankylomon!

The dinosaur Champion looked down at Cody out of curiosity. "So, you got a plan?"

Cody nodded. "Yes...strike the ceiling with your Rock Shower."

Ankylomon looked up at the stalactites...and he finally understood. "I see...got it! Rock Shower!" He struck the ground, his tail causing a smattering of rocks to fly upward and strike the ceiling with a loud _crash_.

All three Ultimates attacked at once.

"Thunder Javelin!!!"

"Horn Buster!!!"

MegaKabuterimon's Horn Buster overpowered the rear MegaSeadramon's Thunder Javelin and deleted him on the spot. The MegaSeadramon blocking their path to the exit had no such problem; his Thunder Javelin struck MegaKabuterimon in the back, sending the insectoid Ultimate to the ground. He dedigivolved to Tentomon on the spot. "Ooh, my spine!"

However – before the last MegaSeadramon could turn to strike Ankylomon – the stalactites fell.

Ankylomon's Rock Shower had weakened them at their base...and now, a whole multitude of sharpened stalactites and rocks fell upon the last MegaSeadramon.

He quickly dove back into the water to avoid the attack. The stalactites fell into place over the hole in the ground, sealing it up.

Cody felt elated; his plan had worked!

"RAAAGGH!!!"

Cody suddenly felt his hopes descend just as fast as the MegaSeadramon rose from the pool of water behind them. The Child of Humility couldn't believe it; MegaSeadramon had swum underground to the other pool!

The Ultimate's hateful eyes – which glowed bloody red from the Black Gear – glared at Ankylomon, who protectively stood in front of Cody, Joe, and Izzy.

Cody slumped to his knees, humiliation flooding his mind. He had overlooked such an obvious flaw to his plan...

_Sorry everyone...forgive me...I failed..._

At that moment, the Crest of Humility glowed with a dark green aura...and that dark green aura surrounded Ankylomon, who suddenly swelled with size.

Ankylomon digivolve to......Stegomon!

Ankylomon had been large. Stegomon was humongous; his body was now fifty feet high and forty feet long...but if one included his tail, his body was ninety feet long. His leathery skin was yellow in color, but blazing bronze armor covered his entire back and tail; scales – purple in color – covered his lower body, offering protection. His four, muscular legs were covered by plates of bronze armor, and his three tows ended in large, gray claws. All across his back, massive gold spikes – ranging in size from five feet near the neck and rear to fifteen feet along the middle of the spine – rose upward, offering both offensive and defensive capabilities. His tail – which was also covered by segments of bronze armor – was covered at the very end by four super-sharp spikes of gold, which were twenty feet in height. His head – which now had an elongated snout – was covered along the sides and the front by a helmet of bronze, allowing his mouth, nose, and eyes to be seen. His green eyes – filled with confidence and determination – glared at MegaSeadramon quietly. Finally – in a voice deeper and more robust than Ankylomon's but with a slight Texan accent – he roared, "I am Stegomon! Bigger and tougher than Ankylomon, my armor both protects and destroys! If you don't think so, just look at my Spike Tail!"

MegaSeadramon glowered at the new beast that stood before him. He quickly made the first move. "Thunder-!"

Stegomon was deceptively quick.

"Spike Tail!" Despite his large size, Stegomon – more specifically, his tail – was more than able to strike quickly, as MegaSeadramon discovered. The golden spikes at the tip of his tail SLAMMED into MegaSeadramon's face.

The serpentine Ultimate howled as his face burned with pain; his body was sent colliding into the wall, writhing with agony.

Stegomon reared his tail and then curled it upward, like a scorpion would. He roared, "Spike Rain!" The four spikes in his tail rocketed off toward MegaSeadramon.

_**SHICK!!!**_

The serpentine Digimon gagged as his body was skewered by the four projectiles. Deletion soon followed.

Stegomon smiled as his four tail spikes grew back in a matter of moments. "He won't be bugging us again, that's for sure!"

Cody blinked out of astonishment; the fight had ended so quickly...

"Cody? You okay?" asked Stegomon out of concern, his large head peering down at Cody.

Cody just smiled lightly, shaking his head. "Yeah...just looking up and wondering how a big guy like you ended up with a little guy like me."

Stegomon chuckled. "Maybe that's why we're likeable!"

----

/Underside of File Island, The Gauntlet, 6:46 PM/

"OOF!!!"

Matt and Gabumon landed with a thud on their behinds; they had just been navigating through the narrow maze of pipes when they had BOTH fallen into a trap hole.

The thing is, death hadn't awaited them. Escape did. The exit to that pipe-filled room had been cleverly hidden inside a trap hole.

Matt groaned as he rubbed his sore bottom gingerly. "Ow...stupid trap door..."

"At least we landed on a floor instead of spikes!" reminded Gabumon with an optimistic tone.

That's when Matt finally looked around; the room they were in was basically a large, empty room. The floor was made of metallic grating, and the walls were made of numerous pipes that exuded steam and exhaust...but what caught Matt's attention was the solitary object in the middle of the room.

A floating platform. In the ceiling above, a hole...and from beyond that hole streamed in sunlight.

Matt smiled; they had found their exit. "You know what Gabumon? You're right."

But as he looked around, he frowned; no one else was in here. And considering it was Puppetmon who designed this course, he wouldn't make more than one exit...especially not in a maze-like area like this. After all, there were many paths...but only one Finish line.

The others were still coming...so Matt would wait.

----

/File Island, Primary Village, 6:48 PM/

Leomon remained quiet as he looked around; where had they all gone?

He had only left for a couple of hours...all he had done was head to Toy Town to notify Elecmon that it was safe to return to Primary Village. But when Leomon had returned to Primary Village, he had found that the Digidestined were gone.

He had searched the entire vicinity around the birthplace of Digimon...and he had found nothing.

Now, Leomon stood in the spot where Shaun had recounted his past earlier that day. "Where are they?" muttered Leomon to himself.

"They've been swallowed up by the earth, that's what happened!"

Leomon's eyes widened at the nasally voice. He quickly looked upward to see a very familiar figure sitting on the edge of the toy tower. "Master Piximon!"

Piximon – who had been reborn quite some time ago, but had yet to see the New Digidestined – floated down from his spot...and whacked Leomon on the head with the blunt side of his spear. "Didn't I tell you to stop calling me master?! You graduated thousands of years ago! My title of 'master' disappeared when you completed your training!"

Leomon winced as he rubbed his forehead...but he couldn't help but smile; even now, Piximon was a stickler for punctuality. "Forgive me..." Then, his worry for the Digidestined came back. "But tell me; you say you saw where the children went?"

Piximon nodded. "That I did, yep yep yep! I've been watching you guys since right before Shaun finished telling his tale. I noticed that you couldn't bear to hear it again."

Leomon frowned; his former master had seen him in a moment of weakness. Not weakness in battle...but weakness of fortitude. In all honesty, Leomon had been on the verge of trembling before he excused himself. He didn't want to show the Digidestined his weakness. "More to the point, where are the children?"

Piximon didn't bother asking why Leomon changed the point so quickly: he knew why. "Well, do you recall a little marionette named Puppetmon?"

----

/Underside of File Island, The Labyrinth, 6:50 PM/

Shaun sweated profusely as the Digidestined neared an intersection. "Eyes and ears open everyone."

Right behind Shaun, (Wargreymon) was tense, yet calm. He blinked – as if suddenly realizing something – and looked down at Shaun, whispering, "Hey. Almost forgot to-"

"You can thank me later," muttered Shaun, his eyes and ears trying to take in as much as they could.

You see – less than fifteen minutes ago – the mighty '**_CRACK!_**' had been Piedmon's back colliding against the wall on the other side of the corridor.

Due to Shaun's great speed whilst wearing the Armor of Wisdom, he had been able to close in quickly enough to punch Piedmon in the face before he could break his partner's neck. This caused Piedmon to let go of (Wargreymon's) neck – consequently causing (Wargreymon) to fall to the ground, who had been unprepared by Shaun's gutsy move – and sent him flying back down the corridor, causing the incident seen in the above paragraph.

After Shaun had quickly checked (Wargreymon) for any injuries, he bolted down the corridor...only to find that Piedmon wasn't there.

Now, almost fifteen minutes after that harrowing scenario, the Digidestined were clustered up again, trying not to be caught off-guard this time.

Sora remained deathly silent as her eyes drifted upward toward the ceiling...she'd hate to be caught from above. _Man...this place is too narrow..._

Shaun contemplated soothing Sora from her worries, but he decided against it. Letting his guard down now might be the end for him.

They entered the intersection quietly. Nothing was around them. Shaun looked back at the others and said, "All clear."

"Clown Trick!"**   
**

Tai and Wargreymon turned around and gaped; Piedmon dropped from the ceiling above the intersection...and he was charging a Clown Trick attack!

The invisible ball of energy collided with Wargreymon's chest, sending him to the floor. Shaun and (Wargreymon) quickly moved in front of Sora and Biyomon, preparing to attack.

Piedmon silently pulled out two Trump Swords, their metallic surfaces gleaming in the dim light of the Labyrinth's torches. He remained silent as he kept a steady gaze at Shaun, Wargreymon, and (Wargreymon).

Suddenly, and without warning, Shaun leapt forward and wrapped his arms and legs around Piedmon. Before the brainwashed Dark Master could struggle, Shaun locked his arms and legs in place, preventing Piedmon from moving.

Shaun quickly tilted his head back and roared, "WARGREYMON!!! (WARGREYMON!!!) ATTACK PIEDMON NOW!!!"

Both Wargreymon took the initiative. Wargreymon turned down the left corridor, whilst (Wargreymon) went down the right, giving themselves some distance away from the struggling Piedmon.

At that exact moment, both Wargreymon charged their respective attacks. Due to the constrictive nature of the Labyrinth, they had to concentrate their energy into a small area.

In a word – or two – it was like trying to close a faucet with your bare hands; the energy of a Terra Force or a Gaia Force was not meant to be compressed.

The veins in Shaun's neck began to bulge as Piedmon's superior strength began to show; at this rate, Piedmon would break in say...oh, five seconds. "GUYS!!! **_HURRY!!!_**"

At last, the two Wargreymon unleashed their compressed attacks at once.

"Gaia Force!!!"

"Terra Force!!!"

In one second, the two orbs were thirty feet away from Piedmon.

Shaun let go and bounced off of Piedmon's back, landing outside of the intersection where the mindless Dark Master stood.

Without a second thought, Piedmon extended both arms outward and charged a Clown Trick orb in each one. He somehow hoped to counter the two energy spheres with energy spheres of his own.

The four energy orbs collided with each other with a deafening crash.

What followed next was rather interesting, to say the least. Perhaps it was because the four energy spheres were compressed in such a tight space. Or it could've been because Piedmon's own data was corrupted by numerous Black Gears, counteracting the energy of both Wargreymon in some way. Who knows?

All the Digidestined within the Labyrinth knew was that at that moment, something weird happened.

Everyone's mouths dropped as the Gaia Force, Terra Force, and Clown Trick energy orbs merged together with a colossal explosion, creating a white vortex under Piedmon's feet. The brainwashed Piedmon remained silent as he was sucked into it...and seconds later, it closed up.

Tai's mouth remained open, his mind reeling with shock. "Uh...what just happened?"

"I think that was a wormhole," muttered Shaun. He knew of the OMEGA sector wormholes...but why had one opened up in there?

"Guys!" Biyomon poked her head around the corner at the end of the front corridor, a smile on her face. "Sora and I found a way to the surface! Let's go!"

Wargreymon felt better. "Alright! We can get out of this dump at last!"

Wargreymon, (Wargreymon), and Tai immediately ran off towards Biyomon. Shaun stared at the spot where the wormhole had been for a few moments before deciding to go.

For some reason, he couldn't help but feel something big was going to come of this.

----

/Underside of File Island, Gryphonmon's Ruins, 6:55 PM/

"Magna Gun!"

Golden bullets erupted from Davis' left gauntlet, which currently had gun barrels protruding from it. A hail of hot lead stormed toward UmbraDevimon.

He held up his bony, upper left hand and blocked the bullets as if they were nothing. The dark titan chuckled as Davis continued to fire. "Foolish boy..."

"Draconic Wind!!!"

UmbraDevimon's eyes stared upward at the sound of Aetherdramon's voice; the DNA Digivolved Mega was flapping both pairs of his wings at high speed. The wind that resulted from the flapping created a maelstrom...and it was aimed at UmbraDevimon.

The mighty Digimon of darkness didn't budge or flinch. All he did was smile...and then his eyes stared over toward the Child of Light, who was standing a fair distance away.

At that moment, UmbraDevimon saw someone advancing toward the Child of Light from behind...and it caused his smile to become a malicious grin.

Davis caught it. _Why is he smiling...?_

----

Kari remained silent as she watched Davis and Aetherdramon fight – futile though it was – against UmbraDevimon...and as she did, she wished she could do more.

Footsteps.

Kari paled as she heard crumbling rock and dirt behind her; someone was coming!

She whirled around, thinking she was going to see a monstrous beast ready to chop her head off...oh, wait it was just TK. "TK!"

TK Takaishi advanced toward Kari Kamiya slowly, his stride tense and full of purpose...but that purpose was unknown to Kari.

And for some reason, he didn't look all that friendly to Kari...but why?

Once TK's eyes could be seen, Kari understood why; they were glazed over, as though he wasn't all there. "TK? What's wrong?"

TK answered by slugging her across the face with a right hook; Kari yelped as she was sent to the ground, totally caught off-guard by the blow.

In TK's mind, UmbraDevimon's voice spoke with glee. _'Good...keep it up. You know what to do.'_

TK responded UmbraDevimon's command by kneeling down and clutching Kari's neck with both of his hands.

"TK...what...are you doing...?" asked Kari, her voice becoming strained as TK's hands slowly constricted her neck.

----

"What are you smiling about?!" demanded Davis, his frustration beginning to rise up; no matter what they did, he and Aetherdramon couldn't put a single scratch on him!

UmbraDevimon smiled as he pointed his upper right arm over Davis' shoulder. "Look at Kari."

At the mere mention of 'Kari', Davis whirled around...and he had done so just in time to see TK slam Kari with his fist.

Davis' eyes widened at the sight; at first he had been too dumbfounded to do anything...were his eyes betraying him? He hadn't just seen TK hit Kari...had he?

Then he saw TK's hands start strangling Kari's neck.

After that, any sense of doubt that Davis had as to TK's intentions disappeared. Rage consumed him as he roared, "**_LEAVE KARI ALONE HAT-BOY!!!_**"

_SLAM!!!_

Davis moaned as UmbraDevimon's upper right hand slammed into his back; in his haste to rush to Kari's aid, he had turned his back on UmbraDevimon. The Child of Miracles went unconscious as his body was slammed into the ground at high speed.

Aetherdramon quickly charged, Miraculous Daggers in both hands.

_POW!!!_

Aetherdramon was immediately sent flying by three punches all at once; one from the upper arms each, and one from the lower left arm. UmbraDevimon, confident that all other distractions were done with, picked the unconscious Davis up with his upper left arm.

UmbraDevimon smiled at his prize; TK had accomplished his mission, and now his key to domination was in hand. _Congratulations TK...now you may live with the consequences of your actions._

With a thought, UmbraDevimon dispelled his control over TK...and then he tore open a portal with his glowing red index finger on his lower right hand; with Davis in his hand, he jumped into it. It closed moments later.

Seconds later, Aetherdramon burst up from the ground where he had fallen after UmbraDevimon's devastating triple punch. He looked around quickly...but puzzled when he saw that UmbraDevimon was gone. "Huh? Where'd he go?!"

Meanwhile...

TK suddenly felt the strange aura possessing him dissipate, allowing his mind and consciousness to come back to the forefront. "Whoa...what a head trip..."

He looked down to see his hands strangling something...and when he saw that something was Kari's neck, he yelped and leapt back out of extreme shock. "KARI!!! What...what are doing here?" He looked around them at that moment, realizing he was no longer in the Gauntlet. "More to the point, where am I? And why was I strangling you?!"

Kari coughed several times before staring at TK with worrisome eyes. "TK...you don't remember...?"

"No..." said TK with an unsure his slightly panicked state, one wouldn't be hard-pressed to say that he hadn't fully realized that he HAD been strangling Kari, something he would probably beat himself up for doing. "All I remember is..." A flash of realization hit him as he remembered what had happened in the Gauntlet. "UmbraDevimon..."

----

/Underside of File Island, Upper Echelon, 7:00 PM/

Shaun, Tai, Sora, (Wargreymon), Wargreymon, and Biyomon remained silent as the large elevator platform – nothing more than a floating blue disc – lifted them out of the constrictive Labyrinth.

When the elevator platform stopped, they were in a large cavern; the entire floor was made of a large metallic plate that was turquoise in color. At various intervals around the disc were four more holes; two of them had elevator platforms floating amongst them. In the middle of the ceiling was a gigantic hole, letting the sun's light shine through upon the plate and one of the holes. Situated under that hole was a gigantic elevator platform.

Oh, and there were two other groups of people there: the Digidestined that had ventured into the Shinobi's Sanctum and the Depths.

Wormmon's eyes drifted over to the group that had gone into the Labyrinth. "Ooh! Ken! More of our friends!"

Ken's eyes drifted toward Shaun, Tai, Sora, and their partners as they neared them. _So...all that's left are for the other two groups to come...then we can head to the surface._

----

/Warehouse #7, Tokyo Bay, Odaiba, 7:02 PM/

Hiroaki Ishida slowly descended on the stairway toward Warehouse #7. He had a sneaky suspicion something big was up...no, not a suspicion. He KNEW something big was up...he could feel it in his bones.

He slowly opened the door...and inside, there was chaos.

Hiroaki was perplexed; Gennai had assembled a 'fort' out of the room's chairs, shielding himself from the infuriated Mr. and Mrs. Tachikawa, who were trying to get to him.

At the sight of Mr. Ishida, Gennai roared, "DON'T JUST STAND THERE!!! CALM THEM DOWN!!!"

Hiroaki Ishida sighed; diplomacy was not his strong suit.

----

/Underside of File Island, The Gauntlet, 7:04 PM/

Mimi and Palmon slowly scaled a ladder quietly; they had reached the end of the floating gears several minutes ago, and now they were ascending up a steam-filled vent along a ladder.

Mimi moaned as steam caused her to perspire. "Oh man, this is going to be murder on my tank top!"

"I don't know Mimi. It feels kind of nice!" admitted Palmon with a smile, absorbing the moisture into her body.

Mimi stopped to look up, but frowned; steam and vapor blocked her view. "Stupid steam..."

Then, to her astonishment, a human hand reached to her from above. Without hesitation, she grabbed it.

Mimi was hoisted out of the vent by none other than Matt Ishida. With a grin, the Child of Friendship said, "Heard your voice coming up from the vent."

"Well, so glad of you to notice," replied the Child of Sincerity with a smile. Moments later, Palmon climbed up. The plant-like Rookie looked around – seeing Gabumon in the process – and asked, "Have you seen TK yet?"

Matt frowned as he shook his head. "Afraid not. Haven't seen hide or hair of TK or Patamon..." _Hope he's okay..._

_PLOP!_

Everyone whirled around at the sound...and to their shock, Patamon – who had fallen from a human-sized hole in the ceiling – was lying on the floor. "Oh...ow..."

"PATAMON!" Matt, Mimi, Gabumon, and Palmon rushed to the little Rookie's side; the young Digimon had rather large bump on his head. Gabumon asked, "Are you all right? What happened?"

Patamon groaned as he slowly got to his feet. "He...he surprised us...he knocked me out...and when I woke up...TK was gone..."

"Gone?! What do you mean?! Who took TK?!" angrily demanded Matt, his concern for his little brother showing through.

"The one who attacked us...was UmbraDevimon..." moaned Patamon, slumping to the ground again; the nasty surprise attack by UmbraDevimon, although not fatal, was still tiring the tiny Rookie.

Mimi, cradling the tired Patamon in her arms, looked up at Matt and asked, "What do we do?"

Matt was weighing the options. On one hand, there was his brother, who was now in the hands of UmbraDevimon somewhere...but on the other hand, there was the chance for escaping the Gauntlet.

Ultimately, the latter choice was the one he had to make. "We'll find him...but first we have to get out of this place and regroup with the others. Even if we DO go back in there to find TK, it won't be easy...and if find him, we'll likely run into UmbraDevimon. We're not strong enough to take him on."

Mimi had to agree with Matt's logic. "Okay...let's go then."

With that, they stepped onto the floating blue disc. Moments later, it ascended upward, taking them up to the Upper Echelon where the other Digidestined were waiting for them...and the group that had gone into Gryphonmon's Ruins.

----

/Underside of File Island, Gryphonmon's Ruins, 7:08 PM/

"All I can remember is Patamon being knocked out by UmbraDevimon...and then after that, a strange jolt of energy ran through me. Then it was all hazy...until now."

Kari remained silent as she listened to TK's explanation of the events transpiring before his arrival in Gryphonmon's Ruins. "I see...what do you think UmbraDevimon did to make you try and choke me?"

"I think it was his Touch of Evil..." TK sighed as he gingerly touched the back of his neck. By now, the ramifications of what he had nearly done to Kari had come back at full force. Even if it hadn't been him behind the wheel of his body, he had nearly choked Kari Kamiya to death... "Kari...I'm sorry-"

"Don't apologize. It wasn't your fault." Now it was Kari's turn to sigh. "Still, it was obvious he could've made you go all the way and strangle me...but why did he release you before that? It doesn't make any sense."

TK's eyes hardened as he tried to think of an explanation. "Maybe...maybe his true purpose wasn't to get me to choke you..."

But the question was: what purpose? And why?

"Guys."

TK and Kari turned around to see Aetherdramon, body still glowing in the dim light of the cavern. "I still haven't found an exit...and I haven't seen any trace of UmbraDevimon OR Davis."

TK and Kari both went deathly silent at those words...had UmbraDevimon kidnapped Davis while they weren't looking?

_**CRACK!!!**_

Everyone's heads turned upward to see a clawed hand broke through the ceiling above; there was now a large, fifteen-foot hole in the ceiling.

At that moment, Wargreymon stuck his head through and looked around. Then, his green eyes fell upon Kari, TK, and Aetherdramon. "Guys! I found them!"

You see – after Matt, Mimi, and their partners had arrived on the Upper Echelon – the Digidestined had decided to try and find the last group themselves. So they had opened the metal plate covering the exit to Gryphonmon's Ruins...only to find a layer of rock.

So Wargreymon had punched through it.

And now, they had found the last Digidestined in Puppetmon's Ruins.

Shaun floated down into the hall and shouted, "Need a lift?"

----

/Underside of File Island, Upper Echelon, 7:14 PM/

The gigantic elevator platform slowly ascended upward; all of the Digidestined were on it, and they were now leaving Puppetmon's wretched Obstacle Course.

"So you're saying UmbraDevimon brainwashed you with his Touch of Evil?" asked Gabumon.

TK nodded. "Yeah...but even though I was commanded to strangle Kari, he released me before I could...and we don't know why."

"**_YOU NEARLY STRANGLED KARI?!?!_**" roared Tai. Sora immediately clutched his shoulders. "No no no Tai! Remember, he was brainwashed. CALM DOWN."

Tai slowly let himself relax. "...okay. Calm now." He flashed a goofy grin at TK. "Sorry about that."

"No offense taken," replied TK with a smile; Patamon was once more perched upon TK's hat.

Shaun, meanwhile, was sitting on the elevator platform, still thinking about the wormhole that had devoured Piedmon. Why couldn't he get his mind off of it?

As the elevator platform slowly returned to the world above, they could see that the hole was situated in the base of what had once been Infinity Mountain.

"Hello down there!"

The Digidestined looked upward to see two faces staring at them; they were standing on the rim of the hole...and they could be seen to be Piximon and Leomon.

The older children – and Shaun – nearly faltered at the sight of Piximon. The last time the older Digidestined had seen Piximon was when he had sacrificed himself to prevent the Dark Masters from capturing the Digidestined. The last time Shaun had seen Piximon was...well, quite a long time ago.

Piximon – watching the elevator platform rise up – yelled, "Now that you're back, mind telling us what happened down there?!"

----

/01-000-ALPHA, UmbraDevimon's Lair, 7:17 PM/

Puppetmon frowned as he stared at his game station's monitor.

The Digidestined had all escaped his Obstacle Course.

Well, except for the one UmbraDevimon had brought back with him.

Puppetmon snorted as he turned away from his game station; UmbraDevimon was standing on the other side of the large room, his upper pair of arms holding the Child of Miracles. "This better be worth it! If you hadn't told me to follow your stinking plan, I would've been able to have more fun with the Digitwerps!"

UmbraDevimon smirked as he stared the unconscious Davis Motomiya – having two pairs of arms was quite handy – before saying, "Well, it may not be worth it to you...but it is certainly worth it to me."

And all the while, Mummymon just stared on from afar.

----

/The Motomiya Household, Odaiba, 7:19 PM/

Jun silently stared at the ceiling, her body – dress in loose, pink pajamas – stretched across the entirety of the couch.

She didn't feel like watching TV. She didn't feel like surfing the Internet. She didn't feel like checking her e-mail. She didn't feel like writing another love letter to Matt.

She just felt like thinking.

Even though it had only been little more than a day since Gennai's meeting – and two days since Davis and the other children had entered the Digital World – Jun felt a strange sense of emptiness.

In the past two days, there had been no little brother to nag on. No little brother to bug her when he wanted time on the computer. No little brother to playfully – if a tad roughly – fight with. No little brother to console when he was down...no little brother to make their family a family...

"I miss him..." muttered Jun to no one in particular. Her parents were at work – as usual – even though of the current situation. Part of her hated her parents for carrying on life as though nothing had happened...but that was wrong. They continued working because they had to...besides, it was better than dwelling on Davis' absence anyway.

Jun sighed as she continued staring at the ceiling; when was the last time she had felt this bad?

_KNOCK-KNOCK._

Jun tilted her head to face the digital clock hanging above the television...and then she frowned.

It was only 7:21 PM.

_That's odd...mom and dad shouldn't be home until at least 10... _

_KNOCK-KNOCK._

Jun groaned as she sat up from her position on the couch and walked over to the front door. _Man...whoever's at the door better have a good excuse for getting me up off of the couch._

She opened the front door to see Jim Kido standing in front of her.

Jun blinked out of bewilderment. "Uh...do I know you?"

Jim resisted the urge to facefault. "The name's Jim Kido. Met you for the first time at the meeting with Gennai and earlier this morning at the park."

"Oh! I remember you now..." replied Jun, her tone laced with a bit of nervousness. For all she knew, Jim was a stalker. "So...why are you here?"

"Just came to talk, nothing more," answered Jim with a friendly smile. "But if you don't want any company, I'll be on my way."

Jun contemplated the offer in a few seconds. She was bored, lonely, and melancholy...she didn't feel like doing anything else. What harm would a friendly talk be?

Finally, she said, "Alright. I'll accept your offer. Come in."

Jim nodded as Jun let him in. Jim looked around at the apartment and commented, "Pretty quaint. Better than my dorm."

Jun slightly smiled at the compliment. "Thanks. PJs aren't really formal, so I'm gonna go change."

"I don't mind," replied Jim. "It's your house, and you wear whatever you want here, you know? Besides, it's late anyway."

Jun halted her journey to her room at those words; she was starting to like this guy. As she turned around to head back to the couch, she replied, "You know, I wish my parents would say that when company came over."

Jim smiled as he stood in the living room. Things were going good so far...he had made a good first impression. VERY important when dealing with new patients.

"Oh, you can sit down," said Jun as she noticed Jim had yet to take a seat.

"Thank you." Jim took Jun's offer and sat down on a chair, which sat next to the couch at an angle.

A few moments of silence passed.

Finally, Jun broke the silence. "So...why are you here anyway?"

Jim was quick to answer...but he made sure his tone was calm and confident. "Like I said, I'm here to just talk. I just don't know of a good starting topic...you go first."

Jun blinked; she had been suspicious that Jim Kido was here for some ulterior purpose. But now he was slowly proving her suspicions unfounded. "Well...I honestly feel like talking about the Digidestined."

"Really?" Although he hid it with his calm voice, Jim was honestly surprised; he had assumed it would take at least several minutes before he could change the subject without drawing suspicion. Either Jun had caught onto him and was luring him into a trap...or she honestly wanted to talk about the Digidestined. "Okay then. What's on your mind?"

Jun sighed as she leaned back against the couch, her eyes staring at Jim. "Well...I guess I'm just concerned. I mean, I learned just _yesterday_ that my little brother's part of a team of children who are destined to save another world...I guess it just shocks you, you know?"

"I know EXACTLY how you feel," concurred Jim. Another important step was to relate to the patient on some level; it was a bridge to better understanding. "When I first found out what Joe was going through four years ago, I was in shock. Of course, that was during the time of the big Odaiba Fog Incident, but...well, you know."

Jun found herself giggling at Jim's unintended – or was it? – joke. "Yeah...I get what you're saying. But still..." Jun sighed as she looked up at the ceiling again. "I can't help but worry..."

"Is it that you concerned about Davis' well-being?"

Jun turned back to face Jim, seemingly unaware that Jim was now sitting opposite of her on the couch. "Or is it because you miss him?"

Jun frowned at him. "Of course I miss him." Jun contemplated adding 'you dodo', but she squelched that thought in a nanosecond.

Jim made a mental note not to be that upfront. Apparently, this girl was one to speak her mind. "Yeah...silly question of me to ask..."

"But I have to say...things are different around here without Davis..." muttered Jun, a quiet tone in her voice.

"How so?" asked Jim out of curiosity.

Jun sighed; why was this guy so curious? But then again, she _had_ been the one to let him in...and this talk was giving her something to do at the very least. "Well...it's quiet, for one. The house just isn't as lively without him around...and he's not here to bug me so I can bug him back without proper reasons – you know, out of revenge – so there's that..."

Jim, meanwhile, was making mental notes of all of this. _Okay...so without Davis, she's lost a sort of loving conflict that helps her through the day. Got to remember that._

"And he's not here to try and goof around with my e-mail behind my back...and he's not here to make things the way they should be..." Jun was starting to tremble as the words continued to flow out of her mouth, seemingly on their own. "He's not here to make every day interesting...he's not here to make the Motomiyas a family..."

Suddenly – without provocation – Jun lunged for Jim and buried her face into his shirt, crying for all her worth. "I miss him!!! He's off risking his life while I'm here twiddling my thumbs! I know he's only been gone for two days, but after finding out he's in another world, fighting such powerful bad guys...I dreaded the idea that our house wouldn't be the same again! He just can't die! Without him, we aren't a family! _He just can't die!!!_"

As Jim stared silently at Jun – ruing his awkwardness with girls at the same time – the picture fell into place. Jun wanted Davis back...not just because he missed him, or because she was worried for his safety; she was worried that without him, the Motomiya family would never be whole again.

Jim, thinking of nothing else that could help, slowly – and feebly – embraced the eldest Motomiya child. His voice adopted a soothing tone as he said, "There there...it'll be fine. I know you're worried, but would Davis want to see you like this?"

After sniffling a few times, Jun muttered, "No...he'd probably poke fun at me and laugh at me for acting like a crybaby."

Jim decided to go with this. "And what would you do if he did that?"

"I would teach him a lesson he'd never forget!" exclaimed Jun, her enthusiastic nature returning, if only for a moment.

Jim found himself smiling as he said, "Then just pray for his welfare. Have faith in the Digidestined that they'll succeed! Trust me...they'll win, and they'll be back. Just have faith in them."

"...I suppose you're right," replied Jun, a small, sad smile adorning her face.

Jim sighed as he stared up at the ceiling with a smile, whispering, "Finally...I did some good."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

Jim froze; Jun had heard him. _Oh well, might as well tell the truth._ "Well, to be honest, I'm a student at Odaiba University, and I'm a major in Psychology...and after the meeting with Gennai, I noticed a lot of people were down and distraught...I had hoped to use some of the knowledge I've accumulated from the university to good use, but my visits to the Kamiyas and the Ichijoujis were duds...but that's when I saw you this morning at the park. I decided the Motomiya household would be my next stop. You just looked like you needed cheering up."

Jun remained silent...and then she smiled as her arms embraced Jim. "I did...and thanks. You've really helped..."

"You're welcome," said Jim in reply.

Creak... 

Jim and Jun both froze as they turned their heads to the door.

Apparently, Mr. and Mrs. Motomiya HAD decided to leave work early.

Jim – withering under the glare of both parents at having caught him and their daughter in an awkward embrace – nervously said, "Uh...I can explain?"

----

_**BAM!!!**_

Jim grimaced; he had been thrown out by the Motomiya parents and had had the door slammed shut behind him. "Ow."

Oh well...at least he had managed to make ONE person feel better.

And that was worth it to him.

----

/01-000-OMEGA, 7:29 PM/

Piedmon slowly stood up.

He had been fighting the Digidestined in the Labyrinth...and all of a sudden he had been sucked away by something...and he lapsed into unconsciousness...

And now he was here, in a large cave that originated in the OMEGA sectors but stretched far into and below the End of the World.

Piedmon silently looked around; there was old, dusty machinery around here. It was machinery he would've recognized had his actual mind been in charge of the body.

This had been an old base for the Order.

And as he turned to his left, something new was there.

A large, black crystal jutted out from the wall; it was easily as large as a Monochromon. It was jagged and hard, and it seemed to filled with...black water...

_'At last!'_

Piedmon suddenly heard a voice emanate from the crystal. It continued to speak. _'Finally...a suitable body! You're mine! Soul Transfer!'_

Suddenly, and without warning, a flash of black light emerged from the black crystal, merging with Piedmon's body. Moments later, an orange light – in the shape of Piedmon's body – erupted from Piedmon and became one with the crystal.

Piedmon's soul had been sealed into the black crystal...and the unknown entity's soul had now taken over Piedmon's body.

When the transfer was complete, 'Piedmon' – now in control by someone else – looked down at himself. His mind was sharp, and his will was unaffected by the Black Gears or the Touch of Evil. Finally – in a voice that sounded like Piedmon's but calmer, colder, and less jovial than that of the Dark Master usual tone – he spoke. "At last...a suitable body. But first, I must deal with the riff-raff."

His hands crackled with red electricity, and he placed his hands _on his body_. His teeth clenched as he forcefully expelled the Black Gears out of his body. Even though the power boost was quite nice, he couldn't afford UmbraDevimon realizing his presence.

With a quick swipe of the Trump Sword, 'Piedmon' destroyed the Black Gears; his body returned to its normal proportions moments later.

He then turned his attention to the black crystal...and held his left hand toward it. "Clown Trick."

A blast of invisible energy erupted from his palm, colliding with the crystal and shattering it into a thousand pieces. Its contents – the black, murky water within – spilled onto the dusty cavern floor. 'Piedmon' smirked. "Water from the Dark Ocean is a good preserver for energy, spirits, and souls...but only if it's maintained in a solid object, like a crystal." He smirked as Piedmon's soul drifted out of the water, dissipating into nothingness. "And with that, the leader of the Dark Masters drifts away into oblivion..."

With that bit of business taken care of, he turned around to leave the cave.

He had a universe to conquer.

----

/01-000-ALPHA, UmbraDevimon's Lair, 7:33 PM/

Night had fully settled over the ALPHA sectors.

Davis slowly began to stir. "Oh...ow...my back..."

He looked around...and saw that he couldn't move. His arms and legs were pinned against the wall by a pair of bony, skeletal hands. Also, his golden breastplate had been torn away, revealing his bare chest – and the glowing Crest of Miracles – within.

"You're finally awake."

When Davis looked up, he saw the face of the one pinning him down: UmbraDevimon.

And floating around the demonic Digimon's head were fifteen Black Gears.

Davis growled at the dark titan. "Where am I? What do you want?!"

UmbraDevimon chuckled as his lower right hand – his Devimon hand – extended toward Davis' forehead, which wasn't fully protected by the Magnamon helmet. "Simple...I want you. FEEL THE **_TOUCH OF EVIL!!!_**"

At that moment, he stuck his glowing red index finger into Davis' forehead...and simultaneously, the fifteen Black Gears roared into his unprotected chest area, becoming one with him.

----

/(Figurative Scene), Realm of Davis' Heart and Soul, 7:35 PM/

Darkness swirled all around the single orb of golden light in the empty space.

A pair of red eyes – accompanied by fifteen Black Gears – glared at the golden orb...and the figure within. Sitting within the golden orb was a being of golden light – shaped like Davis, no less – glaring at the red eyes with blazing white eyes.

UmbraDevimon's voice emanated from the red eyes. "So...you are the soul of the Child of Miracles...and that golden orb is your heart, which protects and houses the soul."

The golden figure – now identified as Davis' soul – glared at UmbraDevimon defiantly. _"If you're planning on corrupting me like you did with Ken nine days ago, you're mistaken."_

UmbraDevimon chuckled; Davis' soul was referring to how he took control of Ken nine days ago when he finally unveiled himself to the Digidestined. "I know...you're undoubtedly more powerful than Ken's soul...that's why I must weaken you first."

Images were immediately flashed into Davis' mind by UmbraDevimon...and thus, they were seen by the soul.

A young, brown-haired boy – no more than five years old – tried to find someone at the school playground to play with. No one would...and the boy walked away the nearby benches, dejected and morose.

"Poor little Davis...always alone as a little boy, never finding anyone to play with. Your life was miserable; your parents were never around to comfort you, and your sister always played with HER friends instead of helping you! You were alone...and you grew up alone..."

"_Stop lying!"_ yelled the golden soul. _"So what if I had a stinky childhood? My life is great now, and I have great friends! And how the heck are you getting these images?!"_

"When I try to corrupt someone's soul, I have access to their memories...and it's a helpful tool. And I'm not lying...just continue to watch."

Now, Davis' soul was seeing TK. This was different for a reason...wait, he knew now; it was the time when TK had first intruded into his life.

"You were having a fine time until HE came along. He became a wedge between you and your 'best friend'...and you haven't really gotten over that, have you?"

_"Shut up. TK was Kari's old friend, and she just wanted to spend some time with him...that's all! So stop trying to corrupt me!"_

"I'm just saying the truth...after all, remember what happened after the incident of the Dark World, do you not?"

Davis' soul grumbled as he remembered the hug Kari and TK had shared in the school computer lab over a month ago. _"So? It was a friendly hug..."_

"But you were jealous nevertheless. And that jealousy came into play in the Emperor's first base."

Davis' soul suddenly faltered; he remembered how he had left TK for dead at the hands of Alienmon...all because he had wanted Kari for himself. Of course, he had learned the error of his ways...but he still felt shame over that moment. _"...I paid my dues for that. That's not who I am anymore."_

"Oh, but you're wrong! You did that because you listened to the darkness within you...the darkness that exists in all humans...and you will become a slave to that darkness!"

"_Never!"_ roared Davis' soul.

"Oh, but I am not done...it's not just TK you have issues with...what about Yolei? She bosses you around, insults you, makes jokes at your expensive...she's done everything except say 'I hate you' to your face!"

_"..."_

"And what about Cody? The disrespectful twerp...despite his young age and small stature, he dares to think of himself as an equal to you, the leader!"

_"Shut up...you're lying..."_

The red eyes had a maliciously sadistic look to them; UmbraDevimon enjoyed tearing souls apart like this. "And what of Shaun? Just because of how much he has suffered, he thinks he can presume to try and teach you knowledge you don't really need! He had the nerve to hit you in the Emperor's first base...you still feel ashamed and insulted because of it, don't you?"

_"Stop lying...he did it to teach me a lesson..."_

"And finally Kari...that little harlot. She pretends to be your friend, when all she wants to do is spend time with TK, Yolei...heck, anyone else but you! Your attitude does nothing but repulse her!"

_"Stop lying...!"_

UmbraDevimon continued to spew forth his lies. "She intentionally makes you jealous. She teases with you. She flirts with TK right in front of you!"

"..._stop it...stop lying..."_

"That little harlot is undeserving of you! She thinks herself to be higher than you, which is why she treats you like a sniveling little dog...but the sad thing is that you ACT like her sniveling little dog. That little witch only hangs out with you only because she pities you!"

_"DON'T YOU DARE TALK ABOUT KARI LIKE THAT!!! **STOP LYING!!!"**_

Cracks suddenly appeared in the golden orb surrounding Davis' soul.

The soul gasped. The red eyes stared with glee. "Yes...your heart is faltering...give into your hate. Let your anger flow through your veins!"

_"Never...!"_

"And finally...we come to this."

Immediately, the image of TK hitting Kari – and subsequently strangling her – roared into Davis' mind.

"He attacked her...Kari's supposed 'friend' trying to kill her. All this time you knew he was bad...and it finally showed today! Doesn't he make your blood boil?"

_"..."_ Davis' soul couldn't respond. His answer came in the form of clenched fists...a sign that he begrudgingly agreed.

UmbraDevimon began speaking of the aforementioned event's aftermath. A slightly twisted version of the aftermath, naturally. "She forgave him for nearly killing her! It just goes to show you...TK has Kari spun around her little finger, and she willingly goes along with it! They are not true friends...and they never were!"

"..._stop..."_

"Admit it...doesn't TK make you angry? Doesn't he make you enraged?"

"..._stop it..."_

"Does he make you want to hate? Hate like you've never hated before?"

_"..."_

"Doesn't it?"

_"..."_

"DOESN'T IT?! **_ADMIT IT!!!_**"

Finally, Davis' soul roared, _"OKAY!!! I ADMIT IT!!! I HATE TK FOR WHAT HE DID!!! **I WANT TO TEAR HIM LIMB FROM LIMB!!!**"_

At that moment, Davis' heart – which protected the soul from darkness – shattered. The things that kept the heart up – virtue, faith in one's friends, and trust – were no more.

UmbraDevimon smiled as the Black Gears and the dark aura – which had been held out by the heart – rushed at the soul, pouring into his body.

The moment the golden soul turned dead black, he knew he had succeeded.

----

/01-000-ALPHA, UmbraDevimon's Lair, 7:35 PM/

All of that had happened in the span of five seconds.

Davis suddenly howled as the golden light of the Crest of Miracles was drowned out by the darkness that now corrupted the Child of Miracles. Although the Crest was too powerful to be corrupted, its power could be used by darkness...and now, darkness controlled Davis.

His armor dulled from shiny gold to a pitch-black color. The torn breastplate melded together over Davis' chest, his armor once more whole.

UmbraDevimon let go of the corrupted Davis, letting him fall to the floor. The dark titan remained silent as the armored Child of Miracles sat there on his knees.

Finally, UmbraDevimon said one word.

"Rise."

Davis stood, his dark armor fitting in perfectly with the dark environment of the lair.

UmbraDevimon smiled as he said, "Who is your master?"

Davis replied with a lifeless, dull voice. "Lord UmbraDevimon."

UmbraDevimon grinned...and then he broke out into a howling laughter. "YES!!! It worked!!! My plan has come to full fruition!" UmbraDevimon smiled as he glared down at Davis happily. "Now all you need is a new name...Davis just doesn't fit anymore."

The corrupted Digidestined stared up at UmbraDevimon with his eyes...eyes that were now red. "This shell is that of the Digidestined Davis...and I was created from the darkness within Davis, which now corrupts his soul...so you may call me..."

The corrupted Digidestined floated into the air, staring in UmbraDevimon's with red eyes that brimmed with untold power.

"...**_Darkheart_**."

----

To be continued...

Next time...

Episode 41: Darkheart

----

Author's Notes: I hate QuickEdit 2.0: it makes adding horizontal lines too much of a hassle.

Anyhow...

The fourth enemy that Dragomon alluded to has appeared...and to start things off, he has possessed Piedmon's body!

And now, Davis has been corrupted, becoming Darkheart...

Oh, and Stegomon has been changed; he WAS Patamon armor-digivolved with the Digiegg of Friendship, but now he's Ankylomon's Ultimate form! Like the change?

Oh, and apologies for the delay in updating this; Halo 2 has officially decreased my productivity. But hey, who can blame me? That game ROCKS!!!

See you soon, and please read and review!


	41. Darkheart

Standard Disclaimer: What are 'Digiyers'? They are Digital Lawyers! And if you don't want them becoming your partner, yell out 'I don't own Digimon!'

Author's Notes: Zero 2 is drifting closer to the 50th episode...the 'Gold' edition landmark that requires something big. Will I have something big by then? Pay attention and you shall see!

To the reviews!

gomababe: ...do I even have to answer this? In case you haven't noticed – and forgive me if this sounds crude – but DAVIS HAS THE HOTS FOR KARI. Even they are not boyfriend and girlfriend, it's undeniable that Davis has a massive crush on the Child of Light. And when you consider that he's Davis, don't you think HE would faint if Kari hugged him?

Cloud-821: For all we know, in the end, everyone might sign a peace agreement through the UN and end up having tea and crumpets at Buckingham Palace...or you could just wait and see. :P

ficmaster: Indeed. And considering it's Halo 2 we're talking about, I'm surprised I can get a chapter out once per week!

Anthony1: Darker turn indeed; and do any of you NDE holdovers think Darkheart is a better name than (cringes) Dark Davis? (cringes again)

The Queen of All Ninjas: Yes; devious little devil, that UmbraDevimon, eh?

Ninetalesuk: (stares at Labramon quietly...and then looks up at Ninetalesuk) I advise you keep a leash on your partner; I'd rather not unleash XeedMilleniummon on him like I did with Dot Cubed... (stares over at the pile of homework that Dot Cubed is feverishly working on) Isn't that right?!

Digi fan: Like I said, the soul that possessed Piedmon...is the fourth enemy. :P

Snodin: Even if Shakkoumon was a DNA Fusion of Angemon and Ankylomon, still...a giant teapot? What kind of fighter is that?! You know what I'm saying?

And to think in NDE, Shakkoumon WAS Ankylomon's digivolved form...(cringe)

Begin!

----

_Darkness. Hate. Corruption. Evil. Deception._

_UmbraDevimon has used all of these and any other tools at his disposal to corrupt Davis._

_He has succeeded...and thus, the Child of Miracles has become Darkheart._

_Will Darkheart prove to be the decisive key to power as UmbraDevimon envisioned? _

Watch.

----

"I was once a boy known as Davis Motomiya. I was once the Child of Miracles, the possessor of the almighty Crest of Miracles...but now, that has all changed. I have been corrupted and converted to the side of darkness. My heart was assaulted by fifteen Black Gears, the might of the Touch of Evil, and UmbraDevimon's scathing words...and it shattered, leaving my soul vulnerable to vice. With that, Davis Motomiya ceased to exist...and I, Darkheart, remained."

----

Episode 41: Darkheart

----

/Dragomon's Palace, City of Cthulu, Dark World, 7:40 PM/

Dragomon looked down at the last remaining chessboard. Four figures were standing in the four corners, with the Digidestined standing in the center.

In the top right corner was UmbraDevimon. In the top left was Darkheart. In the bottom right was 'Piedmon'. In the bottom left was Demon.

In the very center were the twelve remaining Digidestined; the pawns – those who weren't Kari – stood in a circle around the Child of Light, who still radiated as a queen of white light. However, it was patent that she was surrounded on all sides by darkness.

Dragomon sighed as he gazed at the board...and then he grumbled, "Foolish UmbraDevimon...he does not know what he has wrought upon the Digidestined and the worlds of this universe..."

The corrupted Child of Miracles – now known as Darkheart – suddenly seemed to grow, drowning out all of the pieces save for the Digidestined. A great cloud of darkness started swirling around the Digidestined...and it was originating from Darkheart.

"If Darkheart grows too powerful..." Dragomon found himself cringing at the thought...he feared for the Child of Light...

For you see, this enemy – this, Darkheart – would prove to be the hardest foe the Digidestined would have to face yet.

----

/Throne Room, Keep, Archfiend Castle, Dark World, 7:42 PM/

Demon remained silent as he contemplated what tomorrow would bring.

Chaos. Destruction. Havoc. Death.

Demon chuckled; once tomorrow rolled around, the Real World would suffer the wrath of the Demon Corps.

Suddenly, his icy eyes narrowed...someone was behind him. With annoyance, the Mega sighed, grumbling, "LadyDevimon...I know you're behind me."

Seconds later, lithe, pale arms loomed out from behind the large throne and wrapped themselves around the horned Mega. A seductive, yet boorish voice playfully moaned, "Aw, come on...you always used to have time for some fun."

Demon snarled as he growled. "USED to. Now that my invasion of the Real World is imminent, I have no time for such games."

LadyDevimon chuckled as she stepped out from behind the throne and into the dim blue light in front of her lord and master. The twelve-foot tall female devil was dressed in a black, skintight leather bodysuit that covered her from head to toe, with a few exceptions. The fabric was ripped over her left breast, and the leather on her entire left leg had been ripped off from the thigh down the shin. Two of the ripped parts of her bodysuit – over the left shoulder and on the left side of her abdomen – stretched outward and enlarged into seemingly living pieces of black fabric that looked more like black flames with red eyes than leather. Metallic bands were bound to her left arm, and metal chains looped around her right arm and waist. A large belt made of dark gray leather was fastened to her waist as well, with a silver buckle being the fastener. On her right leg, black bands wrapped around her knee, and the face of grinning red demon was embroidered onto her thigh and the top of her high-heel boot. Her left leg's high-heel boot also had the same image embroidered into its top. The bodysuit that covered her right breast had the image of a skull embroidered into it. Her long, ragged white hair matched her pale white skin, and ragged black feathers covered her lone pair of wings. Unlike her right hand – which was human-like in appearance – her left hand was large and angular, with sharpened claws colored blood red sticking out of her fingers. The only part of her head that could be seen was her mouth and her glaring red eyes. With her left hand on her hip, LadyDevimon said, "So, why have you summoned me here?"

"I want you to give me a report on the progress of the Bakemon Army," commanded Demon with an authoritative tone.

LadyDevimon chuckled as she pointed at her head with her left hand's index finger. "Read my mind and find out yourself."

Demon's eyes narrowed; this was lone reason for detesting LadyDevimon, especially in recent months. Due to their old 'relationship' – if you could call it that – the wily Ultimate thought she could playfully joke around with him. If this continued up, he would have to chastise her with a blast of his Chaos Inferno. "Let me rephrase my words, because you apparently didn't hear me correctly. I _ORDER_ you to report the Bakemon Army's progress."

LadyDevimon frowned as she dully replied, "Fine. MarineDevimon has finished teaching them his Environmental Advantage tutorial, and his training course to make them strike as hard as they can is in its last stages. Deathmon is going over one last class of Combat Maneuvers and Strategies before he commences a last bit of sparring drills. As for my teaching, they've pretty much perfected the art of body possession. As for SkullSatamon's courses, they've pretty much learned every single technique he knew concerning the art of striking quickly and without warning. And as usual, Colonel Soulmon is keeping them all in line."

"Excellent," said Demon with a satisfied grin. "Mere numbers won't cut it in this battle...my Bakemon Army – led by Colonel Soulmon, the three remaining Black Generals, and myself – will crush any opposition that stands against me."

LadyDevimon chuckled as she sarcastically replied, "Whatever you say, 'Lord Demon'. Now if I'm done here, I'm going to get my beauty sleep. Big day tomorrow, after all." With that, the shadows of the room wrapped around her...and when the shadows returned to their normal spots, LadyDevimon was gone.

Demon grumbled as he leaned back in his throne. "Impudent woman...she should save the use of her feminine wiles for the enemy."

"Hey boss?"

Demon's throat grumbled as he turned to DemiDevimon. "What?"

The diminutive Rookie feebly asked, "So...what exactly goes on between you and General LadyDevimon, Lord Demon?"

Demon snarled as he grouchily retorted, "If I had wanted that to be known, you wouldn't be asking now, would you?" His pale blue eyes glared at DemiDevimon, emphasizing the fact that he didn't want the little Rookie to inquire any further.

"Yeah," hastily replied DemiDevimon; whenever Demon glared like that, it was the signal to 'shut up or die screaming'. "I get it boss."

----

/Warehouse #7, Tokyo Bay, Odaiba, 7:48 PM/

Gennai sighed as he sat down, his body still recovering from the harrowing chase by the Tachikawas. "Thank you for your assistance Mr. Ishida."

Hiroaki nodded as he too sat in the chair opposite of Gennai. "It was nothing."

In all actuality, it had taken Hiroaki over a half hour to convince the Tachikawas to not mangle Gennai and instead head to a hotel for the night to stew over. So 'nothing' was a relative term.

"So, I assume you're here to speak with me?" said Gennai, his tone becoming a little more peaceful and relaxed.

Without saying a word, Hiroaki delved into his pocket and pulled out a small object. He slid it across the table toward Gennai.

As Gennai looked at it, his eyes suddenly widened out of disbelief; his mind boggled at what he was seeing. _What the?! This...this is...!_ "This..." Gennai looked up at Hiroaki out of sheer disbelief. "You...you're one of them...you precede even me..."

Hiroaki smiled a sad smile before replying. "Glad you get the picture. Now, I want to use any tools at your disposal to tell me EXACTLY what's going on in the Digital World at this very moment. I want to know, and I want to know now."

----

/01-000-ALPHA, UmbraDevimon's Lair, 7:51 PM/

Puppetmon stared into Darkheart's red eyes quietly.

Then, he indignantly grumbled, "This is it? This is why you wanted to corrupt him? To give him a new paint job and colored contact lenses?!"

"No, you simpleton." UmbraDevimon sighed out of annoyance; for a Dark Master, Puppetmon was remarkably shortsighted. "I corrupted Davis Motomiya so that he would keep the Digidestined busy whilst I invade the Real World. Neither you, Mummymon, nor Piedmon – wherever the devil he is – wouldn't be able to stand a chance against all of the Digidestined."

Puppetmon snorted at the mighty Mega before retorting, "Well what makes you think this guy can cut the mustard?!"

UmbraDevimon smirked as his red index finger began to glow. "That's what we're about to find out." With that, he tore open a portal...to File Island.

----

/File Island, Near the Ruins of Infinity Mountain, 7:55 PM/

"Hmm...interesting tales, that they are," mumbled Piximon.

The sun had completely set below the horizon by now, and a full moon was illuminating the island and the ocean with a blanket of pale light. Even so – from the air – one could see the devastation that had been wrought on the island that day. Smoking craters in the fields. Holes and uprooted trees in the forests. Toppled towers in Primary Village. And, of course, the jagged hill of rock and rubble that had once been Infinity Mountain. Right now, near the base of Infintity Mountain's ruins, a large campfire had been made.

Gathered around the campfire were the twelve Digidestined and Leomon. Hovering above the fire was Piximon, who did not appear perturbed by the close proximity of the flames. For the last forty minutes, the Digidestined had been relaying the tale of their 'adventure' underground to Piximon and Leomon. Piximon looked at the others and asked, "Is that all there is to tell of Puppetmon's Obstacle Course?"

"I think so," replied Tai.

That's when Patamon suddenly asked a question. "What I want to know is why you guys haven't dedigivolved yet!" This question was directed to Aetherdramon, who was sitting outside of the main circle.

"He has a point," said Kari with worry. "Aetherdramon, why haven't you dedigivolved into your two halves yet?"

At that moment, Aetherdramon spoke. Oddly enough, only Angewomon's voice came out. "It's not MY problem we haven't dedigivolved yet! Ask my other half!"

A second later, Paildramon's voice responded. "Well pardon me if I don't feel like we should dedigivolve yet!"

"Uh...is everything all right?" asked Tentomon out of nervousness.

"EVERYTHING'S FINE!!!" roared Aetherdramon, this time with both voices.

All of the Digidestined nearly yelped at the outburst. Leomon frowned before standing up, authoritatively saying, "Now listen; I do not know why you are so irritable, but please state your reasons for being so before lashing out at everyone else."

"Aetherdramon's male half is just concerned about Davis, yep yep yep!" said Piximon out of the blue. When everyone else stared at him, he added, "And the female half is upset because she can't have her mind to herself. I can tell, that I can!"

Joe looked over at Aetherdramon and asked, "Is that true?"

The DNA Mega sighed as both voices uttered, "On both counts." Paildramon's voice quickly said, "I'm concerned about Davis...and until I know he's safe, I don't want to dedigivolve yet." Angewomon's voice followed up with some terse words. "But I'll tell you this, sharing two minds during battle isn't bad...but when you actually have time to THINK outside of battle, it becomes maddening!"

Everyone could see Angewomon's point. During battle, Aetherdramon's two minds were too focused on fighting to think about anything else. However, outside of battle, the two minds had time to...think about other things. One downside of DNA Digivolution – at least in Aetherdramon's case – was that when two minds were shared, they had a tendency to gaze into memories that the other half wanted to keep a secret.

_Don't you DARE tell them about the eating contest I had with Davis!_ demanded Paildramon's mind.

_And give everyone else the horrific image of you drenched in chocolate ice cream while munching on ramen AND potato chips at the same time? I think not_, retorted Angewomon's mind.

Meanwhile, Yolei was whispering something into Hawkmon's ear. The bipedal bird arched an eyebrow out of curiosity as he quietly whispered back, "What makes you think those two like each other?"

"They fight like an old couple. That's a sure sign that people like each other!" replied Yolei with a mischievous grin.

However, this statement only served to confuse Hawkmon. "Odd...judging from your reactions, statements, and gestures I assumed you liked Ken. But if what you say is true, does this mean you like Davis instead?"

Yolei sweatdropped at this; one bad thing about young Digimon was that they often took things WAY too literally. "On second thought...never mind what I said about old couples."

_BOOM!!!_

Everyone yelped as a black laser blast crashed from afar into the campfire, putting it out in an instant in a shower of upturned rock and rubble. Tai impulsively yelled, "What was that?!"

Shaun – sans the Armor of Wisdom – got to his feet in an instant, looking for the source of the blast. One thing was for sure; that laser blast was well aimed. It had been used as a surgical strike...a method for inducing confusion.

All of a sudden, several missiles trailed across the sky...but they were not aimed for the Digidestined.

Rather, the missiles detonated in midair, expelling clouds of black smoke...and these clouds completely blocked out the moon, squelching the light that – moments before – had been shining down on File Island.

All around the Digidestined, darkness reigned.

Everyone impulsively gathered together to defend themselves. Piximon quietly said, "Everyone, prepare for battle."

Aetherdramon quietly unsheathed his daggers. Shaun Holy-Armor-Energized into the Armor of Wisdom. He looked back over his right shoulder at the others and said, "Aetherdramon and I will try and lure whoever attacked us away from you guys...it should give you some time to digivolve."

Someone tapped his left shoulder. Shaun turned around-_BAM!!!_

Shaun yelped out of the sudden pain; he had been punched in the face! He was sent flying backwards and away from the others.

Aetherdramon quickly slashed at the air where the attacker had been. He hit nothing.

A sudden punch to the gut. A high kick to the chin. A right hook to the cheek.

Aetherdramon suddenly saw stars as the mysterious assailant sent him to the ground. Agumon and Gabumon quickly yelled, "We need Omnimon!"

Tai and Matt understood; in response, they pulled out their digivice, which began glowing brightly. "Warp digivolve!"

Agumon warp digivolve to......Wargreymon!

Gabumon warp digivolve to......Metalgarurumon!

But that wasn't all; the digivices continued to glow, as did the bodies of Wargreymon and Metalgarurumon.

Wargreymon...Metalgarurumon...DNA Digivolve to......Omnimon!

The ultra powerful DNA warrior's cape settled behind him as he stood protectively in front of the Digidestined...but he needed light to see. "Does anyone have a flashlight?!"

"I can do better than that!" exclaimed Piximon as a small object materialized in his hand. If anyone could've seen it, they would've seen the infamous Pixie Bomb: a flying gray orb with glaring eyes and a sadistic grin. However, it could do more than just blow up. "Pixie Bomb: flash and reveal!!!"

The Pixie Bomb detonated in a small flash only a few inches in diameter. However, the Pixie Bomb's core hovered in the air above Piximon's palm, giving off light like a large light bulb. The Digidestined were all illuminated...and so was their assailant.

The assailant was no bigger than Shaun or Ken; his entire body was covered by black armor, with only his face being seen.

Omnimon quickly extended his mighty sword. "Now we've got you! Transcendent Sword!!!" He reared and prepared to swing his blade.

At that moment, Kari got a good look at the attacker's face...and gasped.

That face was Davis'. "OMNIMON!!! **_STOP!!!_**"

Just before he could swing, Omnimon halted himself. The DNA warrior – out of confusion – asked, "What? Why?!"

"Yeah Kari, why did you stop him?" asked Sora.

The Child of Light trembled as her eyes stared into the impassive red eyes of the one who had once been Davis Motomiya. "It's...Davis..."

"Wrong," replied the corrupted Child of Miracles. "Davis Motomiya is no more. I, Darkheart, am all that remains of him."

Those words threw everyone off guard. And yet, in the back corner of Shaun's mind, it made sense: the black laser had been a concentrated Magna Ray, and the missiles had been Magna Missiles. But what made no sense was how Davis had gotten like this...

"Davis...how did you get like this?" asked Ken out of worry.

"**Simple."**

Everyone watched as a Black Gear descended from the dark sky above...and from it, the holographic image of UmbraDevimon's head was displayed. **"You can thank me for turning the Child of Miracles into Darkheart...well, you can also thank my Touch of Evil and the fifteen Black Gears that now inhabit his body."**

"UmbraDevimon...you piece of scum. How dare you turn one of our friends against us?!" roared Cody out of righteous anger.

The image of the demonic Mega flickered a bit as the devil chuckled. **"I did it because I could. Oh, and I also have TK to thank..."** At that moment, UmbraDevimon's image was replaced by that of TK punching Kari in the face.

TK paled at the sight...and he paled even more when he realized what it entailed. "You...you used me to get to Davis..."

"**Intuitive. Yes...his heart was stronger than that of anyone I've tried to corrupt before. So, I had to use some...'tools'...to get through. In the end, that scene was the key."** The image – which had become that of TK strangling Kari's neck – was replaced by UmbraDevimon's head once more. **"After that, his soul was vulnerable...and thus, the boy became Darkheart, my loyal servant."**

Darkheart looked at the image of his lord and master quietly before indifferently asking, "What are your orders?"

UmbraDevimon chuckled. **"I'll give you an hour to do as you please with them...just don't kill them."** With that, the Black Gear retreated into the sky.

Darkheart turned his red eyes back towards the Digidestined; with Shaun and Aetherdramon unconscious, only Omnimon, Leomon, and Piximon stood against him...at least until the other Digimon digivolved.

He would not give them that chance. "Magna Gun."

Omnimon brought his sword up to defend himself and the Digidestined from the hail of bullets. Normally, he would aim his Supreme Cannon and annihilate his opponent at a time like this, but he couldn't...because it was Davis that he was fighting. A corrupted Davis, but Davis nonetheless.

Leomon took the opportunity to strike. He leapt out from behind Omnimon and roared, "Fist of the Beast King!" A flaming lion's head erupted from Leomon's fist, zooming towards Darkheart at high speed.

Darkheart – still firing at Omnimon with his right hand's Magna Gun – grabbed the fireball with his left hand, seemingly with ease.

"What?!" yelled Leomon out of surprise.

In a matter of moments, Darkheart used his power to corrupt the fireball, blackening the flames. Then, he tossed it back at Leomon.

The Champion warrior groaned as the black lion's head crashed into his chest, sending him backwards into the ground with a hard _thrack!_ Unconsciousness claimed the mighty warrior moments later.

Piximon frowned as a Pixie Bomb materialized in his hand. "It's a long shot, but I've got to try anyway! Pixie Bomb: seek and destroy!!!" He threw the bomb as hard as he could...but it was never going to hit Darkheart.

With a powerful and concentrated puff of breath, Darkheart reversed the Pixie Bomb, sending it back to its owner: Piximon.

Out of experience, Piximon quickly flapped his wings to move aside...but the surprise that had momentarily gripped him upon the bomb's reversal had doomed him from the start. The Ultimate Digimon yelped as the Pixie Bomb exploded behind him; the shockwave caused the airborne pixie to lose his balance, causing him to tumble to the ground – headfirst – ungracefully.

This left only Omnimon...and without Piximon, his only source of light fizzled out into nothingness.

It was pitch-black once more...and Darkheart stopped firing his relentless barrage of bullets, disappearing into that darkness of the night.

Omnimon remained as quiet as he could. He had to keep his eyes and ears focused for any movement...or sound...

"Behind you."

Omnimon impulsively swung his sword at the air behind him...but he realized his folly too late. The sound had not come from behind him...but it had come from right in front of his face.

It was what Darkheart wanted. Now, Omnimon had his back turned to the corrupted Digidestined.

"Magna Punch!"

Omnimon groaned as the back of his head was hit by a high velocity punch, which was coated with dark energy. The DNA warrior was sent to the ground...and before he could get up, Darkheart pummeled his head with a number of Magna Punches and Magna Kicks.

Omnimon was now out cold...leaving the Digidestined vulnerable.

----

(Agumon) grimaced as he looked around wildly. "Where is he? I can't see anything!"

"Does anyone even know who won that last battle? I don't hear any fighting," muttered Izzy, nervousness lacing his voice.

Kari could only reply with silence. The utter darkness was frightening her...because she couldn't tell who was who, what was what, or where anything even was. Her body started to tremble as her eyes darted everywhere.

_Thump._

Kari's eyes widened; something had just fallen to the ground...a body?

_Thump. Thump thump. Thump thump thump._

"What're all those noises?" asked Gabumon out of bewilderment.

Suddenly, Tai yelled, "GAH!!!"

_Thump._

Kari suddenly realized what was happening; Darkheart was using the darkness to his advantage by attacking them all! "EVERYONE!!! **_RUN!!!_**"

Kari turned to run...but she tripped over a rock. "Whoa!"

_CONK_.

"OW!!!" yelped Kari out of pain; she clutched her forehead, feeling the scraped skin. The 'conk' had been her forehead hitting the ground.

All the while, the 'thumps' continued to sound out.

_Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump thump thump. Thump thump. Thump. Thump. Thump thump._

Kari grimaced as she got to her feet...and when she looked around, she paled.

It was still dark...and there were no noises. No shuffling of feet.

"Guys?" asked Kari out of apprehension.

Suddenly, a strong hand grabbed the back of her neck and lifted her up. Kari started gagging as her throat was constricted forcefully. Not enough to kill her...but enough to make her pass out from lack of air.

As Kari's form sagged, Darkheart let her drop to the ground...and the smoke from his Magna Missiles finally cleared, allowing the moon to once again shine upon File Island.

The bodies of Leomon, Piximon, Omnimon, Aetherdramon, the Digidestined, and the rest of their partners lay on the ground: unconscious and unmoving.

Darkheart, without conscious, said, "No challenge."

His gaze drifted upward into the sky...and he paused.

It was strange...it wasn't really there in reality, but Darkheart what seemed to be a small vortex of black energy. It didn't exist, but he could just FEEL it...it was though it led to a place beyond that of the Digiworld...a place where darkness reigned supreme.

Darkheart decided to investigate the supposed vortex. Lord UmbraDevimon had given him an hour before he had to return, and he had plenty of time left.

Darkheart ascended upward into the sky, his black armor reflecting the moonlight off in an eerie fashion. He stopped about several hundred feet above the ruins of Infinity Mountain, staring at what seemed to be nothing but regular air.

His right fist glowed with dark energy. "Magna Punch!" With that, he thrust his fist into the spot where he could feel the dark energy congregating.

Suddenly, his hand seemed to disappear. It was as though it had punched through the air, coming out on the other side...whatever that 'other side' happened to be.

Darkheart quietly pulled his hand out, and the vortex – which was now visible to all who dared to look – widened, becoming a portal to another world.

On the other side, Darkheart could see a world tainted by darkness. A forest that exuded evil surrounded a large, menacing castle.

Without a second thought, Darkheart flew inside.

Ironically, that very spot was where Demon had opened a portal earlier that day.

----

/Throne Room, Keep, Archfiend Castle, Dark World, 8:11 PM/

Demon's eyes suddenly widened. What is this presence I feel?

Without pausing, he quickly exited his Throne Room and walked onto the large walkway that encircled his Keep's rooftop. His eyes scanned the forest surrounding the deep chasm his castle was situated in. Where was that strange aura coming from...?

There. He saw it.

Demon's eyes narrowed as he gazed upon the figure in black armor...and then he fought revulsion when he saw that the figure was a human. "...a human..."

It could only mean that he was looking at a Digidestined.

But why was a Digidestined here of all places? Demon decided to find out himself. With a single thought, the demonic Mega began probing the Digidestined's mind.

What he found surprised him. _Hmm...a Digidestined corrupted...but this 'Darkheart' has been corrupted to a level that is beyond that of Ken's...yet it has not at the same time._

Although the darkness plaguing Davis Motomiya – now Darkheart – was at such a level that easily dwarfed Demon's single Dark Spore, it was only to control. Although on the surface the Digidestined appeared corrupted, his soul had only been consumed by the darkness. Deep inside, the soul remained whole...locked away by an impenetrable shell of evil energy, but whole nonetheless. UmbraDevimon, despite his efforts, had failed to corrupt the soul all the way.

But...this presented possibilities.

Demon smirked as a Dark Spore materialized in his right hand. If the soul was still intact in some way, shape, or form, the Dark Spore could corrupt it...but this was a special situation. Demon had no idea what would happen if he inserted the Dark Spore into the child's body.

But as the saying goes, finding out was half the fun.

With a flick of his finger, Demon shot the Dark Spore through the air; his target: the back of Darkheart's neck.

The Dark Spore hit its target. It silently crackled as it seamlessly merged with the body of Darkheart.

----

Darkheart slapped the back of his neck; it felt like a mosquito had just bitten him. "Hmm...there is nothing of value here."

Darkheart frowned as he turned around to face the portal he had opened himself. There was nothing of value in this place.

He had to get back and report to his master anyway. Without another thought, Darkheart returned to the Digital World; the portal closed behind him moments later.

----

/Warehouse #7, Tokyo Bay, Odaiba, 8:16 PM/

Hiroaki remained silent as he watched the information Gennai had pulled up scroll across the projector screen. For almost the last half-hour, Gennai had been feverishly working as hard as he could to obtain information from the Digital World in any way he could. In the end, Gennai had managed to hook up a relay between the warehouse's computer terminal to his own computer in the Digital World, thus allowing him to gain access to every piece of surveillance technology he had.

Ever since then, Gennai and Hiroaki had both gone through the data accumulated over the past two days...and they were shocked at just how much had occurred. Although Shaun had spoken with Gennai earlier that day, it was clear that much more had happened.

The discovery of the new crests.

The battle at the End of the World with Arukenimon and her Insect Army.

The acquiring of the golden Crest of Miracles.

The Duel of the Wargreymon.

The battle at File Island in which Piedmon and Grandkuwagamon fought the older Digidestined.

The return of DNA Digivolution and the introduction of Omnimon.

The advent of Holy Armor Energizing.

Puppetmon's Obstacle Course.

The corruption of Davis Motomiya.

The coming of Darkheart.

Gennai had wisely kept out the events during the telling of Shaun's past, but he had a sinking suspicion that Hiroaki knew there was more about Shaun than at first glance.

"So...this Darkheart...why do you think UmbraDevimon brought him into the fray?" asked Hiroaki, a stern tone in his voice.

Gennai shrugged out of honest confusion. "Honestly, I have no idea...unless..." A bolt of realization hit the aging man; without hesitation, he quickly accessed the cameras nearest to sector 01-000-ALPHA.

There. The closest one was situated on a cliff at the western border between the sector and the End of the World. Gennai accessed it and watched as the image appeared on the projector screen.

When the image came into being, both men gasped. Hiroaki Ishida muttered, "Oh my holy God..."

There was a massive force gathered around UmbraDevimon's Lair. An IMMENSE force...easily one million strong. Babies, In-Trainings, Rookies, Champions, Ultimates...even a couple of Megas here and there.

Gennai grimaced as he wiped his brow out of worry. "I knew it...that's an invasion force. UmbraDevimon intends to invade the Real World..."

Hiroaki frowned; such a large force could – no, WOULD – overpower any nation's army. Nothing less of a full-blown nuclear strike would take out that force if it got into the Real World...but if they got into a civilian area, a nuclear strike would be out of the question.

There was only one real choice left: evacuation.

But how? Getting on TV and yelling, 'MONSTERS ARE ABOUT TO INVADE TOKYO!' would deem one as a fool. _War of the Worlds_ may have been able to do the trick, but this was not the paranoid world of the 1950s. People were not as gullible, and they were more cynical.

Suddenly, he got an idea. "Hey, Gennai..."

"Yes?" It was clear from the expression on his wrinkled face that he was desperate for an idea.

"Could you somehow get the prime minister to deliver an emergency message to the public?"

----

/File Island, Near the Ruins of Infinity Mountain, 8:21 PM/

Piximon was the first to awaken.

As he glanced around at the fallen bodies around him, the Ultimate Digimon frowned out of worry.

Darkheart had made himself known...and he had proven to be, quite possibly, their greatest foe ever.

Why? How could Darkheart be a greater foe than the Emperor? Or UmbraDevimon? Or Demon? Or even Dragomon?

Simple: because he was Davis...because he was the friend of the Digidestined. Because he was the leader of the New Digidestined.

Piximon sighed as he picked up his spear. "No time for moping, nope nope nope." With that, he set out to awaken the others.

----

/01-000-ALPHA, UmbraDevimon's Lair, 8:45 PM/

UmbraDevimon smiled as Darkheart kneeled. It was all so rich...his enemies were going to be kept busy by one of their own! It was just way too rich! Even Omnimon had been reduced to helplessness!

It made UmbraDevimon pity the Digidestined...their feelings and morals would be their downfall against Darkheart. That much was evident.

Either way, all he cared about was that the Digidestined continuously kept their partners digivolving. That way, he would be at his prime when he led his invasion force tomorrow morning.

UmbraDevimon chuckled as soon fell into a satisfactory slumber; tomorrow was going to be a very good day.

And all the while, Darkheart couldn't help but feel a strange aching pain in the back of his neck.

----

/File Island, Outside of Primary Village, 11:34 PM/

By this time, all of the Digidestined had fallen asleep...except for Kari and Shaun.

Kari was sitting outside of Primary Village, staring at the shimmering waters of the moonlit ocean. Her mind was contemplating a few things...namely, those concerning the events that had transpired that day...and Davis.

Kari fought the urge to tremble at the thought of Davis went through as he had been corrupted by UmbraDevimon...and she fought the urge to cry when she thought of how the REAL Davis had felt when Darkheart had attacked them.

It was saddening...and it made her sick, in a way. Davis had been corrupted by a dark enemy, and his true self – the part of Davis that would always remain whole, no matter what – had been forced to watch as a corrupt, perverted version of himself – Darkheart – fight his friends.

Kari couldn't stomach the thought...so she merely turned over and tried to sleep as best as she could. Her last thought before falling to sleep was this; _Davis...we'll get you back...somehow._

Meanwhile, perched upon the top of one of Primary Village's toy towers, Shaun was pondering Darkheart. Actually, he was pondering the Darkheart situation whilst recalling a very similar incident from his own life.

_Darkheart...a corrupted version of Davis. However, he seems to be nothing more than a subservient automaton...for now._ That thought was the key to Shaun's point of view...and that view was what scared him the most about Darkheart.

Darkheart was utterly devoid of a personality. He did what he was told to do, and he did without arguing.

However...what if Darkheart were to...change? Rebel against UmbraDevimon? Develop a personality? Grow a taste for destruction and mayhem?

THAT was what scared Shaun the most...the thought that Darkheart could truly become more than UmbraDevimon intended him to be.

At that point, a voice sounding very similar to Shaun's – except cockier and more menacing – rolled through his head. It was a voice from long ago...a voice that Shaun would've loved to forget.

'I'll always be a part of you in some way, shape, or form...after all, you ARE a human. And humans are prone to make mistakes...but in some cases, the mistakes made can be rather...big.'

Shaun sighed as he banished the voice from his mind. He abandoned himself to sleep a few minutes later.

----

/Castle Courtyard, Archfiend Castle, Monday, October 25th, 7:00 AM/

Demon smiled as he stared at the massive army gathered in his castle's equally massive courtyard. The 10,000 Bakemon that stood before him were by no means weak.

Although the average Bakemon was about as big as a Biyomon – and about as smart as a Botamon – THESE Bakemon were a different matter altogether. They were about four feet tall, and their white, ghostly bodies had hints of muscles bulging out from their raggedy white robes. Their teeth were razor-sharp and dripped with blood...and their formerly dopey black eyes with white pupils were hardened and icy.

These Bakemon were well trained. Intelligent. And, most important of all, competent. They would do what they were told without failure.

Demon smiled as he gazed at Colonel Soulmon and the three Black Generals. For all intents and purposes, Soulmon was basically a seven-foot tall Bakemon with a black witch's hat. But despite similarities in appearance, Soulmon was strict, harsh, and quick to chastise. It made him the perfect drill sergeant...and that's what he had been to the Bakemon Army for the past couple of years.

Floating in the air was LadyDevimon, with DemiDevimon floating beside her as well. The other two Black Generals were in their own spots as well.

MarineDevimon was Demon's answer to Dragomon. Although by no means as strong as the Lord of Dark Ocean, MarineDevimon was a tall – about as tall as Dragomon – lithe creature whose entire body was covered by a dark blue bodysuit...save for a few spots of course. From the knee down on both legs, his pale white skin could be seen; the feet were both wrapped in brown bands of leather, with the toes ending thick purple talons. His arms stretched down to his feet, and the sleeves of his bodysuit ended right below the elbows. The fingers on both of the pad-like hands ended in black claws, but the hands had a few differences. The right hand was wrapped in two black bands of rope that crisscrossed each other, whilst the left hand had a yellow mark in the shape of a demon's face embroidered on its back. Two spikes jutted outward from his right shoulder, and there was a tear in the fabric on the left shoulder. A long, dark blue cape extended from the back of his shoulders, and long blue tentacles protruded from his back. As for his tail, it was long, white, and whip-like in appearance. Also, another pair of thin, white arms extended from his shoulder blades; they ended in pad-like hands, each covered with metal plating. His cone head was also covered by the bodysuit, and all that could be seen were his mouth – which contained razor-sharp fangs – and his three red eyes. The Ultimate level Digimon's attacks were Deep Sea Crush and Devil's Tentacles. MarineDevimon was standing to the rear of the Bakemon Army.

The other Digimon, on the other hand, brimmed with great power...despite his diminutive, five-foot frame. His entire body – stocky body, small arms, and short, muscular legs – was covered by thick, leathery gray skin. Three black claws extended from his feet, and his small hands – with only three stubby fingers – ended in black claws. However, a feature about his hands was odd; a yellow eye with a black pupil was embedded into the palm of both hands. His tail was small and thin: only two feet long at most. However, the top of his head was covered by a super-thick 'helmet' of dark gray bone, with two fins extending upwards and backwards. His tattered wings were made of red leather, and the only facial feature he possessed was a large, yellow eye with a black pupil. He was Deathmon, the most powerful Black General. The Mega Digimon's attacks were Death Arrow and Ungodly Eye. He was standing to the front of the Bakemon Army.

Demon smiled as he looked down at his army. The Demon Corps was about to rise.

----

/01-000-ALPHA, UmbraDevimon's Lair, 7:03 AM/

UmbraDevimon smiled as he stared at his mighty invasion force. So many Digimon...and all of them would soon be crushing Earth's puny defenses.

The mighty devil was standing atop his large Lair, staring down at his invasion army.

The Real World would soon know his might.

At that moment, he spoke.

----

Ironically, Demon and UmbraDevimon began speaking to their invasion forces at the same time.

"Today is the day we have been waiting for...soon, the Real World will know our might. All those who would dare stand in our way will be crushed by our superior strength. I will claim victory over the Earth, and all worlds will fall under this army's great strength!!!"

How ironic that two enemies delivered the exact same speeches.

In the Dark World...

"Now...to the Real World!" Demon's hands crackled with black electricity...and in the air above Archfiend Castle, a massive white portal opened up. Without hesitation, the Demon Corps entered it.

In the Digital World...

"Now...to the Real World!" UmbraDevimon extended his lower right hand's index finger into the air as it glowed red; it tore a hole in the air, and UmbraDevimon tore a super-long fissure out of the atmosphere. After he removed his hand, UmbraDevimon and his mighty army entered the fissure; only Puppetmon, Mummymon, and Darkheart were left behind.

At the End of the World...

'Piedmon' watched quietly as UmbraDevimon and his army entered the red fissure. "So...that's one obstacle removed. However, it'll be interesting to watch the Digidestined deal with Darkheart..."

'Piedmon' laughed; everything was going according to plan.

----

/Warehouse #7, Tokyo Bay, Odaiba, 7:11 AM/

"FINALLY!"

Hiroaki stirred from his chair at Gennai's shout; he sat up to see Gennai holding a CD. "Huh? Wha?"

"I finished the program! It'll only take a few minutes for me to upload it...and once I do, the 'prime minister' will be talking to all of Tokyo's citizens over all television channels, telling them all to evacuate the city!" Gennai smiled as he held the CD gingerly.

"Is the prime minister live or CG-animated?" asked Hiroaki.

"CG, but it looks EXACTLY like the real thing, so don't worry!" exclaimed Gennai. "Now all I have to do is-"

_CHOOM!!!_

The ground rumbled lightly as a massive boom – it sounded like a massive tear – roared through the atmosphere of Tokyo. Gennai grumbled, "What the? What was that?!"

Hiroaki had already stormed out of the warehouse...and what he saw didn't make him feel good.

A bridge connecting Odaiba to the other districts of Tokyo was suddenly the center of activity; on Odaiba's side, a massive congregation of creatures was emerging from a red fissure, led by a horned devilish figure. On the opposite side, a white portal had appeared, and a ghostly army was being led out by a demonic beast.

Hiroaki's eyes narrowed at the sight. "Things are about to get really painful..."

----

UmbraDevimon and Demon halted their armies at the sight of the other; UmbraDevimon's seaborne Digimon had just begun pouring into the ocean when the army commanders had caught sight of each other.

"Halt!" yelled UmbraDevimon.

"Hold here," commanded Demon.

Both army commanders stared at their opposite number quietly; all that was separating them was a bridge and Tokyo Bay.

Demon was the first to speak...telepathically, of course. _UmbraDevimon...what are you doing here?_

Since a telepathic connection with UmbraDevimon had been established, Demon could hear the devil's thoughts. _'I'm here for the same reason you are: domination.'_

Demon chuckled; such a fool. _You're a fool...you will die along with your army before I take command of this world._

_'We shall see.'_

The numerical advantage lay with UmbraDevimon: he outnumbered Demon's forces 100 to 1. However, the Demon Corps had the advantage of being better trained.

However, no one could tell how the battle would end until it ended.

At that moment, both UmbraDevimon and Demon roared the same thing.

"_**CHARGE!!!!!!"**_

A massive roar – one that could be heard as far as Mt. Fuji – emanated from the two armies...and they charged at each across the bay and the bridge.

The War for the Real World had begun.

----

To be continued...

Next time...

Episode 42: The Invasion Begins

----

Author's Notes: Five days to write it. Shorter than recent episodes, but still, you know?

Anyhow...this story is in high gear now; after all, it took episodes 32-42 for Sunday October 24th to end! :P

See you soon, and please review!


	42. The Invasion Begins

Standard Disclaimer: One disclaimer to rule them all. One disclaimer to find them. One disclaimer to rule them all and in the darkness, bind them.

In other words, I don't own Digimon!

Author's Notes: …I'm ticked off. I usually don't get like this, but after reading the latest batch of reviews, I've finally gone overboard. Now I'm going on a rant.

Normally, when I look at reviews for my story – and this is for both my stories – I see lots of speculation. They speculate about who secret characters are, what hidden thing is what, and so on and so forth. I've been cool with it; I've calmly asked some of the reviewers to keep the speculation down…but with the most recent episode, I just had it.

Folks…I have no problem with speculating…AS LONG AS YOU KEEP IT TO YOURSELF!!! Do you have ANY idea how infuriating it is to introduce a new plot point – such as the fourth enemy that possessed Piedmon, or Hiroaki's new development – to read the reviews and suddenly have people saying, 'Ooh I think it's Milleniummon or so and so' or 'Is that a digivice? Is he a Digidestined? OMG Hiroaki is original Digidestined!'. It's irritating and it ticks me off something big.

What about those who read and CAN'T figure out what the big twists are? What about those who WANT to be surprised? All of a sudden, the moment they look into the reviews…**_BAM!!!_**

The anticipation disappears as they look at what the reviewers are speculating and they put the pieces together. The potential _kick_ that they would've gotten from reading the story and finding out the surprise themselves is gone once they see the speculation and piece it together themselves. It's sort of like obtaining a copy of a highly anticipated game before anyone else can – say Halo 2 or the next Final Fantasty – and then leaking out story details onto the Internet. Because of that, any surprises the developers would've had are no longer surprises. Replace 'game' with 'Zero 2: A Revision' and 'developers' with 'Ultra Sonic 007', and you get my point.

I have no problem with speculation. Speculate all you want! But keep it to yourselves. You can talk about stuff that's already been revealed in the story in your reviews all you want…but let me reiterate:

_**KEEP. SPECULATION. ABOUT. UNREVEALED. PLOT. POINTS. TO. YOURSELVES!!!**_

Got it?

(eyes Dot Cubed, Snodin, and Silver Warrior) And since you three are the big speculators from the last episode…you'll be the first to face my wrath. (stuffs them all into a tiny cardboard box. After that, he stuffs an enraged XeedMilleniummon in there with them. Finally, he seals the box with duct tape, thus preventing their escape from the evil Digimon) Enjoy…and the same thing will happen to all those who would dare speculate in their reviews…

(turns back to the other reviewers and smiles innocently) Now…to the reviews!

Ninetalesuk: Make sure to use a flea collar. :P

Anthony1: Remember, first impressions are always important. :P

Dot Cubed: (writes down a note for Dot Cubed that says the following:) 'Well, Mummymon's massive crush for Arukenimon is nonexistent in my story. HOWEVER, his reasons for being morose are rather…different. Oh, and if you're still alive after XeedMilleniummon's done with you, then heed my warning about speculation!'

ficmaster: Oh boy! A generic review! :D

Snodin: (writes down a note for Snodin that says the following:) 'Ugly doesn't even describe it. Oh, and try not let the wounds XeedMilleniummon inflicted on you get infected. :P'

Silver Warrior: Hmm…you've reviewed twice…but you're in the box with Snodin and Dot Cubed…ah, what the heck. (kicks the box of a cliff) MWA HA HA HA!!!

Begin!

PS: Seriously though people, don't potentially ruin the experience for the readers. Oh, and there are some parts of this chapter that could be rated PG-13, mostly during the beginning.

----

_It is something the Guardian Beasts dreaded._

_It is something Gennai tried to prevent._

_It is something that is nigh…_

_The invasion of the Real World has finally begun._

_Ironically, the invaders are both enemies of the Digidestined and to each other…_

_However, the capacity for destruction will be unimaginable._

_God have mercy on man._

----

"I, Demon, have been waiting a long time for this day. My last attempt at invading the Real World was foiled by the Digidestined, but I have carefully planned for this second attempt. My power has been rejuvenated by the Dark Spore, and my army is far superior to my last invasion force. Despite the loss of one of my Black Generals to those accursed Digidestined, I still have three to lead the Bakemon Army by my side. Without delay, I and my Demon Corps entered the Real World…but to my surprise, we saw ANOTHER invasion force, led by none other than UmbraDevimon! No matter. After all…what good is a war without a hard-fought victory?"

----

Episode 42: The Invasion Begins

----

/Rainbow Bridge, Tokyo Bay, Odaiba, 7:15 AM/

Some might think the sight of giant monsters wouldn't be such a big problem to the Japanese. After, the likes of such shows like Ultra Man or Godzilla revolved around giant creatures, monsters, and other strange entities battling other gigantic monstrosities amidst their cities.

Of course, the beasts in those movies were no more than actors fighting in rubber suits. The cities they fought in were nothing more than cardboard cutouts erected to make the beasts appear as giants.

However, in the end, the Japanese acted as anyone else would when they saw giant monsters – and I mean REAL monsters – rampaging: they went crazy with fear and panic.

Imagine the aghast looks on commuters' faces as they saw strange beings materialize on both sides of the Rainbow Bridge connecting Odaiba to Tokyo's Shinagawa district. Imagine the fear that ran across the expressions of all those who witnessed monsters step foot on the streets.

Imagine.

Then, you might understand their fright.

But that is not why we are here. We're here to focus on the monsters…and these are of the digital variety…

----

UmbraDevimon roared, "Fire everything you have at them!!!"

The entire group of Digimon that were based at the initial beginning of the bridge – roughly 95,000 Digimon of all levels – fired whatever long-range attacks they had. Missiles, streams of energy, elemental beams, laser rays, and all sorts of energy attacks. To push it all onward, UmbraDevimon hit it with a blast of his Dark Viper.

The massive stream of death roared across the air over the Rainbow Bridge. Some fragments of the deathly energy fell from the stream like meteorites, crashing onto the bridge below. Fortunately, none of the meteorites injured anyone…however, a few cars that had been vacated were smashed.

As the reddish stream roared at the Demon Corps, the demonic Mega that was Demon quickly acted. "Deathmon! Defensive counterattack!"

"Yes my lord," replied Deathmon with a coarse, low-pitched voice. Despite the fact that he had no mouth, he was somehow able to speak. His three yellow eyes glowed brightly as Demon's hands surged with blue fire.

Then, they both attacked.

"Chaos Inferno!!!"

"Ungodly Eye!!!"

Two massive rivers of blue hellfire erupted from Demon. Three rays of yellow energy erupted from Deathmon's three eyes, converging into a gigantic eye. The blue fire of the Chaos Inferno swirled around the Ungodly Eye, morphing into the visage of a demon's face.

The two attacks had combined; now it had become a gigantic demon's head made of blue fire…and the Ungodly Eye was peering out of the demon's mouth.

The stream of death collided with Demon and Deathmon's counterattack; the massive explosion erupted with an ear-deafening bang, sending a shockwave that rolled across Tokyo and the land beyond.

Unfortunately, all but the endpoints of Rainbow Bridge were vaporized…including the humans and their vehicles.

Less than five minutes had passed since the two armies had invaded the Real World, and already more people had died than during the entire Odaiba Fog Incident from four years ago.

And, sadly, the casualties would continue to climb.

UmbraDevimon frowned as he stared at where Rainbow Bridge had once been; his land force would be unable to attack the Demon Corps directly without the bridge.

Oh well…they could strike at other targets whilst the two armies fought. UmbraDevimon turned to face his force of one million and ordered, "All those capable of flight…to the air! All those capable of swimming…into the bay! The rest of you…spread out into the city! Kill any humans you come across!!!"

All of the Digimon responded with a roar; the mighty army split up, pouring into the air, land, and sea. Roughly 250,000 Digimon rushed into the Odaiba District, leaving the last three quarters of UmbraDevimon's Digimon army to face the Demon Corps.

UmbraDevimon smiled as he looked at the force of 10,000 Bakemon, plus Demon, LadyDevimon, Deathmon, MarineDevimon, Soulmon, and DemiDevimon…well, not the last one.

75 Digimon to 1 Bakemon…UmbraDevimon liked those odds.

Surely it would be a cakewalk, right?

Wrong.

Demon was quick to give out orders. "General LadyDevimon, lead the airborne regiment! General MarineDevimon, you have command of the naval assault. General Deathmon, you will lead the land force in a straight charge into their center! Colonel Soulmon, have the remainder secure the area around this bridge within 200 yards of its endpoint!"

Now that they were given orders, the three Black Generals and Colonel Soulmon leapt into action.

"All members of the aerial regiment, follow my lead!" With a flap of her wings, LadyDevimon took off into the cloudy sky of the morn, with 3,000 Bakemon behind her.

"Those who fight in the sea…to me!" With a deep and rumbling voice, MarineDevimon leapt into the sea, with 3,000 Bakemon right behind him. Due to their lack of gills, the naval Bakemon had undergone training that consisted of nothing more than holding their breath. These Bakemon could all hold their breath for six minutes…and, when exerting energy, they could hold their breath for four minutes…and that was when they were in their normal bodies. Should they possess a naval Digimon…

"Those of the land force, come! We shall pave the way for Lord Demon!" yelled Deathmon as he flapped his tiny wings and charged across the expanse where Rainbow Bridge had once stood. The 3,500 Bakemon under his command followed him, using their natural ability of levitation to float across the expanse.

Colonel Soulmon – with a gruff, terse, and harsh voice that could only be used by a drill sergeant – quickly turned to the last 500 Bakemon and authoritatively yelled, "All right you pansy maggots! We have been given orders by Lord Demon himself to secure every single bit of land up to 200 yards away from the bridge! And by 'secure', I mean a search of EVERY SINGLE building from floor to floor, room to room! I want everything checked, all the way down from the living rooms to the friggin' bathrooms! And if you see a human, remember: they are the enemy! I don't care if you find a diaper-wearing toddler or a hulking he-man with muscles so big your daddies would envy him! I want you to treat them ALL as hostiles, and I want you to neutralize them by any means necessary! If they flee, chase them down like the miserable mutts they are! If they go beyond the 200-yard perimeter, you will let them pass without incident! After all, you don't want to be defying Lord Demon's orders…because if you defy him, you defy me! And I will personally see to it that all of your butts will be in a sling if any of you worthless slugs go so much as a MILLIMETER beyond the perimeter!" To finish it off, Colonel Soulmon roared, "**_DO YOU GET ME?!_**"

"Sir yes sir!!!" replied the 500 Bakemon.

"Well? What are you pansies sitting around for?! I WANT THIS AREA SECURED BY YESTERDAY!!! _MOVE IT!!!_" roared Colonel Soulmon.

All 500 Bakemon immediately set out to carry out their orders. Sixty-three Bakemon established a patrol line at the semicircular perimeter 200 yards away from the bridge, roughly ten yards apart from each other. The remaining 437 Bakemon quickly went on the prowl, securing the small area Demon had designated to be secured. Every so often, three Bakemon would stay in a certain area to keep it secured, whilst the others would move on.

Minutes later, the bloodbath began. Humans screamed as the monstrous Bakemon stormed their living areas. Some Bakemon decided to devour the humans right on the spot. Others chose more elaborate means of execution: stabbing them with kitchen utensils, ramming their heads into televisions…sadistic things like that.

Also, there were some who decided to let gravity take care of things by simply throwing the human vermin out through a window.

As Colonel Soulmon watched quietly, he took great satisfaction at the sight of a human female splatter into a gooey mess on the pavement, courtesy of a Bakemon in a 10th story apartment room. As for the baby the female had been nursing…well, that same Bakemon ate it in one gulp, ending the child's life right then and there. Soulmon enthusiastically roared, "That's right boys! Show those primates no mercy!!!"

Demon smiled as he watched Colonel Soulmon carry out his orders with brutal devotion; he admired the Colonel's unwavering disgust of all things human. Of course, Soulmon's resentment of humans mirrored Demon's anti-human feelings, but that was beside the point.

"Hey boss! What about me?" asked DemiDevimon.

The mighty Mega sighed as he glared down at DemiDevimon. "Just sit back and watch." Now with that out of the way, Demon turned his gaze at UmbraDevimon. Pale, piercing blue eyes staring at hateful, glaring red eyes. _You and me. Into the sky above…we shall see who the superior is._

UmbraDevimon chuckled in response to Demon's telepathic message. _'Of course.'_

With that, both UmbraDevimon and Demon – both mighty Digimon of darkness – ascended into the sky – further beyond even the combating aerial Digimon – high up into the troposphere.

Demon remained silent as he gazed at UmbraDevimon's hulking form. Finally, the demonic Digimon spoke. "You're a fool UmbraDevimon…you shouldn't have tried to invade this world."

"The same could be said to you," retorted UmbraDevimon with a wry smirk.

Demon smiled; he had expected resistance…but only from humans. Now, his Demon Corps was engaged in battle with a worthy enemy army…and he himself had a mighty foe to face.

A pity that that foe – UmbraDevimon – would fall this day. _Oh well…there is no room for pity in this world_, Demon thought to himself.

Demon attacked first; he aimed both palms at UmbraDevimon and roared, "Chaos Inferno!!!"

UmbraDevimon was quick to respond. "Dark Viper!!!"

With a tremendous _bang_, the streams of blue hellfire and the red-and-black ray of energy collided.

The battle was on.

----

LadyDevimon and the 3,000 Bakemon under her command gazed at the 450,000 Digimon facing them in the sky. It was a daunting sight, and one that would cause most to tremble and flee.

Not the Bakemon. Unlike their untrained ilk, these Bakemon were hardcore through and through. They would never run or surrender.

LadyDevimon appreciated that. She would never run or surrender either.

The opposing force charged at the 3,000 Bakemon and LadyDevimon. The Black General quickly extended her wings and arms, roaring, "Darkness Wave!" A torrent of dark red bats erupted from nothingness, flying at high speed towards the vanguard of the enemy Digimon. Sure enough, the bats swarmed over the front line of aerial combatants.

Every Digimon from the Champion level down was destroyed…but the Ultimates and Megas of the aerial vanguard remained, albeit that they were busy contending with the bats clouding their vision.

This was the Bakemon's chance. "Now! Possess them!!!"

There were 321 Ultimates and Megas that were part of the front line. 642 Bakemon charged ahead to possess them. Two Bakemon for each Digimon; one would seamlessly merge with the Digimon and possess it, whilst the second would destroy the Black Gear controlling the Digimon in the first place. It showed how coordinated and well trained the Bakemon were…and it was a testament to Demon's power.

The 321 Ultimates and Megas howled as their souls were forcefully taken over and destroyed by the Bakemon; LadyDevimon had taught the Bakemon that the key to successfully possessing a body was to completely destroy the soul instead of just pushing it away.

As a result, 321 Ultimates and Megas were now under the control of the Bakemon. The former glaring red eyes of the Digimon were replaced by empty black eyes; the eyes of the Bakemon.

LadyDevimon smirked as all of the possessed Digimon turned to face the aerial army they still had to face. As a possessed Megadramon fired a battery of missiles – his Dark Side Attack – at the opposing force, LadyDevimon couldn't help but think that luck was on their side. "Bakemon…_ONWARD!!!_"

The Bakemon concurred by roaring loudly; they charged ahead at the enemy, intent on utterly destroying them.

----

The sounds of battle could not breach the surface of Tokyo Bay; everything underwater was totally and utterly silent.

It was how MarineDevimon preferred to fight; in the calm quiet of water. He also loved fighting in the water because it could quickly turn from a serene body of water into a tremendous torrent, crushing all who defied it.

And as MarineDevimon and the 3,000 Bakemon under his command stared at the 300,000 enemy Digimon facing them, the naval Ultimate knew that the sea would ultimate decide the victor in this fight.

The first ones to charge were a group of Seadramon and MegaSeadramon, led by a mighty MetalSeadramon.

His red eyes glimmered with black energy as he roared, "Deep Sea Crush!!!" At that moment, a black, gooey substance emerged from his large maw, drifting toward the advancing serpents menacingly.

As the black goop converged on the serpentine Digimon, they suddenly found themselves held in place; the Deep Sea Crush was actually focusing the water's pressure onto them, slowly crushing them into nothingness. The thing was, MarineDevimon had control over what he crushed. "As he crushed several Seadramon, he cried out, "I want seventy Bakemon to go in there!"

70 Bakemon did so without delay; they swam into the black slime without hesitation. They had practiced this maneuver many times before in a deep lake mere miles away from Archfiend Castle; they had no reason to fear MarineDevimon's Deep Sea Crush.

When the dark sludge finally dissipated, 41 Seadramon, 28 MegaSeadramon, and one MetalSeadramon had blackened eyes. The Black Gears that had once enslaved them were completely crushed, thanks to the concentrated pressure of MarineDevimon's Deep Sea Crush.

This was fortuitous to those 70 Bakemon that had possessed the serpents; now they had gills to breath with.

The possessed MetalSeadramon quickly aimed his metallic snout – which glowed with a whitish turquoise energy – at the enemy Digimon, shouting, "River of Power!!!"

MarineDevimon chuckled as he turned around to the rest of his submerged force. "All Bakemon, surface for air immediately! Then return to the depths and flank the enemy!"

"Yes General MarineDevimon!" cried out the Bakemon as they ascended upward toward the surface. While MarineDevimon waited for them to return, he slowly watched the possessed serpents tear away at the enemy with a continued long-distance assault of Ice Arrows, Thunder Javelins, and the mighty River of Power.

MarineDevimon chuckled; the Demon Corps truly outmatched this force…but he still had to be careful; massive numbers could overwhelm the careless, no matter how well trained the careless were.

----

"Ungodly Eye!"

A conglomerate of Tyrannomon and Greymon were incinerated by the Black General's attack; his wings continued to lift him across the expanse where the Rainbow Bridge had once been; the 3,500 Bakemon behind him remained in a well-organized phalanx formation. The Bakemon remained deathly quiet as General Deathmon blew away any land-based Digimon waiting for them on the other side of Tokyo Bay.

Deathmon remained quiet as he flapped his tiny wings; sometimes he wondered why there were those foolish enough to stand up against Demon. After all, he himself had once been one of Demon's rivals…but when Deathmon had been foolish enough to fight the demonic Mega one-on-one, he had been all but destroyed.

Demon had completely outclassed him…and that had been long before the Dark Spore had rejuvenated his strength. Deathmon knew better than to rebel against Lord Demon…and he had considered it merciful for Demon to make him one of his Black Generals.

That was why Deathmon would never understand why those would dare to fight his lord and master.

Oh well…it simply gave him more enemies to kill-

_SPLOOSH!!!_

Deathmon suddenly heard a massive splash erupt from the bay beneath them. He used his left hand to look down…and he gaped.

A Whamon – one of UmbraDevimon's naval Digimon – roared into the air, its massive maw open. Before Deathmon could shout the order to evade, Whamon had already reached them.

Hundreds of Bakemon screamed as they were devoured in one gulp by the massive whale. The massive creature snapped at the remaining Bakemon before gravity pulled it back down into the sea.

Deathmon couldn't believe it; 934 Bakemon had been obliterated just like that. Demon would not be pleased with such news. He quickly ordered, "Listen up! Into the city, double time!!!"

The Bakemon – not wanting to be attacked again – quickly picked up the pace. Within a matter of several seconds, Deathmon and his remaining 2,566 Bakemon had reached the Odaiba mainland.

What faced was a paltry remainder of UmbraDevimon's land force; the majority of the Digimon had already entered the city to claim it for UmbraDevimon.

Deathmon quickly gave out his orders with cold efficiency. "Possess the strongest Digimon that you see…and then partner up into search-and-destroy parties. Find the enemy and eliminate them."

The Bakemon responded wordlessly by tearing into the enemy Digimon. Deathmon – frustrated that he had nearly lost 1,000 Bakemon – vented his frustration on a nearby building. He aimed his right hand at it and roared, "Death Arrow!"

The yellow eye in his right palm shot out a large arrow made of dark red energy. When it collided into the apartment building, it exploded in a giant flash.

The apartment building – and all the people within – was vaporized into nothing but ashes.

The casualties climbed again.

----

/Highway, Odaiba, 7:29 AM/

Right now, amidst all this chaos, Jim Kido was calmly driving to Odaiba University.

Why would he be so calm when monsters were invading Odaiba? How COULD he?

Well, he didn't actually know. He had been on the opposite side of Odaiba when the invasion had started at Rainbow Bridge. Also, his radio wasn't on…which explained why he hadn't heard the news flash concerning the 'Monster Invasion'.

Right now, he was dreading an exam…and exam he had not prepared for at all, which was understandable concerning the events concerning Gennai's meetings and the Digidestined.

Nevertheless, he was reasonably calm; the satisfaction he had gotten from helping Jun had yet to fade, which spurred him to not be so nervous about the upcoming exam.

Of course, he would never make it to Odaiba University.

"Genocide Missile!"

Jim slammed on the brakes the moment he saw two missiles slam into a large hotel right next to an off-ramp. Other vehicles on the highway mirrored his action, skidding to a halt on the pavement.

Moments later, he saw a Gigadramon crash into the building he just hit; he was being tackled by two possessed Devidramon and a multitude of Bakemon, which explained the errant firing of his Genocide Missiles: it had been out of self-defense, but he had been overwhelmed too quickly.

Jim's eyes boggled as he watched the Gigadramon get torn apart by the Devidramon and the Bakemon; once the Ultimate Digimon had been deleted, the two devilish dragons and the ghosts moved back into the sky above.

He could only think of one word: Digimon. _Oh no…not this again…_

Why did all of these Digimon attacks and Fog Incidents and whatnot always happen in Odaiba?! Why?! Why couldn't they occur in the Sahara Desert or Antartica or something?!

Well, wishing never got anything accomplished.

Jim suddenly saw a furry primate – a Gorillamon – stomping across the highway, rushing to and beyond Jim's gray Honda.

For all intents and purposes, Jim should've got out of his car and gotten to a shelter…but he didn't. Something – call it gut instinct – was telling him to follow the beast.

So he did; he shifted into reverse, turned around, shifted back into drive, and then zoomed after Gorillamon.

----

/Ruined Intersection, Odaiba, 7:33 AM/

"What are those things sergeant?!" screamed a Japanese policeman – known as a Junsa – fired his handgun at a rabid rabbit biped. That creature turned out to be a Gazimon, under the influence of a Black Gear.

A Junsa-bucho – a police sergeant in Japan – named Ackerson responded by firing off a shot with his imported Winchester Model 9417 Legacy rifle; the 3'3" weapon launched a .17 caliber bullet at another Gazimon. The moment it went down – with a new hole in its forehead – the little creature dissipated into nothingness. Finally, the Junsa-bucho replied, "Only thing I know is that these little buggers want to kill us."

"Less talking, more shooting!" yelled the Junsa-cho. A Junsa-cho was a senior policeman…and in this case, a senior police_woman_. The young, dark-eyed woman – named Miyuki – accurately shot an oncoming Gizamon in the left eye with her pistol. From her position behind a barricade of broken concrete, she roared, "Ackerson!!! When's backup going to arrive?!"

"How should I know?! I lost contact with the station!!!" as he yelled this, Ackerson fired another shot at a flying pink bird: a Biyomon.

Miyuki swore as she looked back to make sure none of the little creeps was sneaking up on them. Today had practically gone – for lack of a better phrase – to heck in a hand basket.

After the initial fuss coming from the station concerning 'monster's, Miyuki, Ackerson, and over a dozen Junsas had been called to try and help people evacuate the area immediately surrounding the Rainbow Bridge area.

However, things had gone wrong: en route to Rainbow Bridge, a large creature – a Saberdramon – had crashed into a building that was adjacent to an intersection. The building fell onto the intersection…and it entrapped the five police cars within the intersection. Before the fourteen police officers could get out of the intersection on foot, they had been ambushed by a multitude of Digimon.

And now we are here.

A Junsa screamed as two Gabumon tore his belly open with their horns. Moments later, the two Gabumon both met the Junsa's fate, thanks to combined fire from Ackerson, Miyuki, and the last four Junsas.

For the next several moments, nothing else came over the crumbling circular wall of concrete, metal, and glass that had once been a building.

Suddenly, four Junsas – led by a Junsa-bucho named Himuro – clambered over the rubble. "Hold your fire!"

Ackerson's blue eyes broadcasted immense relief. "Finally…" He ran a hand through his black hair as Himuro strode over to them. "Are there any more of you?"

Himuro shook his head. "No…just us."

"What about the station? Have you been able to contact them?" asked Miyuki; despite her bulky police clothing, she still cut a striking figure.

Himuro sighed as his tanned face morphed into a saddened frown. "No…no one can contact the station because there IS no station. The police station's been destroyed."

The Junsas who had been fighting in the intersection gasped. Ackerson fought the urge to mutter an expletive. Miyuki, as odd as she found it, wasn't at all surprised. The Junsa-cho quickly said, "Well, no use moping about it."

"Let's just cut the chit-chat and get out of this place. I don't want to be ambushed again," said Ackerson as he began scaling the rubble. "Let's find a more secure location and see if we can hook up with any more police officers…and for God's sake, don't lose your wits."

With that, eight Junsas, one Junsa-cho, and two Junsa-buchos left the ruined intersection.

Sadly, their fight had just begun.

----

/Motomiya Apartment, Odaiba, 7:38 AM/

"ZZZ…zzz…ZZZ…zzz…"

If there was one thing that could be said about the Motomiya children, it was the fact that they snored when asleep. Of course, Jun would complain about Davis' snoring, whilst Davis would complain about Jun's snoring. But hey, they were siblings.

Anyhow, Jun – still in her pink pajamas from last night – slept soundly; her mind was still at ease from the pep-talk Jim Kido had given her.

Oddly enough, she had found herself dreaming about him instead of Matt, as she usually did.

7:40 AM.

_BZZZT!!!_

The electronic buzzer of her alarm clock set off; Jun lazily got up and unplugged her alarm clock. She knew she would have to reprogram it later, but she was still too drowsy to bother hitting the 'Snooze' button.

Yes, it seems backwards…but hey, everyone has their quirks.

Jun lazily rubbed her eyes as she got out of bed and stared out her window, expecting to see the morning skyline of Tokyo.

Instead, she saw the violet face of a big gorilla with glaring red eyes.

_Wait…what?_

Before she could contemplate the absurdity of seeing a large gorilla face peering into her window, a massive hand tore through the wall and wrapped around her body.

As the ludicrousness of a giant gorilla kidnapping her slowly became a terrifying reality to Jun, the mighty Gorillamon jumped on top of her apartment building. Then, with a tremendous leap, he jumped onto a skyscraper and roared defiantly at the sky.

Either Jun was having a dream where she was auditioning for the sequel to _King Kong_…or this was real.

And she knew it was all too real.

It only took the sight of the city streets far below for her scream to escape.

"**_AAAAAAIIIIIEEEEE!!!!!!_**"

Meanwhile, far below on the street, Jim couldn't believe what he was seeing; the massive gorilla had just kidnapped Jun! "Wonderful…of all the movies for the author to rip off, it had to be King Kong!"

_(Will you just shut up and rescue the D.I.D?)_

"The what?"

_(DAMSEL IN DISTRESS. WITH CAPS LOCK ON FOR EMPHASIS.)_

"Oh. Right." With that, Jim Kido ran inside the skyscraper – it was the home for a major bank – and made a beeline for the elevator.

_(Nimrod.)_

"I heard that!"

----

/Top of Troposphere, General Area over Odaiba, 7:45 AM/

"Demon Flare Attack!"

UmbraDevimon quickly ducked, thus avoiding the red fireball – in the shape of a horned demon's head – Demon had launched at him. UmbraDevimon snarled as he roared, "You think you play rough? Then try this! Umbra Scream!!!"

A dark wind roared from the tremendous devil's maw, sending the demonic Mega that was Demon tumbling backwards through the air.

However, one quick extension of his wings brought him back under control. Demon's eyes narrowed as both of his hands glowed with red fire. "Don't test me…Demon Flare Attack!!!"

With that, he tossed two fiery demon heads at UmbraDevimon. The hybrid beast crushed the first one with all four of his hands…but due to the close proximity of the second, he quickly evaded it.

The demonically charged fireball roared through the clouds, streaking at high speed toward Odaiba.

----

/Top of Skyscraper, Odaiba, 7:50 AM/

Jun – having finally gotten over the fact that she had been abducted by a giant gorilla – gasped at the sight of Odaiba.

Fires were kicking up all around the area near the Rainbow Bridge…or, rather, what was left of it.

An absolutely HUMONGOUS amount of monsters and creatures could be seen battling in the sky, in the sea, and amongst the buildings.

Gunfire could be heard amongst the roaring monsters: a sign that Odaiba's Finest were valiantly trying to hold off the Digimon.

Jun couldn't believe it…Digimon had invaded the Real World after all…

But…did this mean that the Digidestined failed to stop the bad guys?

If so…did that mean Davis and the others were…

"Primate Cannon!!!"

Jun suddenly closed her ears – her arms had not been grabbed by Gorillamon – as Gorillamon fired the cannon fused to his right arm. He fired twice in quick succession. His target: two Airdramon that were possessed by Bakemon.

The Airdramon howled as white orbs tinged with a purple aura crashed into them; deletion came immediately.

Gorillamon whooped with exultation at his victory. Before he could beat his chest out of cheer, a fireball in the shape of a demon's head rocketed downward out of the cloudy morning sky.

It was Demon's Demon Flare Attack.

Gorillamon's mouth dropped at the sight of the impending attack; he never got the chance to scream, much less move.

_BLAM!!!_

Jun screamed as the explosion made Gorillamon convulse one last time before he was deleted. This last convulsion caused his hand to open on impulse, thereby releasing Jun.

Jun Motomiya screamed as the air rushed past her; she couldn't even see where she would eventually end up falling. All she could surmise was that a bloody fate awaited her.

_PLOMP!_

Jun grunted as she landed on something…soft, yet sturdy. Definitely not concrete.

She forced open her eyes and saw that she had landed on a person: Jim.

You see, Jim had come to the top floor via elevator, and then he had gotten to the rooftop by emergency stairwell just in time to see Gorillamon let go of Jun.

Although he had tried to soften her landing as hard as he could – using his arms in an attempt to catch her – he had been sent to the concrete ceiling by Jun's falling body.

Jun's hands clasped together as she smiled; Jim had saved her! This marked the second time the psychologist-in-training had helped her! "Wow! You saved me! Thanks a bunch Jim!"

Jim grimaced as his back groaned with pain; this marked the second time his back had met the floor since he had met Jun. "No problem…"

----

/Warehouse #7, Tokyo Bay, Odaiba, 7:55 AM/

Hiroaki could not turn his eyes away from the horror of it all.

So much devastation…so much destruction…it was as if Odaiba had suddenly been turned into Stalingrad, with digital monsters instead of Nazis…oh, and instead of Russians, there were only policemen.

The good news was that the Digimon seemed to be fighting each other…

The bad news was that both armies had the destruction of humanity in mind.

Hiroaki grimaced as he turned his head away from the window, staring at Gennai with narrow eyes. "Contact Futa. Contact him NOW."

Gennai sighed as wires slid out of his finger tips, jacking into the computer terminal once more. "I just hope you know what you're doing…" As Gennai sent the message to this mysterious 'Futa', he also sent one to Shaun's D-Terminal concerning the invasion.

Gennai had a feeling the Digidestined were going to be needed…and soon.

----

/01-000-ALPHA, UmbraDevimon's Lair, 7:57 AM/

Meanwhile, back in the Digital World…

"GAH!!!"

Darkheart shifted his eyes toward Puppetmon, who cursed as several sparks erupted from his game station. The former Dark Master yelled, "Stupid piece of junk!"

Darkheart remained silent as Puppetmon kicked the base of the metallic console. He couldn't understand the marionette's fascination with such childish things. He talked and _talked_ and **_talked_** about nothing else all day, and when he didn't get his way…cue the whining and bickering! Darkheart was sick of it…and he didn't understand why Puppetmon chose to torture over long-distance. Why do it with a controller when you could do it up close, using the hands to constrict the foolish children's necks slowly and remorselessly-

_Whoa…where did that come from?_ Darkheart sighed as he rubbed his forehead quietly. Ever since last night, he had been having these strange thoughts…thoughts of evil. Thoughts of rebellion. Thoughts of pure mayhem.

But in the end, it all centered on the aspect of his own free will.

Why should he be free? Why should he have free will? He was a servant of the mighty UmbraDevimon…why should he be free when he was the mighty warrior of the Digital World's greatest Digimon?

But that was the key, wasn't it? Who was to say UmbraDevimon WAS the strongest Digimon in the Real World? And more to the point, why would UmbraDevimon need HIM if he truly was the Digital World's strongest Digimon? It didn't make any sense. No sense at all…

Unless…unless that wasn't the case.

Darkheart's red eyes widened as a thought came to mind. He was aware UmbraDevimon enslaved him from a former existence, even though he had no memory OF that existence. Why DID UmbraDevimon enslave him if he was the Digital World's strongest Digimon?

It could mean that he wasn't the strongest Digimon, thus necessitating the need for powerful allies…but UmbraDevimon didn't seem like the type to need allies. The Digidestined were powerful…but UmbraDevimon was far stronger than the Digidestined. Darkheart knew that much for certain.

There was only one last solution: fear. Did UmbraDevimon…fear him?

_Does he fear me? Does he fear the great power that runs through my body…?_ Was that it? _…it must be. He fears me…_

The 'great' UmbraDevimon FEARED him. He, the servant, was feared by the master.

There was no other explanation that fit. UmbraDevimon feared his great power…so the only way to make sure that power couldn't be used against him was to enslave that power…and hope that the power didn't become cognizant of its own greatness.

Well, what a shame…Darkheart HAD become aware of his own great power. He knew why UmbraDevimon had enslaved…it was all out of fear.

Darkheart did not know why these thoughts had suddenly come to pass throughout the night and the morning…but he was grateful. His free will had come out – thanks to the Dark Spore, although he did not know it – and he intended to make his power KNOWN.

"Move it or lose it, bub!!!"

Darkheart was jolted out of his thoughts by Puppetmon's voice; he looked down at the Dark Master, who was holding a bunch of ruined electronics in his arms. "I've got to trash these, so move aside!"

Darkheart frowned as he narrowed his eyes at the diminutive puppet. Such a fool…such an arrogant, stupid FOOL. The despicable little 'toy' could presume so much for so weak a thing…

Darkheart would show Puppetmon the folly of his ways.

"Didn't you hear me?! I said MOVE, you fat sack of worthless scrap!!!" yelled Puppetmon. He expected Darkheart to finally move away moments later.

Instead, what he got was a malevolent and sadistic grin…and then a powerful hand encircling his wooden neck.

Puppetmon's eyes bulged and his throat constricted as Darkheart lifted the Mega Digimon into the air…and the scary thing was how casually Darkheart did so. Puppetmon struggled as he choked out, "Hey…what are…you doing…?"

Darkheart smiled as he felt Puppetmon's very life force drain out. "Simple…I'm goingto havemy OWN fun now…"

**_CRACK!!!_**

Puppetmon's mouth fell as his head was separated from his body. Moments later, both body and head deleted into nothingness…the last Dark Master was dead.

The legacy of the Dark Masters had finally ended.

Darkheart chuckled as he strode over to the game station; he looked upon the Shadow Mallet and pulled it out of a small slot. He sneered as he looked at it. "What a load of bunk…and to think the Guardian Beasts were defeated by THIS."

Suddenly, he felt a large influx of power enter his body…it was strange, yet it felt…wonderful. It was though his battery – if he had one – were being recharged.

When he looked down at the Shadow Mallet, he suddenly realized the power was coming from _it_. Darkheart's mouth contorted into one of surprise as the Shadow Mallet broke down into data particles; moments later, those data particles merged with him. As they did, he felt his body radiate with more power than before.

It took Darkheart a few moments to contemplate what had just happened. Somehow, he had willed the power of the Shadow Mallet to become one with him…and in response, the Mallet had broken down into data, thus allowing itself to become one with Darkheart. _I understand now…it must be a special power of this armor; it can absorb the power of others…_

Darkheart smirked as his red eyes shifted to a shadowed corner of the room. "Oh Mummymon…"

Mummymon sighed as he stepped out of the shadows, his left eye peering at Darkheart. "So…you wish to kill me?"

"Of course not…I just want to absorb your data," answered Darkheart with a wicked grin. "Now be still like a good mummy."

Mummymon remained silent as Darkheart clutched the scruff of his collar. "Do as you please…anything to remove me from the servitude of UmbraDevimon."

Darkheart stopped at this. "Huh? What do you mean?"

"UmbraDevimon is a vile, corrupt beast who has no business ruling anything," said Mummymon with a quiet rage. "I despise him with every fiber of my being…if I had the power, I would've dealt with him myself."

In response to these words, Darkheart let the taller Digimon go. "So what? Why haven't you run? If you're so miserable, why haven't you killed yourself?"

Mummymon sighed as he looked at Darkheart with sad eyes. "As hard as it is for me to accept, I am bound to serve UmbraDevimon. You see, the dictates of my family's code of honor demand that those who are resurrected be loyal to those who resurrected them. I cannot kill myself, for that would be a violation of my family's code…and I am loyal to honor of my family above all else."

Darkheart sneered as he snapped, "You little weakling…you don't deserve freedom. You don't even work for it." With that, Darkheart broke through the ceiling and rocketed off toward the nearest digiport; fortunately for Darkheart, he still possessed his blue D-3, as well as his D-Terminal.

Mummymon sighed as he looked at the darkened sky through the hole in the ceiling; the sky was dark and rolled with menacing clouds. "Oh well…my forced service continues…"

----

/File Island, Outside of Primary Village, 8:07 AM/

And what do you know; we actually take a look at the Digidestined for once!

Some of the Digidestined had awoken to the sight of Elecmon returning the babies to Primary Village; the Digieggs would come later.

But none of the Digidestined were really talking…they were still morose over what happened the previous night.

Davis Motomiya…the leader of the New Digidestined…was now Darkheart.

Truthfully, they were extremely unhappy with the predicament…because not only did they have a new enemy to deal with, but that enemy was their friend…which meant they could not fight as hard as they could. Otherwise, they might destroy him…and no matter what, they would NEVER kill a dear friend.

Up on top of one of the toy towers was Shaun, his body enclosed within the Armor of Wisdom. He was staring at the sky…contemplating many things.

"Man…what are we going to do now…?" asked Shaun to no one in particular.

_BEEP. BEEP._

Shaun sat up at the sound; his D-Terminal was beeping. He reached down for his side, pulled away a small slot in his armor, and pulled out his D-Terminal; since one's clothes underneath – save for undergarments – disappeared when one Holy Armor Energized, any objects in the pockets were placed in small slots in the armor relatively close to the pockets' area.

Shaun flipped open the lid and read the message within.

Moments later…

"_**WHAT?!?!?!"**_

That practically awoke everyone else. Mimi sat up like a shot, sleepily muttering, "Too early…must sleep…ah, coupons on designer clothes…"

"Wake up Mimi!" exclaimed Palmon.

Shaun quickly set down on the ground near Tai, Kari, TK, Cody, and Ken. All five had been in the process of leading some Baby Digimon back to their own little niche of Primary Village when Shaun's outburst had occurred. Tai quickly asked, "What was up with the shouting?"

The look in Shaun's eyes – utter, complete disbelief and irritation – said it all; something bad had just happened. "Things just got worse." With that, he showed him his D-Terminal.

----

_Dear Shaun,_

_Bad news! Demon and UmbraDevimon have both invaded the Real World!!!  
_

_Gennai_

----

There was really no need to elaborate; the message said it all.

The Real World had been invaded…and it explained the massive group of Digimon that had passed File Island yesterday; they were part of an invasion army. Kari suddenly gasped at the thought of Digimon invading Odaiba. "Oh no, our parents!!!"

"We have to get back to the Real World and help fight off the invaders!" yelled Tai, his authoritative nature slipping into his speech.

Shaun nodded out of agreement. "I know…but we can't all go with Darkheart around. We need to leave some Digidestined behind in case he decides to show up again."

_BOOM!!!_

"NO!!! **_MY BABIES!!!_**"

Everyone whirled their heads around to see a cloud of smoke and fire rise up from a section of Primary Village. Without a second thought, they burst off for that location.

Shaun arrived first…and what he saw was Elecmon, staring at a spot where fifty Botamon had once been frolicking. The Rookie was muttering, "No…no…my babies…no…"

Shaun frowned; who had done this?

"Lucy…"

Shaun froze at the sound of that voice; it was Davis'…which meant Darkheart was here.

But somehow, it sounded a bit different…there was a tone of sadism to it…a tone of cruelty and malice…but at the same time, the pitch indicated a hint of enjoyment.

At that moment, Darkheart walked through the smoke, his missile pods still smoking from the last attack upon the Botamon. The malicious glint in his red eyes said it all; something had changed with Darkheart since the last time they saw him.

Finally, Darkheart happily said, "I'm HOME!!!" His tone was mockingly sardonic…and whatever happiness he had had been derived from the death he had just inflicted upon the Botamon.

Things had gotten worse yet again.

----

/11-011-OMEGA, Sanctum of the Hierarchs, the Forbidden City, 8:15 AM/

The further to the south the OMEGA sectors went, the rockier the land became. The southernmost parts of Folder's easternmost sectors were more like rocky cliffs than deserts.

And it was upon one of these cliffs that a tremendous city was situated.

A humongous wall surrounded the city; circular in outline, the wall was 1,000 feet high, and the city it protected was one mile in diameter. The thickness of the wall – constructed of a purple metallic alloy unknown to those not of the city – was at least 400 feet, rendering it all but impenetrable. The only means of getting in or out of the city were through the various hangar doors situated at the base of the protective wall. Even so, the doors were ten feet thick; only a full-scale nuke could blast through those. As for the city itself, gigantic skyscrapers – all made of the same purple-colored alloy – stretched into the sky; unlike many of the buildings on Earth, they were curved and wavy in architecture. It gave them an air of grace and refinement…the Forbidden City, despite its name, practically reeked of such qualities…especially when one considered those who were in charge.

In the very center of the Forbidden City was a spherical building. It sat on three solitary columns that represented the three Hierarchs. The Hierarchs were the leaders of the city…and they had been for many, many centuries. By some unknown means, a ring of blue light hovered over the orb-like building, like a halo; it signified the supposed holiness of the building.

It was the Sanctum of the Hierarchs.

----

Inside the Sanctum, a lone warrior stepped along a walkway made of nothing but violet and blue light; somehow, it was keeping him aloft, despite the fact it was light.

This warrior was humanoid in structure, but aside from that, he was utterly alien; at 8 foot, 6 inches, the mighty Digimon was a fearsome sight to behold. His skin was dark gray, and its leathery texture gave him a reptilian appearance…but that dark skin color was countered by the shimmering golden armor he wore. It covered his head, arms, chest, and legs, and its gold color signified his status as a Mega Digimon. His large feet were covered by black metal, offering protection to his two-toed feet. His hands had only four fingers: the middle two were double-jointed, whilst the last two – the finger on each side – were more like thumbs. His body was muscular, yet slim…and it somehow made him more terrifying to look at. His angular head was home to his most distinct feature; his jaw split off into four different mandibles, giving him the initial look of a squid's mouth at first glance. The inside of his four mandibles – two on each side of his face – were lined with razor-sharp teeth, and the inside of his mouth was moist with saliva…and he had no tongue, either. His helmet was contoured to fit his head, and it had an angular, swept-back look; the rear of the helmet ended in three sharpened prongs, further adding to his look as a warrior. All around his body was a tiny, nigh invisible energy field: a special body shield that was powered by his armor, protecting him from damage…at least as long as it remained at full strength. His eyes were narrow and dark, yet they had a hint of humanity within them…and that humanistic nature was why his soldiers followed him without question.

He was an Elitemon known as Vula Tusa'lamee…and his golden armor signified his rank as a Battalion Commander, as well as his status as a Mega Digimon.

When he reached a pillar at the end of a walkway, he fell to one knee. A bright light shined upon him, illuminating him and him alone.

From the darkness around him, a voice – raspy and calm – spoke. It echoed throughout the massive room.

_"Speak, commander."_

Commander Tusa'lamee submissively – with a deep, throaty voice – said, "Noble Hierarchs…I have a message from spy agent #013."

Another voice – this time old and hoarse, with a snappy tone – spoke from the darkness. _"The Outcast? Does his message have something to deal with UmbraDevimon? Unless he has something concerning an attack by UmbraDevimon on our city, we don't want to hear anything of it!"_

You see, the Forbidden City was quite legendary within the Digital World. Those few who knew of it knew that the civilization of Digimon was the only one that built its own vehicles and weapons, thus giving even its Rookie level soldiers the ability to fight on equal footing with other, higher level Digimon.

However, the Forbidden City was legendary for another reason: its isolationist attitude. Their motto was something akin to this: If it doesn't affect us, it's none of our business. And that was quite so; even when the Dark Masters had begun reformatting the Digital World onto Spiral Mountain years ago, they had avoided the Forbidden City…because they knew of its might. Heck, the Forbidden City was so isolationist that it had a special ward for Digieggs; Digimon that belonged to the Forbidden City were reborn in the Forbidden City, and not in Primary Village.

However, such a mighty civilization needed rulers…and the Hierarchs were those rulers. Although few actually saw them up close, they were very old and very wise beings. Commander Vula was among the few who knew that they – who were now over 10,000 years old – had once been advisers to the Guardian Beasts themselves. That was why those who lived in the city regarded them as holy men…or holy 'mon', in this case.

No one quite knew what kind of Digimon the Hierarchs were…but they had official titles.

The three Hierarchs were called Prophets.

The Prophet of Reality.

The Prophet of Wisdom.

The Prophet of Absolution.

The Prophet of Absolution – in a whispery, yet almost haughty tone – said, **_"Speak commander! Time that could be spent contemplating this world's history and its fate is being wasted by your idleness!"_**

"My apologies," replied the Elitemon known as Vula Tusa'lamee. "His message did have something to do with UmbraDevimon…however, the message was not his own."

The Prophet of Reality dryly replied, _"The point, commander."_

"My Lords…the message came from the Real World."

This caused the Hierarchs to quietly murmur amongst themselves in the darkness. Although Vula revered the Hierarchs for their wisdom and knowledge, their habit of speaking in the solitude of the shadows annoyed him.

Finally, the Prophet of Wisdom said, _"Who was the message from?"_

"The member of the Order known as Gennai."

"**_Ah…it has been quite some time since we last spoke with a member of the prestigious Order, has it not my brothers?"_** asked Absolution to his fellow Hierarchs.

With a wave of his unseen hand, Reality dismissed Absolution's words, focusing on Vula Tusa'lamee. _"What did Gennai have to say?"_

Elitemon quietly said, "He spoke of an invasion of the Real World by two Digimon of Darkness…the recent one known as UmbraDevimon, and an ancient evil known as Demon. He asked for our assistance."

Silence drifted throughout the Sanctum; Vula's head tilted toward the ground, his eyes revealing his number of unanswered questions.

"_You have something to say, Commander Tusa'lamee?" _

"Yes, Noble Hierarchs…I am thinking that this may be a sign…a sign of the prophecy."

Wisdom quickly retorted, _"You speak of the prophecy stated by the very first Hierarch: the Prophet of Omniscience?"_

Vula nodded. "Yes…the prophecy for the Great Journey. Our time to enter the Real World may soon be at hand!"

"_Bah…there have been many signs before. None of them led to the Great Journey,"_ said Wisdom with his characteristic snappiness. _"You forget the whole of the prophecy: 'A Messenger delivers distress concerning the darkness of another world. Before action can be taken, the Plague will strike our holy city…but allies will appear, and they will lead us into the divine beyond that is the World of Reality: for that is Great Journey.'"_ Wisdom sneered after the end of the prophecy. _"Ever since this great city's construction in the very first years of the Digital World's existence, many signs have come and gone since the Prophet of Omniscience foretold the Great Journey. None of them have led to the promised prophecy."_

"**_Of course, there is always the chance that this may be THE sign,"_** countered Absolution.

"_Enough bickering."_ Reality turned his eyes back toward the Mega-level Elitemon. _"We will further discuss this matter with the members of the High Council. Until then, you will return to your post. Any last words before your departure?"_

"Yes…may I stand?"

_"You may."_

Vula Tusa'lamee stood to his full height; even though he could not see the Hierarchs, he somehow knew he was staring right at them. "Noble Hierarchs…I believe I know who the allies mentioned in the prophecy are."

"_Venturing a guess? Or a fact?"_ queried Wisdom.

"A guess…but I feel it is a correct guess," quietly replied Vula.

"_Enough idling. Speak your mind, commander,"_ said Reality.

After a few moments, Vula finally spoke.

"I believe the allies mentioned in the prophecy are the Digidestined."

----

To be continued…

Next time…

Episode 43: Things Get Worse

----

Author's Notes: Boy, what a doozy of an episode! Big battles, horrible atrocities, desperate fights, Darkheart's new sadism, and everything concerning the Forbidden City!

If you all thought this was big before…just you wait. ;)

See you soon, and please review!

PS: I'm dead serious about what I said in my author's notes at the beginning of this episode.


	43. Things Get Worse

Standard Disclaimer: Who lives in an office above the sea? LAWYER SUEPANTS! Uncaring and stingy and greedy he be! LAWYER SUEPANTS! If my continued existence be something you wish! LAWYER SUEPANTS! Then come on aboard, and yell like a witch! LAWYER SUEPANTS!

I don't own…I don't own…I don't own…I don't own…DIGI…MON!!!

Author's Notes: Yikes. Not a lot of reviews…I hope I didn't alienate anyone from my outburst in the previous episode; I just wanted to make a point. O.o;

Oh well. To the reviews!

Anthony1: How can I 'blow a gasket' when I'm not a robot? Now, 'losing my temper'…THAT I can do. :P

ficmaster: …UmbraDevimon and Demon were both born out of wedlock? O.o Wow…who knew?

Digi fan: That's the ticket, now isn't it? ;)

Cloud-821: Davis is going to die.

…or not. I'll let you decide.

Malebolgia: So? I've actually had the core idea of the Forbidden City being based off of the Covenant ever since before Halo 2 came out. It was actually first used in NDE, but the idea has matured since then. If it looks like I'm ripping off Bungie…well, let's just say that the names may be the same, but the actual meanings behind the names – say, the 'Great Journey' – are different for the story.

Besides, Digimon are made of missing or broken pieces of data, as well as dreams. There had to be SOME Halo-inspired Digimon at one point or another! ;)

Ninetalesuk: Did that brick wall come from Hammerspace?

Silver Warrior: Well, I like being descriptive; besides, when you can visualize something better, you get more involved, you know? Besides, the graphic violence is usually at the hands of the bad guys…and it only makes the bad guys easier to hate. ;P

And I'm afraid the e-mail thing is out of the question; my e-mail address will remain hidden, so tough cookies.

Dot Cubed: Apology accepted! :D

(grabs a pair of scissors and cuts open a hole in the side) You're free to go.

And thanks for the Jun/Jim mix-up; I'll fix that after the update.

Begin!

----

_Odaiba has suffered the first effects of the invasion._

_Lives have been lost._

_Digimon have been deleted._

_However, the horror has just begun…_

_And as for Darkheart…well, he has become an entirely different beast…_

----

"Hey everyone, it's Jim…well, as you can plainly see from the last episode, Earth has been invaded. On one hand, there's UmbraDevimon and his humongous army. On the other hand, there's Demon and his Demon Corps…but no matter who wins, we lose in the end…that is unless the Digidestined can deal with Darkheart in time. Otherwise, they'll come home to a wasteland…"

----

Episode 43: Things Get Worse

----

/File Island, Primary Village, 8:17 AM/

Things had gotten worse. WAY. WAY. WORSE.

Darkheart had once been Davis Motomiya…but after UmbraDevimon had corrupted him with fifteen Black Gears AND the Touch of Evil, the Child of Miracles had become the dark titan's mindless servant.

But somehow, Darkheart had developed his own free will. And with that came a new personality trait: the sadistic enjoyment of inflicting suffering.

At least, that's what Shaun thought. He assumed this because of the mad grin Darkheart now wore.

"Such weaklings," muttered Darkheart as he slowly descended to the ground. "Baby Digimon are of no use…they can't even defend themselves. All they do is spout off gibberish, eat, and poop on the floor."

Shaun frowned as he stared at Darkheart; even the way the corrupted Digidestined carried himself was different. Last night – when they had first encountered Darkheart – the corrupted Motomiya child had been stern and mechanical…little more than a fighting automaton.

But now…Darkheart carried an aura of sadism. He no longer seemed to be an instrument for evil…now he WAS evil.

"Pabu!"

Darkheart looked down at his feet; a small Pabumon – Tentomon's Baby form, which looked like a green blob with black button eyes and a yellow pacifier for a mouth – was looking up at him with naïve curiosity.

Darkheart smirked as he reached down and picked up the young Baby with his right hand. By this time, the other Digidestined had finally caught up with the Child of Wisdom.

Kari's eyes widened at the sight of the corrupted Child of Miracles. "Davis…?"

"Nah ah ah," quickly retorted the boy formerly known as Davis; his right hand stiffened upon Pabumon, giving the Baby Digimon no chance of escape. "Darkheart. Not Davis; Darkheart."

The Digidestined – save for Shaun – blinked out of bewilderment; Darkheart's sarcastic tone was a huge contrast to his dull, almost lifeless tone from last night. Tai asked, "Dude…what's with your voice?"

Darkheart smirked as his fingers tightened. "Let's just say I had a nifty dream…and I will say this: I don't follow anyone anymore." Darkheart's right hand began to surge with dark energy, burning at the tiny Pabumon; the Baby Digimon began struggling to break free of Darkheart's grip. "I'm done being UmbraDevimon's toady; he may have had plans for me, but nuts to that…" Tighter. Pabumon began screaming. "I'm going to do whatever I want…and inflicting suffering is high on my list." Dark energy burned away at Pabumon, slowly and painfully destroying the young Baby. "But the top of my list is held by you Digidestined…**_I will make you ALL suffer._**"

Pabumon shrieked one last time; Darkheart crushed the Baby Digimon in his right hand, completely destroying it. The Digidestined felt utter shock and revulsion at the brutal act; to clench it, Darkheart looked at his right hand with mock shock. "Whoops…looks like I crushed it. Too bad, so sad…heh heh heh…" Darkheart chuckled.

One thing was for sure; Darkheart was a completely different beast.

And he enraged Shaun to no end.

A flash of blue light.

_POW!!!_

Darkheart grimaced as he was sent flying by a supersonic punch to the jaw; he collided against a toy tower moments later, sending it toppling to the ground.

Everyone gaped at Shaun; Aetherdramon quickly yelled, "Shaun! Are you trying to kill him?!"

"No…" replied the Child of Wisdom, his dark blue armor glistening in the morning sun.

"Then what are you doing?" demanded Ken.

Shaun frowned as Darkheart got up and started floating back towards them. He replied, "I don't know what made Darkheart change from a powerful servant to powerful psycho…but he just made this personal."

Sora had a feeling about what Shaun meant. "His disregard for life…is that it?"

"No…he made it personal because he reminds me of me," replied Shaun quietly, his tone tinged with a hint of sorrow.

Before anyone could contemplate Shaun's obscure statement, Darkheart set down in front of them, cracking his jaw as he did. "Hmm…nice punch. Didn't expect you to hit me so hard…but then again, I assumed you would hold back. Guess not…"

Darkheart looked past the determined Shaun and into the hesitant eyes of the other Digidestined. "…or maybe that only applies to blue-boy…what about them?"

In the blink of an eye, Darkheart was right in front of Tai.

Shaun – thanks to the telepathic powers provided by his Holy Armor, the Armor of Wisdom – had already turned around by then, aiming a glowing blue hand at Darkheart. "Don't you dare do anything…"

With a swift movement – and completely ignoring Shaun's warning – Darkheart's hand was on Tai's throat, constricting the Child of Courage's neck. "Well? Do you want to test me? I'll kill him right now…that is, unless you allfight me with all you've got. Digivolve your partners. NOW."

The Digidestined – despite the matter facing them – were hesitant; even though the Davis they knew was completely different as Darkheart, he was still Davis…how could they fight at their hardest against him?

Agumon made his decision in a heartbeat; in the moment of his partner's sudden danger, Agumon impulsively digivolved.

Agumon warp-digivolve to……Wargreymon!

Darkheart leapt away from Tai; Wargreymon had immediately gone for the corrupted Digidestined with his Dramon Destroyer claws. Darkheart smiled as he said, "That's more like it…and if that wasn't incentive enough, listen to this: if you all don't digivolve, I will destroy Toy Town…taking every single Digiegg in there with it."

There was really nothing else the Digidestined could do; Darkheart had pushed them back into a figurative wall, and they had no choice but to fight back.

Reluctantly, they went for their digivices.

Hawkmon digivolve to……Aquilamon!

Aquilamon digivolve to……Silphymon!

Patamon digivolve to……Angemon!

Armadillomon digivolve to…Ankylomon!

Ankylomon digivolve to……Stegomon!

Wormmon digivolve to……Stingmon!

Stingmon digivolve to……Dinobeemon!

(Agumon) warp-digivolve to……(Wargreymon!)

Gabumon warp-digivolve to……Metalgarurumon!

Biyomon digivolve to……Birdramon!

Birdramon digivolve to……Garudamon!

Tentomon digivolve to……Kabuterimon!

Kabuterimon digivolve to……MegaKabuterimon!

Gomamon digivolve to……Ikkakumon!

Ikkakumon digivolve to……Zudomon!

Palmon digivolve to……Togemon!

Togemon digivolve to……Lilymon!

Wargreymon…Metalgarurumon…DNA Digivolve to……Omnimon!

Darkheart smiled as he faced Omnimon, Aetherdramon, (Wargreymon), Silphymon, Angemon, Stegomon, Dinobeemon, Garudamon, MegaKabuterimon, Zudomon, Lilymon, and Shaun Kamiya himself. His red eyes drifted over to TK. "Why hasn't Angemon digivolved to his Ultimate level?"

TK responded calmly. "Because with all of us fighting you at once – and with all of the Baby Digimon – I don't want to risk MagnaAngemon's Gate of Destiny sucking in anything it shouldn't."

Darkheart smirked as he began ascending into the air. "Fair enough." Once he was one hundred feet in the air, he roared, "Alright…COME AND GET ME!!!"

Shaun and the Digidestined's partners all charged as one.

As for TK…well, he had had an ulterior reason for not digivolving Angemon to MagnaAngemon; right now, he wasn't feeling very hopeful about their chances against Darkheart.

----

/Motomiya Apartment, Odaiba, 8:25 AM/

"You done yet?" called out Jim.

Jun's voice echoed out from the bathroom. "Just a second!"

Jim sighed as he leaned against the wall opposite the closed bathroom door; they couldn't stay here long.

After saving Jun from certain death – barely – the two had immediately returned to the Motomiya apartment to get Jun a change of clothes. After that, they would head for Warehouse #7 and get to Gennai…if he – or the warehouse – were still even there. With all of the Digimon attacking, they couldn't be sure of anything.

Finally, Jun stepped out of the bathroom; instead of her pink pajamas, she was now wearing her school uniform. "There…now what?"

"We head to Gennai's of course," replied Jim. As he turned for the front door, he said, "Grab something to eat if you need to…I don't know if we'll be getting any food for a while."

To Jun, the statement was oddly disquieting; it only showed how desperate their current situation was.

After grabbing her backpack – putting some apples and a box of cheerios in it – she walked outside, where Jim was waiting in his gray Honda.

Jun got into the passenger seat and put her backpack on the floor; immediately after closing the door, he tore off along the road. The eldest Kido child planned to travel along Odaiba's perimeter; it would take longer, but they wouldn't risk getting stuck in a war-torn intersection.

As they drove along the road, they could hear the sounds of battle…even though their windows were closed.

Jun sighed as she hugged her legs against her body, burying her face into her knees…so much was happening…why couldn't things be normal, like they once were? _Man…this stinks…_

A hand grasped her shoulder.

Jun looked to her right – after all, cars in Japan have the driver's and passenger's seats reversed – to see Jim, a confident smile on his face. "Don't worry…everything will be fine in the end."

Jun couldn't help but smile…but truthfully, she wondered when the 'end' would come.

_SCREEEECH!!!_

Jun exhaled sharply as she was slung against her seatbelt; Jim had practically gone from 50-0 in one second. Jun looked at Jim with exasperation, yelling, "What was that for?!"

Jim didn't have to answer; he was staring straight ahead, with Jun's eyes following his moments later.

Up ahead – on the road where the only thing separating it from Tokyo Bay was a metallic rail – Digimon were fighting. In the bay, a large creature – MarineDevimon – was directing ghostly Digimon – the Bakemon – in an attack on Odaiba. Facing them was a large horde of Tyrannomon and Deltamon. Assisting the naval Digimon were possessed Seadramon. All sorts of attacks sailed through the air, back and forth.

Jim and Jun gaped; there was no way they were going to go through that gauntlet of terror.

"…let's go another way," muttered Jun.

"I agree." With that, Jim turned around.

----

/File Island, Primary Village, 8:30 AM/

"Horn Buster!"

Darkheart completely sent the electric bolt back at MegaKabuterimon with a single Magna Punch. "You couldn't bust ANYTHING with that!"

"Vulcan's Hammer!"

With a Magna Kick, the yellow ray of energy was sent flying into the stratosphere. "Roman god of fire and metalworking my butt! Switch mythologies!"

"Wing Blade!"

Darkheart flew to the side, thus avoiding the fiery bird that flew at him. "Too dull to cut anything, much less ME."

"Hand of Fate!"

Darkheart nullified the blast of holy energy with a concentrated Magna Ray. "You call that holy energy? You couldn't even give an IMP a conniption with a weak attack like that!"

"Flower Cannon!"

Darkheart grabbed the orb of green energy and tossed it backwards; this caused an explosion to erupt from another section of Primary Village, much to the distress of Elecmon. "Wasn't the saying 'make peace, not war?' Stick to flower power, missy."

"Terra Force!"

Four Magna Punches completely dispelled (Wargreymon's) orb of orange energy. "With a wimpy attack like that, you put the Earth to shame!"

"Static Buster!"

A Magna Ray cut through the orb of static electricity. "You call that electricity? Up the voltage!"

"Insect Spike!"

Two spikes erupted from the holes in Dinobeemon's wrists; Darkheart destroyed them with two Magna Missiles. "You put bees to shame!"

"Spike Rain!"

More Magna Missiles destroyed Stegomon's spikes. "You're a disgrace to the dinosaurs!"

"Miraculous Daggers!"

Aetherdramon moved in close to slash at Darkheart; the corrupted Digidestined responded by parrying the knives with the armor on his arms; after that, he kicked Aetherdramon away. "Nothing miraculous about those little cudgels!"

"Transcendent Sword!"

Omnimon moved in to strike Darkheart with the blunt edge of his blade; Darkheart grabbed the blunt sides with both hands and used Omnimon's momentum to flip him over, sending the DNA Warrior crashing into the ground below. "Transcendent? With the way you just landed, you couldn't inspire anyone!"

"Blue Dash!"

Darkheart whirled around, using his left hand – which was coated with dark energy – to block the blue ray. "Not a lot of dash…but you sure look blue."

That cut it. All of the attacking Digimon – and Shaun – roared, **_"STOP MAKING PUNS OUT OF OUR ATTACKS!!!!!!"_**

Darkheart smirked as he innocently shrugged. "Hey, it's making you all miserable…besides, it's fun."

Shaun snarled as he glared at Darkheart; the flippant attitude, the disregard for life…it was like fighting Nega all over again…

"What's wrong Shaun? Am I making you mad?" said Darkheart, his tone mockingly apologetic.

Shaun glowered at Darkheart…and then he charged.

Darkheart quickly brought his arms to defend himself…but he wasn't quick enough to defend himself from Shaun's supersonic assault.

21 punches to the chest.

14 kicks to the abdomen.

Two head-to-head hits.

All in the span of three seconds.

To finish it all off, Shaun slammed his elbow into the back of Darkheart's neck, sending the corrupted Child of Miracles into the ground.

At that moment…

"Static Buster!"

"Wing Blade!"

"Horn Buster!"

"Flower Cannon!"

"Hand of Fate!"

"Heavenly Arrow!"

The myriad of energy crashed into the ground where Darkheart lay, kicking up fluff and quilt from the patchwork ground of Primary Village.

The Digidestined quickly gathered within a ten-yard radius around the small hole where Darkheart now lay; Omnimon stepped over to the hole, Supreme Cannon aimed at the smoking crater. Shaun moved up closer, practically standing at the rim of the hole.

No one spoke.

Then…Darkheart stood up, aiming his hand right at Shaun. "Oblivion Crush."

A black ray with a pale blue outline erupted from Darkheart's palm, slamming into the Child of Wisdom and sending him into a nearby toy tower.

It took a few seconds for what had just happened to sink in; Oblivion Crush was an attack of the Shadow Mallet…but Darkheart didn't have the Shadow Mallet!

"I bet you're all wondering how I could use Oblivion Crush without the Shadow Mallet," said Darkheart, a wry smirk on his face.

"An explanation WOULD suffice," replied Izzy.

Darkheart smirked…and then he jumped and latched onto Omnimon's face. "A special ability of this armor: absorption…I've absorbed the Shadow Mallet…and now I'm going to absorb Omnimon."

Everyone gasped; Darkheart had the power to absorb power?! A chill ran through Ken's veins as he thought about it. _Oh no…if he absorbs Omnimon…_ The Child of Kindness quickly roared, "OMNIMON!!! **_GET HIM OFF!!!_**"

"What does it look like I'm doing?!" retorted the DNA Warrior as he tried to pry Darkheart off of his face…but that wasn't exactly easy when you had no fingers.

Suddenly, Omnimon began to feel a strange numbness creep over him…his body felt heavier…and he felt weaker. _What's…what's happening to me…?_

Without warning, Omnimon suddenly burst into nothing but a jumble of data particles.

Tai and Matt screamed, **_"OMNIMON!!!"_**

The data converged upon Darkheart, who grinned madly. "Yes…come to papa!"

A sudden sensation of electricity jolted through Darkheart's being…and he felt as though his insides were being rewritten by some strange, otherworldly force. _Huh…? What is this? What's happening?_

Was it a side affect of absorbing Omnimon's power? Did he absorb too much? Or was his body changing to handle that power?

All Darkheart knew was that he began screaming…and then he knelt down, clutching his chest. His bones felt like they were burning…and without warning, the sky darkened.

Red lightning erupted from above, surrounding Darkheart in a column of red energy…and oddly, it stayed there.

Everyone gazed at the glowing column of red light out of astonishment.

Finally, Mimi broke the silence. "What the heck is that?"

No one knew.

However, Kari felt a strange chill in the pit of her stomach.

----

/Yurikamome Monorail, Shinbashi Station, Odaiba, 8:39 AM/

The Yurikamome Monorail was one of Odaiba's connections to the mainland. It ran from Shinbashi Station all the way to Ariake, which was a large tennis arena. It ran through ten stops along the way – one of them the Odaiba-kaihin-koen Station – and passengers could see many sights along the way, among them the Fuji Television Station, Tokyo Tower, Rainbow Bridge, and the Palette Town Ferris wheel.

And right now, it was the sight of a defiant standoff between three factions.

One: a group of Veggiemon, RedVeggimon, and Gazimon; a part of UmbraDevimon's army.

Two: a group of fifteen Bakemon, one of them possessing a Frigimon. They were part of the Demon Corps.

Three: a small faction of ten Junsas and two Junsa-chos; they had been unfortunate enough to be inside the monorail when it was stormed by enemy Digimon.

Unfortunately for the police, they were caught in one car. They were being attacked from both sides…and their car's exit/entry door was jammed.

To get out, they would have to go through the doors connecting the cars together…and those doors were blocked by Digimon.

Another problem was much more troubling; they were running out of bullets.

The first Junsa-cho – a man named Dietz – fired his pistol at a Gazimon that tried to come through the door. He yelled, "Ilene! How much ammo do you have left?!"

The second Junsa-cho – a woman named Ilene – fired her Type-89 assault rifle at the opposite door; three Bakemon quickly got away from the door, avoiding the murderous barrage of bullets. The Type-89 assault rifle was a weapon used by the Japanese Self Defense Force; however, police stations held ample supplies of the weapon, for use inextreme cases. The Type-89 was roughly 34 inches long; the stock and the barrel were both made of metal, colored a dull gray. The gas-operated rifle had a solid stock and a banana-shaped clip; the clip itself held thirty 5.56 mm bullets.

Ilene had only brought one to the Shinbashi Station…and only ten clips. She had already used seven.

_BADDABADDABADDABADDA!!!_

Make that eight. Ilene cursed as she yelled, "Only two clips left!" She ejected the spent magazine and grabbed another from her pocket; after inserting it in, she kept the barrel aimed at the door.

Dietz grumbled as he opened fire on a Veggiemon. "Perfect…we aren't going to get anywhere like this!"

Hiding behind one of the right aisle's seats was a Junsa, his hands clutching his pistol tightly. He was currently ruing his situation…he had only been on the force for a month! A MONTH! And already he was dealing with things most police officers never deal with: monsters. REAL monsters. "Oh man…this is bad…this is bad…this is bad…"

"Rrr…"

The Junsa paused at the growling noise; he tilted his head to the right, peering out the window…and he saw the bloody grin of a Bakemon. "AAH-!"

The Bakemon's hand phased through the wall; being ghost Digimon, Bakemon were able to move their bodies through solid objects. Much to the horror of the Junsa, the hand wrapped around his neck and began crushing it.

Behind the Bakemon were six other Bakemon; they were going to phase through the side of the train and destroy the police from the inside.

The sound of the Junsa gagging reached Dietz's ears. He shifted his eyes…and gasped at the sight. "SHOOT!!! THEY'RE COMING THROUGH THE SIDES!!!"

This caught the attention of the Junsas and Ilene. Ilene and five Junsas turned their attention to the sides of the monorail car and opened fire on the Bakemon through the glass.

However, this was what the Bakemon had intended; it was a flanking maneuver.

Frigimon – now that Ilene's Type-89 assault rifle wasn't trained on the door – charged through into the police officers' monorail car, aiming his fist for the nearest Junsa. "Subzero Ice Punch!!!"

The Junsa screamed as the frigid vapor of Frigimon's punch rushed over him, utterly freezing him to the bone. With a final punch, Frigimon shattered the poor Junsa to pieces; his body was now nothing more than a shattered icicle.

Dietz's face was contorted into an expression that yelled, 'Does fate have it in for me?!' They were being outflanked, and they were being rushed…soon they would be dead-

Bullets tore into the seven Bakemon outside; they were completely shredded by the devastating barrage, becoming nothing more than threads of dirty white cloth on the ground. The remains of the Bakemon dissipated moments later. Unfortunately, the poor Junsa that had been grabbed by the Bakemon was dead; his neck had been pulverized.

Ilene noticed this. _Huh…? Who did that…?_

Frigimon was suddenly upon her. "Subzero-"

The Champion's chest exploded outward; Frigimon's eyes widened as his insides – which were nothing more than snow – dribbled to the floor. The Bakemon that had possessed the Frigimon drifted out, attempting to escape…but he too was torn apart by gunfire.

Dietz boggled at the sight. _Wha…?_

"Look!" yelled a Junsa.

On the other side of the monorail car, the group of Veggimon, RedVeggimon, and Gazimon were attacked from behind, falling under a volley of bullets.

Ilene blinked out of shock…was someone else in there with them?

Suddenly, a voice called, "Hold your fire! Fellow policemen coming through!"

Dietz and Ilene ordered the remaining eight Junsas to lower their weapons…and then those that had attacked the two Digimon factions stepped into their car.

From the side that had belonged to UmbraDevimon's forces, five Junsas and a Junsa-bucho stepped in. The Junsa-bucho was Himuro.

From the side that had been held by the Demon Corps, three Junsas, a Junsa-cho, and a Junsa-bucho stepped through. The Junsa-cho was Miyuki, and the Junsa-bucho was Ackerson.

Dietz and Ilene breathed a sigh of relief; they immediately recognized the senior policewoman and the two police sergeants. Ilene quickly said, "Man, are we glad to see you guys…"

Himuro chuckled as he quipped, "Well, we were in the neighborhood and decided to lend you a hand."

Miyuki quickly cut to the chase. "What's your status sergeant?"

Dietz quickly recounted the facts in his head. "Well…we were at this station when those monsters attacked…we originally started out with twenty officers, five senior policemen, and a sergeant…as you can see, we fared rather well, considering the civilians..." His eyes became downcast as he thought of the civilians…civilians that had died in horrible, horrible ways… "Civilian casualties for the Shinbashi Station are 100 percent."

Ackerson grimaced at those numbers. "Gah…this is getting ridiculous…"

Suddenly, all of their radios blared loudly; someone was speaking to every single police officer in Odaiba.

**"Attention members of the Odaiba Police Department; this is Inspector Macarthur speaking! All police officers are to relocate to the Fuji Television Station! With the loss of the police station, this place has become our fallback spot! I repeat: all police officers are to relocate to Fuji Television Station ASAP!"**

Ilene chuckled; the Inspector – known as a Keibu in Japan – was in charge of the Odaiba precinct of Tokyo. "Well well…looks like ol' chubby managed to get out of HQ before it was blasted to smithereens."

"Stow it girl. We've got our orders," quickly snapped Ackerson. "Let's move out. Remember, keep a regular check on your flanks."

With that, sixteen Junsas, three Junsa-chos, and two Junsa-buchos exited the Yurikamome Monorail and left the Shinbashi Station, leaving a bloody battleground behind them.

----

/Middle of Troposphere, General Area over Odaiba, 8:47 AM/

"Demon Flare Attack!"

UmbraDevimon grimaced as the flaming demon's head grazed his side; as they continued to descend further downward through the troposphere, the smaller and more nimble Demon was beginning to get the upper hand.

UmbraDevimon had to even those odds. "You little pest…now I'll show you real power!"

Demon smirked at UmbraDevimon's defiant words. "Is that so? So far, I've proven that I hold the power in this little contest of ours."

"We shall see!" roared UmbraDevimon as his horns began crackling with dark violet energy. "Apoc-"

_BOOM!!!_

UmbraDevimon and Demon both grunted out of surprise; a volley of Sidewinder air-to-air missiles had just slammed into the backs of both Mega Digimon. Both of them whirled around, simultaneously muttering, "Who dares…?"

Coming at them from both sides were ten F-2 fighters, five on each side. The F-2 was reminiscent in design to the United States F-16, right down to wing design and overall body structure; after all, the F-2 had been a joint development of Japan and the USA. Their color scheme was a tad different though; all white with streaks of red on the fuselage, wings, and the rear fins. Of course, the flag of Japan – white rectangle with a red sphere in the middle – was painted onto the side.

They all launched another volley of Sidewinder missiles.

UmbraDevimon snarled at the five fighters – and the five missiles – bearing down on him. "You dare incur my wrath?! Fine then…APOCALYPTIC VIPER!!!"

The dark violet energy that had been gathered onto his horns shot out at the five fighters and the five missiles as two gigantic bolts. The first bolt hit the central missile, creating a charge that leapt over to the other missiles; they were destroyed on the spot, becoming nothing more than ash. The second bolt hit the lead fighter; the bolt created a charge that zapped the other F-2 fighters, creating what looked like a belt of dark violet energy. Moments later, the fighters – and the pilots – crumbled into ashes.

However…Apocalyptic Viper was called such for a reason. Although it didn't look apocalyptic, the pain it caused its victims was immense; within the few moments before death, they would've experienced all the pain of the apocalypse itself.

Meanwhile…

"Impudent whelps…you would strike me?! You will pay with your lives!!!" Demon roared as he charged a massive orb of gray energy in his hands. "Apollyon Crusher!!!" With that, he heaved it toward the fighters.

The missiles crashed into the orb, utterly ceasing to exist. The moment the orb crashed into the fighters, it exploded violently. The pilots and their F-2 fighter jets utterly ceased to exist.

UmbraDevimon and Demon turned back towards each other. Now that the momentary distraction was over, they could get back to their fight.

----

/File Island, Primary Village, 8:50 AM/

"So…what are we going to do now?" asked Yolei with a melancholy tone.

No one really had an answer; ever since the red column of electricity had consumed Darkheart, the Digidestined and their partners had gathered up. None of them had yet to dedigivolve; even Shaun was still in his Holy Armor.

Right now, they were speaking of Omnimon's fate…and what was happening to Darkheart right now.

"You saw how he used Oblivion Crush; perhaps what he said about absorbing data was true," said Cody, his voice calm as usual.

Joe gulped as he muttered, "But if that's true, then if he absorbed Omnimon…"

"Keep it together Joe, we can't have you going through another panic attack," said Zudomon, his tone sarcastically reassuring.

Joe harrumphed at Zudomon's words. "I don't have panic attacks like I used to! I just remain calmly nervous…"

"Isn't that an oxymoron?" asked Tentomon.

Shaun was staring quietly at the ground…something about the whole situation didn't sit right with him. Something was happening with Darkheart…something that Shaun didn't like.

"Hey Shaun…how does Darkheart remind you of you?"

Shaun's eyes widened at Matt's request; he looked at the Child of Friendship with startled eyes. "What did you say?"

"Well, you said something earlier about how Darkheart reminded you of yourself…I was kind of wondering what you meant by that," asked Matt Ishida, curiosity evident in his voice.

"I was kind of wondering about that. Mind explaining?" asked Ken.

Shaun sighed; he DREADED memories of him…memories of Nega…

(Wargreymon) looked down at Shaun with empathy. "You…don't have to tell them…"

"It's okay (Wargreymon)," interrupted Shaun. "He asked…so I'll tell…" The Child of Wisdom leaned back on his hands, once again initiating a flashback. "It was about 2000 years ago…"

----

/Flashback/

/Shore of the Dark Ocean, the Dark World, 1989 Years Ago (Digital Time)/

Shaun Kamiya stared at the waters of the Dark Ocean quietly, his red cloak fluttering in the wind. Right behind him was a small white portal…the same portal he had just stumbled into.

"_Someone I loved had died…and I lost my way. I became lost…and this was roughly 300 years BEFORE I stumbled into the Dark World. I got disenchanted with my role in life…and I started doing anything to pass the time…"_

Shaun placed a hand over his right pocket; his Desert Eagle was still there. "What a wasteland…"

"_I became a mercenary…and I killed. And killed…and killed…and killed…I didn't care what I was paid to do. Gennai and (Agumon) tried to stop me…but I simply ignored them. I left them. I had completely given up my morals…I had became callous. Cold. Dark…"_

Shaun sneered as he looked at the black waters. "I have no business being here." He turned around to reenter the portal…then his ears heard a strange sound.

Rushing water. _Hmm?_ Shaun turned around…

"…_but there was a price to pay."_

…and saw a tidal wave. Shaun gaped at the sight; before he could run, the wave bore down on him. A tremendous splash erupted as Shaun was sent to the beach; black water soaked into his clothes.

"_I don't know how…but the Dark Ocean's water reacted to MY darkness somehow. In the end, it resulted in a whole new being…"_

Shaun sputtered out black water as he got to his feet. "Just great…I'm soaked."

Not only was he soaked, but he felt cold…unusually so.

He felt the black water in his clothes…squirming…moving. It wasn't moving down, like it should have – after all, gravity was still in affect, even in the Dark World – but it was moving UP.

Toward his mouth.

Before Shaun could even speak, all of the dark water on his body rushed into his mouth. He gagged; the salty and chilly taste of the water was absolutely putrid.

But deep within him, he could feel something stirring…moving. What was going on inside him? "What is this…?"

He suddenly fell to his knees, his hands clutching his throat; something was climbing out of his esophagus. If one were watching, you could see a spherical object bulging in his neck…and you could see it rising.

Shaun's mouth widened as he struggled to breathe; his entire mouth was surging with black vapor.

At that moment, a human hand came out of the mist.

Then the arm…then another arm. The two human-like hands clutched the sides of Shaun's mouth…and then a head came out.

Next came the chest…then the torso…then the hips…then the legs.

Shaun eagerly breathed as the human came out of his mouth; he collapsed to the ground, inhaling and exhaling deeply. The new human, meanwhile, looked out at the sea…and down at Shaun.

After a few moments, Shaun looked up at human…and his mouth dropped; he looked just like him…with a few differences.

Instead of spiky brown hair, he had spiky black hair. Instead of green denim jeans, he had black denim jeans. Instead of brown hiking boots with black soles, he had gray hiking boots with black soles. Instead of a violet button-up shirt, he wore a blue muscle shirt. Instead of white gloves, he wore no gloves. Instead of a red bandanna wrapped around his right elbow, it was a green bandanna wrapped around his left elbow. Finally; instead of emerald eyes, his eyes were blood red.

His mouth was contorted into a cruel smirk…and he was looking down at Shaun with mocking contempt. Finally – with a cocky, sarcastic variant of Shaun's voice – he spoke. "Well well well…how the mighty have fallen."

Shaun struggled to speak through his (now) sore throat. "Who…who are you?"

"I am the darkness that had grown within you…the darkness you've accumulated over the last few hundred years. But that's a bit of a drag for a name…so call me Nega," said Shaun's darkened copy with a wicked grin.

_BAM!  
_

Shaun winced as Nega kicked him in the gut, causing the Child of Wisdom to curl up in a fetal position. With a wicked smile, Nega stepped into the white portal.

For the first time in three centuries, Shaun just sat there…and wept.

/End Flashback/

----

Shaun sighed as he recalled Nega's wicked smile. "After he came into being, I felt like I could see again…I wept because I finally realized what I had been DOING. In a way, I was grateful for entering the Dark World…it gave me a wake-up call."

The Digidestined were silent.

Finally, Kari asked, "So…what happened after that?"

"Well…I returned to the Digital World and apologized to Gennai and (Agumon)…but Nega was already causing trouble." Shaun's fist clenched as he recalled all of the things that had transpired because of his dark twin. "He hounded me for 1000 years…never ceasing to annoy me at every turn, never ceasing to INFURIATE me…the things he did…but what upset me the most was his sadistic enjoyment of it all."

Shaun finally looked at them all, his emerald eyes once again making him look older than he looked. "That's why I was so mad at Darkheart…because he reminded me of Nega."

"That's real interesting…"

Everyone whirled around at the voice…Darkheart's voice. It was emanating from the red column of lightning…and it was thinning.

"But focus on the here and the now…because once I'm through with you all, you'll WISH I was Nega instead of Darkheart."

Finally, the red lightning bolt disappeared…and standing there was Darkheart.

However, he had changed.

Now he was eight feet tall; his black armor was more angular, doing away with any smoothness. Jagged, cruel-looking spikes jutted out and backwards from his forearms and shoulders; his helmet's 'V' was now large and more narrow, and two sharp black pincers protruded from the sides of his helmet, curving over his face. At that moment, a new symbol appeared over his chest plate; a wicked looking gray scar.

Darkheart chuckled as his new thrusters – which protruded from the armor over his back – flared with white-blue fire. He ascended into the sky above, glaring down at the Digidestined with a wicked glare…and a sadistic smile. "I'll show you true power…the power of my newest form; Stage 2: Fighter mode." He lookedalong the horizon at the small town that was Toy Town.

He raised his right arm…and then his hand – both of which were now covered by black armor – morphed into a large cannon. Then…he said two words.

"Supreme Cannon."

A white orb shot out from the cannon, spiraling away towards the small village.

_BOOM!!!  
_

Elecmon gaped as he saw Toy Town erupt in a plume of white energy. "NO!!! **_MY DIGIEGGS!!!_**"

"YOU JERK!!!" yelled Yolei with righteous fury. "You said you wouldn't destroy Toy Town if our partners digivolved!!!"

Darkheart smirked. "I lied." Seconds later, he crossed his arms over his chest…and pulled his legs into his body.

The male half of Aetherdramon recognized the move…after all, he had done it himself as Magnamon. Aetherdramon yelled, "WAIT!!!"

"**MAGNA EXPLOSION!!!"**

A sphere of black energy erupted from within Darkheart…and all of Primary Village was enveloped.

For the second time in four years, Primary Village had been utterly destroyed.

----

/Outside of Fuji Television Station, Odaiba, 9:03 AM/

"Out of the car, and get inside the station!"

Jim and Jun looked at the police officer confusedly. "Uh…actually, we're just moving to a safe area right now, and-"

"Not with those monsters outside. Out of the vehicle and into the television station. NOW."

Sighing, Jim and Jun quietly got out of the gray Honda, following the Junsa towards the Fuji Television Station.

Fuji Television Station was the headquarters of Fuji Television, the largest TV network in Japan. It reached 98 percent of the Japanese population, and its headquarters was a sight to behold. It was comprised of two main buildings – made of metal, glass, and stone – that were based on top of a light gray rectangular building that served as the foundation. These two buildings – which were shaped like upright rectangular prisms – were, in turn, connected by spans of enclosed walkways, including elevators. Situated amongst these walkways was a large metallic sphere; in all actuality, it was the Sphere Observation Deck. At 123.45 meters above the ground, the Observation Deck made the Fuji Television Station Odaiba's tallest building.

The Fuji TV Station had been rebuilt admirably…especially considering how it had been all but annihilated four years ago during the Odaiba Fog Incident.

And right now, a myriad of vehicles – with the majority being police vehicles – were gathered around the TV station. The Junsa led Jim and Jun towards the front doors, where a Junsa-bucho with a Winchester rifle was looking at them. The police sergeant looked at the officer and said, "Come on boy, you don't need to be so rough with them." The sergeant looked at Jun and Jim with a confident smile. "Sorry about the abrupt halt; names Ackerson. So…mind telling me why you two lovebirds are out on a day like this?"

Jim and Jun remained silent – their faces tinted red – at the 'lovebirds' comment. Quietly, Jim cleared his throat, saying, "Well, we aren't lovebirds…I was just driving to the university when I saw her in trouble. We were on our way to a safer place when we were halted by the police officer."

"Ah…well, whatever place you were going to isn't as safe as this place is at the moment…because right now, nobody's getting in or out of Odaiba…and this is the safest shelter for Odaiba." With that, Ackerson held the door open for them. "So come on in."

Sighing – mostly of exasperation, knowing that they wouldn't be able to catch up with Gennai now – Jun and Jim walked inside.

What they saw was quite the scene; a multitude of civilians had been gathered into the lobby, and a number of Junsas patrolled the area. Jun and Jim were escorted by a Junsa down a hallway and up an elevator to the third floor; unlike the first and second floors, the third floor was still relatively sparse…but there would be more people. That was a fact.

The Junsa led Jim and Jun to a bench and had them sit there. "Stay here. Someone will bring you food and water shortly." With that, the Junsa turned around and walked back towards the elevator.

Jun and Jim sighed; now they were stuck there.

"Man, this day's gone to the pits," muttered Jun. "How are we going to get to Gennai now?"

"We can't," bluntly replied Jim. "With the way things are, this place probably IS the safest placein Odaiba…I just hope Gennai managed to stay safe. He's our only connection to the Digidestined."

Jun grimaced at the thought; until they could get back to Gennai, there was no way they could keep track of the Digidestined. "I hope they'll be okay…"

"Like I said; have faith in them."

Jun couldn't help but smile at Jim's words…but right now, all she wanted to do was sleep. Too much was happening at once.

With that, she leaned back against the wall and closed her eyes. Within a minute, she was asleep.

Moments later, she slumped to the side…and onto Jim's right shoulder. The elder Kido child froze as Jun slept soundly on him, using his shoulder as a pillow.

Right now, Jim was feeling decidedly uncomfortable. _Wonderful. How come Joe and I are cursed with nervousness around females?_

----

/File Island, Ruins of Primary Village, 9:08 AM/

Darkheart looked around him; he felt nothing but satisfaction.

He had not used all of his power during the Magna Explosion; doing so would've destroyed the Digidestined and their partners, and that just wouldn't do.

All he had done was basically destroy all of Primary Village – and the Baby Digimon within – with his Magna Explosion. However, the influx of energy had knocked ALL of the Digidestined out, partners included.

To his surprise, Aetherdramon had been the only Digimon not to dedigivolve to the Rookie level. _Amazing…such willpower, even when out cold. I look forward to absorbing you…_

But not now. Later…when he felt like it.

Suddenly, his eyes fell upon Kari Kamiya. She was sprawled on the blackened ground, out cold and totally defenseless.

Darkheart smiled; he reached down with one hand and hoisted the Child of Light over his shoulders. With that, he turned to the west and started up his thrust-

"SUPER THUNDER STRIKE!!!"

Darkheart's eyes narrowed as a small orange bolt hit him in the back; he turned around to see Elecmon glaring at him defiantly. With his body banged up by the Magna Explosion, it was a miracle he was still standing.

"You…you destroyed my babies…I won't let you leave…" growled Elecmon, pure hatred in his voice.

_KA-CHICK._

Elecmon's eyes widened as Davis' left hand – transformed into the multi-barreled Magna Gun – aimed for his head.

Darkheart coldly said, "Watch me. Magna Gun."

**_BADDABADDABADDABADDABADDABADDABADDABADDABADDA!!!!!!_**

With Elecmon utterly destroyed by a point-blank volley of black bullets, Darkheart activated his thrusters and burst off at high speed to 01-111-BETA.

His destination: the abandoned ruins of the Gazimon town.

----

/Oval Office, White House, Washington D.C, United States of America, 7:10 PM/

Due to the way time zones affected the Earth, Washington D.C was thirteen hours behind Japan…and because of this, it was still Sunday, October 24th.

Inside the Oval Office of the White House – home to the President of the United States, arguably the most powerful person in the world – a general was meeting the president himself.

The general was clad in his green dress uniform, complete with all of the ribbons and medals he had garnered over his years of military service. Despite his slightly pudgy build and babyish face, his black eyes held keen battlefield wisdom. He was General Wesley, associated with the USMC…and the four silver stars on his shoulders signified his status as the Commandant of the Marine Corps; the highest rank a commissioned officer could achieve in the United States Marine Corps.

The man sitting in the desk twenty feet ahead of him, however, was in a rank infinitely higher. He had a lean, muscular figure, and he looked sharp in his blue suit; underneath the jacket was a white button-up collared shirt with a red tie. His salt-and-pepper hair may have contradicted his narrow blue eyes and lean face, but there was no denying it broadcasted his image of toughness and firmness…and that was especially true considering his tough stance on issues he felt strongly about.

He was Jonathon H. Yates; once a Republican Party nominee, and now the President of the United States. He was in his fifth year of office…and he knew what the Commandant was here for.

"Mr. President, we have a situation, sir," said General Wesley.

"So I've heard," remarked President Yates. "It's all over the news." With that, he quickly turned his face to a television on the side of a room; the news was on it, and a fairly old newscaster was speaking. Behind him were images from Japanese news cameras based outside of the Odaiba district. Even now, smoke and fire could be seen rising from the island district as creatures fought on the land, in the sea, and in the air.

**"We are receiving reports now from Tokyo, concerning monster attacks. These monsters, according to reports, are attacking the Odaiba district, which is situated on an island in Tokyo Bay. Some of these monsters have reportedly set up a defensive line on a 200-yard perimeter surrounding the Rainbow Bridge in the Shinagawa district, but this is inconclusive. However, in this reporter's opinion, these events mirror those of four years ago and EIGHT years ago. Four years ago, the infamous Odaiba Fog Incident took place; during this time, similar monsters invaded Odaiba and surrounded it in a nigh impenetrable fog barrier. As many of you may remember, these monsters could also be seen all over the world – even here in America – when another world appeared in the sky. Although many of you remember those events, not many of you may remember what happened eight years ago…but I do. Eight years ago, two monsters – one an orange dinosaur and the other a giant parrot – fought in a savage battle near the Highton View Terrace apartment complex. Guess where this occurred? Odaiba. What troubles this reporter is the four-year aspect of it all; eight years ago, two monsters appeared out nowhere in Odaiba. Four years ago, many more invaded Odaiba and other locations around the world when another world appeared in the sky, presumably the place these other creatures came from. But now, four years AFTER the Odaiba Fog Incident, two massive armies of these monsters have invaded Odaiba, and are now fighting each other, presumably for territory. However…if and when these destructive creatures are silenced, what will happen four years from now? Will-"**

President Yates cut off the television. "I'm sure you know by know the Japanese ambassador has called for our assistance."

General Wesley nodded. "Yes…he's citing Article 9 of the Japanese Post-War Constitution as well."

Yates nodded; after the end of World War II, General Douglas Macarthur had drafted the Post-War Constitution. Part of that constitution was Article 9; one of the points that article made was that all strategic defense of Japan would be left to the United States of America, in case of foreign attack. "Do you know why I called you here, General?"

General Wesley had an idea. "You want to send in the Marines to help fight off these monsters."

"Exactly." President Yates sighed as he stood up and stared out his window at the night sky. "General, I was president during the Odaiba Fog Incident…and I made the decision to use our armed forces to destroy those monsters that invaded our country. Public opinion supporting my decision was overwhelming…and I'm sure that by tomorrow, people will be supporting my decision as well."

"I understand sir," replied the Commandant. "What do you want me to do?"

President Yates turned around and stared straight at the Commandant. "I'm issuing an Executive Order on this. Your boys will be the first ones to make landfall in Japan. The Navy and the Air Force will be supporting you from outside Tokyo Bay shortly after they get there by aircraft."

The Commandant fought the urge to smile; since Jonathon Yates had once been in the armed forces himself, he knew that good commanders cared for their men. He liked the way the president referred to the Marines as the Commandant's 'boys'. "Yes sir. Do you want me to use Force Recon?"

Force Recon was the short name for the Marine Force Reconnaissance Unit; they were the elite fighting force of the USMC, much like the SEALs were to the US Navy and the SAS were to Britain.

Yates nodded. "Yes. Deploy Force Recon…I don't want to risk letting these creatures spreading beyond Japan and invade America again. Initial casualties are already higher than the Odaiba Fog Incident four years ago…and I'll be dead before I let an American civilian die at the hands of those monsters."

General Wesley, Commandant of the United States Marine Corps, nodded. "Yes sir, Mr. President."

Executive Orders were only issued by the President when he deemed that something was a threat to the country's national security…and for such a large-scale action that the President had in mind to take place, Congress would usually have to ratify it first.

But not now. There was no time to ratify this action through Congress…because by the time it was ratified, the monsters might've moved on from Japan and to America by then.

No…he was issuing an Executive Order on this matter. He would worry about the consequences later.

----

/01-111-BETA, Abandoned Ruins of Gazimon Town, Prison, 9:38 AM/

"Ow…"

Kari slowly looked around…where was she? Why was it so dark? Was something wrong with her eyes…?

No…there was nothing wrong. She was in a dark prison cell.

She tried to stand up…but she couldn't. Her wrists and ankles had been shackled to the wall by some of the cell's old chains. Who had done this…?

"About time you woke up."

Kari froze at the voice; she looked forward…and into the blood-red eyes of the newly transformed Darkheart Stage 2: Fighter mode.

He flashed a cruel grin at Kari. "I think it's time we had a heart-to-heart talk…"

----

To be continued…

Next time…

Episode 44: Entrapment

----

Author's Notes: And you thought things couldn't get bigger…now the United States is getting involved!

Hold on to your butts everyone…the scope is getting larger by the episode!

Oh, and out of curiosity; do you think this revision of Zero 2 would have higher ratings than the real season 02? And, if so, where would this show be better suited; Fox Box or Cartoon Network's Toonami?

See you soon, and please review!


	44. Entrapment

Standard Disclaimer: The day I own Digimon is the day I stop writing these. Until then, you'll still see these at the beginning of each and every episode.

Author's Notes: I have a few things I need to speak about…but I'll speak about them in reply to the reviewers.

To the reviews!

Cryotek531: Welcome to Zero 2 Cryotek! I'm glad you like this revision of Zero 2 (adds him to the list of people who like Zero 2). As for your Season 4 fic…well, I will be honest: I'm not a big fan of Season 4 (Digimon Frontier); it just never connected to me like the first three seasons did (especially 1 and 2). I'll check your fic out since you asked, but don't expect me to read a lot of it (you do have a FFnet account, right?). Nevertheless, welcome!

Out of curiosity, what was your old favorite?

reviewer: Well, a simple 'didn't like this chapter' isn't enough. Mind saying WHY you didn't like the last chapter? Is it the seemingly darker direction recent episodes have taken with the coming of the invasion of the Real World? Is it that the Digidestined aren't getting as much attention as they used to? I'm all ears!

By the way, by ratings, I mean the ratings a show gets when they pertain to how many people watch the show.

Anthony1: Eh, I think Toonami would be best; not actually violent enough for Adult Swim (you KNOW some things will be edited on the show's trip across the Pacific, unless they do an Uncut deal like with season 1 of _Big O_), but more mature than most, if not all, fare on Fox Box.

SR71Will: Wow. I appreciate how much people like my revision…but enough to replace the actual show? Wow (after all, there are a lot of people who liked the show…although I'm certain no one appreciated the final battle with MaloMyotismon).

Cloud-821: This brings up one of my points; with the current way things are going, should I ramp this up to the PG-13 rating (I personally don't think so, there have been no swear words, and the violence is mostly concerning Digimon; after all, most Digimon simply disperse into particles upon dying instead of becoming a bloody corpse like humans do)?

As for the Forbidden City…be patient. There's still a big story twist concerning the Forbidden City that has yet to reveal itself…;)

Ninetalesuk: Ooh! New playmate for XeedMilleniummon! :D (watches…then blinks as WarDevidramon is sucked in a time vortex made by XeedMilleniummon) Whoops. O.o;

ficmaster: Wrong about X3…I managed to get it out less than fifteen minutes before Wednesday began! :P

Dot Cubed: Well…Nega is someone who comes into play in _Past Journeys_…and remember; Shaun doesn't HAVE a split personality. He's experienced almost 6000 years of stuff; people are bound to be affected in some way. ;)

Snodin: I was kind of wondering when you were going to get out of the box. :P

But Snodin brings up my next point; my words in Episode 42. I will admit I may have been a bit harsh – you could say the words rolled from my tongue and onto my fingers before setting up camp on my keyboard – but I wanted to make a point. Like I said, I have no problem with speculation…but keep it to a minimum. I don't want my reviews to be reduced to 'butt-kissing' (as a FFnet columnist so elegantly put it), but I don't want my story to be spoiled like this. Here's a solution; how about you not look at the reviews for hints, like Snodin pointed out?

As for your point about the war, I agree; I would much rather be showing Zero 2: A Revision through the power of the television.

And since you were so helpful, you get an obligatory booting off a cliff! :D

(watches Snodin explode)

Er…maybe not. O.o;

The Queen of All Ninjas: You really think I'd have Darkheart go bye-bye so soon? Au contraire, mon fraire!

starauthor23: You're still all the way back in episode 15? You've got 29 episodes to catch up to! :P And since you reviewed four times…(boots him off a cliff thrice)

And starauthor23 brings up another point; I've been a part of FF for over three years now, but I've heard one term I never understood: Mary Sue. I have NO earthly idea what a Mary Sue is. So…anyone mind enlightening me?

Begin!

----

_The war continues on…_

_And now, another country is stepping into the fray…_

_But in the Digital World, another war has begun…_

_A civil war between the Digidestined…and one of their own._

_He was Davis Motomiya…_

_But now…he is Darkheart._

----

"Hello…it's little ol' me, Darkheart. I guess you could say I'm a little new to the neighborhood…so I introduced myself – the NEW me – to the Digidestined. Judging from the dead Babies, the crushed Digieggs, and the smoking remains of Primary Village, you could say the introduction went rather well. And I got a prize: Kari Kamiya. And I intend to have a little heart-to-heart talk with her…"

----

Episode 44: Entrapment

----

/File Island, Ruins of Toy Town, 9:39 AM/

Toy Town was utterly demolished.

Darkheart's Supreme Cannon attack had all but destroyed the childish village; only a few of the hardier buildings had withstood the blast.

The same could not be said of the toys that took up residence there. The same could not be said of Monzaemon, the caretaker of Toy Town's residents. The same could not be said for the few thousand Digieggs that had been completely smashed into pieces by the ferocity of the attack.

It was a repeat of four years ago, when the Dark Masters had destroyed Primary Village and crushed the Digieggs within. Darkheart had done both.

However, we look at this now-decrepit place for one reason, and one reason only.

A Digiegg.

Specifically, one Digiegg that had survived the blast. Either someone high up was favoring the Digimon within…or maybe the young one within was blessed with a lot of luck.

Either way, it was nestled into a small cubbyhole between two ruined buildings, barely touched by the rubble. That it had survived was a miracle.

Then…it began to crack.

The Digiegg was hatching.

----

/01-111-BETA, Abandoned Ruins of Gazimon Town, Prison, 9:40 AM/

Kari wanted to be anywhere else right now. File Island. War-torn Odaiba. Heck, even UmbraDevimon's Lair would've sufficed…but anywhere but here.

Now she was chained to the wall, completely at the mercy of Darkheart.

Despite this, she began struggling and writhing against her binds. Darkheart chuckled at this show of futility. "You'll find escaping quite impossible…you won't be escaping. Not until I'm done with you."

Kari dreaded the thought of what Darkheart had in mind. Was it torture? Slow, painful death? Even more puns? Finally, she gathered up her courage and quietly asked, "What…what do you want with me?"

Darkheart leaned in close to Kari's face, his red eyes peering straight into her amber irises. The close proximity was extremely unnerving to the Child of Light.

Finally, Darkheart spoke with a satirical tone. "I want to thank you."

Was she dreaming? She had to have been dreaming…why else would Darkheart thank her?!

But she wasn't dreaming. Darkheart had indeed thanked her. "Uh…why?"

Darkheart grinned at Kari's seemingly obliviousness to the obvious…at least in his opinion. "Are you really that blind? Silly girl…I have you to thank for my existence. After all, it was the previous owner of this body who was smitten with you…and those feelings were the key to my rise."

"Huh? What are you talking about?" asked Kari, honestly bewildered by Darkheart's words.

Darkheart smacked his head out of exasperation, muttering, "Criminy, I can't believe you're this dense…"

"Hey!"

"But nevertheless, I'll tell you; it was Davis Motomiya's feelings for you that allowed UmbraDevimon to corrupt him," explained Darkheart, his eight-foot frame towering over Kari. "Think about it…he feels more for you than anyone else he has ever known…do you think UmbraDevimon, as foolish as he is, would let something like that slip by untouched?"

"I still don't get what you're saying," replied Kari, still indignant at being called 'dense'.

Darkheart frowned. "So that's how it is…fine then."

A swift movement.

Kari sharply exhaled; Darkheart's right hand was now clutching her head. Her breathing quickened as dark energy swirled around the corrupted Digidestined's fingers. Darkheart's voice became dark and cruel. "If you won't see willingly…**_then I will show you._**"

Kari gasped as she went blind with darkness…and then she saw nothing but white.

----

/File Island, Ruins of Primary Village, 9:43 AM/

Piximon and Leomon stared with awe.

They had not been in Primary Village earlier that day; as a matter of fact, the two had gone to the Yokomon Village to try and accrue help for the purpose of returning the Digieggs to Primary Village…but that's when they had heard – and seen – the explosions.

The two had immediately rushed back to Primary Village…and that's what they were staring at.

What had once been the birthplace of all Digimon – save for those of the Dark persuasion – was nothing more than a blackened patch of land. Few of the towers remained. It looked even worse than what the Dark Masters themselves had wrought four years ago.

Leomon paled at the sight; his mouth was wide open. "No…not again…who could have done this?"

Piximon already knew…he somehow knew that it had been Darkheart. But why? _Something like this is the work of one who is cruel and callous…Darkheart is nothing more than a mindless servant…unless…_

Had something changed?

Either way, the attention of both Digimon was suddenly captured by movement; Aetherdramon was rising from the ground.

The hybrid Digimon moaned as he held his head. "Ow…"

"Aetherdramon."

Aetherdramon blinked as he turned to the sound; it was Leomon who had spoken, and he was standing there beside Piximon. "Leomon? Piximon?"

Piximon quickly said, "Tell us what happened here…and if Darkheart was the one behind this atrocity, tell us anyway."

----

/01-111-BETA, Abandoned Ruins of Gazimon Town, Prison, 9:49 AM/

Inside the prison, things seemed the same.

Kari was still chained. Darkheart was still standing over her.

However…both of their eyes were unfocused…hazy…

It was because Darkheart was showing Kari something on an entirely different plane of reality…and that 'something' was the memories of Davis Motomiya.

----

Kari blinked again.

She still saw nothing but white.

For the past several minutes, all she had seen was a limitless expanse of white. Couple that with the fact that she was floating, and you could understand why she was so disoriented.

"Hello?" Her voice echoed outward, seemingly repeating itself endless times. Kari frowned; where the heck was she?

Flash.

The white was suddenly replaced by a school playground. Kids played soccer in the fields, children played basketball on the concrete courts, among other activities…

"AGH!!!"

Kari's eyes fell upon a group of five kids picking on a small boy, who had been the one to scream. To her distaste, one of those activities was bullying.

"_Welcome to the Kyoto of five years ago."_

Kari whirled her head around; that had been Darkheart's voice! "Where are you?!"

"_Oh, don't worry about me…worry about the little boy getting his head handed to him." _

Kari looked down at the boy once more; judging from what she was seeing, the boy was trying to get his soccer ball back from some mean-spirited kids. They all appeared to be about seven years old…but something about the center one…

"Give me back my ball!" roared the young boy in the center, his brown-maroon hair matted with sweat. He was roughly shoved away by a boy in the center, being sent into the ground with a thud.

Kari frowned; he looked…familiar…

"_Come now. You don't recognize my handsome mug?"_

It clicked in. She was looking at a seven-year old Davis Motomiya. As she realized who it was, the pain she felt was magnified. Although watching someone being bullied hurt her inside…knowing that Davis was the victim increased the pain she felt. She indignantly looked into the sky where Darkheart's voice originated. "Why are you showing me this?!"

_"Nah ah ah, no answers before the climax…"_

The image of Kyoto began fading. The last thing Kari saw was that of Davis lying on the ground, beaten and bruised…

…and alone.

Then there was the white once more.

_"Fast forward by one year. The small bank both of the wimp's parents worked at was absorbed by a larger bank in Tokyo…and they moved to none other than Odaiba. Guess what happens two months after they move?"_

The moment Kari saw a fog-covered city take the place of the white expanse, she knew what Darkheart was alluding to.

"The Odaiba Fog Incident," replied Kari, her body floating into the foggy bank that surrounded Odaiba.

_"Exactly…I'm sure you know about Myotismon's dealings with the little children."_

Kari knew what Darkheart meant. Back when she had yet to receive her digivice – which would officially make her the 8th Digidestined child – Kari had been hunted by Myotismon because of a prophecy that stated she would be his downfall. To aid in his pursuit of the Eight Child, Myotismon had gathered up many multitudes of children in the Odaiba Convention Center.

One of those children had been Davis Motomiya.

Kari watched quietly; she was now in the Convention Center…and right now, Myotismon was beside Gatomon, waiting for her to identify the Eight Child for him.

Kari subconsciously shivered at the mere sight of Myotismon. His slim, tall body was clothed in a blue uniform; the clothing around his chest was lined with two rows of gold buttons, surrounded by a yellow outline. Two black belts were buckled around his waist, with two more belts moving across his thighs and attaching to the belts behind his back. His large, black boots both had the image of a skull on them. His blue, form-fitting uniform clothed his long, thin arms, while his hands – which were separated from the rest of the arm by thick bronze bracelets – were covered by black gloves. On his shoulders and gloves, the same symbol existed – save for the color scheme, with the color being red and gray respectively – upon them: a winged bat. His long, billowing cape – which extended down to his calves – was black on the outside and red on the inside. It was tied around his neck by a golden bat buckle, and the cape's collar – which was split into four petal-like parts – was at least a foot higher than Myotismon's head. His head was topped by neatly combed blonde hair, save for a few strands that fell over his eyes, which were covered by an eye mask. His skin was light blue - as were his eyes – and his face was lean, but not bony. The red eye mask – which ended around the ears in wing-like extensions – sealed his aristocratic appearance.

Of course, he was most definitely not an aristocrat. He was evil through and through.

Myotismon's voice – deep and cultured – authoritatively said, "Is this the one?"

Gatomon looked quietly at a blonde-haired girl. She shook her head, mumbling, "Mm mmm."

Myotismon scowled. "Next."

_"Guess who was next after that?"_

Kari gasped out of astonishment; the kid standing in front of Myotismon now was none other than the eight-year old Davis Motomiya. "What…?"

Young Davis frowned as he stared at Myotismon, a scowl on his face. He didn't like this guy…he was bad news, just like all the kids that bullied him.

"Is this the one?" asked Myotismon. A shake of Gatomon's head was all the answer Myotismon needed. "Gah…away with this one. Next."

"Wait!" yelled Davis Motomiya, his brown eyes glaring at Myotismon with youthful defiance. "Why are you doing all of this?! What's the point?!"

Myotismon sneered at the young boy. "Impudent little whelp…" At that moment, however, a malicious smile came to his face. "But then again, the young ones should know what is to come." At that moment, he spoke loudly to anyone within hearing range. "Listen up, all of you! I am Myotismon, the vampire lord of darkness! Once I locate the Eighth Child, I will destroy him…OR her. It matters not. Then I will ascend to my rightful position as ruler, and all worlds shall be mine!"

His speech was done. With a confident smile, Myotismon looked back down at Davis Motomiya. "Now run along…I have a Digidestined to find."

Davis had no such intentions. His teeth clenched as his hands balled into fists._ Stupid guy…thinks he's so tough! He's just like all of the other mean kids…nothing more than a big bully!!!_ In his moment of anger, Davis reared his right leg and kicked Myotismon in the shin.

Myotismon's eyes bulged out of his head; it wouldn't have hurt so much had he been prepared for it. But he wasn't. And I mean, think about it! A mere human child, daring to kick him in the left shin! The audacity of it…it was just too OUT there to even be considered! Needless to say, Myotismon NEVER would've figured a mere human to try and strike him, an Ultimate Digimon of great power.

But that was Davis for you; defiant to the last.

So Myotismon paid for his inability to stay prepared.

"_**YEEEEOOOOWWWW!!!!"**_

The humans within the Convention Center stared in awe. Gatomon tried her hardest not laugh. After all, Myotismon was now hopping up and down on his right foot, clutching his aching left leg. It would've been comedic, had the victim not been Myotismon.

Once the pain subsided moments later, Myotismon glared daggers at young Davis. "Why you…impetuous troublemaker!!! Taste the wrath of Myotismon!!!" A tendril of red energy extended from Myotismon's right hand, formed like a whip. "Crimson Lightning!!!"

Kari turned her eyes away as Myotismon reared his arm and struck Davis in the chest with his Crimson Lightning attack. A sharp exhale of breath escaped the young Motomiya child as the lancet of red energy lashed across his chest, sending his small frame flying several yards away. The young human gagged as tears came out of his eyes on their own. His white shirt had been cut, revealing a bloody mark underneath.

Myotismon snorted as he stared at the young boy. "A waste." He then stared at all of the humans once more. "Let that be a warning to all those who try to defy me! And let me assure you, you won't get off so easily." His glare sealed the deal; he was mad, and everyone knew it. "Now if you don't mind…NEXT!!!"

The next boy leapt in line.

Kari looked at young Davis' unmoving form with sorrowful eyes. He was just lying there, twitching from the burning pain of the Crimson Lightning. No one got near him…for they feared Myotismon's reaction should they try and help him.

All the while, Darkheart was laughing. _"Ha ha ha! You've gotta admit, that kid's got spunk."_

The image of Odaiba's Convention Center began to fade. The last thing Kari saw was that of Davis lying on the ground, burned and scarred…

…and alone.

Then there was the white once more.

_"Fast forward another week. It's a few days after the Digidestined destroyed Apocalymon…and the Digital World has been sealed off. Davis' old school was destroyed by VenomMyotismon, so he had to go to a new one. We are now witnessing his first day…and we are at lunch time."_

Kari suddenly blinked; she was staring at the school she went to. It took her a moment to recognize the scene from four years ago.

Davis Motomiya was sitting at one of the outside tables, munching on a carrot stick angrily. Just once, he had hoped he would find a school with good kids…but no! There were still bullies! No matter where he went, they always made his life worse! And to make matters even more irritating, some of the kids recognized him as 'the idiot from the Convention Center'! It was maddening!

_Man…my older sister has friends…and my mom and dad have each other…why can't I have someone special in my life? WHY CAN'T I HAVE ANY FRIENDS?!?!_

"Hi!"

Davis' thoughts were interrupted by a sweet, kind voice. He turned around to see an eight-year old girl about his size staring at him with amber eyes. A smile was plastered onto her face, making her short brown hair seem all the more radiant.

Davis was immediately on guard; why else would this girl want to speak with him if not to deride him in some way? After all, that's what everyone else did. Why would she be any different-

"My name's Kari Kamiya. Want to be friends?"

It had been as simple as that. The offer had been so completely simple that young Davis had trouble registering it. _Did I hear what I just hear?_ "Um…sure."

"Great! What's your name?"

It wasn't a dream…this was REAL. This girl – Kari Kamiya – had decided to become his friend. Just like that. A smile crept onto his face before he said, "My name's…Davis Motomiya."

And that's how their friendship had started.

Kari smiled as she stared at this scene from the past, her body suspended in midair. Unlike the previous two scenes, this one made her smile.

_"And…cut!"_

The scene faded away into the white, and then it faded as well, revealing reality once more.

----

/01-111-BETA, Abandoned Ruins of Gazimon Town, Prison, 10:00 AM/

Kari blinked as she saw the prison once more. Darkheart removed his hand from Kari's head, looking down at her with a smug grin. "Understand now? Understand why I'm here?"

Kari frowned; she had no idea WHERE Darkheart was going with this. "Uh…no."

Darkheart sighed. "That's what I thought…oh well, it just means more fun for me." His hand began crackling with dark energy again. "You're about to look through the eyes of Davis' very soul…and you will experience what he felt when UmbraDevimon corrupted for him. Feel the sorrow and anguish he felt…and then you'll understand!"

Darkheart touched Kari's forehead with her finger, once more taking her to the strange realm of white…except this time, it was black instead of white. As Darkheart had said, she was now staring through the eyes of Davis' golden soul.

Then she saw the darkness…the Black Gears…and the red eyes of UmbraDevimon.

And then the corruption began.

As Kari screamed and wailed at the agonizing anguish Davis' soul endured – which, subsequently, meant SHE was enduring it as well – Darkheart smiled.

----

/Sphere Observation Deck, Fuji Television Station, Odaiba, 10:05 AM/

Inspector Macarthur stared quietly from his spot inside the television station's observation deck; the entire city district that had been under HIS protection was under siege.

He was dressed in a brown trench coat, complete with khakis and a brown belt that was rather small for his rotund belly. He wore a white collared shirt under his trench coat, complete with a green tie. His bald head was dotted with sweat, and his black mustache was unkempt. His green eyes were filled with worry…and no one could blame him for that. All in all, he looked rather well, especially considering what had happened in the past few hours.

Why did fate have it in for him? Why was Odaiba of all places cursed to bear such bad tidings? There had been the two monsters at Highton View Terrace, then the Odaiba Fog Incident, and now this…

_God…what a horrendous mess_. He had SOME consolation, however. He had just received word a few minutes ago over the station's emergency channels – despite the condition of the city around them, Fuji Television Station continued to send and receive satellite signals – that the United States was sending help. Force Recon would arrive within 18 hours, with a full backup of 10,000 Marines following shortly thereafter. They would come equipped with air and naval support.

And that was good enough for him. Anything to fight off the menace that now plagued Odaiba.

He couldn't watch anymore. He had to check on everyone else.

With that, he advanced down the stairs, instead of an elevator. He could use the exercise.

Starting at the fifth floor – that was the highest floor any of the civilians had been sent to – Macarthur visited the civilians, trying his best to comfort them.

By the time he reached the third floor, he was getting tired…but hey, the work of a policeman was never done.

Then his eyes found something that made him feel a little better. A blue-haired college boy – Jim Kido – was sitting on a bench, sleeping soundly. Next to him was a girl – Jun Motomiya – with spiky dull-cherry hair, also sleeping…and she was using his body as a pillow. Jim's right arm was wrapped around her head, while Jun's right arm was draped across his upper body.

"Lover's embrace…how cute." It made Macarthur feel better; at least SOME people weren't affected by this whole war. With that, the Inspector moved on.

Poor Jun and Jim…they had unconsciously moved around, thus resulting in the compromising position they were now in.

One thing was for sure; the moment they woke up was going to be awkward.

----

In the cloudy skies above Tokyo Bay, however, a battle was still being waged.

LadyDevimon quickly yelled to a group of ten Bakemon to her side. "Left flank! Hide behind Megadramon and then get ready to possess any stragglers!"

Before the Bakemon could roar their approval, a shout rang out across the air.

"Dark Viper!!!"

LadyDevimon instinctively retreated…and good thing for her; the ten Bakemon to her side were incinerated by a ray of darkish energy that emanated from the sky above.

The Black General immediately looked up to see Lord Demon drop from the cloudy bank, with UmbraDevimon in hot pursuit.

Demon quickly extended his hands. "Chaos Inferno!!!"

UmbraDevimon swatted the stream of blue hellfire away with his two left arms; the fire was redirected to another part of Odaiba. The flames set several buildings afire.

Demon narrowed his eyes at UmbraDevimon, and vice-versa. The demonic Mega said, "You're more trouble than you give yourself credit for."

"I'm flattered," replied the devilish Mega with a wicked grin.

Despite their talk, however, it was clear that the two Megas were reaching the end of their endurance. They had been fighting nonstop for the last few hours…and it was clear that the forces of their armies were reaching the edge of their limits as well.

Thus, a ceasefire was in order…at least for a little while.

"I have a proposition for you Demon," said UmbraDevimon with a stout expression.

Demon quickly said, "If it involves invoking a ceasefire until our armies recover, then I agree."

UmbraDevimon blinked. "What? But how-?"

Demon chuckled as he pointed a finger at his head. "Telepathy. Useful, is it not?"

UmbraDevimon scowled at Demon…but then he nodded. "Very well." He then broadcasted a mental message to his army. _All of you, stop fighting. Return to the Odaiba endpoint of the destroyed bridge._

Demon did the same with his Demon Corps. _Attention all soldiers. Report to the fallback spot on the other side of Rainbow Bridge. We will rest and recuperate_.

With that, all fighting stopped. It was as though someone had muted everything in Odaiba. You would never think that such ferocious combatants would stop so suddenly…but they did.

Numerous Digimon of all levels crisscrossed paths with the soldiers of the Demon Corps as they went to their fallback spots. No one even tried to strike each other, not even the Black Generals.

For you see, UmbraDevimon's Digimon stopped fighting because they were slaves to his will, and they did what they were told.

However, the Digimon of the Demon Corps stopped fighting because of their loyalty to their commander: Demon.

The fighting had stopped.

But it would begin again.

----

/01-111-BETA, Abandoned Ruins of Gazimon Town, Prison, 10:13 AM/

Darkheart chuckled at the sight; Kari was sagging against her chains, sobbing quietly. "You understand now? Do you understand HOW you contributed to my existence?"

Kari couldn't answer; the pain she had just experienced had probably been the most heart-wrenching thing she had ever endured. To feel Davis' agony and sorrow as he had been corrupted…to grasp the tumultuous feelings he had suffered when UmbraDevimon had tried to turn his own heart against him…to feel his anguish at being corrupted…it had been too much…

"His feelings for you led to this. If he hadn't been so attached to you, none of this mess would've occurred…so in a way, my existence is owed to you." Darkheart smiled as he watched Kari writhe; he was going to make her suffer, just like he had said he would.

His right hand's index finger began to glow with red energy; the mere heat of it gave his finger a wavy appearance, much like a road that has been under the sun all day.

As Darkheart neared her, Kari muttered, "Why…why did Davis have to go? We want him back…"

"Silly girl…he's right here."

Kari's eyes widened at Darkheart's words; her head bolted upward to stare at Darkheart's eyes. "What do you mean?! But I thought Davis' soul…"

"I know. I thought the exact same thing when I realized the little bugger was still alive." His chest plate seemed to part open, revealing Darkheart's muscular chest. In his sternum was the Crest of Miracles…and it still glowed with a brilliant gold color. "It's this crest of his…it's keeping his soul from being totally corrupted, but I don't mind. I'm still harnessing golden boy's power, and that's all I care about."

Kari froze as Darkheart came closer. His red eyes seemed to gleam as he lowered his glowing red finger towards her bare right arm. "And if you think he hates me now, he's going to be screaming like a banshee when I'm through with you. Now hold still."

His burning finger touched Kari's skin…and the screaming began.

----

/File Island, Ruins of Primary Village, 10:17 AM/

Mimi resisted the urge to cry as she looked down at the ground; all that remained of the Baby Digimon were shadows etched into the ground, courtesy of the Magna Explosion. She didn't even care that her strawberry blonde hair was unkempt or that her pink capri pants were caked with dirt.

All she felt was sorrow for the Baby Digimon. Mimi mumbled, "Those poor babies…" She quickly clasped a hand over her stomach as vomit rushed past her lips.

From a distance, Matt stared on solemnly. His arms were full of blackened quilts that had once been part of Primary Village's surface. "Poor Mimi…she's been hit real hard by this."

"And you can't blame her."

Matt turned his head to see Joe standing right beside him, his eyes staring at Mimi quietly. "I think she might be more affected by Primary Village's destruction than any of us…after all, I saw her reaction when she saw Primary Village four years ago. She was crushed."

Matt grimaced as he thought about it; Mimi had witnessed the ruins of Primary Village – the birthplace of all Digimon – twice. No one – especially not a sweet girl like Mimi – deserved to witness such devastation.

The Child of Friendship sighed as he went back to gathering up the remaining pieces of Primary Vil-

"_**WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU CAN'T FIND HER?!?!?!"**_

Matt nearly dropped all of the burnt quilt at Tai's sudden outburst; he whirled around to see Tai staring open-mouthed at Aetherdramon, Leomon, Piximon, and TK.

"Whoa Tai, calm down! You're going to burst a blood vessel!" exclaimed TK.

"CALM DOWN?!" roared the Child of Courage. "HOW CAN I CALM DOWN WHEN KARI'S MISSING?!?!"

Leomon tried to intervene. "Young child, you must remain calm-"

"I ALREADY SAID I CAN'T CALM DOWN!!! WE HAVE TO FIND KARI FIRST!!!" yelled Tai, fully in 'Super Ultra Hyper Protective Brother Mode, Deluxe Version'.

Thwap.

Tai winced as Piximon whacked him on the head with the blunt side of his spear. Piximon quietly said, "You'll do no good stomping around like a chicken with its head cut off, nope nope nope! Keep your head on your shoulders! Ranting isn't going to find Kari."

Tai quietly forced himself to calm down…a few deep breaths later, he was in plain old 'Calmly Protective Brother Mode, Version 1.0'. "Okay…sorry. I just can't help but wonder…if we can't find her…does that mean Kari…?" He didn't want to say the unspeakable. Nobody wanted to admit that a fellow Digidestined might have died.

"No, she's not dead," spoke Aetherdramon's female half. "Trust me, I would know if she's dead."

"But if she's not dead…then where is she?" asked TK out of concern.

No one knew the answer to that.

----

/Dragomon's Palace, City of Cthulu, Dark World, 10:21 AM/

Dragomon was enraged.

As the pinnacle of darkness, he was in tune with his element…and he was also aware of the light itself.

And right now, the pinnacle of light – Kari Kamiya – was being tortured by Darkheart.

That drove him off the deep end. That such a juvenile would attempt to defile the purest source of light in the human race…

Unacceptable. He would not allow this atrocity to continue.

He willed forth part of his great power…and he opened a portal to the Digital World.

----

/01-111-BETA, Abandoned Ruins of Gazimon Town, Prison, 10:23 AM/

Darkheart was whistling to himself. Kari's arms and legs were now crisscrossed with red lines: a result of the burns his index finger had caused.

Now, he was etching some words onto Kari's cheeks with that same index finger. Kari had already fainted from the pain; she couldn't feel anything now.

"There. Done." Darkheart chuckled as he stood up and stepped back, admiring his work. "Not a bad piece of art, if I do say so myself."

_"You ignorant fool."_

Darkheart raised an eyebrow out of surprise. He turned around to see a portal…and on the other side of that portal was the enraged countenance of Dragomon himself. "Well, if it isn't squid-face," said Darkheart nonchalantly, as if he weren't afraid of Dragomon. And truthfully he wasn't…even though the Ultimate Digimon was still more powerful than him, even WITH Omnimon's power being part of him (hey, he's the Lord of the Dark Ocean!).

Dragomon's voice echoed through the portal. _"You dare try to corrupt the pinnacle of light? Such impudence!"_

"Aw, don't be so steamy squiddy. She's only a little Digidestined," replied Darkheart.

_"She is the key to the greatest power in the universe: a successful integration of light and darkness."_

Darkheart scoffed. "Oh really? Then why haven't you done it yet, 'Mr. Omnipotent'."

_"That time has yet to come you incompetent juvenile."_

"Incompetent? Really?" Darkheart stood aside and pointed his arms at Kari. "At least I actually have my hands on her, which is more than YOU can say."

_"Indeed…but I have a saying: 'The prudent are the victors'. I have waited a long time for the Child of Light…I can wait longer if need be…but until then, you will not taint her light with your impure hands. Forbidden Trident!!!"_

Darkheart grunted as a lancet of green energy erupted from Dragomon's trident and slammed into him. He grimaced as he watched Dragomon's tentacle-esque hand grab Kari. "But…how did you hurt me…?"

_"Your incompetence has been proven. I am Dragomon, Lord of the Dark Ocean! There are currently no Digimon in the world of living who are capable of defeating me. The Guardian Beasts. XeedMilleniummon. Neomon. Gravemon. Those are the only Digimon that have ever demonstrated greater power than me…not even Demon compares. If I wanted to, I could crush all opposition in the Real and Digital Worlds without delay! So heed my words little man…you will not try to impede on my quest to becoming one with the light."_

Once Kari was on the other side of the portal, Dragomon closed it.

Darkheart was alone.

The corrupted Child of Miracles gritted his teeth; how dare Dragomon humiliate him like this?! "You think I'm incompetent, eh? Fine then…I'll show you! I'll absorb ALL of the Digidestined, including Kari! I'll become the greatest villain in the annals of Digiworld's history…and when I do, I'll make a plaque that says 'Darkheart: Greatest Villain Ever' and shove it in your face!!!"

Darkheart seethed as he stomped out of the prison; apparently, he had a bit of his host's ego.

But before he could head back to File Island…he had someone he needed to speak to.

----

/Dragomon's Palace, City of Cthulu, Dark World, 10:27 AM/

Dragomon stared down at the Child of Light quietly. She was a manifestation of light. He was a manifestation of darkness. They were destined to be together…in a way, only Dragomon could fully appreciate Kari's power, and what she truly was.

Kari moaned quietly in her unconscious state; the pain was beginning to make itself known to her consciousness.

"Do not worry Kari Kamiya…my Queen of the Light. You will recover from this atrocity inflicted upon you…you will rise up and destroy all who oppose you with the aid of the Digidestined…and when the time is right, our fates will intertwine, and we shall become one flesh…"

As he spoke, Dragomon opened a portal to Primary Village. As he neared the end of his small speech, he lightly tossed Kari in. She would fall no more than five feet to the ground on the other side; she would be fine.

"…and then a new era for the universe will begin."

----

/File Island, Ruins of Primary Village, 10:29 AM/

Gomamon grumbled as he swept away some dust; why did HE have to do this part? It didn't help that the dust were the vaporized fragments of what had once been Digimon, but that was beside the point! He was a swimmer, not a sweeper!

_PLOMP._

"OW!!!" yelped Gomamon; something had suddenly fallen on him! "What the…?" He squirmed out from under the mass that had fallen on him before turning around to look at it.

Moments later, he was bolting off toward the other Digidestined.

Shaun, however, watched Gomamon bolt off – he was busy trying to clear away some of the wreckage – with a confused look. "Where's he off to?"

Then his eyes drifted to where Gomamon had run from…and then he paled. "Oh my God…KARI!"

----

"GUYS!!! I FOUND KARI!!!"

Everyone whirled around at the sound of Gomamon's shout. Tai immediately burst off into a run, not caring to hear anything else. All it took was the word 'Kari'.

As Tai rushed onward, he saw Shaun kneeling over someone. It took a few moments for him to recognize who it was. _No…_ "**KARI!!!**"

Tai slid to a stop inches in front of Kari. Shaun's face was clenched into one of rage; aside from the red scars that lined Kari's arms and legs, there were words burned onto her face. The first word was on her right cheek, with the last two being on the left. They read as follows:

'_**DARKHEART WAS HERE!'**_

Tai read the words…and his face matched Shaun's in its ferocity. "He hurt my sister…that does it. He may be a fellow Digidestined…but I WON'T let him do this stuff to us!"

"My thoughts exactly," replied Shaun as he stood up, his eyes staring at the smoking remains of Primary Village.

Things had gone too far…they couldn't let this happen again.

For better or worse, the Digidestined would have to fight one of their own.

----

/11-010-OMEGA, Fortress Wall, 10:32 AM/

Several miles to the north of the Forbidden City sat sector 11-010-OMEGA…and within that sector was something quite unusual.

Sitting in the middle of a desert was a massive wall that circled in and merged with itself, forming, at first glance, a fortress. The wall was made of a shimmering gray metal, and numerous hieroglyphics of unknown origin adorned it. The wall itself was one hundred feet thick, and it was slanted inward, giving the entire wall a sort of conic shape.

However, the truly odd thing was what could be seen within that wall: a swamp. Indeed, the swamp – which was three miles in diameter, fitting the confines of the wall perfectly – was so intricate and dank, a foggy mist drifted amongst the swamp's canopy for what seemed to be an eternity. The trees that actually formed the canopy were so interconnected that their branches practically formed a web.

The swamp had a name: Trash Bin Swamp.

And the wall had a name: the Fortress Wall.

For all intents and purposes, the two combined were a great prison…and they were.

Many thousands of years ago, the Guardian Beasts fought a tremendous evil that had threatened to consume the entire Digital World. After a great deal of effort, they had managed to entrap this great evil in sector 11-010-OMEGA. After that, the Forbidden City's first Hierarch – the Prophet of Omniscience – had rallied the denizens of his city together, and they built the Fortress Wall around Trash Bin Swamp.

Thus, it became the Forbidden City's responsibility to restrain this great evil…for it could never truly be exterminated. It could only be contained and locked away…but never destroyed.

And right now, we turn our attention to two Elitemon that are on patrol. A small walkway encircled the Fortress Wall, and these two Elitemon were part of a cycle. Come the end of the hour, their replacements would arrive from the Forbidden City, and they would leave their section of the Fortress Wall to them.

Let us watch.

One of the Elitemon sneered as he stared at the wall. His throaty voice emerged from his mouth. "I have a bad feeling about this."

The second Elitemon had to agree; he replied in a deep, hoarse voice. "As do I…I have felt a deep chill emanating from this forsaken swamp recently." Both Elitemon wore black armor, signifying their status as Ultimate Digimon.

"Perhaps THEY are awakening?" said the first Elitemon, venturing a guess forth.

"I do not think so," admitted the second Elitemon with a wave of his hand. "The Hierarchs would have surely sensed something if that were the case."

Oh, how wrong they were.

The great evil was awakening. After such a long time being kept in a contained sleep, the tumultuous events that had plagued both worlds as of late were providing a catalyst.

Soon, the evil would awaken…and the plague known as Gravemon would make itself known once more.

----

/01-111-BETA, Abandoned Ruins of Gazimon Town, 10:35 AM/

To those watching from the outside, Darkheart appeared to be merely standing. His arms were crossed, and he was standing on top of the prison building, staring off into the horizon.

However…his red eyes were unfocused.

In all actuality, he was speaking with someone inside himself…for a whole new realm had been formed upon Darkheart's creation.

----

/Realm of the Entrapped Souls, 10:36 AM/

Darkheart smiled as he glanced around the pitch-black room; the only sources of light were two spotlights, both shining on two figures.

The Shadow Mallet, which was woven into black tentacles that grew from the floor.

And the unconscious Omnimon, who was embedded into a thick column of writing black tissue.

Both were having their powers integrated into Darkheart's very being…but neither of them were as important as the figure in the center of the massive realm.

The column of slithering tentacles was massive…but it was made all the more surreal due to the golden sheen that seemed to emanate from those black tentacles.

The golden sheen was due to the power being siphoned from the boy being restrained by those tentacles, his body arranged in a crucifix fashion. For you see, the boy – who wore nothing but tan shorts – was Davis Motomiya.

And right now, he was glaring hatefully at Darkheart.

"Aw, what's the matter? Did my little 'demonstration' with Kari make you mad?" asked Darkheart with a sarcastic tone.

Davis just glared; he represented the untouched portion of Davis' soul…and he was, for all intents and purposes, the real deal.

"Cat got your tongue?" quipped Darkheart.

Davis then spat on his corrupt mirror image. He immediately growled, "You won't get away with this Darkheart…"

Darkheart quietly used a hand to flick away the globule of spit that was on his left cheek. With a sigh, Darkheart said, "You think you would've learned by now…"

It was too fast for Davis to see.

Darkheart's fist _SLAMMED_ into Davis' stomach, causing the Motomiya child to cough up blood.

But that was just the beginning.

Darkheart continued on…and thus, he gave Davis Motomiya the worst beating of his life.

----

To be continued…

Next time…

Episode 45: Darkheart's Labyrinth

----

Author's Notes: Hark…what's this? Who is this Gravemon that I suddenly speak of? Well…(nudge nudge, wink wink) Just wait and see…;)

And for those of you concerned about whether or not Dragomon will ever do anything, don't worry; he'll get an entire story dedicated to his plan after Zero 2 ends.

See you soon, and please review!


	45. Darkheart's Labyrinth

Standard Disclaimer: I own Digimon! But don't tell anyone…if Toei finds out, they'll send an assault squad of lawninja after me!

Author's Notes: A special digital cookie to anyone who gets the reference above!

Anyhow…I'm surprised no one's taken note of 'Gravemon' yet…hmm. Interesting.

Oh well. To the reviews!

Anthony1: I thought some of you would like the kicking of Myotismon's shin. :P

Ninetalesuk: Uh…you might want to rethink that. (blinks as a vortex appears out of nowhere and XeedMilleniummon steps through) FYI, XeedMilleniummon is BEYOND Mega. He is technically a 'Perfect' level; a level held by oh, say…Imperialdramon Paladin Mode. Just to let you know. ;)

ficmaster: Believe it or not…nah, I won't tell you.

Digi fan: Sorry. Not happening…not yet anyway.

Cloud-821: Hmm…nah. I'm sticking with PG. Besides, the only company I could market it to is Toei (they own the rights to Digimon)…and they've already done season 2. Oh well…no harm in dreaming. :)

Cryotek531: Indeed. When one is in command of an entire ocean in such a hospitable place like the Dark World, you HAVE to be powerful.

And don't let accidentally saving over your story stop you; it's happened to me before. So what? The only thing that resulted from that was a longer time between updates. :P

reviewer: So you didn't like the fact all of the Digidestined were together (I will admit, it IS hard to write about over 10 Digidestined at one time)…is that it? As for the update time…well, I love writing. If you love something, it comes naturally to you. The ideas flow from my mind, to my fingers, and then onto my keyboard. :P

Oh, and thanks for letting me know about the Mary Sue thing; I assume a 'Gary Stu' is the male version of that concept?

starauthor23: Hmm…seven reviews. (grins evilly) BOOTING TIME!!! (boots star off the cliff six times)

Dot Cubed: Coming soon-Version 3.0! Only 99 dollars. :P

irish vampire: Welcome to Zero 2 irish! And don't worry; more elements from the Digi-Episodes are coming…just you wait! ;)

Oh, and P.S: I made some updates to Episode 18 due to some discrepancies I found (mostly concerning the fact that I said they were on the continent of Server, when they were in fact on Folder).

Begin!

----

_Pity the Digidestined._

_The forces of evil, dormant for so long, have gathered to strike._

_Demon. UmbraDevimon. Darkheart. The one who possessed Piedmon._

_And now, Gravemon is stirring…_

_Pity the Digidestined…for they must bear the brunt of it all._

----

"Hello everyone, it's Kari…Darkheart kidnapped me and tried to tell me about how I was supposedly responsible for causing Davis' corruption. It's all bogus…but to pour salt into the wound, he made me endure the pain Davis endured when he was corrupted…and then, he poured vinegar into the wound by scarring me…oh Davis…how could you have stomached such hardship?"

----

Episode 45: Darkheart's Labyrinth

----

/Realm of Entrapped Souls, 10:45 AM/

Darkheart smiled as he stepped away from Davis. "There. That should keep you quiet for a while."

As Darkheart vanished from the strange otherworld that had been created within him, blood trickled to the floor.

The source of the blood: Davis Motomiya.

To put it bluntly: he was now the most God-awful thing you could have ever seen.

His torso and abdomen were completely slashed apart…but the slashes had been done with such precision that his bones were not visible, and his insides were barely kept from spilling out. Nevertheless, the entire front of his body was a tremendous montage of red.

His arms were scarred with numerous burns…and, to what had been Darkheart's amusement, one of the burns was in the shape of Barney the dinosaur ("Adding insult to injury," Darkheart had called it).

And finally, his face…it was a mass of bruised and purple flesh; his skin was swollen that his eyes could not be seen. His lip had been split open…and a massive scar ran down his left cheek.

Fortunately for Davis, he was now nothing more than a soul…none of the physical damage was real. It would disappear soon enough…but the pain…oh Lord, the pain…

As Davis just sagged there, his blood flowing freely from his wounds, he could only weep…and not just from the pain…but because of what he had let himself become. "Everyone……I'm sorry……"

----

/01-111-BETA, Abandoned Ruins of Gazimon Town, 10:47 AM/

Darkheart's eyes came back into focus. "Well…that was 'stimulating'." With a chuckle, Darkheart burst off into the sky.

His destination: File Island…because he intended to absorb the other Digidestined.

----

/File Island, Ruins of Primary Village, 10:50 AM/

"You must leave File Island quickly. I don't think Darkheart will wait long before striking again," said Leomon quietly, his eyes staring into that of Matt Ishida's.

Matt nodded quietly as he glanced around them. "Yeah…besides, File Island's seen enough to last a lifetime."

Leomon had to agree; in the past couple of days, File Island had endured more than it had ever seen in its lifetime. Not even the time when Devimon had split the entire island apart had been this bad.

An entire section of the island's fields was a pockmarked battleground, and smoke still rose from what was now a wasteland.

One of the island's many forests was filled with 'monmade' trenches and fallen trees.

Infinity Mountain was utterly obliterated.

Toy Town was completely destroyed.

Primary Village was totally annihilated.

Leomon sighed; his home had never seen such hardship. Of course, time healed all things…but it would take a lot of time for File Island to be restored to its former beauty.

Over twenty yards away, TK was kneeling in front of a small mound of blackened dirt; Mimi was in the process of making a wooden cross for the mound using only two sticks and some vines; it had been a skill she had mastered four years ago. Unfortunately, it had happened in an identical place: the ruins of Primary Village.

However, there were simply too many dead Digimon – both unborn and Babies – to make wooden crosses for all of them…so there was only one grave.

TK's face was etched with tear tracks; he was mourning the death of Elecmon.

After his mourning was over, he quietly stood up. His hands – clenched so tightly that his knuckles were bone-white – were at his sides.

Patamon, who was perched upon TK's hat, looked down at the grave sadly. "Elecmon will be reborn…won't he?"

"…only when Primary Village is returned to normal," muttered TK, his voice rattled with contained rage. And he had every right to be; as far as he was concerned, the old Davis was no more. Davis wouldn't do anything like this…no matter how much he had been corrupted.

No…this was simple cruelty and malice…and Darkheart would pay dearly for it.

Mimi swallowed bitterly as she saw the grave…she had already expelled all of the vomit that she could. If she continued, she would start upchucking bile.

Nevertheless…she would have to be strong. She had to live to help rebuild Primary Village…she had to.

Several yards away, Ken, Yolei, Izzy, and Tai were staring quietly at Kari's prone body. Both Joe and Aetherdramon were standing over her.

Joe examined her wounds carefully. "Well, they're definitely not like any scars I've ever seen…I mean, they're healing already." It was true; the numerous scars that crisscrossed her arms and legs – including the words Darkheart had etched onto her cheeks – were already disappearing. They were nothing more than thin lines now.

"I don't think it was meant to be a permanent injury," said Aetherdramon, his female voice being the more dominant at the moment. "I think it was only meant to cause pain…and to send a message."

Ken mentally agreed; his tactical side – the side that had been used so ruthlessly as the Emperor – could see the signs that this was only meant to send a message. The wounds weren't even fatal.

But still…it was gruesome to see. Ken couldn't imagine what kind of pain the poor girl must've gone through.

Yolei, meanwhile, was mad. And I mean _mad_. "Darkheart…THAT JERK!!!!!! How dare he hurt Kari like this?! He's inhuman!!!"

"Calm down Yolei, you don't want to burst a blood vessel," calmly advised Hawkmon…even though he felt much like Yolei did, but that's beside the point.

"Besides, yelling isn't going to help," said Izzy in his ever-so-logical tone. "What we need to do is get out of here and try to come up with a plan to stop Darkheart."

Yolei grumbled as she huffily crossed her arms. "So?! That doesn't mean I can't rant about it!"

Tentomon pointedly raised one of his hands. "She has a point Izzy."

Wormmon, meanwhile, was gazing up at Aetherdramon quietly. "I have a question; does it feel weird to stay digivolved like that for such a long time?"

"Well, not really," replied Aetherdramon. The female half then roared, "HOWEVER, I would like to have my own MIND back!!!" The male half curtly responded, "Tough cookies!"

Wormmon sweatdropped at the sight; in a way, it was sort of odd to see someone argue with himself...or, in this case, them_self_. "Okay…I think I'm just going to wait over here."

As for Tai…well, he was feeling down. Well, not just down…more like 'so-down-I'm-in-the-Marianas-Trench'. He felt like a total heel…he had put it upon himself a long time ago to protect Kari…and he had failed in that regard.

Seeing Kari like this…it was as bad – if not a little worse – than when she had been sick four years ago while the Digidestined had been in Machinedramon's city. Tai's jaw stiffened as he thought, _Kari…I'm sorry…I couldn't protect you…_

Someone grasped his left hand. Tai tilted his head around to see Sora's caring amber eyes. Tai could feel her comfort resonating from those eyes alone…it was as though she knew the pain he was enduring.

Then again, that was how Sora was. Even four years ago, during their first adventures in the Digital World, Sora had shown a remarkable knack at being able to sympathize with others…and as she had gotten closer with her mother during that time, that talent had grown.

Tai clenched Sora's hand firmly, a small smile coming to his face. The smile said it all: _Thank you._

The quiet smile Sora gave in reply was answer enough: _You're welcome._

Near the coast stood Shaun, his body covered by the Armor of Wisdom. (Agumon) was standing by his side, staring out at the sea towards the west.

"It's tough, isn't it?" asked (Agumon). Shaun could only nod in response.

Shaun thought back to earlier…to his initial feelings over seeing how his aunt – remember, his dad (in the future) was Tai, thereby making Kari his aunt – had been hurt by Darkheart. His initial feelings had been ones of rage and a desire to enact vengeance upon Darkheart for what he had done.

But now that he had time to think about it logically…what could he do? They couldn't very well kill Darkheart…that would result in Davis' destruction as well. And that would TRULY be a mess.

But then again, who was to say what would truly happen if they dealt a fatal blow to Darkheart? It was obvious that he was rather…different…than anyone they had ever faced. What WOULD happen? But then again…

_Gah…this is so confusing._ Shaun growled as he rubbed his temples gingerly; all of the stress from the past couple of days was really getting to him.

_'Yoohoo…'_

A flash of insight.

Shaun's eyes narrowed as he stared across the ocean…and a terrible feeling of dread gripped his stomach. "(Agumon)…tell the others to head to the digiport. Tell them to leave File Island."

"Where to?" asked (Agumon) out of worry.

"It doesn't matter. Just go!" Shaun waited until (Agumon) had burst off toward the ruins of Primary Village before zooming off across the ocean.

Several minutes later, Shaun could see a black dot coming toward him…and soon, that dot grew into Darkheart.

Shaun's suspicions had been correct; apparently, the 'yoohoo' had been Darkheart thinking out loud (literally). The corrupted Digidestined must've somehow known that he was wearing the Armor of Wisdom…but could he sense individual beings from that far away?

It didn't matter; he had to hold him off long enough for the others to get to the digiport. That would only take about five minutes…but then again, five minutes might be long enough for Darkheart to finish _him_.

Moments later, the eight-foot tall Darkheart came to a screeching halt in the air; now he was several feet away from Shaun.

The corrupted Digidestined chuckled as he stared at Shaun. "So…only you, eh?"

Shaun remained silent; he was ready to strike at a moment's notice.

_POW!!!_

That wasn't fast enough, unfortunately. It had only been his telepathic abilities – a strange power given to him in this form – that had told him Darkheart was going to strike him with a straight punch to the chest.

Of course, he had only managed to lessen some of the punch's force with his hands; he had been unable to stop it completely.

As a result, Shaun had been sent flying into the ocean, a large splash of water being left in his wake.

Darkheart smirked at the sight. "Wuss."

_SPLOOSH!_

"SPEED SPIN!"

_POW!!!_

Darkheart yelped out of surprise as Shaun zoomed out of the water and collided with him from below, his body curled into Sonocomon's trademark Speed Spin attack. With a ferocious snarl, Darkheart swung his elbow into Shaun's side, knocking him out of his spinning motion. However, do the sudden stop, his inertia continued to carry him upward in a swiveling motion.

Darkheart used this opportunity to attack. Panels on his armor opened up, revealing missile pods underneath. "Magna Missile!"

Shaun stopped his swirly ascension just in time to see a volley of black missiles rush toward him. He quickly moved aside-

"Magna Kick!"

SLAM! 

Shaun grimaced as his back bore the full brunt of the Magna Kick; he had just managed to telepathically 'see' Darkheart move up to strike him before his face could be hit. Although his back felt horrendous right now, at least it was protected; his face would've felt many times worse.

Shaun quickly countered with a backhand to Darkheart's face, following up with a volley of super-fast kicks to his torso.

Darkheart grunted lightly before grabbing Shaun's legs…and then he began spinning around like a Merry-go-round. "Around and around, you go! Where you stop, only I know! And next stop: liquid concrete!"

Then Darkheart tossed Shaun downward into the sea, creating a massive geyser of water that shot up in the Child of Wisdom's wake.

You see, Darkheart's quip about 'liquid concrete' wasn't far off…because, if one doesn't land correctly, water would hurt a falling person as badly – or worse – as if they had landed on actual concrete.

Thank heavens for Shaun's armor; otherwise, he would be a pancake right now.

Shaun, whilst underwater, quickly burst off toward the east. He sent out a telepathic message to (Agumon). _(Agumon), where are you now?_

Moments later, his partner replied, _'We've left File Island! We're in sector 00-111-SIGMA right now.'_

_Good_. Shaun, content that he had held Darkheart off long enough, poured on the speed. Thankfully – in terms of pure speed – Shaun was faster…but only slightly.

As for Darkheart, he frowned as he saw Shaun's silhouette burst off underwater, and then emerge into the air several hundred yards away.

Then it clicked. "Ah…trying to hold me off long enough for the other wimps to escape, eh? Well don't get too comfy…I'll follow you to the ends of the Digital World!" Darkheart burst off after Shaun.

----

/Over Pacific Ocean, 4:00 PM/

The AUSTIN-class Amphibious Transport Dock roared through the water at 21 knots; as fast as it could go.

The ship was 569 feet long, and its beam (in nautical terms, it is when a ship is at its widest) was 105 feet. On its flight deck were four CH-46 _Sea Knight_ helicopters (among the largest helicopters in the US Navy inventory); the aircraft was 45'8" long (when the twin rotors were unfolded, however, the chopper was a whopping 84'4" long), 51 feet wide (with the rotors spread), 16'8" high, and it was painted with a camouflage green color scheme. As for the ship's armaments, it had two 20mm Mk-15 Phalanx CIWS (a rapid fire gun system for short range defense against aircraft and missiles), two 25mm Mk 38 guns (an automatic gun system for use against a variety of surface targets), and eight .50-caliber machine guns.

The ship was the _USS Shreveport_…and it was a rapid deployment vessel for Marine Force Reconnaissance Units.

Right now, four seven-man teams were onboard the Shreveport; they had been exercising for an upcoming war game at Honolulu, Hawaii when a call came from Washington D.C. They were to head to Tokyo, Japan ASAP to pave the way for a full-fledged force of Marines that would commence an operation in the Odaiba District.

As if the call hadn't been urgent enough, the call had come from the Commandant of the Marine Corps.

So four Force Recon teams were en route to the Odaiba District of Tokyo, Japan. At this moment, they were being briefed about their upcoming mission.

They had left Honolulu almost an hour ago. In about sixteen-and-a-half hours, they would be close enough to deploy the Sea Knights…and from there, Force Recon would infiltrate the war-torn city.

----

/Sphere Observation Deck, Fuji Television Station, Odaiba, 11:05 AM/

"…they've stopped."

Ackerson nodded in response to Miyuki's assessment; an entire army of the creatures had gathered in one spot near the beginning of what had once been Rainbow Bridge. "Yeah. And I don't like it." His eyes stared out the windows at a massive creature that seemed to be made of OTHER creatures. "I don't like the horned guy…"

Miyuki squinted as she looked at the figure. "You mean that monster that looks like a devil?"

Yes; the one they were referring to was UmbraDevimon.

Ackerson nodded in reply. "Yeah…I wouldn't be surprised if he were the head honcho." The Junsa-bucho grimaced as he thought of what kind of power such a monstrous creature possessed.

Of course, given all that had happened, he shouldn't be surprised. "Let's just be grateful they've stopped, if only for a while…" Ackerson grumbled as he cradled his Winchester rifle quietly.

Only 17 more hours…and then help would arrive.

----

(Meanwhile, on the third floor…)

"Excuse me…"

Jim drowsily grumbled, "Sorry, no time for tests…"

"Excuse me."

Jun sleepily muttered, "Five more minutes…"

"EXCUSE ME."

Jun and Jim finally woke up; they were still drowsy from their little nap. Standing above them was a Junsa, his hands holding a tray of macaroni and cheese. "I didn't mean to disturb your little siesta, but your food's here."

Jun and Jim both grabbed an edge of the tray, sleepily muttering, "Thank you." in response. Satisfied, the Junsa left the two.

It took a few moments for the two to finally realize what a compromising situation they were in. Jun and Jim looked at each other nervously, their faces tinted with red.

"…"

"…"

They immediately moved to opposite sides of their bench, setting down the tray between them. Jun and Jim quickly muttered, "Sorry."

It was about five minutes before either of them touched the macaroni; it had taken that long for either of their faces to lose their reddish tint.

Whether they knew it or not, the hardship plaguing Odaiba was forging a relationship.

----

/00-111-SIGMA, 11:10 AM/

"So, this is Folder…" muttered Izzy with a calm eye. This was the first time any of the old Digidestined had actually ever set foot on the continent of Folder.

Right now, everyone was standing near the shoreline of the beach; as a matter fact, it had been the same sector where Yolei had claimed her Crest of Caring. But that's enough talk of the past; we are here to focus on the now…at least until the next flashback sequence…

"STOP RAMBLING!" yelled all of the Digidestined.

Oh. Sorry. Moving on!

(Agumon) blinked as he saw a blue dot rushing toward them from the west. "Hey! It's Shaun!"

Moments later, the Child of Wisdom set down on the shoreline, his body tired from going at full speed for so long.

"You look beat. Did Darkheart give you a tough time?" asked Tentomon.

Shaun nodded quietly. "Yeah…"

"Did you buy us any time to escape?" asked Mimi out of curiosity. "I hope it was at least an hour, because I'd like to take a bath before we go anywhere…I've gotten a little dirty."

Shaun sighed out of annoyance before replying. "Actually, I only bought us about a few minutes."

"Um…not really. More like ten seconds," corrected Gomamon as he fearfully pointed toward the horizon.

Everyone turned around…and sure enough, Darkheart was coming into view. Shaun groaned out of disdain. "Ah crud…" This was just perfect…Darkheart was faster than Shaun gave him credit for.

Moments later, the corrupted Digidestined set down several yards in front of them, his ankles sinking into the shallow water of the ocean. "Well well well…the peanut gallery's all rounded up."

"Speak for yourself!" snapped Yolei.

"Ooh. Touchy." Darkheart chuckled as pale blue energy began to gather in his hands. "Listen…absorbing you all right here and isn't really fun, so I'm going to make a little game out of it…"

At the mention of the word 'game', all of the Digidestined groaned; after the Puppetmon Games and his 'Obstacle Course' they had had enough games to last a lifetime.

"Oh, don't feel bad…this one will be a little different." As Darkheart spoke, the energy in his hands began to take form.

Matt sarcastically replied, "Oh really? How so?"

The energy finished morphing…and it was now in the shape of the Shadow Mallet, except it was nowhere near as detailed or refined as the real thing. It looked like a simply hammer made entirely out of pale blue energy. With a malicious smirk – and an evil glint in his eye – Darkheart said, "Simple…**_the stakes are much higher._**"

He smashed the energy hammer into the ground, kicking up a small cloud of sand.

A quake gripped the beach, sending the Digidestined to their rears. Blue lightning arced across the shoreline, delving deep into the ground. The tremors grew stronger as large blocks of gray stone rose from the ground in a disorderly manner; it was as though a tremendous building were being formed…

Suddenly, a massive courtyard of stone encircled the Digidestined, separating them from the rest of the sector. The only thing that could be seen was Darkheart, who was standing atop one of the walls. With a smirk, he gestured toward the massive gathering of stone – which stretched a mile along the beach – before saying, "Welcome to my Labyrinth."

That caused Shaun, Tai, Sora, (Agumon), and Biyomon to groan. Tai complained, "We already went through a labyrinth!"

"Yeah! Puppetmon already did that one!" exclaimed Biyomon.

Darkheart shrugged innocently. "So sue me…besides, my labyrinth will be far more interesting."

At that moment, Darkheart's chest tightened as his throat bulged. His mouth widened; inside was a teeming mass of darkness. Shaun had uncomfortable flashbacks of Nega.

Suddenly, the darkness _jumped_ out of his mouth, splitting off into five different factions. All five factions grew into five shadowy creatures; all of them were five-foot impish creatures with hunched backs. Their arms were long and lithe, and their legs were long yet crunched together, like frog's legs. Their stride had a loping look to them, and long, angular antennae stretched from their round heads. Their eyes looked like nothing more than yellow buttons, and their mouths were filled with rows of sharp teeth. Finally, their chests were adorned with an upside-down Crest of Miracles, colored a dull gray to boot.

Darkheart smiled as he hopped off of the wall, landing beside his new creations. "They, along with myself, are going to be hunting you inside this labyrinth…and if they catch you, they'll bring you to me. If I catch you, I'm going to hit you with my energy hammer."

"Pardon my asking, but what will that do? Kill us?" asked Izzy with a hint of nervousness.

Darkheart smiled malevolently at Izzy's query. "Why, I thought you'd never ask…"

Darkheart flew towards Izzy at high speed, his energy hammer being held tightly in both hands. He reared his arms…and then smashed it against both Izzy and Tentomon with all of its terrifying force.

A field of electrical blue energy erupted from the hammer itself, looking like a five-foot sphere. Izzy and Tentomon screamed as the sphere enveloped them; as crackling energy poured over their bodies, they began to morph. Their bodies quivered and transformed into thin streams of purple energy – the color of the Crest of Knowledge – that soared along the energy hammer's handle and into Darkheart's body.

Everyone screamed. **"IZZY!!!"**

With a showy smile, Darkheart said, "Let's give a big hand for Izzy, who so graciously volunteered!"

Shaun leapt forward to punch Darkheart in the face.

POW!!!

He was sent flying backward, courtesy of a kick to the chin by…one of the shadow creatures. With a mighty _crash_, Shaun collided against the rear of the courtyard's wall…but oddly enough, he didn't make a dent. Cody noted, _That's one tough wall._

Darkheart chuckled. "Oh yeah, almost forgot…my shadow creatures – Imps, if you will – are relatively as strong as an Ultimate level…so don't let your guard down, or else." He made a slashing motion across his throat.

Then, with a thought, holes opened up below the Digidestined's feet. They screamed as they descended downward into the darkness.

Darkheart looked at his Imps with an evil grin. "Well, let's go!" With that, the six beings of darkness took off for the labyrinth's exit…and they would enter it from there.

After that, the hunt would begin.

----

/00-111-SIGMA, Darkheart's Labyrinth, 11:20 AM/

"Ow…my head…" Kari slowly sat up, her unconscious state having been brought to an end by the fall into Darkheart's Labyrinth. She slowly looked around at her surroundings.

The hall they were in looked like it belonged in a dungeon…well, except for the fact that the stone walls were over thirty feet high, but that's another matter altogether. The ground was covered by dirty sand, and red torches affixed to the walls gave light to the labyrinth.

Also by her side were TK, Tai, and Patamon. All of them were up on their feet, staring at the labyrinth around them. Tai groaned with frustration. "Man! I already went through a labyrinth in Puppetmon's Obstacle Course! I don't need another one!"

"Like it or not, we're in one," said TK as he extended a hand to Kari. "Need a lift?"

Kari wordlessly took TK's hand; the Child of Hope brought her to her feet, causing Kari to slightly wince; her scars, although gradually disappearing, still ailed her. "Ow…why does it hurt so much to stand…?"

"Darkheart…he did…that to you," muttered Tai, shame evident in his voice.

Kari looked down at herself and gaped; she remembered how Darkheart had given her the scars on her arms and legs…but her face felt numbed as well. She a hand over them, feeling more scars in the shape of…words. "What's on my face?"

Patamon innocently replied, "Words. They say 'Darkheart was here!'. Sort of silly…in my opinion anyway."

Kari sweatdropped at the mental image of her face having the words 'Darkheart was here!' etched on them. "…okay…how about we just leave?"

"Agreed," said the other three simultaneously.

With that, they set off into the labyrinth.

----

"I'm getting really tired of all these games!!!" roared Yolei out of disgust.

"Yolei, please calm down. You're going to have a lot of problems with blood pressure if you keep this up!" forcefully said Hawkmon.

"He has a very good point!" remarked Wormmon.

Yolei screamed, "I DON'T CARE!!! I WANT OUT!!!"

_Slap._

Yolei's eyes went wide as her hand went for her left cheek; Ken had just _slapped_ her!

Ken spoke as he calmly walked away. "Screaming won't get us anywhere. Please regain control of yourself…I don't want you to go insane." Ken calmly walked on.

Yolei remained silent…and then she huffily followed, muttering, "Fine…but I still don't like it."

Following them were Hawkmon and Wormmon. Yolei's partner – out of slight astonishment – said, "Interesting. Given who Yolei is, she should've maimed Ken for slapping her."

"Maybe she likes him!" suggested Wormmon with a smile.

Hawkmon scratched his beak out of curiosity. "Hmm…perhaps…"

"QUIT GOSSIPING!!!" yelled Yolei.

"But you do it all the time!" protested Hawkmon. "Besides, we're Digimon! We always gossip!"

Their voices echoed throughout the tunnel…and it caught the attention of an Imp.

----

"Ow…that hurt…" muttered Sora as she got to her feet. She looked around and only saw Biyomon, Aetherdramon, and Shaun. Shaun was staring off into the torch-lit hallway ahead of them, his blue armor glistening in the dull light. "Where are the others?" asked Sora.

"We were separated…come on Sora. Let's go." Shaun quietly kept his mind open; he didn't want to be snuck up on. Especially not in a tight area like this.

Sora frowned as she looked around; this was a tight space…too tight for Biyomon's digivolved forms. Sora grimaced as she looked at the constrictive atmosphere of the labyrinth. _I hope we can find the others……I wish Tai were here._

"I may not be Tai…"

Sora blinked; she stared at Shaun, who was giving her a confident smile. "…but I can still protect you."

The Child of Love smiled at Shaun's assuring words. "Thank you…you're going to make a girl very happy one day."

Shaun's face-hardened at those words; he turned around before calmly saying, "Let's go."

Shaun's 180-degree turn in attitude shocked Sora. _What's with him? Did I remind him of someone…?_

She did. If she could see Shaun's face now, she would've seen a small tear fall from his right eye. _So long ago…so long ago…so long ago…_

He shook his head to clear his thoughts. Shaun, his concentration back, quickly sent a telepathic message to (Agumon). _(Agumon), can you hear me?_

----

(Agumon) perked up at the sound of Shaun's voice in his head. _Shaun! I hear you!_

'_Good. Who are you with?'_

_I'm with Cody, Mimi, Armadillomon, and Palmon! What about you?_

'_I'm with Sora, Aetherdramon,and Biyomon. Have you run into any Imps yet?'_

_No…wait, hold on a second._ (Agumon) glanced over at Cody and Mimi. "Did you guys hear anything?"

"Sorry. That was me," sheepishly replied Armadillomon.

Palmon's face scrunched with disgust. "Eew! No wonder something smelled bad!"

Everyone quickly backed away from Armadillomon, who was feeling very sheepish. "Hey, look on the bright side! At least it wasn't Number Two!"

"Armadillomon, don't give us any uncomfortable mental images," dully replied Cody, a sweatdrop on his head.

"I second that!" agreed Mimi.

(Agumon) quietly responded to Shaun. _Never mind. Just a little flatulence._

'…_I think I'm just going to help Sora get out. Call me if there's trouble.'_

(Agumon) nodded before following Mimi, Cody, and their partners.

----

"RUN!!!"

"WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE I'M DOING?!?!?!"

"LESS ARGUING! MORE RUNNING!!!"

Thus, Joe, Gomamon, and Matt burst off through the labyrinth. Why?

Well, no more than two minutes into the maze, an Imp had found them. Need I say more?

The three turned around a right corner, running for all their worth.

Five seconds later, the Imp turned that same corner, its sharpened teeth bared angrily at them. An unearthly shriek erupted from its mouth as it bounded after them on all four legs.

Gomamon began sweating profusely as they rounded another corner. Breaths escaped his mouth in pants as he protested, "I. Can't. Run. Like. This!"

Matt tilted his head back and yelled, "Why not?!"

"I. Only. Have. FLIPPERS!!!" roared Gomamon.

Frustration evident on his face, Joe stopped momentarily, picked up Gomamon, and burst off. The Imp was only several feet behind them…and gaining.

"**PICK UP THE PACE!!!"** roared Matt, his body pumping with adrenaline.

Unfortunately, Joe wasn't exactly inclined to the use of adrenaline. He started lagging behind, his lungs heaving for air.

Matt's eyes filled with sorrow as he saw the fright in Joe's eyes; it was the look of a man who knew wasn't going to make it.

The Child of Friendship growled at the futility; live or not, he wasn't going to abandon Joe! He yelled, "Joe, I'm com-"

"_**HHHHHRRRRRRIIIIIIIIIIIYYYYY!!!!!"**_

The shriek came from in front of them. Matt looked back in front of him…and saw another Imp. He skidded to a stop, horror evident on his features.

_They were pinned between two Imps._

With a horrific shriek, the two Imps leapt at them.

Screams echoed through Darkheart's Labyrinth.

----

Tai, TK, Kari, and Patamon halted out of sudden shock.

"Did you hear screams?" asked TK.

"…I did…" muttered Tai.

Kari gulped at the sound of the screams. "What…what happened?"

"The only thing that could explain it are; A: Imps. B: Darkheart," said Tai with a cold tone; he knew what either choice entailed.

Patamon frowned, his face etched with a melancholy quality. "…I hope we don't get caught."

"Well if we do, we won't be caught unprepared." TK pulled out his green D-3 and placed Patamon on the ground. "Patamon, digivolve!"

Patamon digivolve to……Angemon!

The Champion spread his wings quietly before gazing around himself. "Darkheart said his Imps would be roughly as strong Ultimates. Shouldn't I digivolve to MagnaAngemon?"

TK shook his head. "No…even though there's plenty of height, the halls are only five feet wide. Your Ultimate form's wings are too cumbersome for this place…and your Gate of Destiny is too wide for the hall anyway. Besides, you're more agile than your Ultimate form."

Angemon begrudgingly agreed with TK's logic. "Very well." He calmly held his Angel Rod with both hands, keeping it at the ready.

After all an Imp could be anywhere…in front of them…behind them…around the next corner…or above them…

And right now, an Imp – its legs and arms affixed to the ceiling – was right above them. Its yellow eyes stared blankly at them before it dropped down at them silently. It fell to a mere five feet above Tai's head…

Angemon whirled around and slammed his Angel Rod into the Imp. The Imp yelped as it was sent backwards by the collision, but it quickly righted itself and landed deftly on its feet.

Tai, Kari, and TK whirled around to see Angemon step in front of them protectively. The Imp snarled at them before it jumped at them once more. Angemon quickly took aim with his right fist. "Hand of Fate!!!"

The Imp merely used its hands to bound off of the top of the orange ray of holy energy, allowing it to ascend higher into the air. It flashed its sharp fangs, shrieking all the way down.

At that moment, TK got a glimpse of the Imp's yellow eyes…and he saw beyond them. He saw something else…a different realm. But what realm?

Flashes. TK saw flashes of images.

He saw a dark room…dark tendrils of flesh…Omnimon…

TK gaped; he suddenly saw Davis getting mutilated by…Darkheart. It was with this that he made a stunning realization.

Davis had not been totally corrupted…he was still alive…he was alive inside of Darkheart!

There was still hope…_there was still hope!!!_

TK couldn't help but feel an overwhelming rush of relief flood through him; Davis was alive…there was still hope to save him!

The sounds of Angemon struggling to keep the Imp from the others did not reach TK's ears. He was too preoccupied with the swell of emotion that ran through him…how could he have given up hope? After Darkheart had destroyed Primary Village and scarred Kari, he had lost all hope. He had no hope that Davis could be saved…he had resigned himself to the inevitable act of destroying Davis to save the Digital World from Darkheart's wrath…

But he didn't have to. There was still a chance…there was still hope.

Hope.

TK blinked as a bronze light enveloped his body. Everyone yelped out of surprise. The Imp shrieked as the light burned at its skin. TK howled as the Crest of Hope shined on his chest, giving the light emanating from him a golden hue.

When the light faded, TK was standing there…but he had changed.

His entire body was covered by golden bronze armor. The armor itself had a curved, elegant look to it, not angular like Davis' Armor of Miracles. The armor that covered his shins, feet, and forearms had wing and diamond designs emblazoned on them, as well as shimmering blue sapphires. Bronze gloves covered his hands, with spikes protruding from his knuckles. The muzzle that had once covered Pegasusmon's head was now covering TK's head, except it was rounder and contoured to fit his head. The forehead had an upside-down light-blue triangle emblazoned on it, and there were slits in the helmet for his eyes to see through. The ears of Pegasusmon extended from the sides of his helmet, and a mane of light blonde hair extended from the back of the helmet, ending at the top of his shoulders. Extending from his shoulder blades was a pair of large, angelic wings made of light-orange feathers. Finally, the Crest of Hope adorned his breastplate, its color a blazing yellow-bronze.

Tai, TK, and Angemon stared in awe at TK; he was now wearing the Armor of Hope.

The Imp roared with defiance and charged. TK, his mind having already adapted the mindset of a warrior, quickly roared, "Equis Beam!!!"

The triangle on his forehead glowed green. It spewed forth a concentrated ray of green energy at the Imp. The shadowy creature screamed as it was utterly destroyed by the Equis Beam; it fell apart into a mass of shadowy threads that dissipated into nothingness moments later.

Tai and Kari stared on in shock. Angemon glanced over at TK…and as he stared at his partner, he suddenly felt…rejuvenated. Angemon gladly said, "So…how does it feel to wear your own armor?"

"Different," honestly replied TK. "Yet at the same time, it feels natural…now, how about we leave this place?"

----

Hawkmon digivolve to…..Aquilamon!

Aquilamon digivolve to……Silphymon!

Wormmon digivolve to……Stingmon!

Stingmon digivolve to……Dinobeemon!

Now wait here! Surely Dinobeemon was too big to fit in the thirty-foot high, five-foot wide halls of Darkheart's Labyrinth, right?

Well, not in the halls…but they were in a different part of the labyrinth now.

Ken, Yolei, and their partners had found themselves in a large room similar in proportions to the labyrinth's outside courtyard (except this one had a ceiling, of course). The major difference was the series of cylindrical stone columns, offering a very confusing environment to navigate through…much less fight in.

And that's what the problem was; an Imp had chased them into this large room, and now it was using the columns to strike at them with precise hit and run attacks.

Even though Silphymon and Dinobeemon had joined the fight, the Imp was proving to be a tenacious foe.

Yolei backed up against one of the columns quietly, fear evident on her face. "Oh man…this place is horrible."

"I'd second that notion Yolei, but I'm more focused on getting out of here," replied Ken, whose back was against a column several feet in front of Yolei. The way the columns were laid out was in a grid fashion; all of the pillars were situated several away from each other.

_CRASH-CRASH-CRASH!!!_

Yolei and Ken tilted their heads to see Dinobeemon crash through a number of pillars, causing them to topple over in a cloud of dust and gray rubble. The Imp harmlessly bounced away. Dinobeemon angrily roared, "GET BACK HERE!!!"

"I second your motion," said Yolei.

Ken nodded out of agreement. "Good…let's find an exit." He turned around to navigate his way through the pillars-

"_**HHHHHRRRRRRIIIIIIIIIIIYYYYY!!!!!"**_

Ken and Yolei suddenly looked up out of sudden shock; the banshee-like shriek had come from the Imp…and it was _right above them_.

The Imp leapt down towards Ken's head, aiming it to envelop it with his teeth.

"LOOK OUT!!!" Yolei dove toward Ken and tackled him to the ground, causing the Imp to miss Ken. Moments later, Silphymon skimmed along the ground towards the Imp, slamming into it with his fists.

Ken grimaced as he rubbed his forehead…and then he noticed Yolei was right on top of him. With a slight red tint on his face, Ken nervously said, "Um…thanks for saving me…but you could've been hurt…"

Yolei sighed as she ran a hand through her lavender hair (remember, she left her orange helmet behind in episode 40), not bothering to try and get up. "Look…since we're alone at the moment, I might as well tell you what I have to say. I'm not good at abrupt confessions like this, so bear with me." As she spoke, Ken took note of the red blush on her cheeks. "Look…I like you, okay? I don't want anything bad to happen to you, and I like how sweet and courteous you are compared to the other boys I know. There, I said it!"

Ken blinked…more out of bewilderment than anything else. It was apparent, nevertheless, that Yolei had been preparing for this moment for a while…she just hadn't found the right moment to do it. At least, that's how Ken saw it.

And even so, Ken couldn't help but flush out of small admiration…at least Yolei had the guts to say how she felt. "Um…Yolei…um…thank you."

Yolei smiled at Ken's nervousness. He was unlike anyone else she had ever met…and Ken – despite the fact he was a media darling – was not the glory hog a lot of the media made him out to be. That was a winning factor in and of itself. "No…thank you for being you. I'm only going to do this once while we're here, so you'd better enjoy it!"

Then came the most blissful five seconds of Ken's life…when Yolei's lips met his.

Sure, Ken had had a few girlfriends before…but they had all fawned him because of what he did and because of his image as 'the Rocket'. None of them had cared for him…for who he was.

Yolei did.

So Ken reveled in those five seconds. Later on, he – and Yolei – would look back at that moment and call it 'my first time touching the edge of heaven'. It was truly that magical…because it was real…and heartfelt.

And at that moment, their hearts beat as one.

Two shining lights. That's what stopped their kiss. Ken and Yolei turned around to see two sources of bright light…emanating from their partners. It took them a moment to realize that their D-3s were glowing as well.

Dinobeemon's body suddenly flexed outward.

_"_**_Dinobeemon!"_  
**

Dinobeemon's gargantuan body condensed into a mote of violet light. As this happened, Silphymon's body flexed outward.

"_**Silphymon!"**_

Silphymon condensed into a small orb of dark red light. Both motes of light swirled around each other, both voices speaking simultaneously as they did.

_**"DNA Digivolve to…"**_

The lights combined…and the flash faded, a twelve-foot figure could be seen, standing amongst the fallen pillars. The entire body was covered by green, bumpy reptilian skin, and a long, five-foot tail twitched on the floor. His body rippled with muscles, and his four-fingered hands ended in four black talons. His three-toed feet – arranged like a bird's instead of a dinosaur's – also had black claws protruding from them. Green and black plates of insectoid exoskeleton adorned his chest, arms, and legs, but every spot that wasn't covered by armor from the neck down (save for the tail) had brownish-red feathers extending from them, almost as if it were fur. This gave the Digimon a wild, almost unkempt appearance; strapped to the wrists were black armored pods from which spikes could extend. His face was small, yet angular in shape; his mouth was lined with sharp fangs, but his eyes could not be seen. This was because a visor made of silver covered the top of his head. Protruding from the top of his head and the back of the visor was blazing red hair. However, he did not have wings; instead a green pod with a small hole in the bottom was welded to his back: it was a thruster pack. Finally, a fusion of the Crests of Caring and Kindness adorned his chest plate. Then – in a mix of Silphymon and Dinobeemon's voices – he roared.

**_"GOLIAMON!!!"_**

The large reptilian/bird warrior glared at the Imp quietly. Then, he spoke. "I am Goliamon…a great warrior with speed and strength to spare! But don't be self-assured…just because I'm a goliath doesn't mean I can't be stealthy. Let me show you." The DNA Mega pressed a switch simultaneously on both sides of his visor. "Camouflage Shield."

A blue aura swam over Goliamon…and then he suddenly disappeared, much to the bewilderment to his partners…and the Imp itself.

Before it could even try to ascertain the location of Goliamon, he struck.

"Goliath Spike!!!"

A barbed spike of ivory suddenly appeared out of nowhere, piercing through the Imp's chest. It howled with abandon as its body dissipated into threads of shadows that disintegrated moments later. Right after that, a blue sheen in the shape of Goliamon's body appeared right behind where the Imp had once stood. Seconds later, Goliamon fully rematerialized into being.

With a confident smile, Goliamon turned back towards his partners. "Now…let's find a way out of here."

As Goliamon walked along, Ken stood up…only to be dragged down by Yolei. He half-expected another kiss…but all he got was a piercing glare.

Yolei growled, "If you tell anyone we kissed…I am going to hurt you. Badly."

"Yes ma'am," stuttered Ken – fearfully – in response.

Poor Yolei…but then, that is the curse of having a tough-girl image.

----

Shaun looked ahead of him at Sora and Biyomon. "RUN! WE'LL TAKE CARE OF THIS IMP!"

Aetherdramon quickly aimed his two gauntlets at the Imp pursuing them. "Heavenly Arrow!" A stream of holy arrows erupted from the slots in his gauntlets…but even they could not touch the Imp. It was simply too agile.

As for Shaun…well, he was more of a purist when it came to speed. When it came to moving quickly, no one (almost) could touch him…but in a cramped environment like this, such speed was useless.

The Imp chasing them, however, was well built for this place…and it showed.

"Blue Dash!" Shaun fired an inch-wide ray of blue supersonic energy from his right index finger. The Imp quickly sidestepped the attack, jumped onto the ceiling, and leapt past them.

Shaun and Aetherdramon cursed; now they had to catch up with it before it got to Sora and Biyomon!

Speaking of Sora and Biyomon…

Biyomon panted as she flapped her wings rapidly, attempting to keep up with Sora. "Sora, slow down!"

"I can't! We have to get away from that Imp!" yelled Sora, her green school uniform beginning to soak with sweat. Thank goodness she was on the tennis team…otherwise she'd be as tired as she was sweaty.

Suddenly…

"AHH!!!"

Sora stopped at the sound; that was Biyomon! She whirled around to see the Imp on top of her partner. "**YOU LET HER GO!!!**"

The Imp flashed a set of angry teeth in response.

"Sora! Duck!!!"

In response to the sudden voice behind her, Sora impulsively did what she was told to do. In the back of her mind, however, she could've sworn that had been Tai speaking…

"Equis Beam!"

The Imp shrieked as the Equis Beam struck it in the chest. It disintegrated into nothingness moments later.

At that moment, Shaun and Aetherdramon rounded the corner behind Biyomon…and blinked.

On the other side of the hall – right next to an intersection – were Tai, Kari, Angemon…and TK…

Shaun suddenly realized what TK was wearing. _That's…that's the Armor of Hope! TK was somehow able to utilize his Holy Armor!_

Tai ran to Sora's side and knelt beside her. "Hey, you okay?"

The air in Tai's lungs suddenly escaped as Sora embraced in a tight hug. The Child of Love quietly muttered, "Yeah…I am." Especially now.

Tai, whose face was beginning to turn blue (from the strain of the hug) and red (blushing because of the hug) at the same time, managed to choke out. "Sora! AIR!"

Shaun walked up to TK with a smirk on his face. "So TK…how do you like your new duds?"

"Surprisingly comfortable," quipped TK with a smile.

Aetherdramon slowly walked up to Kari and looked down at her with gladness. "Are you feeling all right?"

Kari knew Aetherdramon was referring to her scars. She quietly said, "Yeah…I'm fine. Let's just get out of here."

But truthfully, she wouldn't be truly okay until Davis was freed from his torment.

Suddenly…

Rumble.

Everyone froze; something was moving under their feet.

Without running, drills burst through the surface five feet away from them…and out came Digmon, Cody, Mimi, Palmon, and (Agumon). In response to the awed looks on everyone's faces, Cody sheepishly said, "I sort of forgot that we could have Digmon…well, dig us a way out."

"Works for us!" replied Angemon.

After grabbing a few torches, the Digidestined leapt back underground, with Digmon leading the way.

----

Darkheart smirked as he saw the two Imps – the last Imps, actually – drag three bodies behind them. "Good…very good…"

Darkheart was in the last room of his Labyrinth: the room with the exit. Two chandeliers – lit by flickering flames – were nailed to the ceiling above him, offering light in the large, 100-foot by 90-foot room. Behind him sat the large, gray double doors that served as the exit.

As for the two Imps, they had come out of one hallway…as a matter of fact, there was only one way that led to the exit. All other pathways either led to dead ends or to the exit path itself.

Behind them were the bodies of Matt, Joe, and Gomamon; all of them had bite marks on their right arms. The Imps' paralyzing bite had completely paralyzed them, allowing for the Imps themselves to transport them to Darkheart.

Darkheart smiled as he advanced on the three bodies. His energy hammer gleamed in his hands with electricity. "Ah…three more to add to my collection. Here's to more power!" Darkheart raised his hammer…

CHOOM!!!

Darkheart and the Imps turned around to see a set of drills rise above the sand ground, forming a hole in the floor. Moments later, TK, Shaun, Aetherdramon, and Goliamon surfaced.

"Equis Beam!"

"Blue Dash!"

"Holy Arrow!"

"Sonic Sting!" With this attack, a flash of blue energy shaped like bee stingers erupted from Goliamon's visor.

Darkheart leapt out of the way. His two remaining Imps were torn apart by the barrage that followed. When Darkheart landed in front of the prone bodies of Matt, Joe, and Gomamon, he smiled. "Ah…just in time for the show."

"You will let them go Darkheart," said TK, his voice laced with contempt. And it wasn't contempt for Darkheart…it was contempt for the darkness that corrupted most of Davis, the darkness that had made Davis into Darkheart.

"Sorry. Can't hear you." With that casual dismissive of TK's warning, Darkheart swung his energy hammer downward.

A horrendous BANG occurred as Matt, Joe, and Gomamon became nothing more than streams of energy…energy that merged with Darkheart and empowered him. "Aw yeah…"

He could feel the power coursing through his veins…he was on the verge of something big. Perhaps another plateau of power…oh, how he relished the thought.

TK, enraged that his brother had been absorbed, roared with anguish. "RAAAH!!! I WARNED YOU! STAR SHOWER!!!" TK flapped his wings, sending a hail of blue stars at Darkheart. They exploded upon him, sending up a cloud of dust and smoke.

Shaun knew that wouldn't have killed Darkheart, so he quickly took precautions. He looked back down the hole at the others. "We'll hold off Darkheart! You guys get a head start; we'll catch up!"

Before anyone could dispute, Shaun left their sights. Tai grimaced with annoyance. "Man…I remember the day when I said stuff like that…"

"Less reminiscing, more running!" yelled Yolei. "Digmon, step on it!"

"Roger that! Rock Cracking!" With a spin of his drills, Digmon began tunneling through the soft earth underneath the labyrinth.

As for Darkheart…he stepped out of the cloud of smoke, completely unharmed.

Even though the four combatants knew he wouldn't be seriously hurt, it was still unsettling to not see a single dent on his body.

Darkheart scoffed as he beat his chest. "Hmph. Lucky hit…you won't land another."

----

/11-011-OMEGA, Sanctum of the Hierarchs, the Forbidden City, 11:45 AM/

Three Elitemon stood inside the dark atmosphere of the Hierarch's great sanctum. They all stood upon a platform made of nothing but violet light…and they all looked different.

The one in the center looked like the golden Elitemon known as Vula Tusa'lamee, but with one key difference: his armor was shimmering white. It was pure and shining, free of any impurity. He was Huro Nuvonaree, the Spec Ops Commander. He was in charge of the most elite warriors in the Forbidden City.

The one to his right was an Elitemon wearing scarlet red armor…however, there was more to it than that. Large, curvy fins of ornamental battle plating were affixed to the armor on his helmet, shoulders, forearms, and thighs. The fins were made of an orange, web-like material that had the appearance of elongated honeycombs. Black lines twirled along the surface of these fins, and the edges of the fins were trimmed with gray. He was Kuvo Hutalamee, the Chief Honor Guard. He was in command of the Honor Guards, the greatest of the Elitemon, and for good reason…the Honor Guard was in charge of protecting the Hierarchs themselves.

The one to Huro's left was an Elitemon wearing armor made of shimmering silver. Strips of golden plating were attach to the armor on his forearms, thighs, and shoulders, giving him a holy appearance…but what really sealed the deal was his helmet. His tremendous helmet stretched two feet above his head; it was made of pure titanium with silver plating on top. The helmet had the appearance of an elongated pentagon, except the pentagon was upside down. His entire face was concealed behind the helmet (it included a mask that went down below his chin, ending in vicious looking spikes), with only a thin visor for his eyes to see through. Nevertheless, he was as much a warrior as Huro or Kuvo. He was Nola Kusulumee, the Grand Praetor. He was the bridge between the Hierarchs and the rest of the Forbidden City; through him, the wise words and sacred teachings of the Hierarchs were given to the public.

Huro's voice was surprisingly high-pitched in comparison to the voices that usually belonged to his kin. Even so, to a human it would STILL sound deep…but he had no throaty tone to muddle up his words. "So…what do you think the Hierarchs have gathered us for?"

"Perhaps it concerns those foul leeches contained in the Fortress Wall," replied Nola with a deeper voice than Huro. "The Gruntmon and Jackalmon are refusing to leave the city now for their scheduled patrols; only the Elitemon and the Huntermon still dare to patrol the outside of the Fortress Wall, and even they are beginning to feel the chill rising from within."

"For the sake of the Hierarchs, let us hope it is not the Gravemon," retorted Kuvo with a throaty voice.

Suddenly, a voice cut through the darkness.

_"This session of the High Council is now in order."_

The Spec Ops Commander, the Chief Honor Guard, and the Grand Praetor dropped to their knees out of subservience. Over three-dozen yards away sat a grand door that stretched high into the air…and it opened.

Beyond that door were the Hierarchs…and came out from within.

The three Elitemon reminded themselves how fortunate they were; they were among the few who ever saw the Hierarchs up close.

----

/Realm of Entrapped Souls, 11:50 AM/

Omnimon slowly shook his eyes. "What the…where…?"

His strength felt…disconnected from him. He couldn't summon it…yet he knew he possessed it. It was as though it were being siphoned from him.

He looked around…and to his shock, he saw five columns of black flesh slowly take form…and in those columns of flesh were five figures he recognized.

Izzy.

Tentomon.

Matt.

Joe.

Gomamon.

Before he could wonder what had happened to them, his eyes caught Davis…and he immediately cringed at the sight. Davis looked _horrible_.

Then he saw something odd.

_Wait a minute…why does that burn look like Barney the dinosaur?_

----

To be continued…

Next time…

Episode 46: To Hunt, or Not to Hunt

----

Author's Notes: You need any evidence that I write way too quickly?

I consider taking a week to update being LATE. Heck, I used to take fifteen DAYS to bring out an episode normally! And to think…a week, being LATE.

Man…I need more of a life. X.X

See you soon, and please review!


	46. To Hunt, or Not to Hunt

Standard Disclaimer: ………………… (Mime Translation: I don't own Digimon!)

Author's Notes: Well folks, Zero 2 is dominating my thoughts as of late. And because of that, I'm giving you all a special treat: I will now write two episodes in a row!

To the reviews!

Anthony1: It's practically a given. :P

Digi fan: Dark_hart_? Who is this Darkhart? O.o

ficmaster: Actually, they are technically absorbed…not squashed. :P

Ninetalesuk: Well Labramon, there's one key difference; XeedMilleniummon is an OFFICIAL Digimon. As in made by Toei. That alone makes him stronger than anything Ninetalesuk will cook up; because the most powerful Digimon will ALWAYS be official ones (at least, that's how it should be). So tough poopie. :P

irish vampire: Actually, APOCALYMON was the evil that the first Digidestined sealed away. Remember how he was sealed behind the Great Wall of Fire (as said in the show)?

SR71Will: I see. Thanks for the helpful info.

reviewer: Your wishes for more Cody will be answered… ;)

Malebolgia: Let me put it this way; I either use Gravemon, or the old name 'Rotmon'. Which one would you prefer? Oh, and Gravemon is not a he…it's a THEY.

As for the Imps, they're roughly based on Kingdom Hearts' Shadow enemies, with a few key differences. One, the Imps are five feet tall, as compared to the Shadows one or two feet. Two, the Imps have mouths. Three, the upside-down Crest of Miracles on their chest.

Dot Cubed: Actually, I have to give credit to the good people at Bungie (the guys who made Halo and Halo 2, as well as Marathon, Myth, and Oni); their characters are the inspiration for the Digimon of the Forbidden City.

Oh, and as for Gabumon…have you forgotten about Omnimon (who is the union of both Tai AND Matt's partners)? ;)

Cryotek531: Actually, there are only four Holy Armors. There's one left. And as for Gravemon…look at my reply to Malebolgia.

And as for your fic…mind giving me a link?

UKHoneyB: Welcome to Zero 2…(eyes UK's review) HOLY FREAKING CRAP!!! O.O;

Er…yikes. O.o

Well, I'm glad that you think Shaun is not like a typical OC or a Gary Stu…but I should clear a few things up.

For one, Shaun has been alive for almost 6000 years…not 8000. And as for the adverse affects on Shaun…well, I will say this: Shaun has changed many times. He has done a lot…and for one thing, his memory is a tad fuzzy (trust me…remembering over 5000 years worth of stuff would probably be impossible; we can't recall everything without seeing or doing something that triggers a memory). Plus, there's still more of Zero 2; you'll see more snippets of his past (and of course, there'll be _Past Journeys_…which will be so big, it'll take a few years for me to write). But still, I like your thoughts (don't apologize for the length, I LOVE long reviews!).

Oh, and thanks for the extra info on Mary Sues and Gary Stus.

And as for your long review, I don't mind! Besides, no one can e-mail anything, as my e-mail address is private. :P

And one more thing…what submarine? Do you mean the _USS Shreveport_? That's actually a Navy ship.

Quinton Notwen: Welcome to Zero 2 Quinton (is it just me, or are the lurkers coming out?)! As for the parts where the author intervenes, that was for humor value. And the bad jokes I did intentionally; Digimon as a show is NOTORIOUS for the bad jokes, so I used some to remain faithful to the show. Still, not everyone enjoys the same kind of humor. Oh well. Welcome anyways!

Cloud-821: Actually, the concept of the Forbidden City, the Elitemon, the Huntermon, the Gruntmon, and the Jackalmon was conceived all the way back in NDE (after Halo, but before Halo 2). If you don't like it, well tough. They're here to stay. And no, there will not be a Cortanamon. :P

starauthor23: Glad you liked it.

mimi: Welcome to Zero 2! Not much on your first outing…but hey, I will admit that I steer more toward the Mimato and Taiora side of things.

lil-angel5534: Welcome to Zero 2 lil-angel! I'm glad you think this Digimon fic is above the quality of others…and I'm also glad you're reading it beside your Takari preferences (I personally don't mind Takari, I just like Daikari more).

Begin!

----

_Darkheart continues to grow stronger…_

_He continues to become more sadistic…_

_But now, four warriors have stepped up to the plate…_

_Can they make a difference?_

----

"Hey everyone, it's TK. Well, just when you think we've lost Darkheart, he catches up again! This time, he played a game with us – yes, another stupid GAME – but with one big catch; if we're caught by him or his Imps, we get absorbed! Needless to say, it was tough…but now that I'm able to fully utilize my Armor of Hope, AND now that Dinobeemon and Silphymon have DNA Digivolved into Goliamon! Unfortunately, we didn't make it to Darkheart in time to stop him from absorbing Matt, Joe, and Gomamon…but we'll make him pay for it!"

----

Episode 46: To Hunt, or Not to Hunt

----

/Rooftop, Highton View Terrace, Odaiba, 11:52 AM/

Oikawa scowled as he eyed the destruction.

Odaiba was still standing – heck, most of the city hadn't been touched – but the area in and around the ruins of Rainbow Bridge were in complete and utter ruins. Smoke and fires rose into the sky, hovering over the city like a cloud from the Underworld.

Even now, Oikawa could see the teeming masses of Digimon on both sides of the annihilated Rainbow Bridge's endpoints. On the Odaiba side, there was UmbraDevimon and his army. On the other side, there was Demon and his Demon Corps.

Oikawa clenched his teeth angrily; the mere thought of Demon angered him.

He had promised to let Oikawa enter the Digital World…Demon had said he would come to Highton View Terrace and give him his reward! But now…he hadn't even arrived yet!

Oikawa quickly took a deep breath. _Calm yourself Oikawa_. He couldn't really blame Demon for not coming…after all, he had an opposing army to deal with.

Oikawa sighed as he leaned against one of the apartment doors; the Highton View Terrace apartments had already been vacated in the panic surrounding the Digimon Invasion. He could wait a little longer…

----

/11-011-OMEGA, Sanctum of the Hierarchs, the Forbidden City, 11:53 AM/

The Hierarchs' appearance belied their frail nature. They were old, and relatively weak – especially in comparison to the Elitemon - but their commanding presence would make even the mightiest warrior bow out of subservience.

Their bodies were hunched over and thin, almost gangly. Each Hierarch had differently colored skin, although all three possessed skin that was wrinkly and leathery. Their sturdy necks were five feet in length; however, they were hunched together, making the necks look shorter than they really were. Their heads varied in shape, however. They all wore loose ornamental robes, but the robes themselves differed in appearance. As for they themselves, all three Hierarchs sat in floating, spherical thrones made of polished purple metal. Blue light was exhumed by the anti-gravity pods on the bottom of their thrones.

Now, we look at them more closely.

The Prophet of Reality's robes were scarlet red, and golden lines of thread weaved around his robes' arms, chest, and shoulders. His skin was reddish-brown, and his head was shaped like an upside-down triangle whose angles had been smoothened out. His dark eyes were big and bulbous, seemingly too big for his small head. Flaps of skin drooped from his cheeks; they (along with the rims of his eyelids and his chin) were covered with loose brown hair. He had no nose, but his mouth was remarkable human like…if you ignored the gray color of his teeth. Atop his head was a golden crowned with spiky tips; a small halo of turquoise light hovered over the front of his crown. Finally, wing-like fixtures of gold were affixed to the base of his neck, stretching upward like flowers. Etched onto the golden fixtures were red rings.

The Prophet of Wisdom's robes were pure white, with golden lines of thread weaving about the arms, chest, and shoulders. His skin was pale white, with a bit of gray mixed in. His head was spherical in shape, but the top half of his head was more swollen than the bottom half. His mouth was thinner and not as wide as Reality's, but that could probably be attributed to the fact it was etched into what seemed to be a permanent scowl. His ears drooped down below his chin – like a dog's ears – and they (along with his chin and eye brows) were tipped with tufts of white hair. His red eyes were big and bulbous, and his teeth were gray in color. Atop his head was a crown made of silver; it was shaped like a globe, and a small halo of white light hovered in front of his crown. Like Reality, fixtures of gold were affixed to the base of his neck; however, they resembled vines more than wings. Etched onto the golden fixtures were white rings.

The Prophet of Absolution's robes were colored a rich violet, with silver lines of thread weaving about the arms, chest, and shoulders. His skin was more of a light brown, which was normal considering that he was younger than either Reality or Wisdom. His head was triangular in shape, more akin to that of Reality's than Wisdom's. Flaps of skin extended from the back of his jaw, and rings made of pure amethyst pierced them. Small, groomed threads of purple hair extended from his chin, giving the impression of a goatee. His black eyes, unlike those of Reality or Wisdom, were narrow…although they were still a good inch larger in diameter than human eyes. His crown was made of shimmering platinum, and it looked like a sharpened semicircle. Plates of gold adorned his crown, and a small halo of purple light hovered in front of his crown. Finally, fixtures of gold were affixed to his back; the main difference between his and the other two Hierarchs was the fact that they were like rings stacked upon each other in two columns.

Reality looked at the three Elitemon; they had yet to get up from the kneeling position. His eyes fell upon the shining armor of Huvo. _"Huvo Nuvonaree, Special Operations Commander…rise."_

Wisdom looked down at the ornamental battle plating that covered Kuvo Hutalamee. _"Kuvo Hutalamee, Chief of the sacred Honor Guard…rise."_

Absolution looked down at the holy appearance of Nola. **_"Nola Kusulamee, Grand Praetor of our great city…rise."_**

With that, the lone members of the High Council rose as one. Huvo humbly said, "Noble Hierarchs, we are honored that you have called us here."

"Please…we ask that you tell us what you need to say," said Nola.

"_Good…there is no need to idle. Absolution, you have the honors."_

"**_Thank you, dear Reality."_** Absolution stared at the Elitemon quietly. **_"We have called you here because we have received a message from the Real World…and we have reason to believe that it may, intentionally or not, involve the Great Journey."_**

A visible ripple of shock passed over the three Elitemon's faces. They knew of the Great Journey…but they did not think it would have ever come. Kuvo momentarily lost his composure and excitedly said, "You mean that the Great Journey is nigh?!"

"_Calm yourself! It's unbecoming for you to lose your composure,"_ snapped Wisdom. _"We do not know if this is a sign of the Great Journey. We just know that it hints at the prophecy…the actual message concerns an invasion of the World of Reality by two Digimon of Darkness. Nothing that concerns the REAL Great Journey."_

The Chief Honor Guard silenced himself; the slight downward tilt of his head was more than enough to show that he was ashamed of himself for losing his composure.

The Spec Ops Commander, Huvo, calmly asked, "Noble Hierarchs…may I state my opinion?"

Reality, with a gesture of his bony hand, said, _"You may."_

"Well…for many years, I have advocated action. I fear that we may never actually embark on the Great Journey if we do not actively pursue it! To begin a journey, one must first find the starting point…and I am not alone in my sentiments," said Huvo with conviction.

"He has a point," agreed Nola. "Many of the Forbidden City's denizens are eager to begin the Great Journey. Many of the Jackalmon are becoming impatient…even members of the lower ranking Elitemon are showing dissent. I fear this city may become embroiled in conflict if action is not taken soon."

Absolution shot a look at Wisdom. **_"See, brother? I have told you of this before! I agree with Huvo Nuvonaree's assessment; action must be taken if we are to witness and embark on the Great Journey within our lifetimes! If we continue to wait, our faith in the teachings and words of our forefathers will continue to weaken!"_**

"_Nonsense!"_ retorted Wisdom. _"We have weathered such disbelief before. Patience is our ally; seeking to hasten the path to the Great Journey will only lead to disaster!"_

"_Enough."_

A single word from Reality silenced them all; it was clear that he was the senior of the Forbidden City's trinity of Hierarchs. The Prophet of Reality stared at them all before saying, _"I will not tolerate such harsh tongues in our holy Sanctum…nevertheless, I find myself agreeing with Absolution and the commander on this point. Although Wisdom's prudence has been valuable during his time as a Prophet, I find myself eager to search for the Great Journey's beginning. And to be truthful, isn't that what life is truly about: the continuous search for the boundaries of what we know?"_

Darkness suddenly consumed the entire inside of the Sanctum. _"This session of the High Council is now in recess. After a period of solitary thought, we shall continue."_

Reality's words echoed throughout the massive chamber; in the utter and absolute darkness – where one step might send you falling to your doom – there was nothing to do but think in silence.

----

/00-111-SIGMA, Darkheart's Labyrinth, 12:00 PM/

"GAH!!! HOLD STILL!!!"

Darkheart responded to Aetherdramon's outburst with a casual evasion of the DNA warrior's Miraculous Daggers. "Why? So you can try to cut me? Not going to happen. Magna Kick!" A quick kick to Aetherdramon's chin sent him flying…and then Darkheart turned around to block a kick from TK.

Shaun pulled himself out of a pile of rubble – courtesy of Darkheart's Magna Missile – groaning as he did; this battle was getting out of hand.

Even though it was Darkheart against four (Shaun, TK, Aetherdramon, and Goliamon), the dark titan was still toying with them. He casually twirled his energy hammer through the air before slamming it against Goliamon. The DNA Mega howled as blue electricity crashed into his body, sending him crashing into the wall.

Darkheart chuckled as he held his energy hammer with one hand. "Anything you can do Tartarus, I can do better."

"Laser Visor!"

Darkheart whirled around to see a blue ray – courtesy of Goliamon's visor – crash into his chest, sending him skidding along the floor. The second form of Darkheart scowled as he saw the small burn mark on his armor. "That was unwise."

_SLAM!!!_

Goliamon growled as his muscular body was sent crashing into the wall, causing a spider-web of fractures and cracks to spread across it. Goliamon grimaced as he slumped to his knees. "Well…that hurt…"

Darkheart smiled.

Then he whirled around just in time for a triple attack by Shaun, TK, and Aetherdramon.

Both of Shaun's palms were extended forward. "Blue Dash!"

TK aimed his forehead for Darkheart's chest. "Equis Beam!"

Aetherdramon aimed both of his gauntlets at Darkheart. "Holy Arrow!"

Darkheart grunted as he was hit head on by two blue lasers, a green ray of holy energy, and a barrage of holy arrows. Smoke rose from his armor where TK and Aetherdramon's attacks had hit: a result of the attacks' holy energy in conflict with the dark power of Darkheart.

Darkheart looked down at himself…and then frowned at the sight of burn marks on his armor. "Well…that wasn't very nice. You just took all the fun out of this little fight…which is bad for you."

He swung the energy hammer in a 180-degree arc, slamming it into all three of his attackers. Shaun, TK, and Aetherdramon howled as they flew through the air, leaving a trail of electrical tendrils in their wake.

Then, he turned his attention to Goliamon, who was struggling to get to his feet. A strange bloodlust twinkled in Darkheart's red eyes…and then he lunged.

Goliamon brought his head up just in time to see Darkheart.

Now, the brain is an immensely complex device. It is, for all intents and purposes, a biological computer…albeit one that's one million times more powerful than any supercomputer. However, it is poorly understood…but there are some functions that are understood.

For instance, the Fight or Flight response…when the brain's limbic system (a series of nuclei and commissures in the brain) experiences an extreme emotion, like fear, it will stimulate the body's nervous system. The result; an increase in heart rate, a release of glucose in the bloodstream, and the activation of the adrenal glands. As a result, the body is instantly ready for action so that the source of fear can be confronted…or so that you can run.

The emotion that gripped Goliamon right now was utter fear…and as a result, he attempted something desperate.

Right before Darkheart's energy hammer hit him, a bright light enveloped Goliamon.

When the flash subsided, there was only Dinobeemon and Silphymon. Silphymon was several yards away…and Dinobeemon was in the clutches of Darkheart's energy hammer.

Shaun, TK, and Aetherdramon stared in awe; Goliamon had done the only thing he could've done: split apart so that the power Darkheart would've gained was less substantial.

Dinobeemon struggled to speak as his body began to morph into green energy. He managed to speak out, "Everyone…tell Ken…to stay…safe…" A pained howl escaped his throat as he became a thin strand of green energy. Darkheart chuckled as the energy merged with his body.

And at that moment, the sensation gripped him again. Unlike last time, however, he did not greet it with shock or apprehension…this time, he welcomed it. He _cherished_ it.

Even as his body felt like it was burning from the inside out, he smiled. A grin was plastered on his face, even as he fell to his knees.

Even when a red column of lightning erupted from the floor and consumed him, he was grinning.

Shaun, TK, Aetherdramon, and Silphymon stared at the column of red light quietly…then, without saying a word, they all hopped into Digmon's tunnel and burst off after the other Digidestined.

They had been unable to stop Darkheart from becoming stronger…all they could do now was regroup with the other Digidestined and hope they could come up with a plan.

----

/Demon Corps Encampment, Endpoint of Rainbow Bridge, Shinigawa, 12:10 PM/

In the Shinigawa district of Odaiba, a line of Bakemon patrolled a perimeter 200 yards away from the endpoint of Rainbow Bridge. Within that perimeter sat the encampment of the Demon Corps, which was nothing more than an old hotel building.

All of the Bakemon were gathered inside. DemiDevimon, Colonel Soulmon, and two of the three Black Generals were on the rooftop, speaking with Lord Demon.

Demon's blue eyes stared across the ruined bridge; even now, he could see UmbraDevimon and his forces milling around in Odaiba. Even in Tokyo Bay, there was a clear division; MarineDevimon and the Bakemon under his command were on one side, whilst UmbraDevimon's forces were on the other.

The dark Mega quietly said, "DemiDevimon. Report."

"Roger that boss!" DemiDevimon flapped over towards Demon and stopped right behind him. "Ask and you shall receive!"

"What are the enemy casualties?"

DemiDevimon went over the figures in his head. "Well, after compiling the numbers given to me by the three Black Generals…I have to say that we inflicted over 296,000 deaths to UmbraDevimon's army, with about 5,020 wounded!"

"Acceptable. And our casualties?"

DemiDevimon quickly said, "Total losses are 2798 deaths. No wounded!"

Demon raised an eyebrow out of surprise. "Nearly 3000? Really…I did not think we would suffer such numbers. UmbraDevimon's army must have some bite to back up its bark…I'll have to accelerate my plan a bit."

LadyDevimon blinked out of curiosity. "Sir…what do you mean?"

Demon wordlessly flew down toward the bridge's endpoint, much to the befuddlement of his Black Generals, Colonel Soulmon, and DemiDevimon. Their bewilderment became magnified when he tore open a portal that was 200 yards wide; it completely devoured the endpoint of Rainbow Bridge, and it stretched into both the Bay and the Shinigawa district.

It was a Dark Portal…and Demon flew right into it.

----

/Endpoint of Rainbow Bridge, Odaiba, 12:12 PM/

UmbraDevimon frowned as he watched Demon delve into the Dark Portal. He had known Demon was going to do something whilst the ceasefire was in affect – heck, it was practically a given – but this maneuver intrigued him. _What is he up to…?_

Then, he swore he could've heard a sound emanate from the portal…it sounded like…stone being broken…

And then, horn-like structures began to rise through the portal…followed by a castle. On the bottom of the castle were several stone columns, except their bottoms were jagged edges (the source of the sound UmbraDevimon had heard). Finally, there was Demon on the bottom of the castle…and he was _lifting_ it up with his own hands.

UmbraDevimon's mouth dropped out of awe; Demon was _**lifting**_ Archfiend Castle out of the Dark World and into the Real World.

Then, the severity of the situation slammed into him like a brick. _No…it can't be!_

You see, the power of demons manifest themselves in various ways…but there are some guidelines and rules to their power. One of those rules is territory.

The power of a demon depends a lot on territory. For instance, if he were to manifest himself in a church for instance, his demonic energy and strength would be countered by the holy energy that permeated the church. It would take a long time before his full strength would kick in.

However, in a place like Odaiba, such holy energies were not as concentrated…thus allowing the demon to manifest his power to a greater level. Nevertheless, unless he actually CORRUPTS the territory itself with his own influence, then he would never be able to attain his true might.

That same rule applied to Demon. Although he had always been strongest in the Dark World, that world had been corrupted by darkness from the beginning. The Dark World's territory would not offer him as much power as territory he HIMSELF had corrupted would.

And his own home – Archfiend Castle – was a catalyst: it would spread his demonic aura all over, corrupting the immediate area around it…and it would grant him even greater strength.

UmbraDevimon recognized this fact. He quickly issued the order. "FORGET THE CEASEFIRE!!! **_ATTACK ATTACK ATTACK!!!!!!_**"

The Digimon under the control of his Black Gears quickly leapt into action as they poured across Tokyo Bay.

Deathmon saw this and scowled. "The fool…he would try and strike Lord Demon while he is preoccupied! We must defend him!"

LadyDevimon quickly shrieked, "ALL FORCES!!! FORWARD!!!"

With that, all of the remaining Bakemon phased out of the hotel and charged forward; the Bakemon that had possessed Digimon simply broke out of the walls. MarineDevimon and the naval Bakemon he commanded charged ahead; LadyDevimon, Soulmon, and Deathmon led the rest in a head-on assault.

Then…there was the shaking.

The Demon Corps halted as they suddenly felt a massive vibration permeate through the air; it was the sound of Archfiend Castle's support columns crashing into the seabed of Tokyo Bay.

The Dark Portal was closed…and Archfiend Castle was now a part of Tokyo. Due to the support columns, it even towered over the Fuji Television Station.

And right in front of the castle was Demon himself. He smiled as he watched the immediate area around Archfiend Castle become tinged with a black color.

His territory had been established…and now his power would soar to ever-greater heights the more his territory grew.

Demon chuckled as he flexed his arms, feeling the power within him well up and grow stronger. "Yes…now we can truly begin my war for conquest…and with my hand, **I command the fires of Hell to _RISE!!!_**"

With that, he raised his arms into the air.

Suddenly, and without warning, a column of fire roared out of the ground, completely encircling all of Odaiba and all of Rainbow Bridge. The column of red hellfire stretched ever upward, coming to a halt one mile above in the sky.

A fiery typhoon had now engulfed Odaiba…and now, no one was getting out…and no one was getting in.

UmbraDevimon cursed as he looked around; now Demon had the upper hand. But still, it wouldn't matter…even now, he could feel his body remain strong; Darkheart must've been giving the Digidestined a run for their money (and he was…but UmbraDevimon did not know what happened once Darkheart absorbed a Digimon. Even though he siphons their power, they continue to power UmbraDevimon…so Omnimon is still giving power to UmbraDevimon, if you catch my drift). He would emerge victorious.

"Fool."

UmbraDevimon turned his head forward to gaze at Demon. The demonic Mega's body swirled with blue flames as his body began to grow. "You simply do not grasp who you are facing. I am Lord Demon…and when I am at my strongest, I can command the very flames of Hell itself! You cannot possibly hope to stand against me!!!"

UmbraDevimon could only smirk in reply. "Even if you can truly command them, you forget who the master of the Underworld is. That master is a devil…and I happen to be a devil. Nay…it is YOU who is the fool."

Demon – who was now as big as UmbraDevimon himself – laughed at his opponent's bravado. "If you insist on dying…then I shall oblige your wish." He stopped growing; he was now equal in size to UmbraDevimon.

Then, both Megas shouted.

"_**CHARGE!!!!!!"**_

The War for the Real World continued on.

----

/Sphere Observation Deck, Fuji Television Station, Odaiba, 12:19 PM/

The feel of the quake startled Jim and Jun; they had gotten bored of simply sitting on their bench – and they didn't feel like sleeping – so they had gone to the Sphere Observation Deck to simply find something to do.

And when they got there…oh, did they ever find something to do.

They had considered simply seeing what had become of Odaiba from the Observation Deck…but the sight that greeted them compelled them all to watch.

Odaiba was in ruins. That much was obvious. The two armies of Digimon were fighting again. Not that big of a surprise.

No…what caught their eyes was the flaming wall of fire that circled around Odaiba. The red light of the flames reflected off the Bay's waters, giving the entire atmosphere an almost evil appearance.

Even now, several Junsas, a couple of Junsa-buchos, a Junsa-cho, and a Keibu were staring at the hellfire that now surrounded the Odaiba district of Tokyo. Some Junsas were weeping openly at the sight…and for good reason.

Now, in the face of such apocalyptic sights, they wondered whether or not they were ever going to come out of this alive.

Thoughts similar to those ran through Jun Motomiya's head. She sorrowfully muttered, "Jim…we're not going to make it out of this alive, are we?"

Jim honestly couldn't answer; after all, he felt like Jun did. However, he had to try and keep up his faith in the Digidestined…otherwise, there wasn't a lot to look forward to. So, he clutched Jun's left hand with his right, reassuringly saying, "Yes…yes we are. We're going to make it out of this alive…and we'll have our brothers back before you know it."

That statement alone made Jun smile. She clutched even more tightly on Jim's hand. "Thank you…"

Several yards away, the Junsa-cho named Dietz sighed quietly. "Well…at least that's one thing that doesn't make me regret being born."

"Stow the moaning, boy." Dietz turned around to see Ackerson staring at him. "Don't get too sad yet…that job is left up to the most recent bit of news that just came through. You hear about how the USA is sending Marines to help us out?"

Dietz nodded.

"WELL…in light of this new 'development'," Ackerson pointed out the window towards the wall of fire. "We've received word they won't be able to send anything through this wall of fire. And before you ask, they found out via live feeds from news cameras outside Odaiba."

Dietz paled at the words. "So…we're still going to be alone until that fire goes away?" Ackerson nodded. Dietz kicked the floor angrily. "Man…this day just keeps getting worse."

"At the rate things are going, it'll only keep GETTING worse," cracked Ackerson with a sarcastic grin.

----

/11-010-PSI, 12:25 PM/

Digmon suddenly burst out of the hardy ground with a thunderous _crack_; he fell to the ground in a tumble. "Ow."

Out of the hole behind him, Cody, Mimi, Palmon, Ken, Yolei, (Agumon), Tai, Angemon, Sora, Biyomon, and Kari. Yolei could be seen speaking with Mimi. "-anyway, thanks for finding us in that Labyrinth."

Mimi smiled and said, "Oh, don't worry about it! It was no big deal!"

"Say, where are we?" asked Biyomon. The area they found themselves in was desolate; the ground was hard and dry. They were in a forest full of dead, needle-like trees that were easily over three hundred feet high. The bark of the trees was clammy gray, and their branches were devoid of leaves. Also, the tree branches intersected with each other, forming a dense canopy. There was also a slight chill to the air…but not of the dark and foreboding kind. More of an actual cold kind of chill (you know, the kind that makes you want to put a jacket on).

In a way, it was sort of refreshing to Kari…the chill she felt now stemmed from the cold…and not the darkness.

Tai looked up to try and see the sky through the trees. He could barely make out the sun…and that was hard enough, considering the entire sky was blanketed with clouds. "I think it's noon…"

A sudden growl emanated through the air. The source: the bottomless pits that (Agumon), Palmon, Angemon, Digmon, and Biyomon called stomachs.

"Speaking of high noon, it's time for lunch!" exclaimed Digmon before dedigivolving to Armadillomon. "Anyone got any food?"

The other children shook their heads, signifying a clear no. The Digimon groaned…well, except for two.

Palmon just shrugged and stuck her hands and feet into the soil; if she couldn't eat normally, she would draw nutrition from the soil. Palmon's face scrunched together as she 'ate' her meal. "Eeew! This soil's gross! It's cold…and hard!"

As for the second…that was (Agumon). He was poking a mound of dirt at the base of a tree…and out came a stream of ants. (Agumon) waited until a number of ants had covered his index finger's claw – making sure none of them reached his skin – and stuck it into his mouth. He chewed a few times before swallowing.

He looked back at Angemon and Armadillomon, who were reluctant to consider eating ants. "Hey, it's all we've got at the moment," pointed out (Agumon).

Angemon quickly said, "I'll…I'll fly to the nearest lake and get some fish." Angemon took off immediately.

"And…I'll think I'll wait," said Armadillomon as quickly as he could.

(Agumon) turned his gaze to Tai, Sora, Kari, Ken, Yolei, Cody, and Mimi. "What about you guys?"

All seven of them sweatdropped as they simultaneously said, "Uh…we'll pass."

At that moment, four figures emerged from Digmon's tunnel; Shaun, TK, Aetherdramon, and Silphymon.

Ken immediately noticed that Goliamon wasn't there…and only Silphymon. "…where's Dinobeemon?"

Silphymon's head sank as he dully replied, "He was absorbed. I'm sorry."

Somehow, Ken had known. He had known the moment he didn't see his partner in some way, shape, or form. He had just refused to acknowledge it…but he knew. His fists clenched together as an unbearable sadness gripped his soul.

His partner was gone…the one who had been his salvation from his time as the Emperor was gone.

Yolei placed a hand on Ken's shoulder; the Child of Kindness hadn't realized that he was trembling. He calmed down…somewhat.

Tai and Kari walked over to Shaun and TK. Kari asked, "Well…how'd it go?"

"Terribly," muttered TK.

"After Darkheart absorbed Dinobeemon, he was consumed by a column of red lightning," replied Shaun with a scowl, his eyes staring around at the forest around them. "He's advancing to his next form."

That sent a chill down the spines of the other Digidestined…and this chill overpowered the natural cold in the air.

Their enemy had just gotten more powerful.

"Moping about it's not going to help," said Silphymon, his voice cutting through the silence. He dedigivolved to Hawkmon on the spot. "Instead, we should relax…because he's going to come for us again."

Hawkmon's advice was sound…and the Digidestined really felt like resting. They were being pushed harder and farther than they had ever been pushed before. Even when they had faced the Dark Masters four years ago, they had had at least a day or two between enemies…but not anymore.

Within the last few days alone, they had found the Crests of Kindness, Caring, Humility, Miracles. They had faced Blackwargreymon, Grandkuwagamon, Piedmon, UmbraDevimon, SkullSatamon, Darkheart (numerous times), a myriad of challenges from Puppetmon, and Gryphonmon…it had been one battle after another, with such quick succession that it had all felt like one never-ending battle.

They were at the edge of their limits…or perhaps, they had been pushed beyond them. Either way, they couldn't continue on like this much longer…otherwise, they would be completely and utterly broken.

Everyone just separated into a loose group; all they did was a variation on 'nothing'. They didn't have the energy for anything else. Ken walked over to a nearby tree, resisting the urge to see how his neck wound – which had been caused by Demon's removal of the Dark Spore, and was now covered by a bandage – was faring.

As for Shaun…he walked over towards (Agumon) and stared picking ants that were crawling out of the colony. He ate them one at a time, eating alongside his partner.

Hey, they had nothing else at the moment; it's not like they hadn't done it before.

At that moment, Angemon flew back down; his Angel Rod was now a shish kabob, as it had skewered over two-dozen fish. "Now all we need is a fire."

(Agumon) quickly abandoned his meal and smiled at Angemon. "I can help with that!"

----

/Warehouse #7, Tokyo Bay, Odaiba, 12:37 PM/

"Why aren't they here yet?!" demanded Hiroaki with irritation.

Gennai sighed with regret. "Calm yourself…you know how isolationist they are."

_Creak_.

Hiroaki and Gennai whirled towards the warehouse door out of shock; were the enemy Digimon finally approaching?

However, when the door opened, they saw very familiar faces.

The five members of the Inoue family: the husband and wife Sasuke and Subaru, followed by their children. Chizuru and Momoe were helping Mantarou along, who had a nasty gash on his right thigh; they had obviously encountered a Digimon.

Behind them were Cody's mother and grandfather: Anna and Daniel. Daniel held one kendo sword in each hand, obviously for use in a two-handed style of swordsmanship.

Right on their tails was Joshua Kido, the father of the Kido brothers. His whole body was tense.

Several feet behind them were three mother-father duos: Yuuko and Susumu Kamiya, Toshiko and Haruhiko Takenouchi, and Satoe and Keisuke Tachikawa.

Hiroaki stared at them quietly. Finally, he asked, "So…what's your story?"

"We all set out to get here," answered Susumu. "Yuuko and I actually found the Inoues first…"

"Except they found us under attack by a bunch of ghosts," interrupted Subaru; her right hand clutched a baseball bat. "We're…tenacious."

"Only thing is that they got me," bitterly said Mantarou as his sisters set him down in a chair. "Stupid Digimon…"

Gennai sighed as he continued staring out at the war zone that was Odaiba; he was oblivious to the story that the others were telling.

He only knew of the war…and the only other thing that could compete with that was his concern for the Digidestined.

----

/00-111-SIGMA, Darkheart's Labyrinth, 12:41 PM/

The column of red lightning suddenly disappeared…and Darkheart's body had changed again. However, he was no longer humanoid.

His body was now like that of a centaur's; his entire body was still covered by black armor, but the areas over and around his joints were covered by black, nigh-impervious fabric. This allowed for more mobility. His lower body had two thick legs and two muscular arms, arranged so that he could run on all fours if need be. His upper body had a pair of arms as well…and due to the way his body was built, he could stand on his legs to use four arms at once, or he could run on all six limbs. The spikes – they were now barbed – protruding from his elbows were a tad shorter, but the black, razor-sharp spines – up to a foot-long in some places – that ran along his spine made up for it. On his back were two pairs of clamps; each pair held a glaive that could be used by Darkheart. When he stood on all fours, he was nine feet tall. When he stood on his muscular legs, he was a terrifying 14'6". His standard armaments could still be used, but the gauntlets on his arms had more armor plating. His legs were so thick from the muscle and armor that they were both a foot in diameter. His helmet now had a visor that could be flipped down over his eyes; also, the pincers that extended over his mouth – which had come with his Fighter mode – were gone. His incisor teeth were now sharper and a good inch long. The 'V' of his helmet was more slanted to the back, giving his body a more streamlined appearance. Finally, there was the symbol on his breastplate: it was a pair of ragged gray scars, crisscrossing each other.

He stood on his hind legs and stood at his full height. His power…and now, he possessed a calmer attitude to better use it. That wasn't to say his sadism was affected…far from it.

As a matter of fact, he intended to use his new abilities quite efficiently. With a calm, yet cocky voice, he said, "Stage 3: Hunter mode."

With that said, he jumped down into the tunnel Digmon had made and casually walked through it.

He would reach the Digidestined's location by night…for at that point, he would begin his 'surprise'.

----

/11-011-OMEGA, Sanctum of the Hierarchs, the Forbidden City, 12:43 PM/

"_This recess has ended. Now we shall recommence."_

The few lights that had been turned off nearly an hour before were now back on. The three Elitemon stared quietly at the three Hierarchs. Reality quietly spoke, _"Now we move on to our next subject of this session: the war that now grips the world of reality."_

Huvo, the Spec Ops Commander, quietly asked, "What do we know? Has anything happened in the sacred world of reality?"

"_We know nothing…we only know what Gennai's message has told us. What we know is that the two Digimon known as Demon and UmbraDevimon are waging war against each other, using the world of reality as their battleground. We only know this: their heretical powers will only sully that world's sacred ground!"_ snapped Wisdom.

The Grand Praetor, Nola Kusulamee, asked, "Hmm…perhaps this is a sign. A sign that calls for us to intervene."

"**_It is possible,"_** concurred Absolution. **_"With the exception of the Gruntmon and, perhaps, the Jackalmon, the members of our city's military can hold their own against any foe. And when you consider what our mode of transportation for the Great Journey will be…I think we can face Demon and UmbraDevimon without worry."_**

"_Perhaps so…but we cannot leave our city so quickly! Have you not forgotten the Plague…? Have you not forgotten Gravemon?!"_ yelled Wisdom.

The mention of Gravemon sent a wave of shock through the three Elitemon. Kuvo Hutalamee, the Chief Honor Guard, sputtered, "W-what?! They are rising again?!"

Reality held a hand out; a sign for all to be silent. Then, he spoke. _"Yes. We have suspected it for a while…but now we are certain that the Gravemon are stirring. The problem is, the premonition we have concerning Gravemon does not feel like any we have felt before…it feels more subdued."_

"As if the threat of Gravemon…is not as great?" ventured Huvo.

"_Quite so,"_ replied Reality. _"We do not know why…but all that is certain is that the Gravemon are on the verge of breaking free of their constraints."_

"_Which is why we are sending two dropships of soldiers into the swamp beyond the Fortress Wall,"_ said Wisdom. _"They shall quell this uprising and imprison the Gravemon once more, BEFORE they get too powerful!"_

"Who shall lead the strike force?" asked the Spec Ops Commander.

"**_You, of course,"_** said Absolution.

"_You, along with Commander Vula Tusa'lamee, will infiltrate the swamp facility and neutralize the Gravemon. You shall command one dropship, while Tusa'lamee will command another,"_ said Reality. At that moment, the three Hierarchs backed away from them as Reality said, _"Huvo Nuvonaree, Special Operations Commander…assemble your forces."_

"Yes, noble one." With that, Huvo knelt.

Wisdom then said, _"Kuvo Hutalamee, Chief of the Honor Guard…report to your station."_

"Yes, noble one." With that, Kuvo knelt.

Finally, Absolution said, **_"Nola Kusulamee, Grand Praetor of the Forbidden City…prepare a citywide broadcast. Tell everyone that the Gravemon are stirring…and that everyone should be on high alert."_**

"Yes, noble one." With that, Nola knelt.

The photonic platform that the three Elitemon stood on began receding towards the main entrance; a door opened up as the platform neared it.

As the three Elitemon left, Reality's voice echoed out. _"This session of the High Council has now ended."_

And then, the door closed.

----

/01-000-ALPHA, Underneath UmbraDevimon's Lair, 12:51 PM/

Mummymon closed the small door above his head with a twist of the wheel-like handle. He turned around to see a stone staircase that spiraled downward, lit up by ever-burning torches.

He had found this place by accident, actually. It had been an accident; he was merely exploring the Lair's bottom floor when he encountered a patch of sand that wasn't covered by the Lair's floor. He had dug at it…and had found a stone door with the engraving of a dragon on it.

He had not spoken of it. He had waited until UmbraDevimon had left before going back to see it.

And now, he was down here, slowly walking down the spiral staircase.

It was several minutes before he got to the bottom. At the bottom of the spiral staircase, there was a long, torch-lit hallway that had a sand-covered floor.

And at the end of the hallway…

Mummymon looked around in silence; he was standing in an absolutely MASSIVE chamber. Four pillars stretched upward toward the rocky ceiling, and carved on those pillars were ancient symbols that he did not know the meaning of. On the sides of the room were pots – some broken, some chipped, some still standing – and they were filled with spices and herbs.

"Hmm…it was probably an offering to this figure," surmised Mummymon as he stared at the floor. Engraved on the floor was the figure of another dragon…except there was more detail. He had a horn protruding from his masked head, and his wings were flared outward. His entire body was wrapped in chains, and his body wrapped in and around itself like a snake.

Then, Mummymon looked ahead and saw an even more peculiar sight.

He saw a golden ring floating in midair; it was at least 100 feet in diameter (hey, told you the chamber was massive). Embedded into its sides were two Trump Swords, one for each side. The blades of Piedmon's Trump Swords stuck through the ring, and three different strands of energy ran between them: the light-blue energy of MetalSeadramon's River of Power, the yellow energy of Puppetmon's Bullet Hammer, and the orange energy of Machinedramon's Giga Cannon.

It was one of the four seals that the Dark Masters had erected many centuries ago…beyond that ring lay Digital Limbo. Within that realm of floating data particles and emptiness, the souls of the Guardian Beasts were imprisoned.

However, there were four such rings throughout the Digital World…and this ring held the soul of a dragon, if Mummymon's perceptions were correct.

Suddenly, the energy strands crackled as a lightning bolt-shaped horn protruded from within Digital Limbo. It had a ghostly aura to it, and a pale moan could be heard from within.

At that moment, the energy strands that were being controlled by the Trump Swords grew in intensity, slowly forcing the one who owned that horn back into Digital Limbo.

Mummymon sighed as he stared quietly at the horn. "You seek freedom…but you can't find it,nor can you have it.Oh, how I feel for you…"

Unbeknownst to Mummymon, the Piedmon that wasn't was standing right behind him, staring quietly with a cold, calculating stare.

Then, he turned around and started ascending up the stairway. He had seen all that he needed to; the Guardian Beasts were still imprisoned.

Now all he had to do was wait…wait until one of the Digidestined's foes had fallen. He didn't care if it was UmbraDevimon or Dragomon; he had to wait until the playing field was more even before making his move.

----

/11-010-PSI, 1:01 PM/

"Seriously? You don't want anymore food?!" yelped Yolei out of surprise.

Hawkmon nodded as he finished his lone fish. "Yes. Believe it or not, I'm not as hungry as I felt before eating…" Hawkmon turned his attention to TK's partner, who had dedigivolved to Patamon to eat his fish. "What of you Patamon? Do you still feel hungry?"

Patamon shook his head. "Well…not as much as usual…"

Yolei's eyes bulged out of her head; only one fish, and their Digimon were already full?! That was…just…WRONG!!!

TK – still wearing the Armor of Hope – was taking note of this as well…and he was perturbed. In all his experience, he had never seen one of their Digimon finish eating before consuming at least twice their weight in food.

Something wasn't right…

"I think their reduced diet is your doing."

TK tilted his head to see Shaun leaning against an adjacent tree, his armored hand holding a cook fish. The Child of Hope asked, "What do you mean?"

Shaun took a small bite out of his fish. "Well, let's think about it logically; my Armor of Wisdom, when I wear it, gives me the power of telepathy. The power of the Armor of Miracles, apparently, is the power to absorb…well, power."

TK suddenly had an inkling about where this was going. "…so my Armor of Hope…you think it might be doing something to the Digimon?"

"Only thing I can think of." Chomp. Another bite of seafood. "Actually, it would be quite fitting; you, the Child of Hope, is wearing the Armor of Hope…and as a result of that, your aura is reenergizing and empowering our Digimon. You know: giving them enough hope to move on?"

TK found himself laughing at that. "Yeah…that would be fitting." His eyes then turned towards the large tunnel that had been made by Digmon. "But what about Darkheart? You know he's going to come through there."

"Which is why you and I will take shifts guarding it; I'll go first." With another bite of his fish, Shaun tossed it away; it was now nothing more than a skeleton with a head and a tail fin. He walked over to the tunnel and sat down in front of it, staring into the darkness within.

TK sighed as he leaned back against the tree he was against. "Man…this is just too much…"

"Feeling overwhelmed?"

TK tilted his head to see Cody standing beside him. The young Child of Humility asked, "Do you mind if I have a seat?" TK nodded, and Cody sat down in the dirt beside him. "So…what's your answer?"

TK groaned as he replied, "Man, I don't know what to think…I mean, I should be able to handle stuff like this. I was part of the first Digidestined team…why is it all so…difficult now? Is it because I'm older?"

Cody shook his head. "No, I don't think so. It's just that we're going through too much, too fast. Think about it."

TK paused as he thought about Cody's explanation…and then he realized the truth behind it. Once he truly grasped what they had all gone through in the past few days, he was shocked that they hadn't fallen apart yet. "On second thought, never mind…I'm sort of glad that we haven't gone insane yet."

Cody remained silent as he stared at Armadillomon, who began eating a second fish despite the fact that he had no need to do so.

TK, from out of the blue, said, "Cody…why are you so serious all the time? It just struck me that you almost never smile, you almost never get excited…in fact, I don't think I've ever heard you laughing!"

"Well, that's who I am: serious to a fault," replied Cody with his ever-so calm tone.

"But doesn't it bother you at ALL? I mean, you're only nine! You should never be so serious!" exclaimed TK; normally, he wouldn't intrude like this, but his body AND mind were at their limits. His normal restrain was sort of nil right now, and besides: it game him something to do.

Cody sighed, a trace of regret in his voice. "TK…I can't be as emotional as you, or Davis, or Kari, or anyone else. I'd cry too much."

That statement hit TK like a 20-pound melon. "Huh? What do you mean?"

"…well, before my father died, I sort of made a promise to him. Long story short, I promised to never cry again." Cody turned his green eyes toward TK, who noticed that they were suddenly full of unreleased sorrow. "It hurt TK…it hurt to see my father's coffin at his funeral. But I had made a promise to him that I wouldn't cry…I made a promise that I would stay strong for my mom. But I see her crying sometimes…and if it weren't for my grandfather's teachings, I'd have probably broken my promise by now."

After Cody finished speaking, TK's spirit felt for him; after all, he himself was in a similar situation. At a young age, he had lost his dad to divorce instead of death…and in the several months after that, he had often caught his mother, Nancy (or Natsuko for the otakus out there), crying.

TK placed a hand on Cody's stoic shoulder. "Look; I respect that you're trying to keep a promise to your dad. But all of that emotion's got to go somewhere eventually…so I'll make you a deal; if you ever need to vent some sadness, anger, or whatnot, come to me. We'll talk. We'll talk until our mouths are tired and you've forgotten what made you sad. Deal?"

Cody blinked at the offer TK was making; he was offering to help him with his emotional problems. He shouldn't have been surprised…but then again, his serious 'act like a 40 year-old adult' demeanor had practically driven away every single kid his age. Heck, his first friend had been Yolei Inoue, and that had only begun one year ago when he had needed his computer's hard drive fixed.

But then again, strange circumstances made strange bedfellows, as the old saying went.

As odd as it seemed to him, Cody found himself wearing a genuine smile. "Deal."

TK smiled. "Deal."

Two Digidestined were now united. United in hardship…but united nonetheless.

Darkness.

Everyone blinked out of shock; it was as though night had suddenly risen and enveloped the sun. They looked up and saw only a tremendous blanket of black clouds had blocked out the sun. Mimi gulped at the sight. "Creepy…"

"You said it," agreed Sora.

Shaun felt a small chill run up his spine…something wasn't right.

_'I'm heeeeere…'_

Shaun froze at the sound of the voice that echoed through his head. He quickly yelled, "Everyone! Darkheart's here!"

The mere utterance of the word 'Darkheart' caused everyone to pull out their digivices save for a few. Sora didn't pull out hers because neither Birdramon nor Garudamon were suited for combat in this dead forest. Kari didn't pull hers out because Aetherdramon had yet to dedigivolve. As for Tai and Ken…well, their partners had been absorbed by Darkheart already.

Hawkmon digivolve to……Aquilamon!

Aquilamon digivolve to……Silphymon!

Palmon digivolve to……Togemon!

Togemon digivolve to……Lilymon!

Patamon digivolve to……Angemon!

Angemon digivolve to……MagnaAngemon!

Armadillomon digivolve to……Ankylomon!

Ankylomon digivolve to……Stegomon!

(Agumon) warp-digivolve to……(Wargreymon!)

Stegomon grunted as his massive body bulged against the trees of the forest, causing some of them to sway. "Man…it's a bit tight here."

"Just use your tail then," said Silphymon.

"Stop talking everyone! Keep your eyes on the tunnel!" yelled Shaun, his palms charged with blue energy should Darkheart try to roar out of the tunnel.

A few minutes passed. A flash of lightning flared above the forest.

_BOOM!_

Which was immediately followed by a crackling peal of thunder. Despite this, Shaun, TK, (Wargreymon), Stegomon, MagnaAngemon, Aetherdramon, Lilymon, and Silphymon kept their eyes aimed at the tunnel's exit. Shaun kept his mind open, so he could try and get a glimpse of Darkheart's thoughts.

Nothing. Either Darkheart had suddenly become a vegetable…or he had now found a way to evade his telepathic gaze.

Mimi cringed as she muttered, "Oh…the suspense is killing me."

"You think you feel bad? I feel bad knowing that they're about to fight the one who has my partner," retorted Ken with a somber tone.

_SLAP!_

Ken winced as Yolei smacked him upside the back of his head. "Just because your partner was absorbed doesn't mean you can be rude."

Ken grimaced in response. "Sorry…hey, where'd Mimi go?"

Everyone turned around out of surprise; Mimi was indeed gone. It was as if she had suddenly vanished from existence.

Lilymon glanced up…and gaped. "AAAH!!! MIMI!!!"

Everyone looked up and blanched at the sight.

Standing atop a branch was Darkheart himself. Since he was standing on his legs, his full 14'6" height could be seen by all of the Digidestined. In his top pair of hands was Mimi; his hands were clasped over her mouth, and she was flailing in his grip.

Everyone gasped at Darkheart's newest form; he looked more monstrous than ever. Kari looked at Darkheart with fear…utter, absolute fear. "Who…who are you?"

"I am the third stage. I am the Hunter…and you are the hunted," said Darkheart with a calmer voice than his previous form, although the cocky edge remained. His upper pair of arms clenched tightly; Darkheart's hands muted Mimi's shriek, but the result was the same. Her body dissipated into a long strand of light green energy, which became one with Darkheart.

Lilymon, on impulse, yelled, "NO!!!" She brought her hands together and yelled, "FLOWER-"

_Shick._

All breath escaped her lungs. Her eyes bulged…and then she looked down in shock.

A spike attached to a steel cable had impaled her in the chest.

She followed the cable up to Darkheart…and it had emerged from his lower right hand's palm. It had come out of his _hand_.

Finally, he spoke. "In the words of the immortal Scorpion…**_COME ERE'!!!_**"

He slung his lower right arm backward, causing the cable to snap – not literally, mind you – backward and fling Lilymon toward him. Once she was within spitting distance, his upper pair of arms clasped around her head.

Moments later, her body dissipated into a stream of particles that merged with Darkheart…and his strength continued to grow. With a smile, he grabbed both glaives from the clamps on his back, holding one with each pair of his arms. "Now…who wants to go next?"

No one answered.

Finally, Tai looked dryly at Sora and said, "If I said that we should run, would that make me a chicken?"

"No, not really," replied Sora as she pulled out her digivice, which began glowing white.

Biyomon digivolve to……Birdramon!

Birdramon digivolve to……Garudamon!

Garudamon's gigantic form broke through the top of the canopy, her tremendous wings breaking through the branches. She knelt down and held her hands out for the others. "Hurry! Get on!"

Darkheart chuckled as his thrusters activated; now they came in the form of a small pod on his back. A pale column of blue rings was expelled from the bottom of his pod-shaped thruster, propelling him into the air with silence. "You won't get away from me!"

Shaun, TK, Aetherdramon, (Wargreymon), and Silphymon quickly barreled into Darkheart in midair, pressing against him with all their might. It worked; Darkheart lost momentum from the sudden attack, and he was pressed against the ground.

Of course, it took only a second for Darkheart to recompose himself. He thrust his limbs outward, causing his five assailants to go flying. He got to his feet-

_SLAM!!!_

Just in time for Stegomon to sit on him. He sarcastically said, "Whoops! Guess I should watch where I sit!"

Cody couldn't help but slightly chuckle at Stegomon's actions, even if it was a tad juvenile (well to Cody anyway…I mean, defeating an enemy by crushing him with your butt? Come on, it sounds a LITTLE juvenile.).

Suddenly, Stegomon yelped as he was lifted – yes, _lifted_ – by Darkheart and thrown aside, causing several trees to crash. Darkheart quickly whirled around to attack Garudamon…but he saw that she had already taken off with Tai, Sora, Yolei, Ken, and Kari in tow.

He frowned angrily…and he quickly turned around and zoomed toward Cody at high speed. The young boy gasped as he ran on all fours like a centaur…and then he gagged as Darkheart's upper right hand clasped his throat. "You're next."

TK suddenly flew in front of Darkheart. "I don't think so. Equis Beam!!!"

Darkheart was hit in the chest head-on…but he didn't even respond. When the small puff of smoke from the blast cleared, there was nary a mark. "Bad move."

TK gagged as his throat was grabbed by Darkheart's upper left hand. Darkheart held them both above his head…and then he stood on his legs. "You two are the hunted…and the hunted have been caught."

"Gate of Destiny…RELEASE!!!"

Without warning, Darkheart's lower pair of arms extended backwards; they were coated by a dark aura. Darkheart's lower hands caught the red stream of energy from the Gate of Destiny…and then, with a mere _flick_ of his hands, he tossed it back at MagnaAngemon.

MagnaAngemon groaned as the red stream crashed into him, sending him backwards into the ground.

"There…the distractions have been dealt with." Then, he looked back at Cody and TK. "Now, where were we?"

Suddenly, their D-3s began glowing with a white light, much to Darkheart's mild surprise. "Hm?"

You see, Cody and TK were DNA Digivolution partners…and that bond had been forged from their willingness to share their problems. The willingness to share their hardship. It's kind of fitting that their first enacting of DNA Digivolution would be forged out of a big problem; after all, Darkheart was about to absorb them.

MagnaAngemon and Stegomon suddenly floated into the air, their bodies glowing like stars.

MagnaAngemon's limbs suddenly flexed outward.

"_**MagnaAngemon!"**_

His body condensed into a mote of bronze light. Stegomon's body stretched out as far as it could.

"_**Stegomon!"**_

His whole body condensed into a small mote of dark green light. The two motes swirled together, and their voices yelled at once.

_**"DNA Digivolve to…"**_

A flash of light. The being that took the place of MagnaAngemon and Stegomon was a 10-foot tall humanoid. A suit of bronze armor covered his muscular body from neck to toe (arms included); however it was segmented at every five-centimeter interval, giving the new Digimon as much flexibility and maneuverability as if he had not worn the armor at all. The armor over his knuckles was spiked, giving him lethal punches. His head, however was uncovered by the armor; one could see the white bodysuit's edges around his mouth, showing the tan skin underneath. A curved, bronze helmet adorned his head, and the helmet's visor was cross-shaped. Pure white hair extended out from under his helmet, and it ended at his wide shoulders. A purple ribbon twirled around his arms and his chest, and crosses were embroidered on it. A gauntlet made of platinum adorned his left forearm, and a blazing rapier made of silver extended from it. In his right hand was a long, seven-foot long staff made of silver. Extending from his back were three pairs of shimmering white angel wings. Also, an armored tail – that was four feet in length –extended from the base of his spine, and four golden spikes protruded from the tip of that tail. Finally a fusion of the Crests of Hope and Humility (basically, it was the Crest of Hope's 'ribbon' with the Crest of Humility replacing the Crest of Hope's 'sun') adorned his the armor on his chest. Then, both MagnaAngemon and Stegomon's voices roared.

**_"METALANGEMON!!!"_**

Without even pausing to stare – like most Digimon did after digivolving – MetalAngemon rushed toward Darkheart and hit the base of his spine with his staff. "Metallic Angel Staff!"

The breath escaped Darkheart's lungs as his nervous system jolted with pain; that had been one VERY precise hit. His hands let go of TK and Cody, against Darkheart's will. MetalAngemon scooped up Cody with his left hand and looked at TK. "Can you fly?"

TK would've taken the time to stare at MetalAngemon in awe…but, they had to escape. "Yes."

MetalAngemon looked over at the others. "Everyone, we fly!"

Shaun nodded and shot a look at (Wargreymon), Aetherdramon, and Silphymon. "You heard him. To the sky!!!"

With that, the six figures (with Cody being held by one of them) ascended beyond the forest canopy and took off to the east after Garudamon.

It was a few minutes before Darkheart could move again. A vicious snarl was on his face as he growled, "I was only caught off-guard…MetalAngemon won't get that luxury AGAIN!!!"

With an angry roar, Darkheart ascended into the air and burst off after his prey.

----

/11-010-OMEGA, Trash Bin Swamp, 1:27 PM/

The dropship flew under the swamp's canopy, its engines causing a dull _whirr_ to echo through the air.

The entire air within the swamp was foggy; it always seemed like night in the swamp, due to the low visibility. Even so, the swamp was teeming with life; indigenous insects, ferns and other fauna…and the occasional Digimon that sneaked over the walls and set up a home inside.

The fools. They did not know what lay within the swamp.

But our attention is not the dropship; it was about seventy-feet long from front to back, and it was fifty-feet wide at its widest. The pilot of the dropship sat in a pod made of the purple metal that the Digimon of the Forbidden City seemed to favor. Connected to the pod were two prongs made of light violet metal; it was within these prongs that the actual troops were stationed. A wavy field of blue energy hovered between the two prongs, and it was what kept the dropship in the air. Attached to the front tips of the prongs were small turrets that could shoot a devastating barrage of plasma at any enemy from above.

It was the Shadow: the dropship used by the Forbidden City's soldiers. And this Shadow was one of the two heading for the facility that lay within Trash Bin Swamp.

What facility, you might ask?

Why, it was the very facility used to contain the Gravemon…and it extended over a mile into the ground.

This Shadow was under the command of the Elitemon known as Vula Tusa'lamee. It was heading for the South entrance to the facility. The Shadow under the command of Huvo Nuvonaree – the Spec Ops Commander – was heading for the North entrance.

The Shadow quietly set down in front of the South entrance; it was nothing more than a large, pentagon-shaped building with a large entrance that was shaped like a squatty 'A'. Within that entrance sat another door…however, it was only nine feet tall, and it was shaped like a pentagon.

The sides of the Shadow's prongs opened up, and 31 troops piled out. One was Vula Tusa'lamee himself, and in his right hand was a special weapon. When it was deactivated, it looked like nothing more than a small gray rod. But when it WAS activated, two thick strands of turquoise light curved out of the edges and formed a fierce-looking blade; it was the plasma sword.

There were also 10 Elitemon; five wore red-colored armor, signifying their rank as Veterans and their status as Champions. The other five wore black armor, signifying their rank as Spec Ops troops and their status as Ultimates. All ten of them wielded the same weapon. The only difference was that the black Elitemon wielded two of these weapons, whereas the red Elitemon wielded only one.

The weapon was one-foot in length, and it looked like a curved boomerang. It was colored blue, and the handle was a small green rod that bridged the two prongs of the boomerang together. At the very tip of the weapon, there was an opening; inside this opening was a blue cone that crackled with plasma energy. On the left side of the weapon's upper prong was a small meter that measured internal heat. It was the energy rifle, and it fired globules of super-hot blue plasma.

However, the last twenty Digimon were of an entirely different variety.

They were all roughly five-feet tall, and their bodies had a hunchback appearance to them. Their blue skin was mottled with green bumps, and their chests were stocky and thick. Their legs and arms seemed laughably thin, but their hands and feet were thick; the hands ended in three stubby fingers and a stubby thumb, whilst the feet were like dog's paws. Also, their skulls were spherical and small, like monkey's skulls; also, they had small black eyes. However, their odd appearance was made even odder by the equipment they wore. Strapped to their backs were armored packs full of air – they were subject to breathing problems – and a button-like breather mask adorned their mouths (the color of the armored packs designated their rank and level, much like the Elitemon's armor).

They were the Gruntmon…which was quite appropriate, especially considering that – in the Forbidden City military – they were little more than grunts. Five of them wore orange packs, signifying their rank as Minors and their status as Rookies. Ten of them wore red packs, signifying their status as Veterans and their status as Champions. Finally, the last five wore black packs, signifying their rank as Spec Ops and their status as Ultimates. The Ultimates wielded energy rifles, whilst the Champions and Rookies wielded entirely different weapons.

The weapon that the fifteen other Gruntmon wielded was shaped like an angular 'C'; they held the weapon from the spine of the 'C', with the actual shot being expelled from the tips. The weapon was made of a green-turquoise metal on the outside, whilst the inside of the 'C' was made of yellow metal. Glowing green stubs covered the tips, and these stubs were quite hot to the touch. On the top of the weapon was a ring-shaped meter that measured the internal heat of the weapon. It was the energy pistol, and it fired small orbs of hot green plasma.

Vula Tusa'lamee tapped the side of his head; he was activating his armor's com-link function. "Spec Ops Commander, have you and your men arrived at the facility?"

**"Yes. I am now entering the facility. Keep your soldiers on alert; if you find any of the Gravemon, show no mercy."**

"Roger that." He cut the connection and stared at thirty troops; their armor was already starting to condense with moisture from the fog. "Everyone, keep your weapons ready…if you see any of the Gravemon, remember: shoot first, ask questions later."

The Elitemon and the Gruntmon chuckled lightly at the order, but a stern glare from the golden Mega silenced them. With nothing else left to be said, the thirty-one Digimon bravely entered the facility.

----

/11-010-OMEGA, Over Trash Bin Swamp, 1:35 PM/

Tai looked back as Shaun, TK, Cody, Aetherdramon, Silphymon, (Wargreymon), and MetalAngemon set down in Garudamon's massive hands. "Hey, did you avoid Darkhear-hey wait, who's the new guy?" asked the Child of Courage as he pointed at MetalAngemon.

"I was once MagnaAngemon and Stegomon," said MetalAngemon.

"Another DNA digivolved Mega?!" exclaimed Yolei. "Geez, that makes three so far…well, if you don't count Omnimon, and he's higher than a Mega."

"Enough technicalities, we have to hurry!" yelled Aetherdramon. "Darkheart's going to be on us in a matter of minutes!"

Shaun glanced back and saw a black shape zooming toward them. "Make that moments."

Before anything else could be said, there was a massive flash of light right above Garudamon. In less than a microsecond, a massive jolt of electricity coursed through her…and then into those 'hitchhiking' on her hands.

She had been struck by a lightning bolt.

Then, there was the immediate blast of thunder…and it seemed to signal their doom.

Garudamon spiraled downward, her precious cargo unconscious in her hands. She barely managed to clench her hands tightly before falling into unconsciousness herself. She kept falling…and then she disappeared beneath the foggy cloud that covered Trash Bin Swamp.

As for Darkheart, he saw what happened. "Owch. That had to hurt." It didn't matter; it would simply make absorbing them – well, at least the ones that managed to survive the lightning bolt – easier.

He zoomed towards the fog bank…

…and stopped mere feet above the mist.

An indescribable chill crept through Darkheart's veins, completely and utterly freezing him in his tracks. He was shocked; the foreboding feeling that emanated from the swamp was strong…TOO strong.

There was something down there…something terrifying.

"…on second thought, I'll let them get out on their own accord." With that said, Darkheart took off to seek shelter from the storm.

Pity the Digidestined…

…for now, they shall finally encounter an evil that had once threatened to consume all…an evil that had once consumed the Guardian Beasts themselves.

----

To be continued…

Next time…

Episode 47: Gravemon

----

Author's Notes: WOO!!! CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS!!! OVER TWO WEEKS OF VACATION TIME!!!! :D

YAHOO!!!

Ahem. Well, anyhow…hope you all enjoyed this episode!

See you soon, and please review!


	47. Gravemon

Standard Disclaimer: All original characters are mine, and you're reading my story. Therefore, you owe me. Cough up the cash!

Author's Notes: Ah, such strife plaguing the Digidestined…it makes for good story fodder!

Oh, and Zero 2 now has over 300 reviews! WONGA.

To the reviews!

Anthony1: Oh, just you wait and see.

Digi fan: Yep.

UKHoneyB: Wow. Another big review. O.o;

As for the sidelining of Shaun in favor of the canon characters, I've done that on purpose. I've seen a lot of people complain about how canon characters get the shaft in favor of OCs (I've actually had that complaint early on in Zero 2's lifetime), so I was conscious of that. Once most of Shaun's major things were introduced (his crest, his partner's ability to warp-digivolve, yadda yadda yadda), I shifted more attention back to the canon characters.

And no, the Prophet of Wisdom is not related in ANY WAY to Shaun's Crest of Wisdom. It just seemed to fit him. But still, I have a question…what fanart? There's fanart of Zero 2? O.O; SHOW ME!!!

As for Omnimon's level, I remember once that an official report from Toei (this was several years ago, so my brain is fuzzy on that) said that Omnimon was an 'Ultra' level Digimon. As for Imperialdramon: Paladin Mode, he was of the highest level, which is 'Perfection'.

Oh well. And one more thing…'Shugo Yagami'. Hmm…

Fallen Angel of Oblivion: Answers to your questions!

1) Find out in this chapter. ;)

2) Around 15 or so.

ficmaster: Hmm…wouldn't be surprised by GTA: San Andreas, but not so for Halo 2 or Mortal Kombat. They're M-RATED games, as in games for those MATURE enough to handle them. There's a difference between fantasy and reality; keep the games from intruding on YOUR reality, and you'll do fine. Games don't kill people; people kill people.

Dot Cubed: It's Shakkoumon, but who cares? He wasn't really a good Digimon in my opinion anyway (I mean, seriously…a giant metal doll that might as well be a teapot? How does an ANGEL and a DINOSAUR make THAT?! Seriously.).

As for the storm…well, let's put it this way; this storm is unnatural. Let's just say the Digital World is reacting to all of the darkness plaguing both worlds…and besides, the laws of science and physics don't necessarily apply to the Digiworld (remember Spiral Mountain? How it portrayed the Digidestined walking as if they were on a normal surface, even though they were going upward along the mountain?). Besides, lightning strikes planes all the time.

And let me get this straight; Mummymon NEVER felt anything for Arukenimon like he did in the show. He's something else entirely now.

Rangertamer: Welcome to Zero 2 Rangertamer! I hope you stick around for the long run. :)

Silver Warrior: About Episode 43's disclaimer…I felt like parodying Spongebob. :P

And as for what Darkheart did in Episode 44…what do you mean by implied? O.o; (blinks) Wait…you mean…oh, for the love of God, OF COURSE NOT! EEW! Mind out of the gutter Silver Warrior!!! However, I HAVE ramped up this story to PG-13 (I will admit that the PG-13 chapters can no longer be confined.). Here's the deal; everything up to Episode 37 is PG (with a few exceptions). Everything beyond that is PG-13.

Oh, and I respect your preference of the original with the exception of everything besides the Emperor and the episodes leading up to the climax. Mind telling me what exactly makes those better to YOU? I'm all ears!

And yes, Gravemon is an original Digimon villain.

reviewer: Not much in the way of words, are you?

Cloud-821: No need to apologize for the Cortanamon joke. :P And don't worry…this chapter will be up before 2005!

Ninetalesuk: Hold your horses NT…oh, and Anubismon? (pours over 1,000 fleas on him) Enjoy your trip to the veterinarian.

Begin!

----

_Infect._

_Spread._

_Consume._

_That is the creed of Gravemon._

----

"Hello everyone, this is Cody. We escaped Darkheart for a little while, so we used the time to rest up. But wouldn't you know it, he appears again…and in a mega-sized form, no less. After absorbing Mimi and Lilymon, MagnaAngemon and Stegomon managed to DNA Digivolve into MetalAngemon! Of course, we had to flee – after all, he IS Darkheart – but we were only airborne for a few minutes before lightning struck…literally. We were sent careening into some unknown area…and as for the stuff going on in the Real World, Demon's brought his castle. Oh, and he encased all of Odaiba in a typhoon of fire. Peachy, isn't it?"

----

Episode 47: Gravemon

----

/11-010-OMEGA, Bottom Chamber, Prison Facility, Trash Bin Swamp, 1:50 PM/

It growled and gurgled with ferocious hunger; the meager samples it had infected over the past several centuries were no longer enough to sate its hunger.

"_**Infect."**_

Its instruments responded with a hideous roar…at least, its instruments that were free. It was the controller, the one whose will was carried out by all. In essence, it was the 'brain'…and those that had gathered in the facility's bottom chamber were the body.

"_**Spread."**_

Its deep, throaty voice sounded otherworldly; as if a demon and a ghost were both speaking at the same time. Its voice echoed throughout the chamber as the message was sent.

"_**Consume."**_

Finally, those who had remained imprisoned – for the sole purpose of keeping its awakening a secret – began to awaken; arrogant creatures seeking to confine them all had entered the facility.

Fools. They thought they had constructed a prison…all they had done was build a place where it and its kind could fester and grow. They could not be killed permanently…all they could do was continue on, forever and ever.

**_"We shall progress ever onward beyond the stars…and we shall quash these ignorant life forms. They shall join us in death…for this place shall be their grave."_**

A hideous howl echoed throughout the chamber…and at that instant, the imprisoned ones awoke.

----

/11-010-OMEGA, Prison Facility, Trash Bin Swamp, 1:53 PM/

The golden Elitemon known as Vula Tusa'lamee remained silent as the elevator platform slowed to a halt. It was basically a thick platform made of nigh-impervious glass, and it was connected to four black pillars by a gray rim. Commander Tusa'lamee and the 30 troops under his command and stepped off of the platform.

They were in a large room made entirely of gray metal; the only features that the room possessed were the elevator platform and the room's lone door. The door was exactly like the pentagon-shaped door through which they had entered the facility. It was comprised of three metallic triangles that were connected by a circular clamp made of silver. The triangles were conjoined together, forming the shape of a nine-foot pentagon. There were three lights on the triangles, one for each. They were glowing red, showing that the door was locked. On the wall beside it was a holographic display, which had a variety of symbols, lines, and shapes that most of the soldiers had no clue how to decipher.

Vula was not one of those people. He turned to one of the Spec Ops Elitemon – one of those that actually knew how the display functioned – and said, "Unlock the door."

"Yes sir," replied the black Elitemon as he holstered his two energy rifles and moved in front of the display. His four-fingered hands pressed a variety of buttons in a process that took over ten seconds to complete. After disabling the display's security measures, he pressed his hand against the display.

With a droning _beep-beep-beep_, the door lights turned green. The door's internal sensors sensed the presence of the Digimon, and it opened automatically. The door's silver clamp slid upward onto the top triangle, and all three triangles opened outward along their hinges.

The 31 Digimon moved through the door and into the room beyond.

Vula glanced around as the door closed behind his men. The room was long and rectangular, with several doors – all of them just like the one he had just gone through – lining the sides of the room. There were two stories to the room; the top story (the one he and the other soldiers were on) was comprised of a simple catwalk that was positioned on both the beginning and end of the room, which was held up by pillars based on the bottom story. The bottom story consisted of a simple gray floor that was laced with a row of metallic grating. If one were to look through the grating, they would see the similarly designed room on the next floor, and so on and so forth until they reached the second-to-last floor. As for what lay on the bottom floor…

Vula walked over to a pedestal perched upon the catwalk and looked at the holographic display quietly. Unlike the last one, this had no security measures. So, with a simple press of his hand, he activated the display.

Four pairs of tiny robotic drones suddenly disconnected from the catwalk and arranged themselves in a rectangular fashion. Blue light was emanated from them as a bridge was formed, made of nothing but photons. It stretched from end to end, bridging the two catwalks together.

Vula glanced back at the black Elitemon that had unlocked the door and said, "Lock the door behind us. If the Gravemon escape, we don't want them to get to the surface. Once you're done, follow us across the bridge."

The Elitemon nodded quietly. "Yes sir." As he worked on relocking the door behind them, Vula led the rest of the Elitemon and the Gruntmon across the light bridge. Once the black Elitemon had finished relocking the door, he joined his comrades on the other side of the bridge.

After spending ten seconds unlocking the next door, Vula and his men stepped through.

Now they were on the endpoint of a massive bridge. It stretched onward for over five thousand feet, suspended over the central core of the facility. This bridge connected the Southern and Northern branches of the facility; pylons made of blue light stretched from tall towers to the bridge, holding it in place. The guardrails were made of thick, gray metal, whilst the actual floor of the bridge was made of the same glass that had covered the elevator platform. As for the central core itself, it was basically a massive cylinder that delved over a mile into the ground, and it was from this cylinder that the rest of the facility was built upon.

However, a gray, murky mist clouded the bottom half of the central core…and it kept the glass ceiling of the bottom chamber out of view.

As the black Elitemon began relocking the door to the previous room, Vula was moving on to a pair of seven-foot tall rods on the side of the bridge. Situated between them was a holographic imprint of an Elitemon's hand.

Vula Tusa'lamee pressed it.

The holographic display whirred with activity. All of a sudden, an octagon-shaped platform of purple light appeared off the side of the bridge in midair. It was large enough to hold at least 50 Jackalmon.

Vula jumped onto it without hesitation; the distance between it and the bridge was only a foot anyway. He held his plasma sword quietly as the other soldiers hopped on. After the last Elitemon stepped on, the platform descended.

Several hundred feet later, the platform came to a stop by another bridge. The thirty-one Elitemon and Gruntmon hopped off of the platform and onto the bridge. Moments later, the platform dissipated.

Vula led his men to the next pentagon-shaped door, which required the black Elitemon to spend another ten seconds unlocking it.

After they advanced through it, they witnessed an entirely different room. On the opposite wall of the thirty-foot square-shaped room, there were a series of holographic panels that displayed a bunch of information: information that pertained to the containment cells. Finally, there was a small slope in the floor, leading to a door at the bottom.

"Unlock the door," commanded Vula Tusa'lamee as he stared at the holographic panels. As the door was slowly unlocked, Vula was making sense of the reports he was seeing roll across the screens…and then he gaped.

"The door is unlocked sir," said the black Elitemon who had unlocked all of the doors beforehand.

Vula turned around and quickly said, "Inside. NOW."

Three black Elitemon entered first, dual energy rifles at the ready. Vula was next…and then the rest of the soldiers milled in at their own pace.

The inside of the large rectangular room was an absolute mess. The lights that were on the rims of the room's floor were glowing red, illuminating the entire room in a ghostly sheen. Four pillars of thick glass were broken open, with green blood pooled around the shards. Also, one of the two pentagon-shaped doors on the other side of the room was completely broken apart.

Vula Tusa'lamee snarled; the information he had read on the holo-panels HAD been correct. The containment cells had been broken.

The Gravemon were loose.

Vula quickly opened a communication link to Huvo Nuvonaree. "Commander Huvo, we have a situation. The Spore Containment Cells have been broken open."

**"That's not all. The Warrior Containment Cells have also been compromised. We don't know where they are."**

Vula's blood froze; how had the Gravemon been able to escape?

_Thump. _

At the sound of that thump – the sound of something hitting metal – Commander Vula Tusa'lamee impulsively shut off his com-link. All of the Elitemon tensed as they heard the banging.

_Thump. Thump._

The Gruntmon nervously chittered in their squeaky, scratchy voices. One of the Minors yelped, "All is lost! Run away!"

"Stay yourself!" roared Vula as he held his plasma sword's hilt tightly. "We will retreat to the surface in an orderly fashion…and we will exterminate any Gravemon that stand in our way!"

_Thump. Thump. Thump. _

Vula turned his eyes toward the second door on the other side of the room. The sound was originating from there.

_Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump._

And then, the door was broken open…and THEY emerged.

----

The Digimon Emperor glanced around the cave quietly. He was only ten, and he was in the process of scouting out a suitable location for his first base. Two Gazimon that were under the direct influence of the Dark Digivice walked beside him in silence, with Wormmon trailing slowly behind them.

They were in sector 01-000-OMEGA; one of the several places he had designated as a possible spot for the construction of his base.

And right now, the Emperor ordered his two slaves around quietly. "You two. Scout out the cave…tell me if you find anything of merit."

"Yes sir!" With that, the two Gazimon scampered further into the cave. The Emperor and Wormmon slowly followed.

"Master, why do you have to have a base? Isn't your home a good enough place to live?" asked Wormmon meagerly.

The Emperor sighed with slight annoyance. "That's not the point Wormmon…if I am to one day rule this Digital World, I have to have a place to rule FROM. I need a place that will be renowned the world over. To do that, I can't operate from home."

Wormmon didn't quite understand…but then again, he usually didn't understand his partner's motives. So he just nodded and said, "Yes master."

"SIR! COME HERE!!!"

At the sudden shout by one of the Gazimon, the Emperor burst off. Wormmon tried as hard as he could to follow, but he wasn't exactly built to run.

The Emperor finally reached the two Gazimon, and he gaped at what he saw: old machinery that had been unused for what seemed like years. "Amazing…an amazing find!"

The Gazimon tapped his leg quietly. "Uh, that's not what we found…"

The Emperor turned around – part disgusted at having his curiosity interrupted, part interested over what ELSE the Gazimon had found – and blinked out of slight awe.

Protruding from the ground was a giant black crystal…and it looked like there was black water floating inside. For some reason he couldn't quite recall, the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end as he looked at the black water.

Before he could make a sound, a sudden voice penetrated his mind. _'You will do just fine…'_

The Emperor blinked out of curiosity; had the crystal just spoken to his mind? "Hmm?"

_'I will show you how to construct them…_' 

Ken suddenly paled as his mind throbbed; something was entering his mind and doing…something.

_'The Control Spires…you will know how to make them…yet you will not know how you managed to do so.'_

The voice disappeared, retreating into the crystal…and the Emperor's mind whirled with new knowledge.

He looked down at the three Digimon quietly…and then a wicked smile came to his face. "I know something now…something that will make my rise to power all the quicker. Come Wormmon, we're done here. Gazimon, lead the way."

The three Digimon looked at him confusedly, but they did what they were told. As they walked along, the Emperor smiled maliciously. Oh, the Control Spires…the Control Spires! What an ingenious idea!

"Hey! Ken!"

The Emperor halted; he whirled around to see Yolei standing a few feet away from him, staring at him worriedly. The Emperor confusedly asked, "Huh? Yolei? What are you doing here?"

Yolei raised an eyebrow out of confusion. "What? Ken, WAKE UP!!!"

----

/11-010-OMEGA, Trash Bin Swamp, 2:04 PM/

Ken sat up like a shot. His purple eyes glanced over toward Yolei, who was sitting beside him on her knees. "Wha…?"

Yolei sighed with relief. "Good…I thought you were a goner when you didn't respond at first…"

_POW!!!_

"DON'T DO IT AGAIN!!!" roared Yolei as Ken clutched the red spot on his head.

Ken winced quietly. "Ow." As he stood up, he thought, _So, that was only a dream…but it felt like an old memory…which one was it?_

He looked around and finally saw where they were.

To put it bluntly, it was a swamp.

Now that you've gotten the mental image down, let's go into the details.

There was thick fog that permeated the air, making visibility virtually nothing. Anything more then twenty feet away was a blur in the mist. The ground was moist with dew and water, and there were some places where small ponds formed. These ponds were a foot in depth, and large lily pads could be seen floating on their surface. Hardy trees with large, moist trunks grew upward, their wide and fern-like leaves branching together and forming a thick canopy; hanging down from this canopy were leafy vines and gray moss. The green grass was ankle-high, and clumps of brown fungi and weeds grew in various places around the bog. Boulders and rocks dotted the area, and they were covered with green algae. Strange, tree-like stalks grew from the ground at various intervals, and they had strange, yellow-brown growths – shaped like bulbs – growing out of them. Fireflies flew through the air as water dripped down from the trees; a result of the dew that had condensed on the leaves from the fog. The air was warm, humid, and sticky…and the ground was awfully muddy in some parts.

"Um…could someone help me get up? I'm sort of stuck."

Like where Hawkmon had landed, for example.

Meanwhile, Tai was standing beside Sora, who was tending to Biyomon.

"Man, that was some nasty fall," admitted Tai as he gazed upward at the nigh-invisible (no thanks to the fog) canopy. There was now a Garuda-shaped hole in the canopy; a result of their near fatal fall into the swamp.

Biyomon winced with pain as Sora rubbed her aching back. "Tell me about it…" Then, with a smile, she added, "But at least I saved us!"

"That you did," replied Sora with a small, slightly sad smile.

Meanwhile, Shaun – who was not wearing the Armor of Wisdom – was staring around in silence; the ground rose and sank, forming small valleys and large hills. It would make navigating the area hard and unforgivable.

_Look out! They're behind you!_

Shaun frowned as he stared at the canopy high above…this place was…

_Open fire!_

…familiar…

"Shaun?"

Shaun turned around to see TK, sans Armor of Hope. After their fall, they had both dismissed their armors…of course, this had happened while they were unconscious, but who's counting?

Anyhow, the Child of Hope asked, "You feel something odd about this swamp?"

Shaun nodded out of concurrence. "Yeah…but it feels…I don't know, but…I feel like I've been here before."

_Lock that door! NOW!!!_

Shaun lightly winced as fragments of memories passed through his mind…

A frantic firefight…

Overwhelming numbers…

Rotting bodies…

_Too late! They're here!!!_

What event were they from? WHEN were they from? Shaun couldn't remember…

"Let's just find a way to get out of this swamp. We can talk later," said Shaun, forcing it out with a little more fortitude than he probably intended.

Patamon poked his head out from under TK's hat, as it was his only protection from the moist air. "I'm all for that!"

Suddenly…

"YES!!! OH YES YES YES!!!"

Everyone whirled around to see…cheering.

Cheering that was coming from Gatomon, no less. Veemon was sitting a few feet away from her, looking generally annoyed.

Kari looked down at her partner and confusedly asked, "Uh…are you okay?"

Gatomon flashed a happy grin at Kari. "Never better! I finally have my body all to MY-SELF! YES!!!"

Veemon moaned, "No fair! We only dedigivolved because we were out cold!"

"Well, there IS a saying called, 'You snooze, you lose!' So tough luck!" exclaimed Gatomon as she continued her impromptu cheering.

Everyone else sweatdropped.

Armadillomon glanced up at Cody and asked, "Can we go now?"

"Good idea," replied Cody.

----

/Sky above Tokyo Bay, Odaiba, 2:21 PM/

"APOCALYPTIC VIPER!!!"

Demon crossed his arms as dark violet bolts of lightning crashed into his body; immense pain roared through his being…but when the jolt of lightning ceased, Demon stared back at UmbraDevimon with a cruel smirk. "Is that all? Dragomon was capable of more pain than that!"

UmbraDevimon frowned as he weighed the options in his head. He could feel his power diminishing; it was apparent that the Digimon that were partners to the Digidestined had dedigivolved…why else would he be feeling so weak?

Oh well. It only meant that he would have to…improvise.

Demon charged ahead, his palms glowing with blue fire. "Now die!!!"

Immediately, UmbraDevimon extend his four hands and roared, "Needle Spray!!!"

Togemon's signature attack suddenly flew from UmbraDevimon's fingers…and Demon, out of shock, did not raise his arms in time.

Several of the needles embedded themselves into his eyes, causing Demon to howl with pain. He impulsively grabbed at his eyes, which were now bleeding profusely.

UmbraDevimon took this opportunity and struck. He rammed into Demon and flew downward, his shoulder sticking into the demonic Mega's abdomen. As they descended downward, they passed numerous Digimon that were fighting each other in the sky.

Then, they collided with the endpoint of Rainbow Bridge.

A shockwave rolled over for about several hundred feet, causing all Digimon within that vicinity to topple to the ground. Several buildings collapsed upon each other as dust and ash were kicked into the air.

UmbraDevimon continued to pummel Demon with his fists, a malicious smirk on his face. With each punch, he spoke one word. "You. Presume. Way. Too. Much! You. Presume. That. You. Are. The. Best! Well. Here's. A. News. Flash! I. AM. THE. BEST!!!"

"DEMON FLARE ATTACK!!!"

UmbraDevimon yelped out of surprise as two flaming demon's heads crashed into his chest, sending him backwards into the air.

Demon struggled to his feet, his eyes still bleeding from the needles in his eyes. "Cheap shot…commendable tactic…but not good enough!!!" Then, using all senses save for sight, Demon commenced his attack. "Chaos Inferno!!!"

The battle was resumed.

----

/Sphere Observation Deck, Fuji Television Station, Odaiba, 2:27 PM/

"Hey."

Jun and Jim looked up lazily; they had drifted to sleep on the deck's floor, their bodies leaning against the windows that peered over Odaiba. And right now, the Junsa-cho known as Miyuki was standing over them. In her hands was a tray, and on that tray were two bowls of steaming rice covered in soy sauce. She knelt down and placed the tray down in front of them. "Dig in. Compliments of the station's cafeteria."

Jun eagerly dug in. Jim calmly took his bowl and humbly said, "But…we ate already."

"Yeah. About three hours ago. Take it; the cafeteria's serving the second meal anyway," protested Miyuki. Jim reluctantly acquiesced; Jun had already started eating, so she had no qualms about it.

After several seconds of silence, Miyuki calmly asked, "So, how long have you two been a couple?"

"PFFFFTT!!!"

This question resulted in both Jim AND Jun doing a spit-take. Unfortunately, they did it on Miyuki.

Jun and Jim blanched at the sight of soy sauce and rice caking the Junsa-cho's face. "Er…sorry?" they said sheepishly.

The senior policewoman just grabbed a handkerchief out of her pocket and wiped her face off. "I'll leave you two to eat." As she turned around and walked away, Miyuki smiled and muttered, "They make a cute couple."

However, both Jun and Jim heard this.

Both of them immediately dug into their bowls of rice, trying to ignore the blushes that had come to their face.

----

/11-010-OMEGA, Trash Bin Swamp, 2:33 PM/

In numerous spots around Trash Bin Swamp, there were large pipes. Embedded in the sides of these pipes were slots, and a pale blue mist was being expelled from them. These pipes were ventilation pumps…and it was from these slots that exhaust from the reactor core that power the prison facility was expelled.

However, they were not as well protected as other parts of the facility…and the metal that the slots were made of was not that thick.

A pity.

After all, it was a prime escape route.

_Shick._

The small, pod-like creature tore through the metal covering the slots with a tentacle tipped with a sharp end. Once it had torn through, it hopped out and skittered off along the hill.

It sensed food nearby…

It reached the crest of a hill and stood there in silence, as if it were staring down at the base of the hill.

For you see, the Digidestined were walking past that hill.

Once they had passed, it began its pursuit.

----

Sora shivered as they progressed ever deeper into the swamp. "Man…this place gives me the creeps…"

"Tell me about it!" agreed Yolei, her arms wrapped around her shivering form; she was trying to ignore the water that had now soaked into her boots.

Meanwhile, Shaun was cursing his memory.

You see, Shaun had been alive for a long time. Almost 6000 years, as a matter of fact. One of the many results of that – direct or indirect, he didn't know – was that his memory…well, to put it subtly…it stunk. Save for a few of his most vivid memories (particularly those of Nega, the fight with XeedMilleniummon, etcetera, etcetera), he couldn't remember anything off-hand. He would need visual hints…and sometimes, he would need quite a few of them.

So, let's go over the facts.

Shaun knew that something about this swamp was familiar.

The thing was, he couldn't QUITE remember what it was about the swamp that was so familiar.

Unfortunately, he was about to get a very vivid reminder.

Near the rear of the group was Tai, was walking along at a steady pace. He was just as peeved that they had to trek through such a dense and foggy swamp as the others, but there was no point in arguing about it.

He suddenly whirled around; he had just heard something from behind him.

It had sounded weird…otherworldly…like a chirping bird, except distorted to an unheard of level…as if it were coming out of a cheap electronic speaker.

His eyes stared nervously into the fog behind him, trying to find the source of the chirp. Where had it come from?

Movement.

Tai's eyes darted to his left…and he saw a strange little creature crawl up to him.

It was about a foot tall, and it was best described as ugly. Its main body stood upon small, brown tentacles that looked too thin to hold anything up. The body itself looked like it was made of rotting brown and green skin, and it looked inflated from inside…as if its body was a balloon. Numerous welts protruded from the bottom half of its body, giving off the impression of eyes – even though there were none. A protrusion of gray, sickly skin protruded from the top of the body, and it was weak and flaccid. A few tendrils of flesh protruded from the front of its body, and they were comprised of rotting gray flesh; also, they were tipped with red fibers that served as its sensory receptors. Finally, one lone tentacle extended from among the three sensory tendrils, and it was tipped with a razor-sharp tendril of flesh.

Tai looked at the strange creature with a mixture of disgust and bewilderment. "Eew…what the heck are you?"

Without warning, the creature jumped OVER Tai and landed on his back. Before Tai could yell 'What the?!', the creature embedded its sharpened tentacle into the base of Tai's neck: right into the spinal cord.

Tai's body erupted into an uncontrollable spasm as he lost control…and then he screamed.

----

Everyone halted and whirled around as Tai screamed. To their shock, they saw Tai on the ground in spasms. On his back was a tiny pod-like creature trying to dig its way into his body.

Ken and (Agumon) rushed to Tai's aid. Shaun held his head out of sudden realization…he had SEEN this thing before…

_Get it off of me!!!_

…but when? And why?

Meanwhile, Ken forcefully kicked the creature off of Tai, sending the surprisingly light creature into the air. (Agumon) finished it off with a blast of fire. "Pepper Breath!"

The creature twitched as fire danced across its body. It flopped around a few times, and then dissipated into particles as the flames consumed it.

Everyone quickly rushed to Tai's side, who was finally getting past the pain that had gripped his nervous system. Sora knelt beside Tai and worriedly asked, "Are you okay?"

Tai answered with pained gasps. He weakly felt for the back of his neck, where a small little slit in his skin existed; a result of the strange creature that had 'hacked' into his nervous system.

"Owchie. That looks painful," commented Veemon.

Tai slowly got to his feet, his body slowly regaining the sense of touch. "It was…I don't know what that thing did to me, but it's like my entire body was electrocuted."

As the others were consoling Tai, Shaun was racking his brain for answers. _Swamp, creature, memories…come on, what is it that I'm trying to remember?!_ If only he had one more hint…

"Whatever it was," said Tai as he moved his limbs around, trying to regain his ability to feel. "It looked UGLY."

Patamon peeked out from under TK's hat and asked, "How ugly?"

"Well…if that thing had been you, it would've been you after you had spent several years rotting in a grave," cracked Tai with a joking smile.

That was the clincher. Shaun's face contorted into a serious expression at the word 'grave'. _Grave…swamp, creature, memories, grave…grave grave grave grave…_ Shaun frowned. He was on the verge of something…

_Stand firm! The Gravemon are upon us._

Shaun's eyes suddenly widened; he finally remembered…oh, did he remember.

He began feeling woozy as memories from over 900 years ago flooded back to him…

Crash-landing in Trash Bin Swamp…

Breaking into a strange complex to seek shelter for the night…

Unleashing something horrible…

Nearly getting blown away by strange Digimon wielding strange weapons…

A massive firefight…

All that and more; Shaun clutched his head worriedly as he nervously stared around at the swamp. They had to get out…NOW. "Everyone, cut the chatter…we have to leave!"

Everyone turned around and stared at Shaun confusedly. Yolei huffily asked, "What? Just because of one little creature? Sure, it may have hurt Tai, but we can handle any of them that show up!"

Before Shaun could retort, (Agumon) hurriedly grabbed Shaun's pants leg. "Shaun! Look."

Shaun paused his tirade and looked up…and gaped.

"What?" Ken turned around and looked at where Shaun was looking. "What's the big…deal…" His voice died in his throat.

Everyone looked around to see what (Agumon), Shaun, and Ken were looking at. At first, no one could see anything but fog and several trees.

"No one move," muttered Shaun.

They saw them then. They saw them all.

At first, they appeared to be nothing more than small bumps on the trees' trunks and branches…but that was because they had been so still.

There were hundreds of them. HUNDREDS. All of them were poised to strike at any moment's notice.

Gatomon blanched at the sight of all those creatures. "Oh my…what ARE they…?"

"Gravemon."

Everyone tilted their heads back at Shaun, who spoke with a serious fortitude that slightly scared them. Finally, Shaun said, "Everyone…on the count of 3, we have to make a break for it. I recognize this swamp now…there's a place about a hundred yards away in which we can hide out."

"What place is that?" asked TK.

"The place where they were imprisoned," replied Shaun.

Yolei impulsively roared, "**_WHAT?!?!_ HOW CAN THAT BE ANY SAFER THAN OUT HERE?!?!**"

Everyone paled at Yolei's outburst; the Child of Caring immediately slapped a hand over her mouth.

Slowly, they looked up…and saw the hundreds of Gravemon falling toward them like raindrops.

Shaun roared, "_RUN!!!!!!_" He burst off running with (Agumon) right behind him. It only took the others a moment before dashing off after him.

Seconds later, the Gravemon landed on the ground and burst off in pursuit of the Digidestined, their light bodies moving surprisingly fast…especially considering they moved with tentacles.

Armadillomon panted as he ran as fast as he could. "Man. I. Should. Work. Out!"

Cody quickly got an idea. "Armadillomon! Dedigivolve!"

One flash of white light later, Armadillomon was Upamon. Cody hurryingly grabbed his partner and ran off at top speed, barely avoiding the penetrating tendrils of the Gravemon pursuing them. Upamon smiled out of realization. "Ooh! Great idea Cody!"

Cody replied by running faster.

Soon, they could see a pair of floodlights staring at them in the distance. As they got closer, they saw that they were based on top of a metallic structure that was shaped like a squatty 'A'.

It was the West entrance to Trash Bin Swamp's Prison Facility. Shaun quickly ran into the structure's protective canopy and stopped at the pentagon-shaped door that served as the entrance to the facility.

It was locked.

Shaun immediately found the holographic display and furiously began working on it as the others caught up with him. A muddy Hawkmon looked down at Shaun as he pressed a series of holographic buttons. "How do you know what to do?"

"I've been here before," replied Shaun as he feverishly worked on the doors, hoping the process to unlock the security programs hadn't been changed since he had last been here…

_Beep-beep-beep._

Shaun smiled as the red lights on the door turned green. As the doors opened, he turned back and paled at the sight of the Gravemon emerging from the mist. "Inside. NOW!"

Everyone rushed inside to escape the incoming Gravemon. By the time the Gravemon were within ten yards of the facility, everyone was inside…and Shaun was busily trying to lock the door back.

By the time the Gravemon were within ten feet of the door, the door's green lights morphed to red.

The door was locked.

Before anyone could sigh with relief, the Gravemon crashed against the door as hard as they could.

_Thump. Thump. Thump._

Everyone leapt back as the Gravemon tried to break down the door. As the others backed off, Ken looked around the room they were in. It was dark and gray, and there were four metal pillars arranged in a rectangular manner in the center of the dimly lit room. Situated in the middle of those pillars was a platform made of glass. "Hmm…looks like an elevator…"

The thumping stopped.

Shaun frowned as he stepped away from the door. If the Gravemon stopped trying to bang the door down…that means they were going back to where they had broken out of originally. "Guys…let's get on the elevator."

Everyone looked back as Shaun and (Agumon) stepped onto the glass elevator platform. Ken stepped on next. After the last person – Kari – stepped on, Shaun pressed his hand against the holographic display that hovered next to the elevator platform. By this time, Upamon had digivolved to Armadillomon again.

A dull _choom_ sounded out as the elevator platform slowly descended into the ground, ever deeper into the facility.

Now that they had a moment of silence, Gatomon glanced over at Shaun and asked, "Now that we have some quiet time, mind explaining what the heck does things were?"

"No problem," replied Shaun as he sat down on the elevator platform. "Those creatures we saw were the Gravemon…at least, those were the Spores."

"Spores? What do you mean? There are different kinds?!" exclaimed Yolei.

(Agumon) nodded. "Yep. Those were Spores we saw, and they're only Rookie level Digimon…but they're still dangerous because of what they do if they get you."

Tai grimaced as he rubbed the small cut on the back of his neck. "Tell me about it."

"Of course, the pain is a result of that Spore trying to take control of your nervous system. If it accomplished that, it would embed itself in your chest cavity and convert your entire body to data before reconfiguring it. The result is…well, something ugly. However, a result is that the controlled host – which is known as a Warrior – becomes an instrument for the Spore, and they cannot feel pain. That's why they can perform acts that would be totally out of the question otherwise…for example, if they had taken control of you, you'd be able to jump over ten feet in the air."

Everyone remained silent as they let the information sink in. Out of the blue, Tai asked, "Wait…I can actually jump ten feet high?"

"Yeah, but you'd tear your muscles apart," replied Shaun with a nonchalant tone.

At that moment, Cody asked, "So…there are Spores and Warriors?"

"There are two more after Spores and Warriors," said Shaun. "The third form is an Incubator; they come into being either because of Spores taking control of weak hosts, or Warriors being damaged so much they can no longer fight normally."

(Agumon) piped up and said, "Of course, there have been cases where the host is a Warrior AND an Incubator at the same time."

After the two finished speaking, Veemon asked, "What about the other one? What's the fourth guy?"

Shaun paused as another memory came to mind.

**_Arrogant creatures…you cannot lock us up forever. We will break free and continue our progress…_**

Finally, he spoke. "Then, there's the central consciousness of the Gravemon…all of the Spores, Warriors, and Incubators are under the control of the Mind…the Mind controls them all, and all of the knowledge that the Spores gain from the hosts are transferred to it."

"From the way you talk and act, you act as if these Gravemon were…well, tough," commented Patamon.

"They are," replied (Agumon).

As the elevator began slowing to a stop, Kari Kamiya nervously asked, "How tough?"

"…I'll just say this: if it weren't for the Original Digidestined, the Guardian Beasts would still be consumed by the Gravemon." After Shaun finished speaking, he stood up.

Moments later, the elevator platform came to a stop.

They all stepped off and advanced toward the door at the end of the hall. Shaun spent around ten seconds unlocking it…

…and when they stepped through, they found chaos.

The room was similar to the one Vula Tusa'lamee had walked through over forty minutes ago…except it looked like a typhoon had hit it. Several parts of the catwalk were crumbling. Plasma burns scorched most of the floor and the walls. The room's light flashed red; the sign of a security breach. Judging by the fact that a few of the doors were completely broken apart, that could be surmised. Also, green blood stained parts of the floor, with the occasional splotch of blue and purple ichor here and there.

One mass of purple blood was around a figure in black armor…

Shaun blinked as he saw the figure hiding behind a pillar; it was an Elitemon. He carefully jumped off of the catwalk and burst toward the fallen warrior.

The moment he saw the symbol embroidered on the Elitemon's shoulder armor – a blue triangle with a plasma sword inside it – he knew who it was.

Yuga Tusivmaree.

Shaun knelt beside the fallen warrior and said, "Yuga? Yuga!"

The bleeding Elitemon tilted his head toward Shaun…and then smiled (which would look odd, considering his mouth is made of four mandibles). "So…you again. It's been awhile…"

Shaun nodded quietly. "It has…are the Gravemon free?"

"Yes…" Yuga Tusivmaree glanced down at his stomach quietly; there was a hole about five inches long in it. "I've been bleeding like this for ten minutes…I barely have the strength to move…"

"Were you alone? Were there other Elitemon with you?" asked Shaun.

Yuga glanced over at one of the broken doors. "The Gravemon pursued the other members of Vula Tusa'lamee's combat squad…I was too injured to follow…" He stared up at Shaun with his dark eyes…which looked…pleading. "Please, you have to kill me…I'm too weak to live…but if one of the Spores get to me before deletion-"

"Yes. I know," interrupted Shaun; he knew what would happen if Yuga encountered a Spore in his condition.

Yuga smiled again as he released his two weapons; both of them were energy rifles. He raised his head, revealing all of the skin on his neck. "Give me an honorable death."

Shaun obliged him. He grabbed one of the energy rifles and held it with two hands (he was smaller than an Elitemon, and thus required two hands to hold such a weapon); one on the trigger, and one for balance on the bottom. He took aim for Yuga's neck…and then uttered one word. "Goodbye."

Three pulls of the trigger with his right index finger.

Three bursts of two globules of blue plasma.

Yuga Tuisvmaree smiled as his body was utterly deleted by the point blank shots. Shaun was remorseless; he didn't even shed a tear.

He turned around to see the others staring at him with shock. Yolei immediately turned around and fell to her knees, vomiting on the ground. Kari feebly said, "…you killed him."

TK forcibly said, "Why?"

Shaun remained silent as he grabbed the other energy rifle in his left hand and let them dangle at his sides. He strode over to TK and stared straight into his eyes. "There's no chance for medical help. I had two choices. One: kill him with my own hands. Two: kill him after he's been infected by the Gravemon. He asked for honorable termination…and I gave it to him."

Everyone remained silent in the face of Shaun's words. The Child of Wisdom walked over to Ken and asked, "You have firearms training, right?"

Ken blinked out of response to the suddenness of the question…but he finally responded. "Well…I DID train myself when I was the Emperor…"

Shaun handed the energy rifle to Ken. "Same rules as those that apply to a regular gun." Shaun walked over to the broken door that Yuga had alluded to and said, "He said the rest of his fellow soldiers went this way…we'll have a better chance of getting out of here if we rendezvous with them. I have point. (Agumon), get behind me. Ken, you keep an eye on our rear. Everyone else…stay close, and don't let your guard down." With that said, Shaun entered the door, with (Agumon) close behind.

The others were slightly hesitant…but they really didn't have a choice at the moment. They certainly couldn't go back…and Shaun apparently knew this facility. Their best chances of survival were with him.

As the others walked along, Ken knelt beside Hawkmon, who was busy consoling Yolei. The Rookie worriedly said, "Yolei…are you through vomiting?"

Yolei nodded quietly from her spot on the ground.

The Child of Kindness extended a hand to the Child of Caring. "Come on Yolei…let's go."

Yolei calmly stood on her own accord. "I…I'm never going to get used to all of this death…being a Digidestined is great and all…but what's there to look forward to with all of this happening?"

Ken had no answer for Yolei…at least, none that would satisfy HIM at any rate. So he settled for consoling. He wrapped his arms around Yolei and quietly hugged her. "I don't have an answer…but all I can say is that I'll protect you. So will Hawkmon…and so will everyone else. We're Digidestined…we all look out for each other."

Yolei silently basked in the loving warmth of Ken's embrace. That answer was good enough for her…for now, that is. "Okay…let's go."

----

/11-010-PSI, 2:55 PM/

Darkheart sat silently on the branch of a tree; his armor was being pelted by raindrop after raindrop, and he didn't care.

He was too busy thinking.

Thinking…about the source of that strange chill…

_Man, I don't know whether to feel scared…or embarrassed_. Scared, because whatever lay inside the swamp was old…and terrifying beyond belief. Embarrassed…because he had fled like a coward.

But then again, he wasn't actually a coward…he just had a brain in his head. He knew when to pick his fights…he would pick his fight when the Digidestined got out.

Of course, there was no guarantee that they would survive…but he somehow knew they would.

_'Chicken.'_

Darkheart frowned at Davis' voice; the little wuss had finally woken up.

_'Coward.'_

He clinched his fists at Davis' insults: the boy was practically ASKING for a beating.

_'Fraidy-cat.'_

_That's it, you've asked for it!_ With that, Darkheart shut his eyes.

Several minutes later, he opened them again with a satisfied smile. "There…that should shut him up for awhile."

----

/11-010-OMEGA, Prison Facility, Trash Bin Swamp, 3:05 PM/

Shaun rounded the corner of the corridor quietly; he and the rest of the Digidestined had gone down by a few floors through a series of dimly lit corridors, seeing nary a Gravemon anyway. Of course, they were following the trail of green blood left behind by destroyed Gravemon: a sign of a running battle being fought between the Gravemon and the Forbidden City Digimon. There was the occasional splotch of liquid purple Elitemon blood or thick, blue Gruntmon blood, but mostly pasty green Gravemon blood.

After the numerous corridors, filled with nothing but emptiness and the stench of dried blood, they were lulled into a false sense of security.

Then they rounded a left corner-

"_**RRRRRRRIYYYY!!!"**_

Everyone yelped as a gurgling scream erupted from the gullet of two figures standing in a T-intersection. Both of those figures were Elitemon…except the sensory tentacles of a Spore protruded from their chests. Their skin was rotting and sickly, and plates of red armor could be seen underneath. Fleshy tentacles made of rotting flesh grew from their right wrists, but they were hard and solid…and fully capable of inflicting damage. However, the clincher was the fact the Elitemon's heads – well, what had ONCE been Elitemon – were limping backward, as if their necks had been entirely liquefied of all stiff muscle or bone.

The sight was horrifying…but they were undoubtedly dangerous, especially with the energy rifles that the Warrior Gravemon both wielded. Add in the dozen Spores that were with them…and that added up to a very bad situation.

Shaun impulsively raised his energy rifle up and pulled the trigger…

Two Spores popped from the burst of blue plasma, but the infected Elitemon would kill him first…and then the others-

_CHOOM!!!_

The sound of whizzing blue and green plasma erupted in the corridor; for you see, the Gravemon had been standing by a door.

And that door had just been opened.

The Gravemon turned to face their new assailants, but they were vaporized in the devastating barrage of plasma.

Moments later, all was silent. Shaun and (Agumon) stared at the burn marks that practically littered the floor, dumbfounded at what had just occurred.

Cautiously, Shaun called out, "Hold your fire! We're coming out!"

Shaun walked ahead towards the door, his hands clutching the energy rifle tightly.

Then, he entered the room beyond the door.

The room was rather small in comparison to other rooms in the facility; nevertheless, it was still large in size. It was a rectangular room that was lit by pale green lights situated in the ceiling, and it was roughly seventy feet wide and thirty feet long. In the left corner of the room were two staircases that led up to a metallic catwalk; the wall near the catwalk was covered by holographic displays that displayed information coming in from a certain part of the prison facility. There was another pentagon-shaped door at the right side of the room, and on the opposite wall there was a massive pentagon-shaped door about fifteen feet high…and beyond that door lay the security station for the facility, hence the extra security.

Oh, and let's not forget the Digimon that were in the room. Shaun looked around and saw two red Elitemon and three black Elitemon standing near the door, their energy rifles aimed carefully. Near the staircases were three red Gruntmon and two orange Gruntmon, their energy pistols also aimed at the doorway. On the catwalk itself were three black Gruntmon, energy rifles held calmly…and finally, there was the gold Elitemon standing on the catwalk, plasma sword held tightly.

Shaun blanched at the sight of all the energy weapons aimed at the door. If he had been a Gravemon, he'd have been vaporized by now.

The sight of him, however, caused murmurs of surprise to arise from the mouths of the lower-ranked Elitemon and Gruntmon. The golden Mega silently walked down the staircase and stood in front of Shaun, his 8'6" frame towering over Shaun's relatively puny 5'4" body.

Finally, Vula Tusa'lamee said, "Hello again…Shaun. Or should I say, 'member of the High Council'?"

Shaun sighed out of relief; he had half-expected to be cut in half…but then again, he hadn't dealt with Digimon from the Forbidden City for quite some time. "Well Captain Tusa'lamee-"

"COMMANDER Tusa'lamee," interrupted Vula.

"Oh. Well, let me remind you that I'm only an HONORARY member…and another thing is that I have other Digidestined with me," He glanced back at the T-intersection and yelled, "Come on out guys!"

Slowly, the Digidestined all advanced into the room, staring at the new Digimon with a mixture of awe and confusion. Biyomon blinked out of wonder at the sight of the five-foot tall Rookie-level Gruntmon. "Ooh…are you a Rookie?"

"Yep! Me be a Rookie!" exclaimed the orange Gruntmon.

Meanwhile, the other orange Gruntmon was taunting Gatomon. "Hee hee! I'm a Rookie and I'm taller! Hee hee!"

Gatomon scowled at the Rookie-level Gruntmon. "…Lightning Paw!"

One set of scratch marks on the arm later…

"AAAH!!! VERY BAD DAY!!!" screamed the orange Gruntmon ran around in circles, waving his arms around his head in the air, acting like a lunatic.

Gatomon couldn't help but laugh.

Vula Tusa'lamee stared at all of the Digidestined quietly, his eyes looking at them all…as if taking their measure.

Suddenly, the voice of Huvo Nuvonaree burst over his com-link. **"Commander Tusa'lamee! Where are you?"**

The golden Elitemon turned around and replied into his com-link. "I am right outside the security station. Where are you?"

"**I'm IN the security station! The Gravemon have somehow broken in!"**

Vula paled at the realization; the Gravemon had managed to get inside the security station? At that moment, he heard a very familiar thumping sound.

_Thump. Thump. Thump._

It was coming from the door on the right side of the room; the Gravemon were on the other side.

Vula quickly said, "Commander Nuvonaree, I have to deal with the Gravemon at the moment."

**"Very well. Once my men and I deal with the Gravemon in the station, we'll open the door and come through!"**

The connection was cut. The Elitemon and the Gruntmon gathered near the staircase and the catwalk, their energy weapons aimed at the door. Vula Tusa'lamee glared at the Digidestined and yelled, "Onto the catwalk. If you wish to keep your lives, you will hide!"

Everyone was hesitant…after all, they were Digidestined; it was their nature to fight against bad Digimon!

In the end, it was Yolei who had the answer. "We may not be able to fight…but our Digimon can! Hawkmon, armor-digivolve!"

Hawkmon armor-digivolve to……Shurimon: The Shinobi of Sincerity!

Shaun and Kari reached for their D-3s.

(Agumon) armor-digivolve to……Sonocomon: The Speed of Wisdom!

Gatomon armor-digivolve to……Nefertimon: The Angel of Light!

TK, without hesitation, yelled, "HOLY ARMOR ENERGIZE!!!" One flash of bronze light later, and he was clothed in the Armor of Hope.

Sonocomon flexed his limbs with satisfaction. "Yeah…been a while since I've worn these duds!" At that moment, he looked at Shaun with a concerned eye. "But…don't YOU want to wear this?"

Shaun clutched his energy rifle tightly. "No. Telepathy won't work on these guys…it would only work on the Mind, and its not what we're facing."

_Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump._

Nefertimon positioned herself underneath the catwalk, aiming the snake headpiece on her tiara at the door. Sonocomon propped himself in the corner and aimed his palms at the door was well. TK opened his wings and prepared to strike with a Star Shower attack. Shaun took aim for the door, whilst Ken stood protectively in front of Yolei. Shurimon did so as well. All of the Elitemon and the Gruntmon took aim for the door as well.

_Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump._

The door broke.

And they came like a flood.

Spores poured into the room, despite the devastating barrage of plasma that rained upon them. Infected Elitemon – Warriors – rushed in, managing to actually AVOID the shots…and infected Gruntmon waddled in.

Vula paled at the sight of the infected Gruntmon; what once been their breather packs was now a bulbous sack of rotting skin. "Incubators! Don't let them get near!"

Three black Elitemon took aim at the nearest Incubator and opened fire. Moments after it was hit by the plasma, it exploded violently, spewing several Spores toward the Digidestined and the Forbidden City troops.

Shurimon quickly let loose with his shurikens. "Double Star!!!" He swung his vine-like arms around, using his sharp shurikens to slice through the Gravemon spores before they could get near.

Two of the red-colored Gruntmon howled as they fell under a barrage of blue plasma, courtesy of the infected Elitemon's energy rifles.

"Star Shower!!!"

Several stars rained down upon the Gravemon…but they kept on coming. More and more Spores continued to pour into the room.

One of the Rookie-level Gruntmon gasped and ran for cover. "Horrible bad nasty things! AAAH!!!"

Tai sweatdropped as the Gruntmon ran for cover. _Not exactly the bravest of Digimon…_

"RAAAH!!!"

Tai turned around to see the golden Elitemon known as Voola Too-salami or whatever his name was LEAP at the Spores. His plasma sword slashed and sliced with deadly precision, stemming the tide of Spores…but it was still futile. The Spores continued to come.

**"Commander Tusa'lamee. We have dealt with the Gravemon in the security station. What's your status?"**

"We are being overrun!" roared Tusa'lamee as he sliced through a Warrior Gravemon. "We need reinforcements! And make it snappy; I don't know if you can unlock the door in time to help us!"

**"……hold on. I have a shortcut."**

_WHAM._

Kari froze at the sound of metal striking metal; as Nefertimon blasted a bunch of Spores with her Cat's Eye Beam, her eyes turned toward the huge door between them and the security station.

_WHAM. WHAM. WHAM._

It was shuddering violently; whatever was hitting it, it was TOUGH.

_WHAM. WHAM. WHAM. WHAM. WHAM. WHAM._

The door was busted open with a tremendous crash…and two monstrous figures stepped into the room.

They were absolutely massive; at 12 feet tall, they were the tallest of all the Forbidden City Digimon. Their bodies was made of slimy orange skin that looked like miniature tubes at first glance; however, they were incredibly strong, as their barrel chests and muscular legs showed. Shiny blue armor covered their chest, legs, arms, feet, and the crowns of their head. Protruding from their backs were six spiky appendages, each one also covered by blue armor. Attached to their left arms was a massive shield that was shaped like a symmetrical arrowhead, and it was ridged on the top. They also had a strange weapon welded to their right arms: a purple cannon with green rods embedded in its side. Their metallic boots were huge: capable of crushing multiple Gravemon spores at once. Finally, their eyes were narrow and silvery, peering ahead with unmatched focus.

They were the Huntermon. All Huntermon were of the Ultimate level…but they were immensely strong.

The pair of Huntermon roared as they crouched down to protect their exposed midriffs, thus bringing them down to a height of nine feet. The weapon on their right arm – the Fuel Rod Gun – glowed as green plasma gathered in the barrel.

Then, with a ghostly wail, the energy was released.

A stream of blazing green plasma _slammed_ into the Gravemon, cutting them down where they stood. After two more blasts from the Fuel Rod Gun, the Gravemon had been eliminated.

Veemon stared in awe at the two Huntermon as Sonocomon, Shurimon, and Nefertimon dedigivolved. "Dang…they're tough!"

"As they should be," said a voice from beyond the broken door.

Out of the security station strolled the Spec Ops Commander Huvo Nuvonaree. Out of the original 30 troops under his command, he only had six black Elitemon, four black Gruntmon, one red Elitemon, and, of course, the two Huntermon. Huvo finished speaking. "Otherwise, they would not be our shock troopers."

Huvo finally got a glimpse of the eight Digidestined children. "So…Digidestined. I haven't seen any in quite some time…" He glanced over at Vula Tusa'lamee and said, "What's your status?"

"A total loss," admitted Vula, a dour expression on his face. "The Gravemon are too many; we cannot continue to fight here and hope to win. We must return to the city and bring reinforcements."

Huvo nodded. "A good decision. Everyone, we head for the launch tower; we're leaving this wretched swamp."

Yolei happily sighed with relief. "FINALLY!!! That's the best thing I've heard all day."

----

/11-010-OMEGA, Trash Bin Swamp, 3:29 PM/

The Shadow drifted beneath the canopy with seamless ease; its pilot was quite good.

Quite ironic too…especially considering that he was such a 'heretic' that even a lowly Gruntmon could defeat him.

It was a total lie of course…but that's what he got for entering the world of reality before the Great Journey. Such was forbidden by the Hierarchs.

And he didn't regret it.

He would have such thoughts later; he had Digidestined to rescue.

So he made a beeline for the launch tower.

----

/11-010-OMEGA, Central Core, Prison Facility, Trash Bin Swamp, 3:39 PM/

The unearthly wail of Gravemon sounded out throughout the facility now; it had been a miracle that they had arrived at the main bridge on the top floor without incident.

But then again, there was still time left for that to change.

"Quick! Onto the platform!" commanded Huvo Nuvonaree as he clambered up a set of stairs towards a large elevator platform made of purple light. It was large enough to hold at least 50 Huntermon.

The Digidestined and the rest of the Digimon got on without any more trouble. Once every last person had gotten on board, Huvo pressed a small button on an adjacent panel's holographic display.

Without any noise, the photonic platform ascended upward toward a hole in the ceiling; they finally left the wretched facility behind.

Gatomon sighed with relief as she slumped onto her rump. "Man…I'm glad that's over."

"You said it," agreed Kari with a hearty nod.

Unfortunately for Ms. Kamiya, her time in the facility had yet to end.

Suddenly, and without warning, a pair of super-long tentacles made of sickly brown flesh wrapped around her waist and pulled her off the elevator platform. As she was pulled downward, she screamed as loud as she could.

"KARI!!!" screamed Sora, TK, Yolei, Shaun, Ken, and Cody. Tai dove for the edge and yelled, **_"KARI!!!!!!"_**

Huvo quickly pulled Tai back onto the platform before he could fall. "Don't waste your life; there's nothing more we can do now."

Tai angrily pounded the platform with his fists. "No…NO!!! I won't believe it! SHE CAN'T BE GONE!!!"

Tai's cries were drowned out by the whine of the Shadow's engines as the platform slowed to a stop on top of the facility's launch platform. Vula stared at the lone dropship quietly. "Odd…I thought there would be two."

"It matters not," said Huvo. "We'll all be able to fit on." With that said, Huvo and Vula ran for the cockpit whilst the remaining twelve Elitemon, ten Gruntmon, and two Huntermon got onto the left prong. The Digidestined got onto the right prong.

Tai's face contorted into a scowl as he settled into one of the Shadow's purple seats. He shouldn't be here…he should be heading back to get Kari!

But he had to think logically…there was no way he could get her back on his own.

A hand clenched his left hand. Another hand clutched his right shoulder. To Tai's left and right were Sora and Shaun, respectively.

"Don't worry Tai…we'll get Kari back," said Sora with a reassuring tone.

"We promise," added Shaun.

Tai couldn't help but smile lightly…but it still didn't help his hopes much.

Vula and Huvo opened the cockpit of the Shadow…and they immediately scowled at the sight of the pilot.

It looked like a normal golden Elitemon…but his helmet had a slash mark going across its crown. He was spy agent #0013…but he had a more infamous name.

"Outcast," muttered Vula with indignation.

The pilot sighed with frustration. "How many times have I told you: I HAVE a name. Futa Ishisamee. Futa. FU-TA. Got it?"

"You don't deserve any kind of title for disregarding the prophecy and going to the world of reality," snapped the Spec Ops Commander.

Futa groaned as he retorted, "Fine then. Think what you will…but I'm taking off in ten seconds. Either you get in a seat, or I'm taking off."

With a huffy snarl, the two Commanders hopped into the left prong.

Moments later, the prongs closed up, and the Shadow ascended above the canopy before turning southward. Its destination: the Forbidden City.

The Digidestined's trip to Trash Bin Swamp was over.

----

/11-010-OMEGA, Bottom Chamber, Prison Facility, Trash Bin Swamp, 3:49 PM/

"Ow…what the…?"

Kari looked down at herself and gaped; her wrists and ankles were all bound by tentacles made of sickly brown flesh. She looked around and saw nothing but darkness in every direction…well, not exactly.

What was right in front of her was a massive creature illuminated by the dim light being emitted from the floor on the very bottom. The creature's base consisted of nothing more than a pile of tentacles and fleshy tendrils range in size from pencil-thin to tree trunk-thick. Eventually, they all merged to form what looked like a snake's head…except this 'snake's head' was made of rotting green, yellow, brown and blue flesh. Its mouth had four mandibles, but – unlike an Elitemon's mandibles – they opened vertically and horizontally. They were fashioned like a plus-sign instead of an 'X'.

The creature looked down at Kari quietly, foul green breath being expelled from its gullet.

Finally, it spoke.

_**"Welcome to your grave."**_

----

To be continued…

Next time…

Episode 48: Calm Before the Storm

----

Author's Notes: Well folks, here's my early Christmas present to you all. You probably won't see another episode from me until 2005, so Happy New Year as well!

Merry Christmas, and remember: Jesus loves you!

See you soon, and please review!


	48. Calm before the Storm

Standard Disclaimer: Yo ho ho and a bottle o' lawsuits…that's the decree of pirates! Don't be a pirate; be a landlubber and say 'I don't own Digimon!'

Author's Notes: As you can plainly see, I'm running out of ideas for disclaimers. XO

Anyhow, I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas! I WOULD ask about what gifts you got…but you're here to read. :P

To the reviews!

SR71Will: (whacks SR71 upside the head) Remember what I said about too much speculation?

Cloud-821: Well, you never know…I MIGHT get this episode out by New Year's…;)

ficmaster: Eh, not everyone in the government wants to ban M-rated games…just Joe Lieberman. :P (If you don't get this joke, then you aren't aware of how the ESRB was founded.)

UKHoneyB: Once again, the master of long reviews gives me plenty to talk about! :P

As for the fanart…well shucks. I guess I got carried away. But still…FANART! That's a TRUE sign that a story has a following if someone wants to DRAW about it! I mean, come on!

Eh, I knew about how the Japanese name for Ultimate was called 'Perfect', but I was referring to the American side of things. Ah well.

And as for your question about the Gravemon, only ONE Spore goes into a body, no matter what the size or Digimon. As for Incubators, remember…they EXPLODE. Violently. And the explosion spews out several more spores in a wide radius. Wouldn't like those to go off amongst your ranks, eh?

As for Shaun…well, I will say I had planned for Shaun to have a fuzzy memory, but – aside from the few major events I've planned out – the process of explaining his past is an evolving process. I mean, you can't just plan out the entire life of a 5777 year-old person on the fly. ;)

As for the question of Joe's siblings, I'm sticking with the dub on this matter; there's only Joe Kido and Jim Kido.

And finally…in terms of word length, your latest review was shorter. But in term's of PAGE length…it's over twice as long. :P

Anthony1: Same to you as well!

Ninetalesuk: Persistent little bugger, aren't you? Oh well…since you're based an Egyptian mythology, I need Anubis' opposite number…or should I say, SUPERIOR number…

Anubismon, meet RaDramon. RaDramon, meet Anubismon. (puts them both in a box) Let's see…I'd take the Egyption Sun God over Anubis anyday. ;)

Dot Cubed: Nice to see I have the 'All my Children' affect on readers. :P

And as for why the Outcast – Futa Ishisamee – was kicked out of the Forbidden City in the first place…read on.

Bohemiat: Hey! You're back! I'd thought you'd disappeared off the face of the Internet!

Anyhow, as for the DNA Digivolution bit…who cares? I say that in my story, DNA Digivolved Digimon are Digimon who integrate their respective bodies together into stronger Digimon, so there. :P

Quinton Notwen: Don't worry; the battle for the Real World takes another twist in this chapter. What twist is that? Well…read on. As for Jim's 'Good Samaritan' bit…well, that's what it started out as. Now it has become something else. ;)

And I'm glad that Zero 2 makes your New Year's time such a grand smash.

reviewer: I might as well call you 'Mr. Emoticon'…because you always put an emoticon of some kind in your reviews. :P

Digi fan: Well, read on!

Snodin: Darn. I thought you were dead. (makes a phone call) Murphy? Cancel the looting; the gal's still alive.

Nah, just kidding. Welcome back Snodin. :P

And here's my New Year's Resolution: to finish Zero 2 before 2005 ends!

Oh, and P.S; I'm staring up a contest! The **_'Zero 2 Fan Art Contest'_**.

Basically, the art can be of any character, scene, or event in Zero 2. You can use any kind of art style (mural, panorama, black and white, crayon, canvas, etcetera), but NO PORNOGRAPHY.

Third place winner gets a special cameo of sorts in Zero 2. Second place winner will get a chapter written by me in whatever story of theirs that they wish (like, say, if Dot Cubed got second, I would write a chapter for one of her stories). Grand prize winner gets an original one-shot story – by me – in their honor on whatever subject they please (preferably of the Digimon variety, but simply ask and I'll see what I can do. ;) )

Deadline will be February 1st, 2005! To post your fanart, simply put the link in a review.

Begin!

----

_The darkness continues to grow…_

_And now, another enemy has come…_

_The Digidestined are on the verge of being overwhelmed…_

_And unfortunately, they very well might be._

----

"Hello everyone, it's Shaun. Well, we were stuck in the middle of a foggy and dank marsh called Trash Bin Swamp. Before you know it, we get attacked by a Digimon called Gravemon, and my memory finally kicks in. We sought shelter inside the swamp facility only to hook up with some old 'friends' of mine…the Digimon of the Forbidden City. We escaped…but Kari was captured."

----

Episode 48: Calm before the Storm

----

/11-010-OMEGA, Bottom Chamber, Prison Facility, Trash Bin Swamp, 3:50 PM/

There were times when Kari hated being the Child of Light.

Why? It wasn't that bad; she had a great partner, her powers were like a can of Raid to the forces of darkness, and – for all intents and purposes – she was her own nightlight.

But any advantages were usually outweighed by one thing: her light made her a target. She might as well have painted a big bull's eye on her head and wear a shirt that said 'HIT ME'. I mean, it was like clockwork with her, first was Myotismon (as you all very well know).

Then there was Dragomon, who wanted to merge his body with hers and become one. The mere thought of it always sent shivers up her spine…and that Dark World! It practically had it in for her!

Finally, there was Darkheart, who had gone to great lengths just to make her feel miserable. Heck, she had been scarred on the arms, legs, and face by him!

And now, there was this…thing. Whatever it was…no, it could only be a Gravemon…but what kind?

Kari – her body suspended in midair, her wrists and ankles bound by rotting tentacles – looked up at the massive, serpentine creature and asked, "What…what are you?"

The creature's four mandibles moved seamlessly as it spoke, foul green air being expelled from within. Kari resisted the urge to cough as some of the putrid gas entered her nostrils. **_"I am the Mind. I am that which controls…and all others are the instruments."_**

Kari froze; Shaun had said that the Gravemon were all controlled by a single consciousness…a brain, so to speak. That brain was called the Mind. "You're…the Gravemon that controls all of the other Gravemon."

"**_That is the truth, and I am the one who shall direct them all. We are your grave, for you and all others shall join us in death,"_** said the Mind, its voice surreal and otherworldly.

Kari couldn't help but groan; how come all of the villains she and the other Digidestined had to face were so creepy?! Dragomon wanted to become one with her, Darkheart wanted to absorb ALL of them, and now Gravemon wanted everyone to join them in death. Why couldn't all the villains be more like UmbraDevimon or Myotismon, who only wanted world domination?

Putting her thoughts aside, Kari said, "But why? Why do you want everyone to die?"

"**_Because we are the dead. All of us are representations of those that have died…and thus, we must have all that is living to die, for we shall spread onward into infinity. That is our goal, and it is our only reason for existing."_** As Gravemon spoke, gurgling shouts could be heard from all around in the darkness.

Kari tried to digest what the Mind was telling her. They existed only to make all that is living into Gravemon…but if that were true, they would've also infected the trees and the grass. It must've meant all those that were capable of concious thought…like all Digimon.

She shivered at the sound of the roars in the darkness. "What are those noises…?"

One of the Mind's many tentacles shimmied across the floor…and at its tip was the hand of an Elitemon. As the hand at the tip of the Mind's tentacle pressed against a small holographic display at the far end of the chamber, it said, "**_The others."_**

The display was activated…and the lights inside the chamber flicked on, all at once. Everything was illuminated in a dull blue light.

And then Kari saw them.

The entirety of the bottom chamber was made of several galleries stacked upon each other on several floors, each one at least seventy feet high. Standing upon those galleries were Gravemon Warriors of all shapes and sizes, Spores, Incubators…and, on the bigger Gravemon, a mixture of Warriors and Incubators.

They were innumerable…there were at least 5,000 Gravemon standing on the galleries, and that wasn't counting the Spores that were of a far greater number.

Kari gaped at the sight. "But…I thought you were imprisoned…"

The sound that erupted the Mind's mouth would best resemble a chuckle. **_"Imprisonment? You cannot imprison us forever…no one can. Those arrogant creatures to the south have tried to do so for as long as they have existed. We have been free for many centuries now…they have just been blind to the truth."_**

Kari's perspective suddenly changed as the tentacles that held her moved around, making Kari stare down at the chamber's floor. The first thing she saw was a broken ring of purple metal, its purpose eluding her…

But then she saw the holes.

Tremendous tunnels had been carved through the metal floor and into the dirt beneath the facility.

As if sensing her befuddlement, the Mind said, **_"I broke free many centuries ago…two hundred years after they imprisoned me last. I worked with great discretion…but it did not take long for me to free my fellow dead ones. We dug these tunnels in secret, and we secretly converted as many as possible, away from the eyes of those to the south. As great as this force may seem, our numbers were once in the millions."_**

The thought chilled Kari to the core of her being. There had once been millions of Gravemon? This force looked strong already…she could barely imagine it.

But still…it didn't answer why she had been kidnapped. Unless… "But still…why did you kidnap me? To infect me? Make me a Gravemon?" Even as she considered this possibility, goose bumps of fear rose on her skin.

"**_In due time,"_** replied the Mind as its instruments continued to roar. **_"Nay. You are our messenger to the arrogant ones. You will tell them that we are coming…and that reality shall soon fall beneath our footsteps."_**

Kari suddenly felt a haze overcome her vision…a strange yellow glow surrounded her as she felt…faint…

And with a thought, the Mind – using its great telepathic powers, accumulated over its many millennia of existence – teleported Kari away from Trash Bin Swamp…and into the Forbidden City.

----

She suddenly saw again. She saw a purple ceiling…

_WHUMP_.

And with an agonizing crash, Kari slammed into a hard and cold floor made of metal. As a dull groan escaped her lips, two tall figures in black armor gathered around her, apparently surprised that she had suddenly materialized.

Their voices blurred into nothing as she slowly drifted into unconsciousness…

"Look; a human!"

"I recognize her from the swamp's prison facility! How did she get here?!"

"It doesn't matter, she needs medical attention."

"I'll notify Commander Tusa'lamee…"

And, as the darkness claimed her, she heard nothing.

----

/Sphere Observation Deck, Fuji Television Station, Odaiba, 4:00 PM/

Jim didn't quite understand it.

Either he was clueless, or people were insinuating too much into it…or did they have a point? WAS he falling for Jun? WERE they a couple? _Gah…this is making my head spin…_

For all his knowledge that he had accumulated concerning the human brain, its functions, and how it works – at least, those functions that humanity understood – he sometimes wondered how his own mind processed things.

And right now, he couldn't understand his feelings over Jun.

Hey, it had started out as a Good Samaritan act! Girl becomes sad, guy cheers up girl, monsters invade hometown, guy drives off, girl gets kidnapped by monkey, guy drives after monkey, monkey drops girl, guy saves girl from a squishy death, guy and girl end up at a shelter…

Okay, so it wasn't exactly the average Good Samaritan story.

But still…he couldn't understand why he was feeling this way. Why did he feel offended – if only a little bit – that that senior policewoman had said that they were a couple? Why?

Was it because of who he was? Was it because that he was Jim Kido, practically the only guy in the male dorms at the university who hadn't gone on a date?

Maybe. Perhaps…perhaps he was just unused to the idea of having a girlfriend. Perhaps he was just in denial.

_Me? In denial?_ The thought nearly made Jim laugh…however, laughing would've woken up the person sleeping right next to him: Jun.

So he kept his thoughts to himself, a wry smile plastered on his face as he did.

Maybe the idea of him having a girlfriend wasn't that bad. Not bad at all.

"Now ma'am, if you'll just sit right here…"

Jim shifted his eyes over to a nearby Junsa escorting a woman up to a bench in the Sphere Observation Deck. Even though there were still plenty of floors that were vacant, some had requested to come up to the Observation Deck.

Jim's eyes widened at the sight of the woman; he recognized her.

It was Nancy Takaishi, mother of TK.

----

/Archfiend Castle, Tokyo Bay, Odaiba, 4:07 PM/

Soulmon roared, "COMMENCE FIRE!!!"

All around the catwalk of Archfiend Castle's main courtyard were a number of possessed Tyrannomon and Greymon; they opened their maws and unleashed a barrage of fiery orbs upon Odaiba.

Soulmon watched with satisfaction as the spheres of crackling red and orange fire crashed into areas designated as enemy territory; delight filled him as buildings fell, being replaced by columns of smoke and old rubble. Even as all of this happened, Archfiend Castle continued to corrupt the area; a black sheen had now settled over every piece of land (and water) within 100 yards of the castle.

Imperfection. That's what the human world was: nothing but imperfection at every step. The buildings were all cluttered and disorganized; an ugly mole on the planet's surface. They bred like wild rabbits, and their various ideals disgusted him. And they were divided as well…and that alone made Soulmon hate them so.

Demon had once told the Black Generals and Soulmon this: _"There's an old saying that the humans occasionally say. 'A house divided against itself cannot stand'. The same rule applies to Digimon; make sure the Bakemon Army is so well-trained that they neither fail nor bicker."_

Soulmon had taken those words to heart; he had instilled fear of Demon, the Black Generals, and of himself into the Bakemon. He had gotten their respect, and they were loyal to Demon, and – as a result – to him. And because of their strict training, Soulmon could expect nothing less than the best from them. They would never fail, and they would never argue amongst themselves…for they knew the penalty for such actions.

"Colonel!!!"

Soulmon tilted his head to see five Bakemon float through the castle walls, their bodies charred and smoking; they had just been in a big battle. "What's your report?" asked the Colonel.

The leader of the five hovered forward, muttering, "We were trying to secure one of the taller buildings like you said…but we were ambushed by a horde of Birdramon and Gorillamon. We tried to fight back…but they overwhelmed us. We're the only members of the attack squad that are left."

Soulmon frowned; 50 Bakemon, and only five survived. Then – his voice devoid of emotion – he asked, "Tell me…were you in command of the mission?"

The lead Bakemon nodded.

As Soulmon spoke, he took off his pointy witch's hat. "You know the penalty for failure…for you see, failure is NEVER an option. I've seen to that…" Soulmon pulled out a metallic rod, complete with a cruel-looking brand on the tip. The brand glowed red-hot with heat. "…and I will continue to do so."

The lead Bakemon gaped at the sight; it was Soulmon's Rod of Shame…for those marked by its brand are doomed to the indignity of a shameful death. "No…please, don't!"

Soulmon plunged the rod into the Bakemon's chest, causing the ghost to scream as he burned into nothing from the inside out. Once the lead Bakemon had burned into nothingness, Colonel Soulmon glared at the others. "You four are dismissed…report back in an hour for new orders. Well? MOVE IT, YOU PANSY SCUM-EATING MAGGOTS!!!"

"Sir!" With that, the four Bakemon eagerly left his sight.

Colonel Soulmon grumbled as he returned the Rod of Shame to the confines of his hat. It wasn't his fault that they failed.

They knew the penalty for failure.

----

/11-011-OMEGA, Medical Ward, the Forbidden City, 4:25 PM/

She was floating.

Kari slowly opened her eyes to see a world tinted in purple. At first, she was confused by the color…and she was confused even more when she realized that she was floating.

Floating in what was the question…and as she moved her left arm up and stared at it, she saw that her entire body was submerged in a cylindrical glass tank of purple gelatin…at least, that was her best guess.

Nevertheless, she was pleasantly surprised to see that the marks on her arm – given to her by Darkheart – were gone.

She looked down at herself to see that she was wearing nothing but her undergarments; her legs were also free of the scars. What the heck was the stuff that she was floating in?

She brought a hand to her face and found that a mask of sorts was fastened to her mouth, allowing her to breathe inside the tank. Even so, she was surprised that she could see; she had half-expected this stuff to hurt her eyes if she looked too long. Apparently, the Forbidden City never heard of chlorine.

She glanced around, trying to see outside. She could make out blurry shapes…and then she looked to her right to see another, similar tube.

Tai was floating inside it, his eyes closed. He looked like he was sleeping.

She looked to her left and saw another tube. This one held Sora. She too looked to be asleep.

Her eyes glanced forward to see four figures walking…three of them were Elitemon…and the fourth was Shaun himself.

----

Shaun sighed with content as he looked at one of the Elitemon walking beside him; in his hands was a black cloth, and he was using it to mop up any purple gel left in his hair. "I have to hand it to you Vula Tusa'lamee, those medicinal tanks of yours are something else."

The golden Elitemon nodded out of concurrence. "Agreed. They are one of the more practical inventions of our city."

Right now, Shaun and all of the Digidestined were in the Medical Ward. The floor of the Ward that they were on was nothing more than a large chamber in which a dozen rows of glass medicinal tanks sat. The floor was made of a smooth gray metal, and the walls were composed of an iridescent purple metal. The ceiling was made of nothing but glass, and one could see the cloudy sky above. As for the medicinal tanks themselves, they were made of a cylindrical frame – which was made of a reflective violet metal – in which the glass tank itself was situated. Pipes came in through the floor and connected to the back of the medicinal tank, and it was through these pipes that the strange, healing gelatin came through. The breathing mask itself dropped down from the top part of the frame and into the glass tank.

Shaun had been the first Digidestined to get out of the medicinal tanks…and, so far, the only one. Several of the partners were already awake, and they were in a different part of the Medical Ward: the Resting Station.

One of the two black Elitemon walking beside Commander Tusa'lamee and Shaun Kamiya glanced up at the medicinal tank they were walking past. "Look; the female is awake."

Shaun and Tusa'lamee glanced at the tank and peered inside to see Kari, her eyes staring listlessly at them. Tusa'lamee checked a small holographic screen that displayed Kari's diagnostics. "She is 98 percent recuperated. I think she can be brought out now."

"Alright then," said Shaun. "I'll be waiting for the Digidestined in the Resting Station." With that, Shaun walked out of the room with Tusa'lamee, leaving the two black Elitemon alone.

The Elitemon immediately went to work. The first moved to the back of the tube and began pressing a series of buttons whilst the second tapped several holographic buttons on the display screen.

----

Kari blinked as the gelatinous liquid that enveloped her body drained away. _Huh…?_

All of a sudden, the breathing mask detached from her mouth, ascending into its compartment within the tank's frame. At that moment, the bottom of the tank opened up and Kari fell downward with the rest of the liquid.

She screamed all the way down, her body sliding along a moist slide of sorts.

Then, she tumbled to a stop on a walkway made of purple light, her body in an unceremonious heap on the floor. "Ow…" She slowly stood up and wrapped her arms around herself, shivering from the cold and the fact that she only had undergarments on. "Man…where are my clothes?"

She suddenly moved forward; the walkway was moving her along at a quick pace; she would've tried to hop off had the walkway not been cordoned off by two thick walls of purple metal.

She suddenly came to a stop; she now stood in a circular room, which was seven feet in diameter. The walkway deactivated as she gazed upward, staring a large nozzle of sorts. "Hmm?"

_SPLOOSH!!!_

"AAAIIEEE!!!" shrieked Kari; the water was _freezing_! She quickly shrank down to her knees as the water forced her to curl up, her body desperately seeking warmth. The purple goop washed off of her body and sloshed into a nearby drain.

Moments later, the water flow stopped. The nozzle flipped over, revealing an air pump. Now, blazing hot air rushed from the pump, evaporating the water on Kari in a matter of seconds. When it finished, all but a few spots of the hair on her head was completely dry.

A panel in the wall flipped down, forming a stand of sorts…and an orange Gruntmon walked onto it. In his hands were Kari's clothes, neatly cleaned, ironed, and pressed. They looked brand new. Her shoes and socks also looked impeccable. "Here you go missy! Courtesy of the cleaners!"

Kari took her clothes numbly, her mind reeling from the shock of a Digimon handing her her own dry cleaning. "Uh…thanks."

Satisfied, the Gruntmon walked back into the wall and into the room beyond, chirping a happy 'Doot doot doo' as he did. The slot in the wall closed up, leaving Kari alone.

Before she could even try and stand up, the violet walkway of light moved on again. All of a sudden it ended at a small hole in the floor. Kari fell down, clothes in hand.

Two seconds later, she landed in a large room made of more purple metal, except it was illuminated by bright turquoise lights. She had landed in a purple metal chair, which had a blue cushion on it. "Wha?"

"You might want to hurry up and put your clothes on."

Kari looked to her left to see Shaun sitting in a chair a few feet away, his hands gripping a spoon-like utensil in his left hand and a purple dish in his right; on the dish was a bunch of thick, purple paste. Shaun was scooping it into his mouth, eating it quietly. In the room were several tables made of gray metal…and sitting at one of them were (Agumon), Veemon, Gatomon, and Hawkmon feasting on the same kind of paste. After swallowing, Shaun – without looking at Kari – said, "Because the others are going to be here soon, and I don't think you want to be seen in nothing but underwear and a bra."

Kari nodded hurriedly, her face flushing with embarrasement. "Yeah…where do I-?"

Shaun pointed his spoon to a nearby door. "Private changing rooms? Out that door, down the hall, first door on the left."

"Thanks." With that, Kari scampered off to get her clothes on in private.

----

/11-011-OMEGA, Sanctum of the Hierarchs, the Forbidden City, 4:35 PM/

The golden Elitemon known as Futa Ishisamee remained silent in the darkness. He had been summoned here by the Hierarchs…but he knew the meeting wasn't going to be pleasant. Standing beside him were two escorts…and they were of an entirely different variety.

They stood at 5'8", and their bodies were thin and wiry, yet lean and muscular. Their skin was colored a thick brown, and it had a leathery feel to it. Their bodies from the neck down – except the arms – were covered by a black, form-fitting bodysuit. Their feet consisted of two large toes each, and their bony hands had five, sinewy fingers. Their slim, streamlined heads looked like those of a lizard mixed with a bird; their snout was long and point like a bird's beak, but their pure orange eyes and razor-sharp teeth likened them to reptilian lizards. Tufts of spiky light-brown hair extended upward from their heads in a mohawk fashion, and their nostrils were narrow slits on their snout. A thick, metallic bracelet adorned their right wrists, and embedded into the bracelet was a blue jewel. A yellow energy shield was being emitted from the bracelet, and it was large enough for them to hide behind. Finally, they each held an energy rifle in their left hand.

They were the Jackalmon. Like the Gruntmon and the Elitemon, their level was determined by color. Rookie-level Jackalmon used blue energy shields. Champion-level Jackalmon used green energy shields. Finally, Ultimate-level Jackalmon used yellow energy shields.

Futa snarled; even if he was the 'Outcast', he didn't deserve such treatment; they considered him a weakling if they assigned mere Jackalmon to be his escort. But then again, there WERE several Honor Guard Elitemon standing on the violet walkway behind him. The only thing that separated the Honor Guards from their Chief – Kuvo Hutalamee – was the fact that their helmets did not sport the same fins the Chief Honor Guard possessed. In their hands were plasma swords.

Finally, voices emerged from the darkness.

"_Hello again, Outcast."_

Futa snarled. "I HAVE a name, Prophet of Reality. I was once a Battalion Commander…a proud Commander!"

Wisdom, from within the darkness, barked, _"The key word being 'ONCE' You lost any and all dignity and honor that you possessed when you entered the world of reality! You know the prophecy! Entering before the beginning of the Great Journey is tantamount to heresy!"_

"Of course…I forgot my other 'name'," said Futa bitterly. "'Heretic'…I only commit one act, and I am banished for life from the Forbidden City."

"**_Which is why you're with us right now,"_** explained Absolution. **_"You defied your punishment. For defying the words of the Great Journey, you were forbidden from ever entering our city ever again."_**

"_Let me be quick to remind you that it was Absolution's forgiveness that allowed you to remain affiliated with us in some way,"_ said Reality_. "Were it not for him, you wouldn't be serving as a spy agent for our intelligence network: an honorable position in its own right."_

Futa snorted. "Say what you will; I have no regrets for my actions."

Wisdom curled his lips with disgust. _"But now on to the main point; why did you willingly return to our city?"_

"To bring the Digidestined," replied Futa. "They were seeking escape from Trash Bin Swamp's prison facility, as were the Spec Ops Commander, Vula Tusa'lamee, and all of the troops under their command."

"_What of the two Shadows that had originally gone with them?"_ snappily asked Wisdom.

Futa found himself smiling at this. "I told them to return to the city and reenergize their dropship's fuel cells…and I told them that it came directly from the Prophets that I would evacuate the Digidestined and the troops."

The two Jackalmon nearly dropped their energy rifles out of shock, and the Honor Guards suddenly looked aghast as they roared, "HERESY!!!" No one EVER presumed to speak for the Hierarchs…not unless they told you so. And it was clear that the Outcast had not obtained such a privilege.

"**_Silence yourselves!"_** yelled Absolution.

Wisdom pounded his fist on the side of his throne – his entire form still concealed by the shadows – and roared, _"There will be order in our Sanctum!"_

"_ENOUGH."_

One word from Reality silenced them all. Finally, he turned his steely gaze to Futa. _"Although the safety of the Digidestined has been assured by your actions, there's little point in ignoring the fact that you spoke on our behalf…a treasonable act. It has been many thousands of years since you broke the oath made by the Prophet of Omniscience and entered the world of reality, but such an act can never be forgiven. And now you add this crime to the list…"_ Reality raised his volume, ensuring that everyone heard him. _"I hereby decree that from this day forth, the Elitemon known as the Outcast is banished from his post as a member of our intelligence network. Any equipment save for his own personal Shadow is now forbidden for him to use. If he dares to so much as enter the airspace surrounding our city, he will be executed posthaste. Also, his right to partake in the Great Journey has been revoked."_

Silence permeated the air inside the Sanctum. Finally, Reality – with a venomous edge to his voice – said, _"Now get out of our sight. Leave this holy Sanctum, and never set foot in our city again."_

Futa snorted as he turned around and walked away, the eyes of the two Jackalmon escorts and the Honor Guards peering at him without mercy. As he neared the doorway, Futa said, "The tides of fate are turning…and soon, you will have to make the decision to act. You cannot remain in isolation forever…I once thought like you. But no more…and I'm all the better for it." With that, Futa left the Sanctum of the Hierarchs.

"**_Leave us Honor Guards,"_** commanded Absolution. With that said, the Honor Guards left the Sanctum and returned to their assigned posts.

"_Insolence!"_ yelled Wisdom, anger evident in his voice. _"He dares to speak so rashly against us, as if we were mere Gruntmon! He should've been executed long ago…otherwise, more may try to follow his example!"_

"_Let us forget of the Outcast, my brothers. We have other matters to attend to,"_ said Reality. _"For one, the Digidestined girl that was supposedly captured by the Gravemon has appeared in our city."_

"**_A life-form that has been captured and yet not been converted to their corrupt ranks? A puzzling development,"_** replied Absolution with a small hint of awe.

"_Indeed…and I intend to speak with her on the matter,"_ said Reality. _"We shall call another session of the High Council…and this time, we shall have the fourth Council member attend, along with the Digidestined."_

----

/11-011-OMEGA, Resting Station, the Forbidden City, 4:50 PM/

Yolei grimaced as she took a seat beside Ken at one of the tables. "Geez…I wish they could've given us a more conspicuous way to clean up." And she had a point; imagine her embarrassment when she had suddenly dropped into the Resting Station with nothing but her undergarments on. It was the stuff of a high school student's nightmares.

Of course, Ken had been embarrassed as well; he had been one of the few to see Yolei scamper out of the Resting Station with her clothes in her hands and nothing but her undergarments (out of curiosity, the only others had been Hawkmon and Sora, whom had directed Yolei to the private changing rooms). Needless to say, it was something his sense of mannerisms hated to see (although his teenage hormones would say otherwise). _And it had to be worse for her…she was the last one of us to drop in._ "Well, you can't complain with their medical technology." As he said this, Ken rubbed a hand over the back of his neck; the hole was completely gone.

Yolei just shrugged; one thing was for sure, she wouldn't want to live here. She grabbed her spoon and glanced down at the dish of purple paste in front of her. "…what the heck is this?"

"Try it!" exclaimed Hawkmon. "You'll love it! It tastes like brownies!"

"No it doesn't! It tastes like Twinkies!" countered Patamon.

Yolei sweatdropped. "Uh…are there different flavors or something?"

"Actually, it varies per person," said Shaun as he took one last bite.

The Child of Caring looked at Shaun incredulously. "How is that possible?"

Shaun sighed as he tried to remember what he had been told the first time he had eaten the purple paste. "Well…the paste contains enzymes that actually send a signal to the somatic sensory association area of the brain, where your memory concerning familiar sensations is stored. Specifically, the memory of your favorite taste sensation is the one that's accessed. Once the enzymes within the paste receive the information concerning your favorite taste, the enzymes reconfigure themselves so that the paste will taste like your favorite food."

Silence. Everyone stared at Shaun quietly.

Finally, Ken said, "Hmm…makes sense. Explains why this tastes like chicken parmesan with two dashes of oregano." His favorite taste had stemmed from a trip to an Italian restuarant in Tamachi a few years ago. He had never forgotten it.

Everyone else didn't get it. "In English?" asked Tai.

Shaun sweatdropped. "Basically, it tastes like your favorite food."

"Mmm…" Yolei smiled as she finally took a bite. "Tastes like chocolate cake!"

"Digidestined."

Everyone turned around to face two Elitemon. One was Commander Tusa'lamee, and the other was the Spec Ops Commander. Huvo Nuvonaree said, "A session of the High Council has been called by the Hierarchs…and they want the fourth council member to attend."

(Agumon) looked up at Shaun, saying, "Shouldn't you go?"

"Well, don't really have a choice, do I?" Shaun got out of his seat and looked at the others. "We need to go to the Sanctum of the Hierarchs."

"What's the Sanctum of the Hierarchs?" asked Armadillomon.

"And who are the Hierarchs?" asked TK.

Vula, Huvo, Shaun, and (Agumon) all exchanged a look. Finally, Vula said, "You need some explanation…and I will try to do so as we head for the Sanctum. But we must make haste; we will not keep the Hierarchs waiting."

----

/11-011-OMEGA, Sacred Path, the Forbidden City, 5:15 PM/

The elevator platform – which was made entirely of purple light – came to a halt. Standing upon that platform were the Digidestined, Vula Tusa'lamee, and Huvo Nuvonaree. Some of the Digidestined were engaged in a conversation with the Spec Ops Commander.

"So the Hierarchs are your rulers?" said Kari.

Huvo nodded as he stepped off the platform. "Yes; they are the holy and noble ones that give us the knowledge and the wisdom we need to survive and to fight. Without them, our city would become embroiled in civil war in a heartbeat."

"Sounds like this place is more of a dictatorship than anything else," said TK pointedly, a sharp edge to his words.

Huvo snorted as he stepped onto the long walkway that sat between them and the Sanctum of the Hierarchs. The walkway was long and wide, and it was made of a reflective violet metal. Grooves were etched into the sides of the walkway, and blue lights – in the shape of halos – were emitted from these grooves. Pedestals were situated at ten-foot intervals on each side of the walkway, and upon these pedestals stood plasma sword-wielding Honor Guards. Arches made of a shining blue metal stood over the walkway, and they shined with a bright white light. This was the Sacred Path: the way to the Sanctum of the Hierarchs.

Huvo quickly retorted TK's words. "Say what you will; the only reason this city would erupt into civil war is because they tire of waiting for the Great Journey to begin."

"Great Journey?" asked Biyomon out of curiosity.

"It was prophesied by the Prophet of Omniscience many millennia ago; he decreed that when the time was right, we would enter the world of reality on a Great Journey," answered Nuvonaree.

As they continued to walk along, Cody thought about the Spec Ops Commander's words. _World of reality…does he mean our world? _

His eyes caught something. Cody glanced downward and to the left to see several black Elitemon escorting a golden Elitemon to a Shadow. For some reason he couldn't identify, the golden Elitemon walked with a kind of quiet and restrained rage. _Who is that?_

Then, before the golden Elitemon got into the Shadow, he looked at Cody. Cody and the golden Elitemon – Futa Ishisamee, although Cody did not know that – gazed into each other's eyes for a few moments.

Then, the golden Elitemon smirked before he was shoved into the cockpit. Moments later, the Shadow took off into the sky before boosting off to the west.

Cody blinked out of curiosity. _What was that all about?_

"Cody! Come on!"

Cody turned his head towards Armadillomon, who had stopped to call him. "The others are already near the door!"

"Coming!" replied Cody before breaking into a jog.

----

/11-011-OMEGA, Sanctum of the Hierarchs, the Forbidden City, 5:20 PM/

Kari squinted as they entered the Hierarchs' Sanctum; it was almost pitch-black inside, save for the glowing purple walkway that led to a separated platform of violet light, which held two Elitemon. The Digidestined, Vula, and the Spec Ops Commander stopped right in front of the door.

The two Elitemon turned around; they were the Chief Honor Guard Kuvo Hutalamee and the Grand Praetor Nola Kusulamee. The Chief Honor Guard said, "Come, fellow members of the High Council."

Huvo Nuvonaree walked along the pathway…and he was followed by Shaun.

"Shaun! Where are you going?!" called out Tai.

Shaun tilted his head back and gave an ironic smile at them. "To attend the session…after all, I AM the fourth member of the High Council."

The Digidestined blinked out of shock; they had heard the Spec Ops Commander speak of a fourth Council member…but they hadn't known it to be Shaun.

The Grand Praetor quickly said, "Bring the Child of Light as well; the Hierarchs wish to speak with her."

"Huh? Why?" asked Kari out of surprise.

Vula Tusa'lamee said, "It is not something you should question. Just go."

Kari Kamiya frowned – not quite understanding everything that was going on – but she reluctantly walked toward the four Council members, leaving the other Digidestined and Commander Tusa'lamee behind.

The moment Kari stepped on the platform of violet light, it separated from the walkway and hovered toward the center of the Sanctum. The moment it stopped, a bright column of light illuminated the platform…and three figures floating in front of it.

The three Hierarchs.

The Spec Ops Commander, the Chief Honor Guard, the Grand Praetor, and the Child of Wisdom all went to their knees. Kari just looked on confusedly, not sure what to make if it all. Finally, the center one – the one in red robes – spoke. _"This session of the High Council is now in order."_

Meanwhile, back near the door, Yolei leaned close towards Ken's ear and whispered, "Why's Shaun kneeling?"

"I think it's the status quo here; since he's a Council member, he's expected to follow their traditions…don't know about Kari though," quietly replied Ken.

"_Huvo Nuvonaree, Special Operations Commander…rise."_

The Spec Ops Commander rose to his feet.

"_Kuvo Hutalamee, Chief of the sacred Honor Guard…rise."_

The Chief Honor Guard rose to his feet.

"_**Nola Kusulamee, Grand Praetor of our great city…rise."**_

The Grand Praetor rose to his feet.

Finally, the Prophet of Reality turned his eyes to Shaun. _"Shaun, Child of Wisdom and honorary member of our High Council…rise."_

Shaun Kamiya rose to his feet.

All of a sudden, Kari looked embarrassed. "Oh my…was I supposed to kneel?"

Absolution waved a hand out of dismissal. **_"Do not worry; you are not a Council member. You are a guest in our city, and are not required to obey our customs…as for your Digidestined friend, he has been in our company before. He knows how to act in our realm."_**

Kari looked at Shaun – looking to see if what Absolution was saying was true – and got a nod in response. Satisfied, Kari looked back at Absolution and said, "Oh…okay."

"_Now that the formalities are out of the way, let us get down to the matter at hand: you, Child of Light."_ As Wisdom spoke, he pointed a finger at Kari.

"Me? What do I have to do with anything?" asked Kari out of confusion.

Meanwhile, Tai switched to 'Distant, yet Super Ultra Protective Brother Version 2.0'. As he looked on from afar, he thought, _Man, if they do anything to her…_

Reality said, _"You are the only person in recent memory to have been captured by the Gravemon and escape conversion. We want to know what happened to you while you were in the swamp's prison facility."_

"I am also perplexed by this…I wish to hear what you say," said Kuvo.

"Besides, it might be a good motivational story for the civilian population," added the Grand Praetor.

"Oh…okay," said Kari, her mind experiencing a flashback to her encounter with the Mind. "Well…I was in the clutches of the Gravemon known as the Mind…"

A wave of silenced shock rolled over the Council members, as well as the Hierarchs. Absolution, a hint of surprise in his voice, said, **_"The Mind? You encountered the Mind?_**"

"Well…it does make sense Absolution," said Shaun. "The tentacle that grabbed Kari…it could've only come from the Mind."

"_Continue on, young child,"_ said Reality.

"Well…it told me about the Gravemon, what they are…it said that they were representations of those that are dead." As Kari spoke, she remembered the putrid smell of the Mind's breath.

Wisdom nodded. _"Disgusting abominations, are they not?"_

Kari found herself agreeing. "Then…it showed me the others…"

"Others? What others? The other Gravemon that escaped?" asked Huvo Nuvonaree.

"Yes…but there were thousands…" said Kari.

The Hierarchs and the Council members paled; suddenly, Wisdom roared, _"This is impossible! Aside from the Mind, no more than 500 Gravemon were sealed away over nine centuries ago! This could only mean that they had infected more Digimon while they were sealed away, which is clearly impossible!"_

"No…the Mind showed me tunnels in the ground. It told me that it had been free for many centuries, and had infected many Digimon while it was free," countered Kari.

"But…that is impossible!" yelled the Spec Ops Commander. "We would've known if they had broken free before now!"

"Unless they went out of their way to make sure that they wouldn't be detected," said Shaun with realization. His eyes turned to Kari before he asked, "Did you see a ring made of purple metal around the Mind?"

Kari nodded. "Yes…it was broken. Why?"

Shaun grimaced with annoyance. "Great…so it broke the Stasis Ring…still, it's odd that the Gravemon would go out of their way to remain hidden…"

"_Indeed. This is not like the Gravemon…what else did the Mind say?_" asked Reality.

Kari nodded again. "Yes…it said that I was the Gravemon's messenger…it told me to say that they were coming…and that reality would fall beneath their footsteps." Kari sighed as she fell to her knees, the interrogation proving to be more exhausting than at first glance. "That's it…that's all that happened before the Mind somehow sent me to this city…"

Silence. Slowly, the heads of Absolution and Wisdom tilted, staring at Reality. Finally, Absolution said, **_"Now they are making specific targets…this is truly different than in the past. The Gravemon never used to care about who they attacked."_**

"_That is true…the tides of fate are turning,"_ muttered Reality, his mind thinking back to Futa Ishisamee's words.

"HIERARCHS!!!"

Everyone whirled around to the door to see a black Elitemon rush in, his voice panicked and filled with worry. Vula immediately roared, "HERESY! No one is allowed in the Sanctum while the High Council is in session!"

"My apologies…but my lords, I have terrible news!" screamed the black Elitemon. "The Fortress Wall has been broken! The Gravemon are on their way here!!!"

----

/11-010-OMEGA, Over Trash Bin Swamp, 5:32 PM/

Darkheart hovered upside-down in the air, his head tilted upward (thus causing his eyes to look downward) as he gazed at the fracas below.

It had only been a few minutes ago when a large chunk of the Fortress Wall had been blown away from inside. Immediately after that, a stream of creatures with rotting flesh had stormed out.

Darkheart scowled as he watched the herd of Gravemon storm southward to the tremendous city that sat on a large cliff several miles away. One thing was for sure: a battle was about to occur. This was only the calm before the storm. "Disgusting things…but why the heck do they have such a frightening aura about them?"

'_Because you're a wimp and they scare you.'_

Darkheart scowled; didn't this kid ever shut up?! _I practically caved your skull in…you can't be up and about so soon after that._

'_I have a thing against staying down.'_

_Cocky son-of-a-gun. Fine then…we'll do this the hard way_. And with that, Darkheart's eyes became glazed…unfocused…

----

/Realm of the Entrapped Souls, 5:34 PM/

"Oh…wha…?"

Mimi slowly woke up for the first time since being absorbed. She woozily looked around…and blanched as she saw that a column of black, fleshy tendrils was holding her entire body. "Eew…where am I?!"

"Welcome to your new home."

Mimi tilted her head to the left to see Matt Ishida, who was staring at her with a sad smile. "Hey Mimi…about time you woke up."

"Matt! Where are we? And why are we stuck in this stuff?!"

"I think we're inside Darkheart," replied Matt; his breathing seemed a tad labored. "And judging by how tired I feel, I think he's siphoning our energy…"

Mimi knew that Matt's words were true; even though she had just woken up, she felt as though she hadn't slept in two days. "Come to think of it…I do feel tired…is anyone else here?"

Matt nodded. "Omnimon and Dinobeemon are on the opposite wall, and to my left are Joe, Gomamon, Izzy, and Tentomon…and Lilymon's over here to; she popped up around the same time you did."

Mimi sighed with relief. "Well, at least we can talk while we're in here…"

A flash of light.

Mimi blinked as she saw Darkheart materialize on the floor, walking on all sixes toward a column of black tendrils that had a golden sheen. "What's he doing here?!"

Matt suddenly grimaced. "Oh no…he's at it again…Mimi, don't look."

Of course, that only made Mimi look.

----

Darkheart couldn't help but smile as he saw Davis; although the boy was still covered in bruises, cuts, and blood, his head didn't look like a smashed egg anymore. "You've got spunk, I'll give you that."

Davis snarled at Darkheart. "Always have been, always will be."

Darkheart cackled as his four fists crackled with black energy; in moments, the energy forming vicious looking spikes. "I'll say this…it's nice to have a target that always stays fresh."

_SHICK._

Davis gasped as Darkheart's four fists dug into his abdomen. He looked down to see his dark nemesis' four fists embedded in his stomach.

Then, Darkheart twisted his hands.

Davis groaned as the spikes twisted at his insides, skewering and ripping at his intestines.

After a minute of this, Darkheart withdrew his hands, which were now coated with Davis' blood. However, Darkheart's previous action also meant that Davis now had a hole in his stomach.

With a sickening and pulpy splat, Davis' intestines slipped out of his body and onto the ground. Darkheart only smiled. "Whoops. Guess you should've hired a professional surgeon."

Davis used whatever energy he had left within him to spit on Darkheart. "Stuff it!"

Darkheart sighed with annoyance as he wiped the spit off of his forehead. "You really are a slow learner."

Davis only saw an upward slash by Darkheart's upper right arm.

Less than a second later, Davis' rib cage burst open like a bloody flower. You see, Darkheart sliced through Davis' sternum, the part of the skeletal system that held the rib cage together…and without it, it did the only thing it could do: open up.

Davis howled with agony as the skin over his chest split open, revealing his lungs and (still-beating) heart. Davis couldn't help but gag as more blood poured to the floor.

Darkheart chuckled as he slowly began dematerializing. "I think I'll let you heal up completely…wouldn't want to void my target's warranty." Darkheart's laughter echoed throughout the realm as he disappeared.

Davis just remained there, his entire body limping. With all the pain he was enduring, he could only weep…weep because of the pain…weep because of his helplessness…

And, in the end, Mimi regretted not listening to Matt. After the gruesome display, she ended up fainting.

----

/11-011-OMEGA, Northern Plateau, North of the Forbidden City, 5:40 PM/

Battalion Commander Vula Tusa'lamee glared at the approaching mass of Gravemon from the edge of the plateau. They were standing on the very first part of the highlands that continued southward beyond the Forbidden City…and, as a result, it was their first line of defense.

Commander Tusa'lamee glanced backward at an approaching black Elitemon. "Sir, the defensive line has been fully set up."

Vula nodded as he stared at a gun turret being set up. "Good…" The turrets were portable versions of the ones that were used by the Shadows; the turret itself consisted of three prongs that jutted forward from a large orb of purple metal. The turret was attached to a large sphere in which the gunner sat. The sphere was based on a pedestal of light violet metal, and an anti-gravity generator sat on top of it. This way, the turret had 360-degrees of movement horizontally AND vertically (save for pointing directly downward). A singular orb of bright red plasma would be ejected from the prongs, and the turrets had a high rate of fire. The plasma turrets were called Specters, and thirty of them had been set up along the cliff edge. Manning them were a mixture of red Gruntmon and red Elitemon.

Vula gazed at the defensive force that had gathered at the plateau edge. Although it seemed small considering the overall size of the Forbidden City military, most of the soldiers had remained in the city itself to safeguard it. Nevertheless, the defensive line was still formidable; several dozen Gruntmon and Elitemon were standing along the cliff edge, and about two dozen of them held hand-held versions of the Fuel Rod Guns that the Huntermon used. Speaking of Huntermon, ten pairs of Huntermon were positioned beside the Specters, their Fuel Rod Guns aimed at the oncoming horde of Gravemon. A number of Jackalmon had also gotten into position in front of the Gruntmon, using their shields to help protect the relatively weak Digimon.

Oh, and there were seven others as well: (Wargreymon), MetalAngemon, Silphymon, Garudamon, Angewomon, Shaun (in the Armor of Wisdom), and TK (in the Armor of Hope). Veemon, Cody, Yolei, Ken, Tai, Sora, and Kari were still back in the Forbidden City, in the Sanctum of the Hierarchs.

Vula Tusa'lamee looked back at Shaun and TK quietly. "Are you sure you want to partake in this fight? The Gravemon can be…ferocious."

"I've fought them before…besides, these Gravemon are nowhere near as numerous as the ones we faced the last time they broke free. We'll be fine."

TK added on by saying, "Besides, we're Digidestined! We do this for a living."

The golden Elitemon chuckled. "If you say so." He gazed once more at the Gravemon…and then saw the lead Gravemon – an infected Wargreymon – pass a designated point on the desert plain. He quickly opened a line to the Spec Ops Commander. "Commander Nuvonaree, they are in range."

----

"**Commander Nuvonaree, they are in range."**

"Affirmative. Commencing Ghost bombardment," replied the Spec Ops Commander as his eyes gazed at the thirty vehicles situated right outside the Forbidden City's walls.

The vehicles were made of the same reflective purple metal alloy that the Forbidden City's denizens favored, and they were fifteen feet tall, twenty feet long, and – at their widest – seventeen feet in width. The front of the vehicles resembled the carapace of a horseshoe crab, and (consequently) it was the strongest part of the vehicle. Behind the thick front carapace was the spherical cockpit. Hover-jets were attached to the bottom of the vehicles at various points, and – at the top of a cockpit – a cannon could be seen. The cannon looked like the head of a tulip, and it expanded outward when it fired. Finally, anti-infantry plasma turrets were affixed to the sides of the front carapace. These vehicles were the Ghosts…and they were the tanks used by the Forbidden City's military. Sitting at the controls of these Ghosts were black Elitemon that were part of Huvo's regiment.

He raised his hand: that was the signal.

Seconds later, the Ghosts' main cannons opened fire. Tremendous globules of white-hot plasma – easily twenty feet in diameter – roared from the cannons and sailed upward into an arc before descending downward.

As the plasma mortar blasts sailed through the air, a ghostly howl was emitted from them…hence the name: Ghosts.

----

Thirty orbs of plasma slammed into the Gravemon's ranks.

Vula Tusa'lamee roared, "OPEN FIRE!!!"

The Huntermon unleashed a stream of green plasma from their Fuel Rod Guns, as did the Gruntmon and Elitemon that were carrying portable versions of the weapon. Specters unleashed red orbs of plasma on the flying Gravemon. (Wargreymon) charged toward the infected Wargreymon, claws extended. Shaun and TK took to the air; Shaun charged toward the ground at high speed, whilst TK ascended higher into the air. MetalAngemon, Silphymon, Garudamon, and Angewomon followed suit.

"Speed Spin!!!" Shaun began spinning at high speed, becoming a buzz saw that tore through a wave of Spores without mercy.

"Star Shower!!!" TK settled for an airborne bombardment with his Star Shower attack, raining energy stars down upon the Gravemon.

"Ancient Wind!!!" MetalAngemon flapped his wings, causing a mighty gust of holy air to blast against the Gravemon. Some of them were sent scattering by the gust.

"Wing Blade!!!" Garudamon's flaming phoenix attack slammed into the Gravemon, causing the flesh of the rotting Digimon to burn. The stench of cooked flesh began to fill the air.

"Celestial Arrow!!!" Angewomon shot a number of holy arrows at the Gravemon, causing a multitude of Spores to pop.

"Static Buster!!!" Silhpymon launched orb after orb of static electricity at the Gravemon above, weaving in and out between the Gravemon's counterattacks.

Speaking of counterattacks, the Gravemon capable of long-distance attacks had launched an offensive of their own. All of the energy and fire attacks were tinted a sickly green; a sign of the death that gripped the Gravemon. Green fire and energy slammed into the cliff side, causing a multitude of rubble to fall. Three of the Specters were destroyed as a number of Gruntmon, Jackalmon, and Elitemon were incinerated by the counterattack.

Vula Tusa'lamee growled as a lick of green fire flashed across him, causing his energy shields to flicker momentarily. "Blasted Gravemon…" He quickly looked at the Forbidden City militia and roared, "Do not cease in your attacks!!! Fight on!!!"

"Commander! Hybrids on the left flank!" roared a black Elitemon with a Fuel Rod Gun.

Vula Tusa'lamee glanced at the Gravemon's left flank and blanched; twenty infected Tyrannomon were stomping toward the cliff edge; on their backs were bulbous sacks of flesh, the signs of an incubation pod. The Gravemon that were both Warriors AND Incubators were known as Hybrids.

The golden Elitemon quickly opened up a link to the Spec Ops Commander. "Commander Nuvonaree! We have Hybrids storming towards our right flank! Direct some of the Ghosts' artillery fire at the Gravemon's left flank!"

"**Roger that."**

Seconds later, the twenty Hybrids were hit by ten globules of white-hot plasma. A cloud of white energy enveloped the Hybrids and the immediate area around them, a result of the explosion.

But it wasn't enough.

The Hybrids' incubator pods had exploded anyway…and right now, over two hundred Spores were flying through the air and toward the plateau's edge, where the Forbidden City's defensive line sat.

Vula roared, "ALL UNITS! FIRE ON THE SPORES!!!"

Most of the Specters' gunners aimed the turrets skyward at the Spores. Even the Elitemon, Gruntmon, and Jackalmon that had yet to join the battle – their energy rifles and energy pistols did not have the range the Specters and the Fuel Rod Guns did – quickly raised their weapons and unleashed a wave of blue and green plasma at the Spores.

Many of them popped in the air before they endured deletion…but a good seventy of them still managed to hit the cliff edge before scampering on toward the nearest target.

Several Gruntmon screamed with fear as they dropped their weapons and fled. One of them screamed, "AAAH!! BAD TENTACLES! BAD!!! WAAHAAA!!!"

Vula snarled as the Gruntmon ran; despite the fact that they comprised a large portion of the Forbidden City military, most of them were cowards. Aside from the Ultimate-level Gruntmon and a few of the Champions, all of them fled in the face of sudden and immediate danger.

"AAAAHH!!!"

Vula cursed at himself; he should be focusing on the battle, not the Gruntmon's cowardice! He quickly reached for a rod clipped to the side of his armor and tried to locate the source of the scream…

There. A black Elitemon was trying to claw at a Spore that had landed on his back; even though his armor's energy shield protected him from being infected, the Spore was using its penetration tentacle to try and break through the shield and get at the dark skin underneath.

With a press of a button, the Battalion Commander activated his plasma sword and charged ahead. With a proud roar, the golden Elitemon sliced through the Spore.

Nevertheless, a good number of Gruntmon and Jackalmon had become infected by the Gravemon…even a few Elitemon had become Gravemon Warriors.

Vula grimaced as he prepared to charge ahead. "Our fellow soldiers have been infected! Grant them freedom from these parasites!!!"

Two pairs of Huntermon and several Jackalmon turned around and prepare to open fire on the infected soldiers-

_WHAM!!!_

Vula blinked as two large fingers crashed into the vicinity of the infected soldiers and rolled along, getting to their feet and continuing their fight. The collision had flattened more than half of the infected soldiers. "…"

The Huntermon and the Jackalmon attacked and incinerated the rest.

As for the two figures…

(Wargreymon) snarled as he tried to get an upper hand on the infected Wargreymon that he was facing…but he was failing. The one thing about Gravemon was that they were much stronger than their uninfected counterparts.

(Wargreymon) grimaced as he was pushed to his knees; he needed to find a way out of this messy situation in a hurry.

With a burst of raw strength, (Wargreymon) stood up and lashed out with his leg, striking the infected (Wargreymon) at its left knee.

To (Wargreymon's) surprise, the knee completely snapped off. The Gravemon fell to the ground, now with only one leg.

Then it hopped up, roaring at (Wargreymon). Then, it grabbed its broken leg and slammed it into (Wargreymon's) face, sending Shaun's partner to the ground.

(Wargreymon) grumbled as he brought a hand to his face. "OW!" Before he could get back up to his feet, the infected Wargreymon launched itself at him, preparing to plunge its claws into his back.

SLAM!!!

Shaun rammed into the infected Wargreymon's back, sending it flying forward…

_SHICK._

…and into the plasma sword of Vula Tusa'lamee. With three quick slashes, Commander Tusa'lamee eviscerated the infected Mega, deleting it on the spot.

(Wargreymon) grimaced as he got to his feet. "Thanks…you saved my tail."

"Technically, you don't have a tail," replied Shaun with a smile.

(Wargreymon) couldn't help but smile.

Vula Tusa'lamee turned his attention back toward the battle to see the Specters and the Ghosts' artillery blasts tear away at the remainder of the Gravemon. A red Elitemon rushed toward Tusa'lamee and reported, "Sir! The enemy has been eliminated! The battle is won!"

Commander Tusa'lamee frowned; it was already over? No…it couldn't be. "Hmm…something's not right here…"

"True…they didn't fight as ferociously as they are known to do," said Shaun, who walked to Tusa'lamee's side. "Evn so, their numbers were not as great as the last time we fought them."

"But still!" exclaimed the Battalion Commander. "If their true objective was the Prophet of Reality, they would've done more than just make a full frontal assault like this! No…this is not like the Gravemon. It's as if the Mind did not even try to direct them at all!"

Shaun frowned as he thought about it some more. "Unless…unless their true objective wasn't the Prophet of Reality…" He suddenly looked aghast. "Oh no…"

"What?" said the Commander, worry evident in his voice. "What are you getting at?"

"When Kari spoke with the Mind, the Mind wasn't talking about the Prophet of Reality…it was talking about the WORLD of Reality." He turned his eyes toward Vula Tusa'lamee, eyes full of fright. "The Gravemon are about to enter the Real World."

----

/11-010-OMEGA, Bottom Chamber, Prison Facility, Trash Bin Swamp, 6:07 PM/

The Mind's tentacles crackled with yellow energy as they seemed to peel away at the air…and a portal was opened up in front of it. All around the Mind were the Spores, Warriors, Incubators, and the few Hybrids that did not go out to battle.

_**"The time has come for reality to fall beneath our footsteps…now we shall venture into a world that is not made of data. A world where the mountains are hard, the wind is real, and the flesh is weak…a world that awaits our coming. Now, we shall turn reality into a stronghold for the dead…for we are those that are dead."**_

The Gravemon howled as they stormed into the yellow portal, with the Mind leading the charge.

----

/Endpoint of Rainbow Bridge, Odaiba, 6:10 PM/

As the sun began to set, its light casting a reddish glow over Tokyo, the fiery typhoon of hellfire continued to exist, its mere presence keeping Odaiba as bright as day.

And within this typhoon, at Odaiba's endpoint of Rainbow Bridge (what was left of it anyway), Demon and UmbraDevimon were still locked in a titanic struggle for power, control…and, most of all, victory.

Demon's fingers crackled with blue fire as he slashed at UmbraDevimon's chest. He had since removed the needles from his eyes, and his eyes had stopped bleeding. His vision was slowly returning, and that was good; it allowed him to see his target better. "Why don't you just die already?!"

UmbraDevimon quickly countered with a quadruple uppercut. "And go the way of the dodo? Surely you jest."

Suddenly, and without warning, the two titans stopped.

All of the Digimon that had been engaged in a battle to the death all stopped.

A chill had just enveloped the air…a chill that went deeper than anything else they had ever experienced before, save for a few…namely, Demon, UmbraDevimon, and the Black Generals.

DemiDevimon cringed as wrapped his wings around his body. "Man, you'd think that typhoon would keep this place warm!"

"It's not the weather…it's something else," muttered LadyDevimon, who set down onto Archfiend Castle's catwalk.

Demon and UmbraDevimon slowly looked around, trying to find the source of the strange chill. Their battle was momentarily forgotten.

Demon's eyes narrowed as he muttered, "That chill…I've felt it before…"

**_CHOOM!!!_**

An earth-shattering quake suddenly erupted from one area; the Shinbashi Station. It erupted in a cloud of smoke and ash as a serpentine figure rose above it all, its many tentacles lashing through the air.

Demon and UmbraDevimon immediately knew what it was. They simultaneously said, "Gravemon."

And then, the Mind's voice echoed throughout the entirety of Demon's fiery barrier, reaching the ears of all those within.

_**"This place shall be your grave."**_

And with that, the howl of the Gravemon roared through the air.

There had once been only three factions.

UmbraDevimon and his army.

Demon and his Demon Corps.

And, of course, the humans.

Now there was a fourth: the Gravemon.

The battle that had started in Odaiba was merely the calm…the calm before the storm that was now here.

----

To be continued…

Next time…

Episode 49: The Dragon's Rage

----

Author's Notes: WOO!!! Another episode out before 05'! I hope you all enjoy my New Year's gift to you.

Have a Happy New Year! Good luck with any resolutions you make. :P

See you soon, and please review (oh, and don't forget the Fan Art Contest!)!


	49. The Dragon's Rage

Standard Disclaimer: Um…uh…aw shoot, where's my cue card?!

Author's Notes: Hope you all had a Happy New Year's! As for me…I continue to write on, listening to my ripped CDs all the way (hums as he listens to FFVIII's final boss theme 'The Extreme').

To the reviews!

Miracles: Welcome back!

reviewer: What last part do you mean?

UKHoneyB: Ooh! Movie poster! :D

Oh, and I fixed the word; it should've been 'warmth'. As for Shaun's maturity, it was simple; he just didn't look at Kari when she 'dropped in'. (shot for pun) But then again, Shaun has no yearning for a woman…you'll understand what I mean after the end of this episode. ;)

As for the PG-13 rating, I think this story as a whole wouldn't be fit R; it's only within the last dozen or so chapters that things have escalated from PG to PG-13. And no, I don't think the scene of Davis' torture is too extreme for a PG-13 movie. Or it could be that I can stomach things more…or it could be because I wrote it. :P

ficmaster: …DarkTroymon? What the heck is a 'Troy' to begin with? Is he Grecian in nature, cause that's the only thing I can think of. O.o;

And Happy New Year to you to. (boots him off a cliff)

Anthony1: He reenters the scene in this chapter. And who's to say the Digidestined will only have to face one enemy when they get to the Real World? ;)

SR71will: I'll just say this; the battles that will take place in the climax will (hopefully) put the final battles of the Digimon anime to shame. :P

Ninetalesuk: You know, I wouldn't have to keep resorting to such extreme methods if you (I'm talking to you Anubismon) would just SHUT UP! Oh, and look behind you.

(behind Anubismon is RaDramon, who's giving Anubismon the evil eye)

Cloud-821: That's a pretty close guess; I hope to finish up Zero 2 before it reaches the 70-episode limit. As for Kari's Holy Armor, I'm saving it for something special (so special, it'll have its own music number! No, seriously: I'm going to have song lyrics when that 'special something' comes into play).

Oh, and I'm a guy. And mind explaining the 'written by different genders' part? Just curious…and no, I'm not offended. Hey, I go through this with my reviewers; I just take it all in good humor. To prove my point… (smashes a custard pie in Cloud's face) :P

Silver Warrior: It IS PG-13. As for Aetherdramon, I made the decision to call him a 'he' back when he was first introduced…besides, I think it's denigrating to call a Digimon (unless its clearly asexual or has no apparent gender preference, like the Mind of the Gravemon) an 'it'.

War zone indeed. Oh, almost forgot. (boots him off a cliff two times)

masamune: If you'll remember, the typhoon that now surrounds Odaiba is keeping the Americans out. They're still sending in the Marines, but they won't be able to intervene.

FusionSonicX: Welcome to Zero 2 FSX! As for the 'bad point' you mentioned…none of the Digidestined have been killed yet. I'm just making it really REALLY hard for them to get by. :P

As for Alien comment, do you mean how the Spores are similar to the face-huggers?

Salamon2: Welcome to Zero 2 S2! I'm glad this story has managed to hook you in. But seriously; me replacing the old vanguard of Digimon writers? (immediately thinks of legends such as Silver1, SSJ4Takeru, Seth Turtle, The Create Card, Hikari Takaishi, Kale, AnT, and a few others.)

……NAH. I still haven't gone as far as I can with my writing. The only way I can be convinced that my fic has become as renowned and as GOOD as some of the legendary pieces (Silver1's Crystal Digimon Saga and SSJ4Takeru's immensely vast Fusion series comes to mind) is if the authors themselves say so. Until then, I don't think I'm as good as them.

Jonathon: Welcome! I'm glad you liked the Inuyasha reference. :P

K.J: Welcome as well! Sheesh…so many new people. X.x Oh, almost forgot. (boots him off a cliff)

Begin!

----

_The Gravemon have now entered the Real World._

_Darkheart will soon recommence his quest for power._

_There's also Demon and UmbraDevimon to think about._

_Oh, and don't forget the one who's possessed Piedmon._

_After all this…who wants to wager on the Digidestined's chances for survival?_

----

"Hey everyone, it's Kari. Well, I had a little discussion with the Gravemon known as the Mind, but I frankly don't care. Right now, I just want to sell myself as a nightlight and eat tapioca. NOW. HA HA HA HA!!!"

(Kari runs off, then Shaun walks in)

"Apologies. I'm afraid she's gone a bit insane after all the attention evil's been giving her. Anyway, she'll be fine by the time the title comes in. Carry on!"

----

Episode 49: The Dragon's Rage

----

/Sphere Observation Deck, Fuji Television Station, Odaiba, 6:16 PM/

Jun remained silent; she was lying in Jim's arms. Now Jim was asleep…and Jun was awake.

Jun remained as still as possible while she contemplated the thoughts that now ran through her mind. She was confused…and, to be truthful, worried.

To be blunt, she was falling for Jim.

And she was frightened.

After all, wasn't she supposed to be head over heels for Matt Ishida, head of the Teenage Wolves, Odaiba's hottest teen band?

Well…yes! Of course she was! Practically every single female in the 8-20 age range had crushes on the boys of the Teenage Wolves, especially Matt in particular. It was…what…every…other girl…would do…

Jun couldn't help but sigh. Even now, she tried to fit in with the crowd.

You see, Jun had once been as unlucky as Davis when it came to the friend factor. There was a time when she had once been as rebellious and 'punchy' as Davis; she had once been a major tomboy.

Of course, it didn't take her long to discover that this way of living wasn't getting her any friends. No one was like she was…she was simply too…different, especially among the female side of things.

So she had to adapt. She became softer. She tried acting like some of the girls around her. She tried acting obsessive over the latest boy bands, which she would've never considered beforehand.

And it had worked. In a matter of days within the personality switch, Jun found herself with a friend. And the list of friends continued to grow as Jun settled down into her new role as a more feminine girl.

Now, Jun didn't up and quit her old life; it wasn't like she suddenly started taking ballet lessons. She still liked to play sports (usually soccer), but only during her free time. She would get into an occasional fight with a bully, but only when the fight took place out of sight of anyone else. In the eye of the public, she would act sweetly, feminine, and boy-crazy. Within the confines of her own house, she would allow herself to regress to her former 'punchy' self…usually when Davis was involved with something.

Even so, there were times when she questioned whether or not the 'personality cover-up' had been a good idea.

Most of those times, Jun just shrugged it off and told herself the same excuse: 'Of course! I have friends, and my social life is better than it ever was!'

However, there were a couple of times where she would regret not being true to herself…essentially, she was trying to act as someone else to become popular. She was trying to act as someone other than herself to gain friends.

And during those few times she thought of it like that, she would wonder why: she was being false. Jun's friends were friends with someone who was a mere shell; they were friends with Jun, but not the _REAL_ Jun.

But, Jun would just look at Davis and remind herself that acting like herself would only take away her friends and bring her social status down to below sea level, like it had once been. That's how it had been for about a couple of years…and then Davis met Kari.

At first, Jun considered it a fluke. She remembered it very well; how could Davis have made a friend when he acted so…'punchy'? It had to be a fluke…it had to have been. After all, SHE hadn't made any friends when she had acted like that…so why did he?

So, the years rolled by. Yolei was added to the list of friends, and then Cody soon after…and then this new school year started. It had been rocky at first, but it was safe to assume that Davis considered TK Takaishi a friend.

Around the time Jun had been introduced to Cody, she had begun wondering if she had made a mistake in her decision to cover-up her true self. But she had come too far now…she had quite a few great friendships going (Momoe Inoue being one of them; one of the nifty things about Davis' friendship with Yolei was that it brought access to Yolei's sisters). She had been using her more feminine side for so long that it had become part of her personality; she couldn't just back out of it like that.

Even so, there were times when she regretted not being true to herself.

Now was one of those times.

Now, in all honesty, 'Tomboy Jun' had never been one for boy bands. She had thought them to be over-hyped, and most of their music didn't sit well with her. Nevertheless, as time moved on, she had forced herself to listen to them and to obsess over them like all the other girls.

And thus, she developed a forced attraction to them…and that attraction got easier to listen to and live with as time went on. That's why she had been so crazy over Matt Ishida, the Teenage Wolves, and just about every other new boy band that came along: she was simply going along with the crowd.

But when it came to someone she genuinely liked to hang around with or – if they got along well enough – date, she didn't pursue the opportunity. She feared regressing into her old self…and, as a result of that, losing her friends. She didn't want that.

But then Jim had come along.

He wasn't someone who went to her school; he was a good two years older than she was. He was a 20-year-old in college, and she was an 18-year-old in her senior year of high school. And, most important of all, he was someone that she could talk to WITHOUT the peer pressure. He was someone that she didn't have to act boy-crazy around…she could just act normally.

Perhaps that was why she was falling for him…because Jim was someone she could act as herself around. A person that would let Jun reveal her true self without any qualms about it. Oh, and saving her life from a horrible, squishy death had been a nice bonus. Even Matt Ishida couldn't attest to that. (:P)

And as she thought about it some more, Jun realized that she didn't care what anyone else thought of it. At that thought, she smiled. _Yeah…it worked for Davis…it should work for me too._

"What are you thinking about?"

Jun nearly yelped out of surprise; she tilted her eyes to the left side to see Nancy Takaishi sitting beside her and Jim. Jun blinked before asking, "Huh?"

Mrs. Takaishi calmly said, "You had this deep, thoughtful look in your eyes…you were too busy thinking that you didn't notice me sit down."

Jun couldn't help but sweatdrop out of embarrassment. "Oh…heh. Well…I was just thinking about…things."

Nancy quickly asked, "Boy problems?" Jun responded with a confused stare, to which TK's mom replied, "Hey, I was once a teenager too. I remember what things were like."

"Well…thanks for volunteering to help and all," said Jun as she took solace in the arms that were around her. "But…I'm thinking about stuff that only I have answers to."

That answer seemed to please Natsuko Takaishi, who smiled as she leaned against the wall. She wore a black tank top, a pair of gray sweatpants, and a blue denim jacket was wrapped around her waist. Her gray tennis shoes were beaten and weathered down; she had covered a lot of ground that day in her attempt to reach the Television Station.

Suddenly, a male voice cut through the air.

"Perfect. JUST perfect…"

Jun and Nancy turned their heads to see a Junsa-cho – Dietz – staring out a large window at the fiery ruins of Odaiba. Specifically, his eyes were staring at the Shinbashi Station. The Junsa-bucho known as Ackerson was standing right beside him, staring out as well. Another Junsa-bucho known as Himuro was standing behind them both. Dietz muttered, "As if we don't have enough troubles…"

"I told you this was only going to get worse," sarcastically quipped Ackerson.

Nancy got up and quickly walked towards the large window. Jun got up as well; normally, she would've reconsidered moving out of consideration for Jim, but she wanted to see (say hello to the old and improved Jun. :P )!

Jim suddenly stirred as his arms no longer grasped Jun; he quickly opened his eyes to see Jun and Natsuko (FYI, Nancy's actual name is Natsuko) staring out a large window beside a Junsa-cho and a Junsa-bucho.

He slowly got up and said, "Hey, what's everyone looking at?"

The moment he looked out the window, he knew what they were looking at.

Out of the ruins of Shinbashi Station was a massive serpentine creature made of what appeared to be rotting flesh; tentacles flailed through the air as it seemed to glare defiantly at the other two major bad guys: the demon and the devil.

Jim suddenly felt his faith in the Digidestined start to falter. NOW things looked to be getting out of hand.

A hand suddenly clasped his trembling right hand; he hadn't even been aware that he HAD been trembling.

Jim looked down at Jun, who flashed a confident smile at him. It spoke volumes. _Don't worry…we'll be okay._

Jim couldn't help but grin back at her. _Sometimes it's the psychologist who needs help instead of the patient…heh._

Meanwhile, Dietz half-heartedly grumbled, "That's it. It's official. We are totally and completely screwed."

_SLAP!!!_

The Junsa-cho winced as Himuro slapped him on the back of his head. "Don't you know anything boy? You're only going to make it worse if you keep moping like this."

----

/Ruins of a Skyscraper, Odaiba, 6:21 PM/

Twenty Bakemon slowly filtered through the crumbling ruins of a fallen skyscraper; they were searching for any hostiles before moving on to the next sector; basically. Basically, they were acting as clean-up detail for the main force that was being led by the Black General Deathmon.

One of the Bakemon muttered, "Man, I HATE clean-up detail…"

"What? You'd rather be on the front lines?" replied another one of the Bakemon.

"Yeah! That's where all the action is!"

A third Bakemon quickly said, "Besides, this is boring!"

"ELECTRIC STUN BLAST!!!"

"RED THORN!!!"

The twenty Bakemon whirled around to see fifteen Gazimon and ten RedVeggiemon advance over a crumbling wall that had once been part of the building's outer surface. Orbs of electricity that were thrown by the Gazimon and the spiky limbs launched by the Champion RedVeggiemon collided with the Bakemon. Four of them were destroyed by a combined strike of electricity and spiky flesh, but the other sixteen quickly phased through the pile of rubble behind them to evade the barrage.

One of the Bakemon yelled, "Great! It's an ambush!"

"Not for long," said the lead Bakemon. "Five of you, phase through the ground and possess them from below! We'll distract them!"

With that said, five Bakemon immediately became intangible and fell into the ground. The other eleven grabbed pieces of rubble and dirt and threw them at high speed at their enemy. One rock pelted a Gazimon in the forehead, sending it flying. When the Gazimon landed, his body was utterly deleted.

"Stink Gas!" The ten RedVeggiemon expelled a pale yellow cloud of gas from their gullets, causing the Bakemon to dive for cover.

All of a sudden, five RedVeggiemon screamed as they suddenly turned intangible and were sucked underground.

Moments later, five RedVeggiemon reappeared on the side of the Bakemon…and their eyes were no longer blood red, but empty black. The possessed RedVeggiemon roared, "Stink Gas!!!" They expelled a large cloud of pale yellow gas, which caused the enemy to scatter…but only momentarily.

The RedVeggiemon and the Gazimon quickly regrouped and unleashed another salvo of attacks on the Bakemon.

The lead Bakemon roared, "Prepare to possess them again! On my mark…"

_CHOOM!!!_

A quake rattled through the ground as a rotting tentacle shot upward through the earth, twitching in the air. The opposing sides gazed at the tentacle with confusion…and bewilderment crossed their faces as it immediately fell back into the ground, leaving a large, seven-foot diameter hole in its wake.

One of the Bakemon mumbled, "What the heck was that…?"

All of a sudden, several dozen Spores erupted from the hole, their otherworldly chirping filling the air.

Screams came moments later. The Bakemon that possessed five RedVeggiemon immediately abandoned their hosts in an attempt to flee…but it was futile.

One minute later, ten RedVeggiemon, fourteen Gazimon, and sixteen Bakemon emerged from the ruins of the building. The RedVeggiemon were no longer red; now, they looked like nothing more than hopping sacs of flesh, complete with limbs from which thick tentacles extended. The ten RedVeggiemon were now Incubators.

The Gazimon had become Warriors; save for a few patches, their gray fur was now completely gone. Long tentacles extended from the claws on their hands, and they now walked with a strange limp to their stride. Sensory tentacles extended from their chests and dangly ears…and their eyes had rotted away.

And as for the Bakemon…the white blankets that had once covered their bodies had become their rotting, papery flesh. A number of hardy tentacles dangled from their underside, and sensory appendages were protruding from where their eyes had once been.

Then, with a howl, the infected Digimon and the remaining Spores spread out from the ruins, seeking to infect and consume other life forms.

They were now Gravemon…and they were eager to continue on.

----

/Near the Ruins of Shinbashi Station, Odaiba, 6:27 PM/

UmbraDevimon yelped out of sudden pain as Demon sent him flying with a well-placed kick to the chest. The demon roared, "I've no time to deal with you, impudent whelp!"

UmbraDevimon grimaced as he got to his feet, ignoring the fact that a group of Greymon under the control of his Black Gears were being surrounded by a number of Spores that were aided by an infected MegaDramon. He was too preoccupied with destroying the Mind, whom UmbraDevimon was rapidly flying towards. _That fool…he does not stand a chance fighting the Mind one-on-one!_

'_That is where you are wrong.'_

UmbraDevimon halted as Demon's voice was broadcasted into his mind. The demonic Mega continued to telepathically speak to UmbraDevimon. _'Even though YOU have no chance to destroy the Gravemon, my castle continues to corrupt this city with my influence. Soon, every facet of land within my barrier of fire will be tainted by my demonic aura, and my newfound power will allow me to increase the size of my barrier. That will allow me to taint even more land, and my power will continue to grow. I will be more than a match for the Mind. Oh, and unlike you…'_ Demon tilted his head back to smirk malevolently at UmbraDevimon. _'I have my Black Generals to aide me.'_ With that, Demon turned around to face the Mind.

Immediately, he sent out a telepathic message to the Demon Corps. _LadyDevimon, Deathmon, and all soldiers under their command; report to me! I am heading for the Gravemon known as the Mind. MarineDevimon, you and the soldiers under your command will keep fighting in the bay. Soulmon, you and all other soldiers at the castle will remain there to defend it. You have your orders!_

As for UmbraDevimon, his eyes gazed upward to see the Digimon fighting his airborne forces suddenly start moving toward Demon. He snarled out of frustration. _So…he thinks he can just ignore me and fight Gravemon, does he? _His pride as an evil Digimon was at stake…and thus, he sent out a mental command to all of the forces under the control of his Black Gears. _All aerial and land-based Digimon…to me! All naval Digimon, continue fighting on as you were!_

----

The Mind tilted its head to see the giant-sized Demon glaring at it with defiance. The massive Gravemon said, **_"So…you seek your grave."_**

Demon chuckled as the 4,981 Bakemon (including those that possessed enemy Digimon) under LadyDevimon and Deathmon's command gathered behind him. "The only one who will be sent to the grave shall be you."

LadyDevimon blinked as she looked at the Mind. "So…that is one of the Gravemon? Doesn't look as ferocious as I thought it would."

The Mind snorted at LadyDevimon. **_"Underestimate us all you like…it will only lead to your doom."_**

Demon laughed. "HAH! You may be one of the most feared Digimon in the history of time, but that shall change soon enough!!!"

"Uh…Lord Demon?" Deathmon pointed a hand toward the rear of the attack force. "We have company."

Demon tilted his head backwards to see UmbraDevimon…and, slowly forming a circle around the Demon Corps and the Mind, were the 424,935 Digimon he had gathered to face Demon and the Gravemon. The devilish Mega snorted, "And to think you considered me second fiddle to the Gravemon…a foolish mistake Demon."

Demon laughed at UmbraDevimon. "Hah! What pride…you so eagerly seek your death…I shall hand it to both you AND the Gravemon."

**_"Arrogant creatures…"_**

Demon and UmbraDevimon blanched as an earthquake suddenly enveloped the area that they and their armies stood in. With a thunderous _crack_, over two-dozen rotting tentacles – tentacles from the Mind – emerged from the ground in a circle that encompassed the Mind, Demon and his Corps, and UmbraDevimon and his army. The tentacles rose into the air and joined together about three hundred meters above the Mind. The Gravemon's consciousness said, **_"Now you are trapped…and my brethren shall consume you."_**

Deathmon quickly aimed his left hand at the tentacles. "Death Arrow!!!" A dark red arrow made of unholy energy shot out from the eye in his palm, roaring at the tentacles…and then it fizzled out of existence as it touched the space between the tentacles. Deathmon frowned. "That beast has assembled a barrier…I don't think we can penetrate it."

All of a sudden, the Mind roared…and from its maw came a slew of Spores. Hundreds of them.

UmbraDevimon, in the face of this new turn of events, roared out of panic. "FIGHT!!!!! EVERY DIGIMON FOR THEMSELVES!!! DESTROY EVERYTHING THAT MOVES!!!"

With that, every single Digimon that UmbraDevimon controlled roared and charged inward towards the Demon Corps and the Gravemon.

Demon snarled. "The fool…he chooses now to panic?" Demon, his demeanor cool and calm, quickly gave out orders. "LadyDevimon, lead your regiment against UmbraDevimon's army. Deathmon, fend off the Gravemon…I shall take UmbraDevimon." With a defiant yell, Demon charged towards UmbraDevimon.

Demon Corps vs. UmbraDevimon's Army vs. Gravemon.

The melee that was to come would be so great, it would make the infamous Battle of Stalingrad from World War II seem like a mere skirmish.

----

/11-011-OMEGA, Sanctum of the Hierarchs, the Forbidden City, 6:35 PM/

"_WHAT?! THE GRAVEMON HAVE ENTERED THE WORLD OF REALITY?!?!"_ screamed the Prophet of Wisdom.

The Digidestined had all gathered inside the Sanctum of the Hierarchs after the short battle that they and the Forbidden City militia had partaken in…and Shaun had immediately explained his theory concerning the Gravemon's true intentions. The Child of Wisdom quickly replied, "I know it seems unlikely…but it's the only thing I can think of to explain their tactics."

"**_It…it can't be! This is unacceptable! The Gravemon cannot be allowed to taint the sacred world of reality!!!"_** screamed Absolution.

Reality calmly retorted Absolution's panicked words. _"We cannot be sure until a strike team can be sent into the swamp's prison facility to investigate the bottom chamber. Until then, we cannot assume anything."_ Reality turned his gaze toward Huvo Nuvonaree, who was standing beside Commander Tusa'lamee at the door. _"Special Operations Commander, you shall lead a strike force into the swamp facility. You shall lead three Shadows full of Spec Ops troops to the prison facility and investigate this matter."_

The Spec Ops Commander bowed out of subservience. "Yes, noble Hierarch." With that, the white Elitemon left the sacred halls of the Sanctum.

"_There…now for the last matter on our hands,"_ said Reality as his gaze turned back toward the Digidestined. _"Now it is time for you to leave our city."_

"What?!" yelled Yolei. "What about hospitality?!"

"Besides, we just got here!" protested Gatomon.

Wisdom immediately exclaimed, _"We do not care! The law of our city is absolute: outsiders are not permitted to stay here for an extended period of time. This even applies to the Child of Wisdom, even though he is an honorary member of our High Council."_ An edge of harshness filled Wisdom's voice at the mention of 'the Child of Wisdom'.

Shaun caught note of this…and so did Absolution. **_"Dear brother, there is no need to speak so harshly toward the boy. He has repented for his mistake."_**

"Mistake? What mistake? And what boy?" asked Tai, bewildered over what the Prophet could possibly mean.

Shaun – an almost sheepish tone to his voice – cleared his throat and said, "Uh…they're talking about me."

Kari tilted her head back and asked, "What mistake? What did you do?"

"Well…I was the reason that the Gravemon escaped about nine hundred years ago," answered Shaun, who started looking a tad uncomfortable. "But it WAS an accident."

"_An accident that cost the lives of many soldiers! Do you know how many resources we dedicated to sealing away the Gravemon? At that point in time, it had been the worst outbreak in almost seven thousand years!!!"_ yelled Wisdom, who was looking a tad irate.

"**_It is all in the past brother. Do not dwell on it,_**" said Absolution with a soothing tone.

As for the Digidestined, they slowly looked at Shaun and (Agumon) quietly.

(Agumon) quickly said, "We didn't know! We were just trying seek shelter from the swamp and the rain! How was I supposed to know breaking the door down would be bad?"

"Well, in hindsight, we probably should've figured something might've been wrong with breaking down a door that was locked," muttered Shaun.

"_Enough of this reminiscing. It is time for you Digidestined to leave; we are fully aware of the corrupted Digidestined child that is chasing you, and we will have nothing to do with him."_ With that said, Reality tapped a small, unseen button near his armrest.

At that moment, the door to the Sanctum opened. Kuvo Hutalamee – the Chief Honor Guard – walked in, with eight more Honor Guards right behind him. The Chief Honor Guard asked, "What is your reason for summoning us, noble Hierarchs?"

Wisdom quickly said, _"Escort the human children out of our Sanctum!"_

Reality pressed another hidden switch on his floating throne. _"A Shadow will be waiting at the beginning of the Sacred Path. It shall escort you to another sector before returning."_

The nine Honor Guards quickly encircled the Digidestined. Kuvo Hutalamee activated his plasma sword and pointed it at Ken, the nearest Digidestined. "Forgive us if our hospitality seems lacking…but just move along quietly and we can avoid any messes."

Hawkmon frowned as he slowly began walking. "I don't know what anyone else thinks, but your hospitality leaves a LOT to be desired."

"I second that notion!" added Biyomon.

"I third it." said Sora.

"And I fourth it!" yelled Yolei. An Honor Guard lightly pushed Yolei forward. "Hey, watch it!!!"

As the Digidestined walked away and exited the Sanctum, the Prophet of Absolution sighed. **_"I sometimes wonder if our prejudice against the Digidestined is justified."_**

"_It doesn't matter! We cannot allow the Digidestined to stay longer than necessary; otherwise, they might taint another one of our warriors!"_ exclaimed Wisdom. _"Have you forgotten the Outcast? He was once one of our greatest Battalion Commanders! Even the Spec Ops Commander had trouble facing him in one-on-one combat…but then the original Digidestined came along, and he defied the prophecy by going with them into the world of reality!"_

"_Even so, he had a higher calling…even if his actions were cause for exile from our city, he was still the partner of a Digidestined. That is an honorable title in its own right, even if he dishonored himself in the eyes of this city."_ With that said, Reality leaned back into his throne. _"I do not know about you, my brothers…but after the Digidestined leave, I feel like resting."_

"**_What of the corrupted rogue? What if he tries to attack our city without knowing that the Digidestined are in the Shadow?"_** asked Absolution.

"_Then we shall use the shield…if only until the child decides to leave."_

----

"That was quick," remarked the Chief Honor Guard as a Shadow set down beside the Sacred Path. It turned around and positioned its right prong towards the walkway; it opened up moments later, revealing seats for the Digidestined.

With nowhere else to go, Tai, Sora, Kari, TK, Ken, Yolei, Cody, Shaun, Veemon, Biyomon, Gatomon, Patamon, Hawkmon, Armadillomon, and (Agumon) hopped into their own seat on the right prong. After they were buckled in, the prong closed up and the Shadow flew off.

The Chief Honor Guard sighed. "Well, that takes care of that."

All of a sudden, ANOTHER Shadow set down beside the Sacred Path. The voice of the Elitemon that piloted it suddenly came on over Kuvo's com-link. **"Sir? Where are the Digidestined?"**

Hutalamee blinked out of confusion. "They were just picked up. Why?"

**"But…I was the one summoned to escort them away from the city!"**

Kuvo went dead silent…and he immediately hailed the Shadow that was rapidly disappearing over the western horizon. "Pilot of the Shadow that is flying to the west! Respond!"

Suddenly, a familiar voice came in response. **"Oh, I'm sorry. Did I give any inclination that I would stay away from the city while the Digidestined were there? Oops…I lied."**

Kuvo Hutalamee snarled at the voice…and then he roared out of frustration. "_OUT**CAST!!!!!!**_"

----

/11-011-OMEGA, Northern Plateau, North of the Forbidden City, 6:53 PM/

"Well, they sure cleaned up in a hurry," commented Darkheart as he stared at the cliff edge; all weapons that the Forbidden City military had hauled out here had already been returned to the city.

_Voooosh…_

Darkheart tilted his head to see a Shadow fly over and behind him, heading to the west. "Hmm…wonder what that thing's in such a hurry for? Ah well, none of my business." With that said, he turned his attention towards the purple city that sat in the distance.

The Digidestined were there…he was sure of it.

He stood on his hind legs and grabbed the two glaives that were clamped onto his back; he held one glaive in each pair of arms. He flipped down his visor with his upper left hand before clutching his glaive. Now, his red eyes were completely covered by a jet-black visor.

A wicked grin adorned his face as he ascended into the air. "Now…let's continue where we left off. Digidestined…you're mine." With that, Darkheart charged for the Forbidden City.

----

/11-011-OMEGA, Sanctum of the Hierarchs, the Forbidden City, 6:55 PM/

Reality, Wisdom, and Absolution faced each other; they had gathered into a circle, and they held each other's hands.

"**_Is the corrupt child heading for us?"_** asked Absolution.

"_Yes…he is not pursuing the Shadow that holds the Digidestined. Apparently, he still believes that the Digidestined are here,"_ replied Wisdom.

"_Then we have no choice…we must use the shield."_ As Reality spoke, the prophets radiated with white light. Their hidden power began to emerge, and the entirety of the Sanctum could be seen now. It was large; multiple galleries lined the sides of the spherical Sanctum, and lining the floors and walls of those galleries were crystalline sculptures and intricately painted murals that detailed many moments in the past of the Forbidden City.

The construction of the city.

The grand battle in which the Prophet of Omniscience himself led the military in a battle against the Gravemon.

The passing away of the Prophet of Omniscience.

The shameful exile of the Outcast.

The time in which a Spec Ops Elitemon led a rebellion against the Hierarchs.

The trial of the aforementioned rebel leader, with the Prophet of Dignity acting as the judge.

The execution of the rebel leader.

The induction of the Prophets of Reality, Wisdom, and Absolution as the new Hierarchs.

The induction of the Child of Wisdom into the High Council.

Many of the crystal sculptures were of single figures; mighty warrior Elitemon, Gruntmon with bravery, and many of the Prophets.

And right now, the three Hierarchs spoke at once.

"_**GRAND SHIELD OF THE HIERARCHS!!!"**_

A massive column of light erupted from the Hierarchs, and it stretched onward toward the Sanctum's ceiling.

----

Darkheart blinked as a white column of light suddenly erupted from the spherical building in the center of the city. The three columns that supported the building glowed red, white, and violet respectively.

Then, to his great shock, the column of light became a flat sheet of energy that slowly sank downward, forming a dome over the city.

Darkheart couldn't believe it; a shield was forming over the city. "Oh no you don't!!!" He immediately poured on the speed, hoping to get under the shield before it fully came into being.

_SMACK!!!_

He failed.

Darkheart now looked like a bug that had just run into a car windshield, minus all of the icky splattered blood and guts.

Slowly, but surely, Darkheart slid down along the shield, making a dull _whirr_ sound as if he were sliding down on glass.

Finally, he slumped onto the hard ground of the cliff side, his body facedown.

An angry growl escaped Darkheart's mouth. "Blasted shield…fine then!" He immediately hopped to his feet and sheathed his glaives. "I'll simply go under!" With that, he immediately dug into the hard ground of the plateau that the Forbidden City was built upon.

Several seconds later, Darkheart crawled back up out of the hole, rubbing his head angrily. "Okay, so the shield extends underground."

Frustration finally overtaking his senses, Darkheart flew away from the city and aimed his four arms at the white shield.

Suddenly, they converted into large cannons. **"MAGNA CANNON!!!!!"**

Four black orbs tinged with golden energy erupted from Darkheart's four arm cannons. The four orbs collided against the shield at the same time, creating a tremendous mushroom cloud of black ash.

When the cloud of ash finally cleared three minutes later…the city still stood…and so did the shield.

Darkheart howled with anger. "GAAH!!!!! HOW THE HECK AM I SUPPOSED TO ABSORB THE DIGIDESTINED IF I CAN'T GET TO THEM?!?!"

In his moment of clarity, he suddenly remembered his D-3. Darkheart opened a compartment on his thigh and pulled out his blue D-3. He set it to 'Detect'…and blinked.

The Digidestined weren't in the city. "Oh. Hmm. Well I'll be."

Darkheart immediately glanced westward. If they weren't in the city…then they had to be in the dropship. "Trying to escape, eh?"

Darkheart immediately burst off to the west.

----

/11-010-PSI, 7:02 PM/

The Shadow slowly set down in a small clearing amidst the desolate forest of dead trees. It quietly deactivated…and then the right prong opened up, allowing the Digidestined to hop out.

Moments later, the Shadow suddenly went invisible. (Agumon) yelped, "AH! I didn't know they could do that!"

"It is a special feature I put in myself."

The Digidestined turned to see a golden Elitemon hop out. At first glance, it looked like Vula Tusa'lamee…except this Elitemon had a slash mark across the crown of his helmet. The Elitemon, in a husky voice, said, "My name is Futa Ishisamee, former Battalion Commander."

Cody suddenly recognized the Digimon's eyes. "I saw you…you were being escorted by several black Elitemon to that Shadow. Why was that?"

The Elitemon chuckled. "Oh, I was merely being escorted out of the city because I was banished. Didn't stop me from bringing you out of the city though."

The Digidestined blinked out of confusion; they had been taken out of the city by an exile? Ken quietly stepped forward and asked, "So…you were banished…two questions: why were you exiled, and why did you escort us away from the city despite the fact you were banished?"

Futa smiled as he leaned against one of the dead trees. "Well…I was banished for simply going to the Real World of my own accord. Defying the Great Journey and all that."

Shaun suddenly raised an eyebrow out of realization. "Ah…you must be the Outcast. Heard rumors about you the first time I went to the Forbidden City."

"Rumors. Doesn't matter…I don't care what they think. Even if I do miss the responsibilities of being a Battalion Commander, I have a much more fulfilling existence now." Futa smiled as he gazed up into the sky. "I am the partner to a Digidestined…I can't ask for more than that."

"A DIGIDESTINED?!?!" screamed everyone out of shock. Tai yelled, "YOU'RE the partner to a Digidestined?!"

The Elitemon nodded. "Yes…he helped me to…'lighten up', so to speak."

Shaun frowned out of curiosity; none of the rumors he had heard about the Outcast involved him being the partner to a Digidestined. _Hmm…I wonder who his partner is…_

"Ahem…mind answering my second question? Why'd you escort us out of the city?" asked Ken.

"I simply wanted to speak with you. Is there something wrong with that?" replied Futa.

"Pardon me."

Everyone suddenly whirled around to see Darkheart standing on a tree branch. The corrupted Child of Miracles snarled. "I don't care WHO the heck you are…" His upper left arm suddenly shifted into a gun barrel. "…but I advise you move out of the way! Magna Gun!!!"

Several bullets bounced off of Futa's shield before the Mega Digimon dove away from the barrage. The Elitemon snarled as he quickly reached for a two rods clipped to the armor on his thighs.

Darkheart cackled as he jumped off the tree and flew straight toward his nearest target: Kari. "COME TO POPPA!!!"

**_CLONG!!!_**

Everyone blinked as Darkheart suddenly stopped in midair…it was as though he had rammed his face straight into something.

Seconds later, he slumped to the ground.

Silence. Finally, Armadillomon asked, "Uh…what just happened?"

"He rammed his face straight into my dropship," said Futa with a smile as his hands clutched one rod each. With a click of a button, he activated his two plasma swords. "That should buy us a little while to retreat."

"RETREAT?! WHY DO WE ALWAYS HAVE TO RETREAT?!" yelled Yolei. "I'm tired of always running!!!"

"You don't have much of a choice. If you stay here, he'll absorb you," said Futa with a matter-of-factly tone.

Yolei seethed; the Digimon had a point.

"Oy…ow…"

Everyone whirled to face Darkheart; he was stirring. Shaun and TK glanced at each other; they knew they had a fight on their hands.

"Holy Armor Energize!!!"

In a flash of blue and bronze light, Shaun and TK were both wearing their respective armors. Everyone else took this as their cue to digivolve.

Hawkmon digivolve to……Aquilamon!

Aquilamon digivolve to……Silphymon!

Armadillomon digivolve to……Ankylomon!

Ankylomon digivolve to……Stegomon!

(Agumon) warp-digivolve to……(Wargreymon!)

Patamon digivolve to……Angemon!

Angemon digivolve to……MagnaAngemon!

Gatomon digivolve to……Angewomon!

Biyomon digivolve to……Birdramon!

Birdramon digivolve to……Garudamon!

MagnaAngemon…Stegomon…DNA Digivolve to……MetalAngemon!

Veemon pouted. "Aw…no fair! I can't digivolve!"

When Darkheart finally got to his feet, he saw MetalAngemon, Shaun, TK, (Wargreymon), Angewomon, Silphymon, and Futa Ishisamee gathered around him…and beyond them was Garudamon, who was holding her hands down for the other Digidestined to get on.

Oh, and his nose was bleeding: a result of using his face as a set of brakes.

Darkheart roared with anger. "RAAAH!!! WHAT IS IT WITH ME AND RUNNING INTO THINGS?!?!"

"How should we know? Speed Spin!" Shaun curled into spiky ball and zoomed towards Darkheart.

Darkheart quickly kicked Shaun away with his muscular right leg. The Child of Wisdom was sent sailing through several trees, inadvertently severing them with his Speed Spin attack.

Futa roared as he jumped into the air and aimed his swords at Darkheart.

Darkheart responded by quickly grabbing his glaives and holding them in his upper pair of hands. He used them both to block Futa's swords. As for his bottom pair of hands, he converted the left hand into a Magna Gun. The right hand crackled with the black and blue energy of the Shadow Mallet.

MetalAngemon, Angewomon, TK and Silphymon took to the air. TK quickly prepared an attack. "Equis Be-"

"Magna Gun!!!"

TK was forced to abandon his attack as Darkheart fired a volley of bullets at him. The Child of Hope flew behind a thicket of branches, evading Darkheart's barrage of projectiles. The bullets tore through the trees, causing splinters and wood chips to go flying.

"Static Buster!" Silphymon launched an orb of static-E at the six-limbed centaur.

Darkheart aimed his lower right palm at Silphymon. "Oblivion Crush!" A black ray tinged with blue electricity tore through the electrical orb and plunged into Silphymon, sending the Ultimate flying into a nearby tree.

Had Darkheart focused all of his power into the shot, it would've gone THROUGH Silphymon…but he didn't want that. He still wanted to absorb the Digimon.

Besides, he had his hands full with Futa Ishisamee.

The Mega-level Elitemon pressed harder with his plasma swords; he had to get an upper hand against Darkheart…even though the corrupted Digidestined was a good six feet taller than him. _Good grief, he's bigger than a Huntermon._

Darkheart smirked as he pressed down with his full weight behind the glaives; the Elitemon grimaced as he was pushed to his knees by the force being pressed upon him,

"Metallic Angel Staff!"

Darkheart suddenly whirled around to deliver a roundhouse kick to MetalAngemon's face. The DNA warrior howled as the kick connected to his face, sending him flying through a few trees. "Don't think you're going to get me again!"

_POW!!!_

Darkheart yelped as Futa hopped upward and planted both feet into his face; unfortunately for Darkheart, turning around to kick MetalAngemon away had eased the pressure on Futa. This had allowed him to take the initiative.

Darkheart grumbled as Futa's feet slammed into his already bleeding nose; he quickly tried to skewer the Elitemon, but the warrior had already hopped onto his back. After using one of the large spikes growing from the Digidestined's spine as a handhold, Futa began slashing away at Darkheart's armor with his swords, attempting to create a chink in the armor.

Darkheart would have none of that.

He turned his lower right arm backwards and aimed his palm. "Oblivion Crush!!!" Futa was sent sailing by the ray of dark energy. "Annoying pest…"

"Celestial Arrow!"

Darkheart tilted his head back around to see Angewomon launch a volley of arrows at him. The corrupted child chuckled as the arrows crashed into his breastplate, but caused very little damage. "Annoyance…take this! Magna Gu-WHOOPH!!!"

The breath was knocked out of Darkheart's lungs as a fallen tree collided with his back, sending him flying forward. The tree in question had been thrown by TK, Silphymon, and MetalAngemon. TK and MetalAngemon gave each other a high-five as Silphymon cheered, "Bull's eye!"

Before Darkheart could do anything to stop his flight, Shaun suddenly appeared in front of him.

One second before Darkheart reached Shaun, the Child of Wisdom raised his right leg.

_POW!_

As a result, Darkheart's face met Shaun's boot. He slumped to the ground moments later.

The corrupted Child of Miracles snarled as he got to his feet. "STOP…HITTING…MY…FACE!!!!!! MAGNA PUNCH!!!"

Darkheart quickly flew all over the place in a matter of seconds, punching the living daylights out of Shaun, TK, Silphymon, MetalAngemon, and Angewomon…with all FOUR of his arms.

After punching Angewomon through the nearest tree, he turned his attention to Garudamon…and found that she was preparing to lift off with Tai, Sora, Yolei, Ken, Cody, Kari, and Veemon. "Oh no you DON'T!!!" Several slots on his shoulder pads opened up, revealing missiles. "Magna Missiles!!!"

Ten pairs of black missiles erupted from Darkheart and surged toward Garudamon. Five of those pairs were directed at Veemon.

A costly mistake.

Suddenly, without warning, Darkheart's eyes – even though they were hidden behind a black visor – shined golden…and he screamed in Davis' voice. **"NO!!!"**

All of a sudden, Veemon was blanketed with light.

Veemon digivolve to……XVmon!

XVmon digivolve to……Paildramon!

The golden sheen disappeared from Darkheart's eyes. He shook his head rapidly, wondering how the heck that had just happened? _What?! Don't tell me…how can that kid still be moving after I nearly killed him?!_

Somehow, Davis had been able to break through…if only long enough to give Veemon enough strength to digivolve. What worried Darkheart was the fact that he had been able to do it. PERIOD.

"Miracle Blaster!!!" Paildramon wasted no time; he grabbed his hip blasters and opened fire on the missiles streaming toward Garudamon. Explosions enveloped the missiles as the golden streams of energy tore them apart. Once he finished, Paildramon smiled happily. "All right! No more sitting on the sidelines for me!"

"We're out of here! Let's go!!!" yelled Garudamon as she held the children in her massive hands. With a flap of her wings, she propelled herself into the air-

_**THUCK.**_

Garudamon gasped as the breath suddenly left her lungs; she slowly looked down to see four spikes sticking into her chest. The spikes were tethered to steel cables…and they were coming from Darkheart's palms.

The dark Digidestiend scowled as he growled, "No more games…I WILL GO TO THE NEXT LEVEL!!! _HAAA!!!!!_"

Garudamon howled as electricity enveloped her body, causing her to impulsively relax her hands…and thus, the Digidestined fell, screaming all the way.

That is, until they were caught. Their screaming awoke TK, Angewomon, and MetalAngemon.

Paildramon caught Tai and Sora. TK caught Kari. Angewomon caught Yolei. MetalAngemon caught Ken and Cody.

As for Garudamon, she transformed into four strands of red energy that ran across the four steel cables. Darkheart smiled as Garudamon's power was added to his own.

He was near the threshold to Stage 4. He just needed a little more kick.

His eyes glanced over to Tai and Sora. "Yes…" Without hesitation, he charged.

"RAAA!!!"

Darkheart's eyes glanced to the right to see Futa Ishisamee charging, plasma swords held forward.

Darkheart knocked him away with one blast of his Magna Ray. As dark rays sent Futa colliding with his invisible Shadow, Darkheart roared towards Tai and Sora, who were being protected by Paildramon.

"Don't come any closer!!!" yelled Paildramon as he reached for his Miracle Blasters-

"Magna Punch!!!"

Paildramon suddenly yelped as two energy-coated fists collided with his chest, sending him backwards along the crowd.

Tai and Sora suddenly froze as Darkheart's tremendous 14'6" form stood over them. The corrupted Digidestined flipped open his visor, revealing his maniacal blood-red eyes. "Now it's your turn."

Sora suddenly glared at Darkheart. "You absorbed my friend…why?! WHAT'S THE POINT OF IT ALL?!?!"

As quick as a flash, his right hands grabbed Sora by the neck and the waist. Tai was grabbed by the neck and waist by his left hands. Darkheart smiled with his sharp fangs at the two. "Simple…because I can, and because I want to."

Darkheart grinned as their bodies slowly began to dissolve into energy strands…

"**LET THEM GO!!!!!!" **

Darkheart tilted his head back to see an enraged Shaun Kamiya charging for his head. Apparently, the Child of Wisdom had gotten up…and Darkheart could see the rage in his eyes.

"Sorry kid," said Darkheart.

**_SLAM!!!_**

Shaun was sent reeling into unconsciousness as Darkheart SLAMMED his right foot into his face. As Shaun fell into unconsciousness, Darkheart cracked, "You failed to save them from Demon…and you failed to save them from me."

Shaun's vision became dizzy as he watched Tai and Sora dissolve into orange and red strands of energy. "No…"

And, as his vision completely blackened, he heard his parents' screams.

Darkness.

The moment Tai and Sora joined his essence, Darkheart suddenly felt the same sensation again. "Yes…I've reached the threshold!!!"

Darkheart's laughter echoed through the air as red lightning stormed through the treetops and consumed him.

TK angrily stomped the ground. "NO!!! We lost again…" TK frowned as he dismissed his Armor of Hope…things were going horribly…

They were suffering loss after loss…and even though they had won the battle against the Gravemon earlier, that had been because the Gravemon's objective hadn't been to win. Every time they encountered Darkheart, they lost more and more to his clutches…and at this rate, they wouldn't be able to survive. It was disheartening…because four years ago, even when he and Kari had been chased down by Piedmon, he had still retained hope for victory.

But now…now there wasn't much hope rely on.

"Digidestined."

As everyone (save for Paildramon) dedigivolved, Futa got into the Shadow's cockpit and turned off the invisibility cloak. "We must leave…there is nothing left for us here. Besides, I think you would rather be far away from this place when that corrupted child emerges."

There was no arguing with Futa's logic. Everyone – feeling dejected after their latest loss – clambered onto the right prong of the Shadow. Moments later, the Shadow – and Paildramon, who held the unconscious Shaun in his arms – ascended above the treetops and burst off to the southwest.

In the cockpit of the Shadow, Futa Ishisamee sighed. "Well, that didn't go well…" He quickly tapped several buttons near a holographic display; he was contacting someone.

When the connection was complete, he said, "Gennai, come in."

----

/Warehouse #7, Tokyo Bay, Odaiba, 7:30 PM/

Yuuko Kamiya sighed as she taped the bandages on Mantarou's right thigh. "There…are your new bandages comfortable?"

Mantarou nodded. "Thanks miss…"

As Gennai watched the numerous families mill around, he sighed; even though it was nighttime, it still felt like it was day…of course, that could be due in part to the flaming typhoon around Odaiba.

His eyes turned to a corner of the warehouse, where Joshua Kido was sitting. He was shaking…trembling…and his eyes were filled with shock. Even now, he could hear Mr. Kido continuously mutter, "They're not real…they're not real…"

Gennai shook his head. _Poor man…he looks completely dumbstruck._

All of a sudden, a tingling sensation gripped one of the wires sticking out of Gennai's back. It snaked across the ground and connected with the warehouse's computer terminal, which – in turn – was also connected to his computer in the Digital World. It allowed him to keep an eye on things.

Suddenly, a voice came through the wire and into his mind. **"Gennai, come in."**

Gennai merely thought the words to use as his reply. _"Ah, hello Futa. How are things going?"_

**"Not so well…my endeavor to honor my friend's request hasn't gone as expected so far."**

Gennai frowned. _"What do you mean?"_

**"Darkheart has absorbed Garudamon and the Children of Courage and Love."**

Gennai paled. _"No…"_

**"See? I tried to protect the Digidestined as per my partner's request, but this Darkheart is a tough one…and he's only getting more powerful."**

Gennai sighed with distress. _"Things are spiraling out of control…Odaiba's been gripped by a war, and now the Gravemon are here to complicate matters further."_

**"So the Gravemon HAVE entered the Real World…"**

Gennai nodded. _"Yes…that's why we need you to help them destroy Darkheart and free Davis. The Real World won't last long without help."_

**"…I understand. I'll try my hardest to aide the Digidestined…tell my partner that I said hello."**

Gennai nodded. _"Of course."_ With those words said, the connection was cut.

----

/11-010-PSI, 7:45 PM/

The red column of lightning suddenly changed shape…and it switched into a serpentine form that flew into the air. When the red lightning faded, Darkheart's new form could be seen.

His body was now that of a dragon; he was now two hundred feet long from snout to tail. The top half of his body was covered by impervious scales of obsidian, and the bottom half (the chest, underbelly, and the bottom of his tail) was covered by gray, leathery skin. Although it didn't have the protection of the obsidian scales, the bottom side of his body was still incredibly tough. He had no legs; all he had was a pair of muscular arms about twenty feet in length. Black, cybernetic implants were implanted into his arms, and his fingers ended in barbed claws of white. From the back of his neck to the tip of his tail ran a series of sweptback razor-sharp spikes that were colored black. A pair of wings made of gray feathers protruded from his shoulder blades, they were each fifty feet in length. His snout was long and wide, and his teeth elongated in size, becoming razor-sharp fangs. His face was covered by black, leathery skin, and his helmet had morphed into two black horns that protruded from his skull. His black hair was now a mane of thick, blood red hair, and the symbol of the Crest of Miracles adorned his head…except it was gray, and upside-down.

Darkheart snarled with an angry voice; smoke puffed out from his nostrils as he said, "Stage 4: Dark Dragon mode…" He glared down at the forest and opened his maw, revealing a bloodstained mouth. "BLOODY INFERNO!!!"

Red fire mixed with blood erupted from his gullet, tearing into the dead forest below. All of the trees erupted into flames as Darkheart's attack torched it all.

Darkheart roared with a deep, enraged voice. "I will absorb all of the Digidestined…I will become the greatest villain ever…and when I do, all shall feel my RAGE!!!"

And as the forest burned below him, staining the sky with acrid smoke, Darkheart laughed.

----

/11-110-CHI, 7:50 PM/

Shaun sat up like a shot.

"Calm yourself…you've been unconscious for about twenty minutes."

Shaun looked to his left to see Futa Ishisamee sitting beside his Shadow. The Elitemon had set his Shadow down on a forest-covered plateau; coniferous trees grew all along the plateau, which had a large valley in its center. There was a trail that led to the top of the plateau and the rocky ledges that protruded outward from it. Oh, and there were the rainbow-colored flowers growing all over the forest. Their light served to illuminate the air, which was dark in the night.

Shaun looked down at himself; his armor had automatically dismissed itself during his state of unconsciousness. He gazed around quietly; Kari and Gatomon were sitting in a small patch of rainbow flowers, sniffing the exotic plants quietly. Yolei had already fallen asleep; Ken and Hawkmon were keeping a quiet watch over her. TK and Patamon were sleeping beside a small tree, whilst Cody and Armadillomon were just staring at them all quietly…well, just Cody. Armadillomon was asleep. Paildramon was standing on top of the Shadow, keeping a watch over them all. As for his partner, (Agumon), he had fallen asleep in his seat in the dropship's right prong.

Shaun turned to Futa. "What sector are we in?"

"11-110-CHI," replied Futa. "We're only staying here for a little while to rest; we can't stay in one place for too long."

For some reason, Shaun's expression turned melancholy at the mention of the sector. "Excuse me…I'll be back shortly." With that, he set off for the trail that sat on the northern half of the valley.

Kari's eyes followed Shaun as he walked towards the path. "…wait here Gatomon. I'll be right back." With that, Kari got up and followed him up the forested trail.

After several minutes, Kari finally saw the end of the trail…and when she reached it, she was on the top of the plateau. From here, she could see the cloudy horizon for miles around. _Where'd he go?_

She finally saw Shaun kneeling beside a tombstone that was illuminated by a large patch of rainbow flowers that were native to the CHI sectors. Kari blinked out of confusion. _…a grave?_

----

Shaun frowned as he stared at the tombstone. "Hello again…sorry I haven't been here in a while, but I've been busy…I know you'd understand."

Shaun body trembled quietly as he stared at the words etched onto the tombstone.

'_ELIZABETH ISHIDA'_

'_THE ONE WHO KEPT ME HUMAN'_

"And it's still true…what memories I have of you have helped me cope with life until I could help the Digidestined…but still, I miss you…" Shaun felt a fresh stab of pain as he remember Tai and Sora's screams as they had been absorbed. "I…was unable to protect you…and I was unable to protect them from being taken by a dark enemy…"

Shaun slowly took off the white glove on his right hand…and he stared at the golden ring that adorned his wedding finger. He could never take it off…and he never would. Shame filled Shaun's soul as he…chuckled. "Heh…heh heh…is it my curse to lose those I care for? To lose those I love? Well…? Do you know the answer? Is it my curse?" A lone tear escaped his right eye.

A silent wind rushed through the sky.

"Is it?" Shaun put his glove back on as he stared at the sky, stepping beyond the grave. His words were no longer directed at the one who inhabited the grave…but at the Digital World. "Is it?"

The wind continued to flow.

"Is it?" A slight tenor of anger filled his voice.

The wind started to die.

"IS IT?!"

The wind disappeared.

"ANSWER ME!!! _IS IT MY CURSE?!?!_ **_ANSWER ME!!!!!!!!!!_**" roared Shaun as his voice echoed throughout the night sky.

But there was no answer.

----

To be continued…

Next time…

Episode 50: The Fifth Threshold

----

Author's Notes: As of this episode, Zero 2 has achieved a milestone no other Digimon story on FFnet at the moment can lay claim to: 400,000 words…and there are more to come (of course, it's STILL nothing comparied to Digimon 02: Endgame).

Oh, and another milestone next episode is the big 5-0: the golden episode 50. What can I pull out of my hat to make it special?

How does Darkheart's fifth form sound? And if that doesn't sound tantalizing enough, it paves the way for a four-part mini-arc that will conclude the Darkheart Saga…

After Episode 50, the Battle Mini-Arc will begin.

See you soon, and please review!


	50. The Fifth Threshold

Standard Disclaimer: I am the very model of a modern Digimon author! I write many episodes, but there's little doubt that I won't finish! In ev'ry single episode, I say a stupid disclaimer! Even though everyone knows that I don't own Digimon!

Author's Notes: If I just mangled Gilbert and Sullivan, I apologize.

Er, anyhow…50th EPISODE! W00T!

To the reviews (of which there are almost thirty…)!

Digi fan: Read on, dear reader…

Anthony1: Well…my answer to your hypothesis will be answered in UKHoneyB's review.

Cloud-821: Well, Etemon was a villain for only eight episodes. Darkheart's going to be around for thirteen (as long as Devimon, even though he didn't actually show up until episode 8). As for the death of Elizabeth…that shall be answered in Past Journeys.

SPECULATION! WHERE! (looks around…then frowns…then turns around, finding Cloud to be gone) Ah crap. (And THAT is an RvB reference for you. If you have a good eye, you'll see another one later on. :P )

ficmaster: I've been thinking about that…Endgame was around 560000 words before it was taken off. Where will Zero 2 end?

SR71Will: Heh heh…speculate all you want about her. But let me tell you this; remember how Shaun was speaking of how Nega was created in episode 43? Remember how he said that he lost a loved one roughly 300 years before entering the Dark World, where Nega was brought into being? Connect the dots.

Speaking of dots…

Dot Cubed: Well…my answer (if you can call it that) to your confusion about Elizabeth Ishida will also be answered in UKHoneyB's review.

masamune: Me? Original? Surely you jest…I'm merely revising a season of a Japanese cartoon. :P

Ninetalesuk: Your partner just won't give up, will he? Fine then…he gives me no choice. Anubismon? Meet Yugi Mutou, who has a card known as 'Winged Dragon of Ra'. Enjoy getting your tush kicked.

UKHoneyB: No large review? (gasps) IT'S THE APOCALYPSE! X.X

I'm sure you'll be pleased to know that the latter is not true. As for how the former is true…well, remember in Episode 38: The Future's Past? Remember how Shaun was telling the others of his last minutes before going back in time? Remember the three people who – more or less – came to wish him well? Remember the only girl that came?

What was her name?

(smiles) I'll let you, Anthony, and Dot Cubed speculate. For the true answer, you'll have to wait until Past Journeys…

Dark Qiviut, Jeremy, Qeiqka, and Darren: Hmm…well…this is…interesting.

I'm not sure whether to believe you're all associates of one guy (DQ), or just one guy typing in several names for fun. Oh well, who am I to complain? BUT…I must clear up some misunderstandings. But before I begin, I'm glad you liked how Episodes 21 and 22 made you so emotional.

First off, Yolei's treatment of Ken shortly after he stopped being the Emperor. Let's think about this logically; YOU – the reader – may know what Ken went through, but NO ONE else does. To Yolei, Ken was still the Emperor in her eyes because humans are not one to actually relinquish their past lives so quickly OR willingly. Come on, it's natural to distrust your former enemy…after all, he BIT her in the ear in episode 5. Think about it. Oh, and did you really have to call her a 'wench'? Seems a bit harsh, don't you think?

What makes you think Demon is the Dark Ocean Master? DRAGOMON is. Demon is the ruler of the land, ruling from Archfiend Castle. And what made you think Dragomon digivolved into Demon? They are MORTAL ENEMIES. And Dragomon's Dark Spore? DEMON put the Dark Spore into Darkheart, not Dragomon. Me thinks you're getting confuzzled a bit…and Silphymon was NOT absorbed by Darkheart.

And Ten Ancient Warriors? Que? O.o

As for the Gravemon, they are strong…but their strength does not merely come from their hosts. It comes because of their ability to continue on, no matter what happens…and they will fight like a wild animal against the ropes at all times…

Oh, and one more thing; Davis DOES know what Darkheart's been doing. And an interesting name…Dark Association…hmm. Interesting. Makes UmbraDevimon's group of villains sound like a business than an evil conglomerate of bad guys. :P

Also, technically the Outcast didn't say the Great Journey was false; he just said that the tides of fate were turning against the Hierarchs, and they couldn't stay idle for long. In a way, he was telling them 'Go on the Great Journey ASAP'. Or something like that. :P

Oh, and I wasn't THAT big of a fan of Digmon 02: Endgame; I just keep mentioning it because it was the very definition of an epic for the Digimon section of FFnet. But I'm not really a petition person. Even so, I've heard that Psycho G (Endgame's author) is actually working on Endgame and revising it so that it won't get kicked off for the script format thingy.

Oh, and since you're all 'associates'…you ALL get booted off the cliff! (boots Dark Qiviut and his associates off the cliff eighteen times) Bwa ha ha ha ha…

Silver Warrior: Uh…you reviewed more than once last time. O.o As for your question about Elizabeth, look at my answer to UKHoneyB.

Bluesv20: Welcome to Zero 2 BSV20! To answer your question, no; Ken will not get a digiegg.

Rikui: Ooh! Thank you. :D

Begin the 50th Episode!

-

_Darkheart has crossed the fourth threshold._

_He seeks to reach the highest echelon of power…_

_That echelon is the sixth threshold…_

_And to reach it, he must first cross the fifth…_

-

"Hello everyone, it's your lovable villain-at-large: Darkheart. As you can tell by my deeper and huskier voice, I've crossed the fourth threshold; I am now in my Dark Dragon mode. And whom do I have to thank? Why, none other than Tai, Sora, and Garudamon! Heh heh heh…can't wait to absorb more…I'll become the strongest in no time…"

-

Episode 50: The Fifth Threshold

-

/11-110-CHI, 9:02 PM/

Magnificent.

Such power that coursed through his veins…it was almost beyond comprehension. It wanted to escape…it wanted to be used. To be wielded.

Darkheart – now a tremendous dragon – smiled as his muscles bulged. It was going to be a pleasure using his great might…and he could scarcely imagine what would happen once he reached his highest level of power…

But then again, as he changed levels, his tolerance for power increased. Had he possessed the power he wielded now whilst in his first form, he wouldn't be surprised if he had exploded. As his body changed, so did his tolerance for power.

Even so, he still couldn't wait…

Darkheart, nevertheless, consigned himself to wait. As much as he detested the idea, he felt like taking a little nap of sorts. The night sky was completely black, and his body was covered by a cloudbank that obscured him from view. He hovered in midair in silence, his blood-red eyes staring down at the plateau in silence.

He could barely suppress the glee that he felt. The Digidestined were going to be in for one RUDE awakening.

-

/Dome of the Gravemon, Odaiba, 9:04 PM/

The massive dome that had been formed by the Mind's tentacles had been up for the better part of two-and-a-half hours. Even though there were large spaces between the tentacles (some as large as fifty meters), the barrier that had been erected by the Mind's mental powers prevented anyone within from escaping…and it kept all others out.

Even so, the barrier was completely translucent…and one could see inside.

And inside, the mother of all battles was being waged.

Since this battle is far too large in scale to detail every single happening, we will simply look at a few scenes from this horrific struggle of life or death.

Demon lashed out with his two arms, which extended outward as he became a massive windmill that slashed through any that came close to him. Of course, due to the relative lack of space within the dome, every single Digimon had – at maximum – a space of twenty feet to fight in. And when you consider the fact that most of these Digimon are taller than buildings, that's saying a lot. As a result, Demon tore down quite a few enemy Digimon.

An infected Tyrannomon snarled as it stampeded toward a possessed Metalgreymon. The Metalgreymon – under the control of a Bakemon – quickly fired his Metal Claw at the Gravemon. The infected Tyrannomon, with unnatural quickness, quickly sidestepped to avoid the Metal Claw. With a ferocious snarl the Warrior Gravemon jumped into the air and landed against the possessed Metalgreymon, knocking him off balance. The moment that the Metalgreymon fell to the ground – back first – the infected Tyrannomon howled and immediately leapt onto the possessed Digimon, tearing into his neck with its teeth. Even though the teeth seemed brown and rotting, they were still extremely sharp…and the infected Tyrannomon used them to tear through the fragile flesh of Metalgreymon. The Bakemon that had possessed the Metalgreymon quickly abandoned his host in favor of survival. The infected Tyrannomon roared as it tore more flesh away from the Metalgreymon's neck before moving on to its next target. But before the Metalgreymon could even go through deletion, a Spore hopped onto his immobile body and bored into the bloody tissue of his neck. Moments later, the Metalgreymon burst into particles and reformed into an infected Metalgreymon.

Twelve possessed Gazimon stood together in a tight circle, their backs to each other. Surrounding them were four-dozen Spores. The Spores all charged at once, and the possessed Gazimon retaliated by throwing numerous orbs of static electricity at the Spores. Even though a good number were popped, the Spores were upon them in moments. And then, before the Spores could reach the twelve Gazimon, the Bakemon that possessed them immediately abandoned their hosts and flew away from the small skirmish, yelling, "NOW!" In response to their shout, a Megadramon high above them immediately fired a Dark Side Attack. Two missiles erupted from the flying Ultimate's cybernetic hands and crashed in the midst of the Spores popping them all immediately. Of course, the Gazimon were destroyed, but the twelve Bakemon didn't care; they would just inhabit new bodies.

One Saberdramon – under the influence of a Black Gear – roared as it charged toward an infected Airdramon. The Airdramon's skin was sickly and rotting, and its wings were full of holes. The Saberdramon snarled as it rushed forward and used its talons to rip through the body of the Airdramon, letting its bisected body fall to the ground before dissipating into particles. The one side effect of being infected by the Gravemon was the fact that the body was completely broken darn in terms of overall durability. Even though the body's internal composition was still strong, it was easy to tear through the outer shell. That was the one weakness of the Gravemon…but their massive numbers more than made up for it. As for the Saberdramon, it immediately charged for the Mind itself.

"**_Arrogant one. You so eagerly surrender yourself to death…very well. You shall have your wish granted."_** With that said, the Mind opened its maw and inhaled the Saberdramon. After several seconds, the Mind regurgitated the Saberdramon…and the Saberdramon had become a Gravemon Warrior. With a pale shriek, the infected Saberdramon flew on to battle to fight alongside its fellow Gravemon.

It was truly a free-for-all fight; with so many Digimon fighting at once, one would be hard-pressed to differentiate between the three different sides (with the exception of the Gravemon…I mean, seriously.). Even so, it was as deadly a fight as any.

"GENOCIDE MISSILE!"

_KABOOM!_

As evidenced by a pair of Gigadramon's missiles that just destroyed a building.

Anyhow, we now turn our attention to UmbraDevimon. For you see, the mighty Mega Digimon was trying to break out of the Gravemon Dome.

UmbraDevimon was no fool…but when it came to matters concerning Digimon that were his rivals or posed a threat, his pride would sometimes get in the way of logical thought. Such was what had happened when Demon had considered him less of a challenge than the Gravemon.

But oddly enough, in the heat of a frenetic battle, UmbraDevimon had regained his common sense. In all honesty, the Gravemon WERE a more dangerous foe than he was. Their tenacity was unrivaled, and – when the Mind truly wanted something accomplished – they could outmaneuver you in a heartbeat.

That was why UmbraDevimon wanted to escape now. He still had a naval force fighting in the bay. If he could escape, then he would let all of the Digimon in the Gravemon Dome fight until none remained (in all likelihood, the Gravemon would still win, although their numbers would be greatly reduced). In the meantime, he would crush all opposition on the outside, and then he would quickly return to the Digital World to amass another invasion army; after all, his Dark Obelisks continued to spew out Black Gears, and his Black Gears had been seeking out more victims. He would return with another army…and once he neutralized any remaining enemies in the Real World, he would make Archfiend Castle his own using the Black Gears. Then, the territory it corrupted would empower HIM. Conquest would immediately follow.

All he had to do was break out.

That was why UmbraDevimon was pounding against the barrier with all of his might. That was why five Metalgarurumon and twenty Devidramon under his control were watching his back.

"DARK VIPER!"

The blast of dark energy that UmbraDevimon spewed from his mouth did nothing. Scowling, the hybrid Digimon began coalescing dark violet energy into his two horns.

"APOCALYPTIC VIPER!"

The two bolts of dark violet energy collided into the energy barrier, dissipating into nothingness. The tentacles that formed the dome quivered a bit, but nothing else. UmbraDevimon scowled. "Fine then…I'll resort to EXTREME measures…" Without hesitation, UmbraDevimon stretched his four arms out as dark orbs crackling with red electricity formed in his palms. Once they grew the size of his head, he growled, "DOOMSDAY…"

Demon suddenly frowned at the utterance of that word. He tilted his head back to see UmbraDevimon…and the moment he saw the four orbs, he paled. "That fool!" Without even bothering to telepathically give out the order, Demon roared, "ALL FORCES, DEFENSIVE MANUEVERS! **TO THE GROUND!**"

His voice reached the ears of all members of the Demon Corps. LadyDevimon immediately yelled, "You heard Lord Demon! GET ON THE GROUND!"

As the Demon Corps immediately hit the ground, UmbraDevimon smashed his orbs together and onto the barrier. "**_…VIPER!_**"

A tremendous shockwave of white energy erupted from the four smashed orbs, washing over the inside of the Gravemon Dome with a tremendous ferocity. Demon clutched onto the ground as the energy wave washed over him and his Demon Corps. The Mind gurgled as it assembled an energy barrier around itself, using its mental powers to do so.

-

/Sphere Observation Deck, Fuji Television Station, Odaiba, 9:15 PM/

The arrival of the Gravemon Dome had aroused the interest of those on the Sphere Observation Deck. Since the battle had become localized into two spots – the bay and the dome (with the exception of the relatively small numbers of Gravemon that scoured the city), the battle had actually turned into something that could be watched without worrying. After all, the risk of danger to humans had become increasingly minimized.

Then, the where was that bright flash of light from within the dome itself. Everyone shielded their eyes from the flash before it subsided moments later.

Jun, Jim, and Natsuko quietly stared at the dome quietly. What had just happened in there?

"Good lord…what in God's name is going on in there?" asked Dietz out of bewilderment.

"Whatever it is, be glad that it isn't out here," muttered Inspector Macarthur.

Natsuko sighed as she stared at the dome, barely making out a small hole that had been blown open in the translucent barrier. Oddly enough, she found herself thinking about Hiroaki. "…"

"You okay Mrs. Takaishi?" asked Jim out of the blue.

Natsuko gave the boy a weak smile. "Oh…I'm just thinking about someone…I just hope no one we know is actually in there."

"No kidding," replied Jun as she stared quietly at the Gravemon Dome. She couldn't imagine being stuck inside there…with all of those Digimon.

-

/Dome of the Gravemon, Odaiba, 9:18 PM/

Demon grumbled as he got to his feet and looked around; most of the buildings that were in the dome had been completely leveled by the Doomsday Viper attack. Most of his forces had survived the attack, whilst UmbraDevimon's tremendous force had nearly been cut in half. The demonic Mega growled. "That fool…is he trying to destroy his own army?"

He glanced around to find UmbraDevimon…and, to his eternal shock, saw his devilish opponent stepping out through a small hole in the Mind's barrier. _No…it can't be! How could he have broken a way through the barrier!_

You see, the Mind had been forced to use part of its mental power that it had been using to erect the barrier to protect itself from the Doomsday Viper. Otherwise, UmbraDevimon would not have been able to break through.

But he had.

And Demon immediately flew towards the hole. "Oh no you don't!"

The Mind quickly concentrated once more.

And thus did Demon slam into the barrier. The Mega yelped as he crashed into the barrier. With an angry growl, Demon glared at UmbraDevimon, who stared at him with a malevolent smile.

Then, UmbraDevimon spoke, his voice coming through the barrier. "Ha ha ha…and you considered me second fiddle to the Gravemon. I told you it was a big mistake."

"And you are retreating from battle, you coward," said Demon, venom dripping from his voice.

UmbraDevimon smirked at his demonic rival. "Maybe. At least I'm a smart coward." And thus did UmbraDevimon walk away from the Gravemon Dome.

Demon angrily pounded the barrier; UmbraDevimon was free.

Now he had no choice…he had to confront and destroy the Mind if he were to get out of here.

Demon snarled as he turned around to glare at the Mind. The Mind seemed to know what Demon was thinking; after all, it immediately said, **_"You seek to destroy me? Fool…we shall infect your corpse."_**

"WE SHALL SEE." And with that, Demon extended his palms. "Chaos Inferno!"

-

Meanwhile…

One of the few buildings that still stood inside the Gravemon Dome was a bank.

And in the basement of that bank were humans, using it as a protective shelter (after all, earthquakes were common in Tokyo, and this building had been built with earthquakes in mind) against the Digimon outside.

Two of the few dozen bank employees were familiar figures; the brown-haired man that was Hiroto Motomiya, and the creamy orange-haired woman that was Anzu Motomiya.

Yes; this was the bank that both of the Motomiya parents worked at. And right now, they were hiding along with their fellow employees.

Anzu shuddered as sounds of battle echoed through the ventilation pipes in the ceiling. "Man…I hate this."

Hiroto nodded heartily. "You and me both." The male Motomiya angrily kicked the wall beside him; he, his wife, and their fellow employees had been cramped up in this basement for the better part of the day with limited food and water. He was irate, he was tired of the battles constantly taking place outside, and the freaking irritating sound of water dripping from a leaky pipe. _Oh, for crying out loud, shouldn't they have FIXED THAT BY NOW!_

"I'm worried…"

Hiroto paused his session of mental anger to look at his wife. Anzu continued on, "If things are this bad here…what about our son? Judging by what that Gennai person said, things are far worse for him…"

Hiroto grimaced as he thought about it. "Man, now I've got another reason to be upset. Thanks a lot honey."

Anzu giggled at her husband's remark. "You're welcome."

_Thump._

Everyone suddenly froze; what had been that sound?

_Thump. Thump. Thump._

All of the bank employees got to their feet. One of them fearfully pointed a hand at the door that led upstairs and squealed, "It's coming from the door!"

_Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. _

Then, with a terrifying crash, the metal door was broken down. Several dozen Spores immediately poured into the room, their unearthly chitter echoing through the basement.

The employees screamed with shock. Anzu backed away out of shock. "Wha-wha-wha-what…what are those things!"

"_**AAAAH!"**_

Anzu froze at that sound: the sound of her husband. She whirled around…and saw one of those putrid Spores boring into his chest. It had broken out of the same leaky water pipe that Hiroto had been complaining about…and more were coming.

Anzu stared in shock as her husband gagged; the creature continued to dig into his chest, using a sharp tentacle to tap into his spinal cord.

Hiroto howled one last time before he burst into particles. Anzu screamed, "NO! _HIROTO!_"

The particles immediately converged on each other once more…and the sight that now greeted Anzu nearly made her faint out of sheer fright.

Her husband's skin was now a sickly white in color, with a green tint here and there. Sharp, bony tentacles protruded from his right wrist, and several sensory appendages protruded from his hand and chest. His black business suit, which had once been well pressed and wrinkle-free, was torn and in tatters. His brown hair was mostly gone save for a few clumps, and his eyes were completely gone. However, the most horrifying thing to her was that all of the skin and tissue from the bottom of his rib cage down to his hips was gone; it was as if his stomach and skin had been completely erased. All that was left in that area was the spine and the spinal cord.

Anzu stared at the infected Hiroto out of utter fear. "Hi…Hi…Hiroto?"

At that moment, a Spore landed on her back and jabbed her spinal cord with its penetration tentacle.

Her scream joined the screams of the other employees, who had been utterly helpless against the onslaught of the Gravemon Spores.

-

/11-110-CHI, 9:28 PM/

Darkheart suddenly grumbled; a strange, tingly feeling arose in the pit of his heart. _Gah…blasted kid. If he's trying to tick me off, I swear I'm going to rip his heart out…_

With an angry snarl, Darkheart tried to sleep in midair.

-

/Realm of the Entrapped Souls, 9:30 PM/

Sora suddenly opened her eyes. "Huh…what the…?"

"Hey, the last one woke up!"

Sora turned her head to see Matt on the opposite wall; he had been the one to speak. "Now it's a regular Digidestined reunion. Wish we could've booked a more luxurious spot though…"

Joe couldn't help but sigh. "Gee Matt, you sure know how to make light of a situation like this."

"Yeah Joe! Now tell him to lay off the jokes; I'M the joke master here!" exclaimed Gomamon. Joe sweatdropped in response. "Uh…sure…"

Sora looked around confusedly; to her right was Garudamon, her body wrapped in black tendrils. To her left were Tai, Dinobeemon, Omnimon, and the Shadow Mallet. On the opposite wall were Mimi, Matt, Joe, Izzy, Lilymon, Gomamon, and Tentomon. "Huh? Where are we?"

"Like I've said before, I think we're inside Darkheart," replied Izzy, who was clearly getting a bit tired saying the same thing to every person that arrived.

"And like Matt said, this place isn't exactly four-star. Do you know how hard it is to sleep like this!" yelled Tentomon.

Sora blinked out of confusion. "…huh?"

"It's okay Sora," said Garudamon; due to her massive form, the column of fleshy tendrils that held her was rather large. "I don't quite understand any of this either…"

"…mmrm…"

Everyone suddenly paused; they turned their heads towards Davis – who had fully healed ever since Darkheart's last torture session – who was silently twitching in his sleep.

Sora suddenly realized who she was looking at. "Wait! Davis!"

"Don't try talking to him Sora. He won't talk," said Mimi out of the blue. Then, she huffily added, "It's rather rude too; and you'd think that he would want to talk!"

"Pardon me for saying, but I don't think he can HEAR us, much less respond to us," commented Dinobeemon.

"What he said," added Omnimon.

Suddenly, a strange aura filled the room…and an image suddenly came into being. It was that of a soccer game between the Odaiba Overlords and the Tamachi Titans…it was late in the fourth quarter, and the score was 11 to 4 in favor of the Titans.

Tai blinked. "Hey, I remember this…this was that soccer game where Davis and the Overlords hosted Ken and the Titans. Why are we seeing this?"

"Must be an image that Davis' subconscious is conjuring up," replied Izzy.

"Layman's terms?" asked Lilymon.

"…he's dreaming," tiredly answered Izzy.

Tai frowned as he watched Ken prepare to kick the ball to a winger. "Why'd he want to dream about this though? It's about to get real unpleasant…"

Sure enough, Davis leapt into the air to try and block the kick…but unlike real life, the ball stopped in midair…and so did Davis.

"Huh!" yelled everyone out of shock.

All of a sudden, the image seemed to pan around as Davis slowly positioned himself in midair…and then, with a blazing fast kick, he launched the ball into the Titans' goal before landing deftly on his feet.

Tai blinked. "What the! How the!"

"Remember Tai, this is a DREAM. Davis can do anything he wants!" explained Matt.

As Davis stood up – and the Overlords' score went to 5 – he pulled out a pair of shades from his shorts' pocket and put them on his face. Moments later, an electrical green aura surrounded the rest of his fellow teammates…and when they faded, all of them looked like Davis, shades included.

Mimi blinked out of surprise. "Wow. Didn't know Davis saw the _Matrix_…"

Within the last few minutes of the game, Davis (Agent Davis. :P ) and his clones completely overwhelmed Ken and the Titans. When the final whistle was blown, the score was 17 to 11: victory for the Overlords.

Tai couldn't help but laugh. "Heh…a team full of nothing but Davis. Imagine an entire team of me!"

"More than one Tai? Heaven forbid!" cracked Gomamon.

Matt laughed heartily at that. "For once Gomamon, that was a good joke."

"Thanks!" said a beaming Gomamon. All of a sudden, he realized Matt's words…and frowned out of indignation. "Hey, wait a minute!"

The image changed…and now it was nighttime, and Davis – wearing the clothing of a medieval prince – was scaling up a tower using a ladder.

"Didn't know he knew _Romeo and Juliet_ either," commented Mimi.

"I don't think he knows much OF it," said Joe. "I still remember the school schedule from my days at Odaiba Middle School, and we didn't actually learn about Shakespeare until high school. I think he knows ABOUT it though."

'Prince' Davis reached the tower's balcony, yelling, "Kari! It's time for our date!"

"…yep. He's only heard about it," quipped Izzy, wincing at Davis' unintentional mangling of Romeo and Juliet's script.

Prince Davis blinked; Kari wasn't there. "Hey, where'd she go?" His eyes looked around in confusion…and he paled at the sight he saw in the distant sky.

Flying away on the wing of a Boeing 747 was Kari, wearing the clothing of a princess…and she was being held by a knight in shining armor: TK. Prince Davis' mouth dropped. "HEY! THAT'S MY GIRL!"

"Huh…I think this is an older dream," commented Matt. "Judging from how things were going, TK and Davis were pretty good buds before this whole Darkheart mess."

"Wait a minute…DAVIS HAS BEEN DREAMING ABOUT KARI!" yelled Tai, threatening to slip into one of his protective brother modes again.

Sora couldn't help but sweatdrop. "Tai…Davis has a crush on Kari. Of course he's been dreaming about her!"

Suddenly, Prince Davis yelled into the sky. "KARI! COME BACK TO ME!" He suddenly reached behind his back and pulled out…a blueberry muffin. "_I BAKED YOU A MUFFIN!_"

Everyone sweatdropped. They also would have facefaulted if the fleshy tendrils didn't tie them down. Lilymon suddenly said, "Now, I'm not knowledgeable about human dating practices…but I don't think muffins are a usual gift."

"Well, muffins are…well, unorthodox, to say the least," replied Izzy.

"Hey, it's the thought that counts, right?" suggested Dinobeemon.

The image changed again…and it was dark. Only two figures could be seen. Tai suddenly blinked. "Hey, those are Davis' parents."

Although no one noticed, this new image came with one more thing; Davis – the real Davis, the one who was trapped in the black tendrils – started squirming. The dream was switching to a nightmare.

Anzu and Hiroto Motomiya smiled…but they suddenly looked shocked and frightened as two strange, rotting pods fell upon them…and then they were submerged by darkness. When the darkness cleared, they had become the most horrible looking things the Digidestined had ever seen.

They shrieked a horrific howl that caused the Digidestined to wince…but the scream that emerged from Davis infinitely outdid it.

"_**AAAGGGH! NO! DON'T GET NEAR…LEAVE THEM ALONE!"**_

Davis suddenly sagged, and the image disappeared. It was a few seconds before Sora fearfully said, "What…what was that all about…?"

Suddenly, an enraged voice pierced the air. _'Oh, for the love of God, you just can't shut up, CAN YOU!'_

A flash of light.

Now Darkheart was standing in their midst. He was human-sized now – as his Dark Dragon mode was too large to fit in there – and his tail had split off into two muscular legs, allowing him to walk towards Davis.

One thing was evident from his stride and the look in his blood-red eyes; he was ANGRY.

Omnimon muttered, "Oh no…don't tell me he's doing it again."

"Doing what?" asked Sora.

"Tai! Sora! Please don't look!" screamed Mimi.

That only made them look.

-

Davis was barely aware of Darkheart's draconic fist clutching his chin and lifting his head. The Dark Dragon mode of Darkheart glared angrily at Davis. "You know, for once, I'm trying to get some shut-eye…but you just had to scream and wake me up, didn't you?"

Davis didn't answer.

Darkheart snarled at Davis. "Ah…NOW you want to be a smart aleck? Fine then…don't say you didn't have this coming."

He reared his right fist and plunged it into Davis' chest.

Davis' eyes bulged at the sudden tightness that gripped his chest…and to his horror, Darkheart _ripped his very heart out_. Of course, it was only superficial – he was only a representation of the untainted portion of Davis' soul – but the pain was still real.

Darkheart smirked as he swallowed the heart in one gulp. "Mmm. Tasty. Nice late night snack." With that done, Darkheart turned around. "Make one more peep, and I'll rip your eyes out."

In a flash of light, Darkheart was gone. Davis only remained there…limping and unmoving.

As for the others…

Sora couldn't help but cry at the sudden scene of cruelty she had just seen. "Oh…my…how…how could he…?"

Tai could only scowl in response; nothing could describe the terrible rage he now wanted to unleash against Darkheart.

Suddenly, Matt answered Sora's question. "Simple. He's a monster."

And he meant it in the truest sense of the word.

-

/11-110-CHI, 9:50 PM/

Kari couldn't help but yawn from her hiding spot; she had been watching Shaun from the end of the pathway, which was marked by two trees. She had been watching Shaun from this spot for the better part of almost two hours, and – after his little outburst – he had done nothing but sit there in front of the grave.

Kari sighed as she closed her eyes for a moment to think. Who was in that grave…? It had to be someone Shaun had cared deeply for, concerning how upset and angry he had been…but who? It couldn't have been a Digimon, because they didn't leave a body after they died. They were simply deleted and reformatted before being reborn. Unless Shaun did it in honor of the Digimon, even though there had been no body…but still, something about it didn't seem right to Kari. He seemed to be far too upset for a Digimon friend…then who? Who could it be? It couldn't have been a human…could it?

"Hello Kari."

"WAAAH!" yelped Kari out of surprise, her eyes opening to see Shaun standing right in front of her. The Child of Wisdom had walked away from the grave and stopped in front of Kari the moment her eyes closed. Kari sputtered, "Oh…h-hi Shaun."

Shaun couldn't help but chuckle at the Child of Light. "So…I guess this is what it feels like to have a stalker," cracked Shaun, obviously attempting to lighten up the mood.

Kari saw right past it. "Shaun…who's in that grave?"

Shaun immediately frowned before subconsciously flexing his right fist. "No one you know."

Kari looked at Shaun with an offended look in her eyes. "Hey…you don't have to be rude about it. I just asked who was in that grave."

"Please Kari…just don't ask," replied Shaun as he looked at her with a cross look in his eyes. "Let's head back to the camp…we all need to get some shut-eye."

As Shaun walked down the path, Kari looked back at the grave in silence. She began to take one step towards the grave…and paused.

_No…I shouldn't_. Shaun cared about whoever was in that grave…and he didn't want anyone else to look. She had no right to intrude, despite her curiosity. Sighing, Kari turned around and followed Shaun down the pathway.

-

Futa glanced up to see Shaun and Kari Kamiya walking back into the valley. Shaun looked dour – and a little sad – while Kari just looked plain tired.

The Elitemon remained silent as Shaun advanced toward him; he was sitting beside his Shadow. Ken and Hawkmon had fallen asleep beside Yolei, whilst TK and Patamon were sawing logs beside a small tree. Cody was leaning on Armadillomon; both of them were catching some 'Zs'. Gatomon was curled up and slumbering amongst a patch of glowing rainbow flowers, where Kari joined her moments later. (Agumon) was still sleeping inside the Shadow's right prong…and even Paildramon had surrendered himself to sleep, his body laying on the Shadow's left prong.

Only Futa and Shaun were still awake.

Shaun sat down in front of Futa Ishisamee and asked, "So…who's your partner?"

"…you want an answer?" said Futa with a serious tone. "I was once a member of the Forbidden City's spy agency; I know that you've been around for about 5765 years…although the circumstances surrounding your sudden appearance in the Digital World did cause some confusion among the upper ranks of our intelligence community. So I'll answer your question with a question; how did you arrive in the Digital World?"

Shaun blinked once out of surprise…and then he chuckled. "Touché. Alright then, let me rephrase my question: how long have you been the partner of a Digidestined?"

"Almost thirty years in Real World time," replied Futa. "After all, my partner was part of the original group."

Shaun's eyes widened out of astonishment; his knowledge on the original Digidestined was jack-squat…probably because he had never seen or heard any information about them. Then again, Gennai HAD prevented him from seeing some of the oldest records in his many years of staying with him…so it wasn't really that surprising. "Wow…a pleasure to meet you then."

"The pleasure is mine," replied Futa with a smile. "Sure, I've experienced deletion a few times…and it was an absolute pain working all the way up to Mega level again after rebirth."

Shaun nodded; unlike normal Digimon, Digimon in the Forbidden City only ascended in level when their rank in the military increased. To do that, they had to go through relentless training sessions and countless military exercises. "Man. Sounds like a pain."

"It is," replied Futa with a groan. Sighing, the Elitemon glanced at Shaun. "You need rest. Join your comrades in slumber."

"Nah, I've gone without sleep before. Besides, you look like you could use some company on the night watch," offered Shaun.

"Tempting. But no…even if you have developed your mind and body to a level higher than most humans, you still need rest. I am a Digimon…and an Elitemon, no less. We can stay up for three whole days without rest if need be…and if you tried the same, you would be in shambles. I will handle the night watch."

Shaun grumbled. "Fine then…with a grumble, Shaun walked over to the right prong and hopped in, taking the seat right next to (Agumon).

And thus, did Futa Ishisamee keep watch over the remaining Digidestined over the rest of the night.

-

/Sphere Observation Deck, Fuji Television Station, Odaiba, Tuesday, October 26th, 5:32 AM/

Several policemen and policewomen were using the floor of the deck as their bed. Jun and Jim were slumbering beside each other, their backs leaning a large glass window. As for Natsuko, she had gone to one of the official designated sleeping areas that had been set up by Inspector Macarthur downstairs. They had all been sleeping in relative (if slightly uncomfortable) peace…

"**AHHH!"**

Jim sat up like a shot at Jun's startled shout. He had actually been having a somewhat enjoyable sleep (which was saying something considering how bad things were going in the Real World). He quickly looked over at Jun, who was perspiring on the forehead. The elder Kido child quickly embraced and soothingly said, "Ssssshhh…it's okay. You're safe…"

"It's not me," muttered Jun, her voice fearful and panicked. "It was my parents…I had this horrible nightmare…they were turned into Digimon…evil and horrific Digimon…they looked so pained…"

Jim remained silent as he quickly processed the information he had just gleaned. For disaster victims – and this invasion of Digimon was a disaster in the truest sense of the word – it was common for them to think about relatives some time after they had gotten to safety. And, to be honest, Jim was in the same boat as her; even though his dad acted like a big jerk and a control-freak (at least when it came to their futures) at times, Joshua Kido was still his dad.

_I hope he's okay…_

Jim just sat there in silence as he held Jun in a quiet embrace. "I can't make any promises…but all I can offer you is consolation." There was no use in sugarcoating anything…if he did, it would lead to false hope. And if the worst turned out to be true, then false hope was a very dangerous thing to possess; it could lead to an emotional and mental breakdown of epic proportions.

As Jun slowly let her fears eke away, a familiar Junsa-cho was sleeping in the corner of the room…that is, until a female Junsa-cho walked up and nudged him in the ribs.

The male Junsa-cho – Dietz – grumbled as he opened one eye. "Ilene? Why the heck did you wake me up…I need the sleep."

Ilene looked down at him…with relief. "The Inspector's gotten word from the outside. A whole fleet of American ships are resting outside of Tokyo Bay…once that typhoon of fire goes away, we'll have American naval and aerial support busting in and backing us up."

Yes; the American fleet had finally arrived at Japan. Two carriers, six destroyers, and four cruisers, as well as the _Shreveport_, which carried the Marine Force Reconnassaince Units. The carriers were filled with F-16 fighters and H-92 SUPERHAWK helicopters; it was truly a fighting force to be reckoned with…of course, it would be useless until Demon's barrier of hellfire was extinguished.

"Whoopty-doo…remind me when I'm fully awake. Too tired to cheer." And with that, Dietz went back to sleep.

And all the while, the battle inside the Gravemon Dome continued on. The fighting outside in Tokyo Bay had slowed down with the advent of night – even though it was still as bright as day – but once UmbraDevimon stepped into aide his troops…things would take a turn for the worse for the Demon Corps.

-

/11-110-CHI, 5:35 AM/

Futa cursed; his eyes were drooping.

The sun was slowly beginning to rise, its top edge nothing more than a slim line on the horizon. Soon, they would have to be on the move…but even so, Futa wondered why Darkheart had not attacked yet. Was it possible that he too had fallen asleep?

Then again, he shouldn't be surprised…at heart, Darkheart still had the soul of a human…and humans needed sleep.

And so did he; his worry for his partner's well-being was affecting his ability to stay awake.

Futa yawned once more…a little shut-eye…wouldn't…hurt…

He silently dozed off.

Moments later, an earth-shattering roar awakened them all.

"BLOODY INFERNO!"

Everyone woke up with a startle as bloodstained fire erupted from above, surrounding the valley in a ring of fire. Gatomon leapt to her feet, her fur standing on edge. "What the! Where did it come from!"

Paildramon immediately looked upward and paled as a dragon emerged from the sky. "UP THERE!"

The massive dragon flapped its wings once before coming to a stop in the air; the dragon's tremendous body hovered in midair, a feral grin on his face. "Hello Digidestined…you may know me as Darkheart, but I've gotten a new set of clothes. This is my fourth level: Dark Dragon mode."

Kari froze; every time Darkheart ascended in power, the dark chill that emanated from him grew and grew. She dreaded to see Darkheart at his highest level of power.

Yolei grumbled as she glared at Darkheart. "Don't you have anything better to do than tormenting us!"

"Nope." With a flashy grin, the cybernetic parts on his arms began glowing white. "Go ahead and digivolve your partners…I'm eager to begin our little soirée."

The Digidestined really didn't have much choice; it was either fight or fall. They had no choice. As Shaun hopped out of the Shadow's right prong, everyone pulled out their D-3s.

Gatomon digivolve to……Angewomon!

Hawkmon digivolve to……Aquilamon!

Aquilamon digivolve to……Silphymon!

Armadillomon digivolve to……Ankylomon!

Ankylomon digivolve to……Stegomon!

(Agumon) warp-digivolve to……(Wargreymon!)

Patamon digivolve to……Angemon!

Angemon digivolve to……MagnaAngemon!

MagnaAngemon…Stegomon…DNA Digivolve to……MetalAngemon!

Before Angewomon could jump into the sky, a hand fell on her shoulder. She looked around to see Paildramon…and he had a strange look in his eye.

Angewomon immediately protested, "No. OH no. We are NOT DNA Digivolving again!"

"And who stands more of a chance against Darkheart?" asked Paildramon.

Angewomon groaned out of submission. "Fine…but the instant we're out of Darkheart's sight, we split apart again!"

"Deal," muttered Paildramon. Moments later, he was bathed in a golden light, and Angewomon was bathed in a white light.

Paildramon…Angewomon…DNA Digivolve to……Aetherdramon!

Once the digivolution process was complete, Shaun and TK pocketed their D-3s before roaring, "Holy Armor Energize!" In respective flashes of blue and bronze light, Shaun and TK were donned in the Armor of Wisdom and the Armor of Hope.

Darkheart smiled as he stared at the group of one Ultimate, three Megas, and two energized humans that stood before him. "Good…now that you've all digivolved, your partners are expendable." Before the Digimon could even begin to wonder what that meant, Darkheart aimed his palms at the ground. "Magna Dragoon Ray!" The cybernetic components on his arms stopped glowing white, and black rays shaped like dragon heads erupted from his palms, crashing into the ground below.

Debris and rock was sent flying as the ground cracked…and one of the Digidestined was sent into the air as a result.

Cody.

The Child of Humility screamed as he tumbled head over heels…and before he knew it, Darkheart rushed at him. The dragon roared, "Since my mouth is big enough, now I can absorb you the old-fashioned way!"

Cody fell into Darkheart's maw…and with a ferocious snap, he shut his mouth.

Everyone gasped as Darkheart chewed a few times; even now, they could hear the gnashing of bones against teeth. Moments later, Darkheart swallowed. "Heh…tastier way to absorb them." He glanced down at the Digidestined before continuing. "Oh, he's still alive…it's just that it hurts a lot more this time around."

Yolei felt the blood rush to her face as an irrational burst of anger erupted within her. "You…HOW DARE YOU DO THAT TO MY FRIEND! SILPHYMON, GET HIM!"

Silphymon immediately charged up toward Darkheart. "Sonic Force!" A blue aura tinged Silphymon as he charged past Darkheart, trying to rip open his skin.

No such luck. Darkheart chuckled. "You really think my scales could be pierced like that? You're almost a waste…but power is power!" With speed that seemed unfitting for such a large beast, Darkheart whirled around and snapped down on Silphymon. After a few chews, he swallowed Silphymon on the spot.

"**SILPHYMON!"** shrieked Yolei. The stress of seeing two friends be EATEN (both literally AND figuratively) in a span of ten seconds caused Yolei to do one thing: faint. Ken caught her before she fell to the ground.

"Man, this isn't good!" yelled TK as his wings twitched tentatively.

Shaun couldn't help but agree; Darkheart wasn't wasting any time now. He wanted to get to his next level, and he wanted to get there NOW. They had to try and do SOMETHING…but what? He was too powerful for ANY of them to stop.

"Golden Seeker!"

Aetherdramon suddenly aimed his gauntlets at Darkheart; out of the slot in the front of his two gauntlets came numerous golden energy discs…and all thirty of them began encircling Darkheart in random patterns. As they passed, they shot an energy bolt at Darkheart.

The Dark Dragon grumbled as he swatted at the discs. "Lousy…get away!"

"Well? What're you waiting for!" demanded Aetherdramon. "He's distracted; attack him!"

Everyone took this as the signal to attack.

Shaun aimed his palms at Darkheart and yelled, "Blue Dash!" Numerous rays of blue supersonic energy slammed into Darkheart.

TK flared his wings and yelled, "Star Shower!" A number of energy stars emerged from his wings with each flap, and they all pelted Darkheart.

(Wargreymon) quickly formulated an orb of orange energy in his hands. " Terra Force!" The orb of orange energy slammed into Darkheart with unmerciful force.

As for Futa Ishisamee, he was now piloting the Shadow…and he quickly turned on the automatic plasma turrets. The plasma turrets on the front tips of the prongs opened fire with a barrage of magenta-colored plasma.

Even so, the dragon regarded the attacks as little more than an annoyance. "You pests…Bloody Fireball!"

With a quick expulsion of breath, Darkheart launched a bloodstained fireball at the Shadow. It quickly veered to the right.

Darkheart launched another one at MetalAngemon, who was still on the ground. The DNA Mega quickly evaded the blast with a flying roll to the side. The fused Digimon quickly whipped out his staff and began twirling it around above his head…and the circular outline it formed glowed with a platinum shine. "GATE OF EXTINCTION!"

MetalAngemon leapt away as the platinum outline formed into a circular gate made of platinum. Etched onto the gate's door was the image of MetalAngemon…and when it opened, it revealed a terrifying realm beyond. Unlike the milky-white realm beyond the Gate of Destiny, the realm beyond the Gate of Extinction looked like a maelstrom of swirling gray clouds that crackled with lightning and thunder.

Darkheart suddenly paled as an immense force began pulling on him. "Hey…what gives?" He looked down to see the Gate of Extinction. "…ah poop."

Darkheart was suddenly pulled down into the gate; he quickly used his arms to prop himself up, using the ground outside the gate as handholds. His arms and everything from the chest up could still be seen. His blood-red eyes glared at MetalAngemon in anger. "You…you're NEXT!"

MetalAngemon smirked. "Tell it to the judge."

_SMACK!_

"OW!" MetalAngemon turned to see Shaun. "WHY'D YOU PUNCH MY HEAD!"

Shaun glared daggers at MetalAngemon. "Um…I'm not one to complain…BUT THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE DOING! **IF YOU KILL DARKHEART, YOU KILL EVERYONE HE'S ABSORBED!**"

MetalAngemon suddenly sweatdropped. "Oh…right." He slapped himself in the forehead. "Gah…!"

Shaun tilted his head towards (Wargreymon). "Okay (Wargreymon); you get one arm, I'll get the other. We'll both pull him out."

"Uh…Shaun?" (Wargreymon) nervously pointed his right hand at the portal.

Shaun turned around to see Darkheart…and he only had his head and right arm sticking out. "……" Shaun really had no words to say.

Darkheart snarled as he suddenly released his grip on the ground…and raised his right arm. "FINE! **_I'M TAKING YOU WITH ME!_**"

Then he slammed his fist into the ground.

As Darkheart fell into the deep maelstrom of the realm beyond the Gate of Extinction, the ground around the gate splintered and fractured into numerous pieces…pieces that were pulled into the air by the vacuum of the realm beyond the gate.

Shaun, TK, Aetherdramon, and (Wargreymon) instinctively took to the air. Futa backed the Shadow away from the gate's pull. MetalAngemon remained where he was; as he was the one who brought the gate forward, its pull did not affect him.

The same couldn't be said for Kari, Yolei, and Ken, who were suddenly sucked off the ground as the ground beneath was pulled towards the gate.

MetalAngemon quickly stood between the three and the gate. Ken latched onto his armored leg, trying to ignore the purple ribbon that slapped against his face (apparently, that was the only part of MetalAngemon that the gate's vacuum affected). MetalAngemon knelt down and grabbed Kari with his left arm. He reached for Yolei with his right hand.

And he missed.

She had gone by so quickly, that at first it didn't register. MetalAngemon suddenly realized what was happening by the time Yolei was right next to the gate. "NO!"

Yoleiawoke from her unconscious state just in time for her to go over the edge. She shrieked as her fingers latched onto the rim of the platinum gate, her hands barely holding out against the tremendous pull of the realm beyond the gate. "**HELP ME!**"

"YOLEI!" Against all logical thought, Ken did one thing he shouldn't have done: let go.

Everyone stared in shock as Ken used his right hand to clutch at the ground, causing his hand to slide through the loose soil. By the time he reached the gate, Yolei's grip slipped.

Ken's right hand grabbed onto the rim at the same time his left hand latched onto Yolei's right hand. The Child of Caring yelped at the sudden jolt, looking up to see none other the Child of Kindness. "Ken…?"

Ken quickly said, "Don't talk…you need to hold on…"

Yolei started trembling as her other hand latched onto Ken's left. Nervousness rattled her voice as utter fear stampeded to the forefront of her mind. She fretfully began chanting, "Don't let go…don't let go…"

Ken shook his vehemently. "Never…not after everything you've done. If I did…I'd be no better than the Emperor."

Those words caused an uprising of shame to well up in Yolei. Those words brought to mind her distrust and fear of Ken immediately after the war against the Digimon Emperor ended. Back then, it had seemed ludicrous to even TRUST him…but now…oh, she had been _so_ misguided. Ken held one of the kindest and gentlest souls that she knew…and he had been manipulated and perverted by darkness. It hadn't been him that committed those atrocities against her and the Digidestined…it had been the Emperor.

Yolei suddenly started sobbing uncontrollably, a combination of both the fear and the shame that gripped her. "Ken…"

Meanwhile, MetalAngemon quickly yelled, "GUYS! CATCH!" With that, he threw Kari towards Shaun, TK, (Wargreymon), and Aetherdramon, who were all hovering in the air a few dozen meters away from the Gate of Extinction.

Kari yelped as the vacuum that pulled on her from behind and her forward momentum caused her to spin…and by the time the four caught her, her eyes looked like swirly lines. "Eeegghh…"

TK glanced at MetalAngemon and yelled, "Be more gentle next time!"

MetalAngemon was already running towards the Gate of Extinction. He quickly made a diving leap for Ken's hand…only to have it slip.

MetalAngemon paled; he quickly peered into the realm beyond the gate and saw a giant dragon's fist wrapped around Ken and Yolei. He paled again: Darkheart had grabbed the two, determined to bring them down with him.

The two screamed as they and Darkheart disappeared into the maelstrom beyond the Gate of Extinction.

MetalAngemon looked on in awed silence. Moments later, he angrily closed the gate with a thought before pounding the ground in anger. "_RAAAGGH!_ I can't believe I made such a stupid mistake…" He might as well have shot every absorbed Digidestined in the head; they were now beyond saving. MetalAngemon continued to pound the ground angrily as Shaun let his hold on Kari go; now that the pull of the realm beyond the Gate of Extinction was gone, his help was not necessary.

Shaun stared at MetalAngemon…not with anger…not with rage…but with pity. Pity…because MetalAngemon now knew what he had felt so long ago. _It hurts…doesn't it?_

It was probably the adrenaline or something that prevented him from feeling the shock…but Shaun now knew that he had failed. He had failed…

"Hey, I have a question…if they're all dead, how come you're still here?" asked Aetherdramon out of confusion.

Moments later, the Dark Dragon broke through the closed Gate of Extinction, which MetalAngemon had neglected to dismiss in his self-inflicted anger.

Everyone stared in shock at Darkheart, who flashed them a toothy grin…albeit a bloody one. Below him, the shattered Gate of Extinction dissipated into particles. Moments later, he began giggling an insane sort of giggle: the kind that sounds sort of high-pitched, giving the hint that the giggler is about to go off the deep end.

TK roared, "WHAT'S SO FUNNY!"

Darkheart replied, "Your gullibility. You really think I could've been done in so easily? Man, I'm such a high-octane actor I amaze even myself sometimes. You should've seen your faces!"

As Darkheart laughed, a disquieting chill came over the remaining Digidestined; he had faked being pulled into the Gate of Extinction. If he had wanted to, he could've simply ignored it…

This version of Darkheart wasn't like the last three. The first one would be like Davis if he were evil. The second was cocky to the extreme and loved to fight. The third one would toy with them in a casual sense…but this one didn't hesitate in the slightest. The Normal, Fighter, and Hunter modes had toyed with them…but the Dark Dragon didn't follow the same guidelines.

The Dark Dragon wanted results.

So it wasn't really surprising when Darkheart quickly aimed his palms at them. "Magna Dragoon Ray!"

Everyone leapt away from the two dragon-shaped rays of black energy, but it was only a ruse. Immediately after he launched the attacks, Darkheart quickly plummeted toward his nearest target: MetalAngemon.

MetalAngemon quickly brought his Metallic Angel Staff to try and parry Darkheart's charge, but it was too late. Darkheart _plowed_ straight into him, his open mouth engulfing him and the ground he stood on. Darkheart continued plowing through the ground, his body digging through the torn up ground beneath the plateau's valley.

"_METALANGEMON!_" screamed TK, whose impulses screamed at him to fly down after the dragon-

Shaun put a hand on TK's shoulder, strongly shaking his head. "NO. You can't. He'll get you too."

Ironically enough, Shaun's feelings mirrored TK's moments later.

For you see, Darkheart erupted from the ground, his tooth-filled jaws preparing to snap together on (Wargreymon).

"(WARGREYMON!)" yelled Shaun as he quickly fired a round of Blue Dashes at Darkheart, for all the good they did.

Darkheart snapped his jaws shut.

Or at least, he tried to.

(Wargreymon) was using his Dramon Destroyer claws to keep the teeth from impaling his hands. His feet were pressed against Darkheart's lower gums. The muscles in his arms and legs bulged as he tried to keep Darkheart's jaw muscles from overwhelming his own.

The blood-red eyes of the Dark Dragon flared with anger as he pushed down harder with his jaws. _Blast it all! How many more to I have to eat before I reach my next level! I want more…MORE!_

Darkheart started thrashing his head around, trying to get (Wargreymon) to loosen his grip. He didn't even bother dealing with the Shadow, which was firing bolt after bolt of plasma at him. He didn't bother dealing with Shaun, who began using his Speed Spin attack to try and cut away at his underbelly. He didn't bother dealing with TK, who was pelting him with blast after blast of the Equis Beam. He didn't bother dealing with Aetherdramon, who was showering him with a continuous barrage of his Miraculous Light.

None of it even fazed him. Darkheart was a relentless machine with a goal: the absorption of (Wargreymon). When he wanted that goal accomplished, nothing stood in his way. He got it done, no matter what.

Finally, Darkheart roared with anger. "**ENOUGH! BLOODY INFERNO!**"

(Wargreymon) managed to look down Darkheart's throat as he tried to keep himself from being eaten. He looked past the bloody tongue and mouth of the dragon and saw a gout of fire erupt from his gullet. The Mega paled at the sight. _Oh no…_

Flames slammed into him, enveloping his entire body. Everyone could only watch in horror as (Wargreymon) was barbequed alive.

When the flames finished coming five seconds later, (Wargreymon) was the perfect epitome of a steak that had intended to be well done, but – instead of being cooked on the grill – it had been thrown into a volcano.

(Wargreymon) could only gurgle out of extreme pain…and then, his muscles wavered.

Darkheart swallowed him whole moments later.

And then it came once more: the burning feeling that had gripped his body and blood three times before. But as Darkheart slowly settled to the ground, his body coiling up like a snake's, that feeling came with another: a strange, unsettling coldness that was the harbinger of the great power he had just stumbled upon.

Darkheart grinned as his body began turning into stone from the tail up. "Heh…heh heh…victory is assured…you're all mine once I'm done…"

And with that, his mouth contorted into an open snarl as his head was petrified.

Now, the Dark Dragon was no more than a stone statue; a statue that possessed a penetrating glare.

Kari sank to her knees out of hopelessness: Cody, Yolei, Ken, Silphymon, MetalAngemon, and (Wargreymon) had all been absorbed in less than twenty minutes. TWENTY MINUTES. Darkheart had so completely and utterly outclassed them that it wasn't funny in the slightest.

Now only TK, Shaun, Aetherdramon, and herself were left…they were the last of the Odaiba Digidestined to stand against Darkheart.

And what would they be able to accomplish? Their best chance to save Davis had been when he had first attacked as Darkheart…but he had only gotten more powerful as he absorbed more Digidestined and Digimon…

Kari couldn't help but sob out of pure despair…what hope did they have of winning? The Real World was being torn apart by three dark forces, and the Digidestined were being completely obliterated by a merciless and implacable enemy.

There was no hope.

The Shadow set down beside the remaining Digidestined before Futa's voice rang out over the dropship's external speakers. **"There is nothing more we can do here…we must leave."**

Yes. Leave. That's all they could do…until Darkheart awoke again and began chasing them again. It had become their lot in life to be hunted…and there was nothing they could do to stop him.

Kari sniffled as she silently clambered into the Shadow's left prong. TK dismissed his armor and hopped in beside the younger Kamiya child. Aetherdramon – as according to Angewomon's deal – split into his two halves, and Angewomon dedigivolved into Gatomon so that she could sit beside Kari was well. Paildramon opted to remain as he was.

Shaun did not dismiss the Armor of Wisdom.

The Shadow slowly ascended into the air and set off to the northwest, with Paildramon flying adjacent to it. Shaun trailed behind them…because he had to think.

In all honesty, he was scared beyond belief. He was this close to losing everything he had worked so hard to save…and it was all the more infuriating because the enemy he was facing would not be satisfied until the Digidestined were all absorbed.

And what made the situation even more precarious was the fact that Darkheart could not be killed like previous enemies (with the exception of the Emperor) could. If he was killed, then Davis and everyone else that had been absorbed would die.

It was the ultimate Pandora's Box: do nothing, and your future is lost. Fight, and lose to an unstoppable foe, and your future is lost. Kill the enemy, and your future is lost.

Nothing could be done…but that was because he was still thinking conventionally. Shaun had to change his strategy…

And, unfortunately, there was only one other strategy he could think of.

Shaun grimaced as he stopped in midair, the Shadow and Paildramon flying on ahead of them. No one would note his absence until they landed wherever they decided to land.

Shaun had to go back and confront Darkheart.

There was no other way about it…this was a desperate situation…and it called for desperate measures.

And thus did Shaun turn around and fly back towards the plateau where Darkheart had battled them just minutes ago. Shaun quietly clutched his right hand…to be more specific, his wedding finger. _Elizabeth…I hope I know what I'm doing…please…give me strength…_

And as Shaun flew on, any telepaths that existed in the universe that had been eavesdropping on Shaun's mind would've heard a sinister chuckle.

-

/Tokyo Bay, Odaiba, 5:59 AM/

"RETREAT! FALL BACK TO THE CASTLE!"

At the command of the Black General MarineDevimon, the remaining Bakemon under his command immediately started retreating towards Archfiend Castle. They were immediately pursued by the naval portion of UmbraDevimon's army…and in the sky above the bay was UmbraDevimon himself.

"DARK VIPER!"

A possessed MetalSeadramon howled as his body – and the Bakemon that possessed it from within – was torn to shreds by the ray of unholy energy.

MarineDevimon grimaced as he reached Archfiend Castle and clambered through its main gate; things had immediately started falling apart once UmbraDevimon had appeared.

The devilish Mega was now free to act as he wished now that Demon was busy contending with the Mind and its kin inside the Gravemon Dome. And he had immediately begun tearing through MarineDevimon's outnumbered forces.

They had no choice but to retreat…and as the Demon Corps neared the castle, the Bakemon abandoned their hosts and phased through the walls of the bastion, seeking safety within its walls.

UmbraDevimon chuckled as the gate to the castle sealed shut. "FOOLS! I'll break it down with one stroke! DARK VIPER!"

The crackling ray of dark power roared towards the gate…but at that moment, the horns on the castle roof crackled with black energy.

The Dark Viper crashed into an energy barrier moments later. UmbraDevimon blinked out of surprise; Archfiend Castle had an internal safety mechanism. "So, it can defend itself from enemy attack…clever. But all defenses can be broken with time…I'll SHATTER IT!"

And with that, UmbraDevimon began attacking the energy barrier with all his might.

-

/00-010-PSI, 6:21 AM/

The Shadow set down in the clearing quietly; they were right near the same rocky monolith in which Cody had uncovered the Crest of Humility.

Paildramon set down on the ground as the left prong opened. TK and Gatomon hopped out, whilst Kari remained in her seat. She was too sad to move…

All of a sudden, Gatomon blinked. "Hey, where's Shaun?"

"Huh?" Paildramon looked around out of astonishment. "But…he was behind me! Where'd he go!"

TK suddenly had a disquieting thought. _Did he…stay behind…?_

All of a sudden, the sky turned dark.

-

/11-110-CHI, 6:30 AM/

A large, yellow egg was suddenly expelled from the mouth of the Dark Dragon statue. Upon its crash into the ground, the sky had turned dark.

Several minutes passed before the first crack appeared.

Then another.

Then another.

And another.

All of a sudden, the egg's shell burst outward, causing shards to go flying for dozens of yards. The figure that stood within the cracked egg was kneeling, and a dark red aura radiated from his body.

The figure stood. He was now as tall as Davis had been originally; a throwback to the height of the Normal mode. The angular black armor that covered his body was segmented like MetalAngemon's, allowing him to move with great flexibility. Over his segmented armor were hip pads, shin guards, gauntlets, a breastplate, and shoulder guards made of obsidian. The shoulder pads looked like the heads of demons facing to the side, and their mouths were open, revealing fanged maws. The shin guards and hip pads were sharp and angular, and they had a red rims. The gauntlets appeared to radiate with a dark energy, and – if one looked inside the front slots on the gauntlets – the sight of a murky darkness within them would confirm this fact. The helmet was a throwback to the design of the Normal mode, except the 'V' was more outward, resembling demonic horns. Buckled to his waist was a belt made of black leather, and a buckle made of silver held it together. There was a sheath on each side; the right one was three feet long, and the left was two feet long. In each one was a sword made of steel as black as midnight. The hilts were made of gold mixed with blood, and a red ruby adorned the bottom of the handle. The most shocking sight was that of a red eye protruding from the broad side of each sword. Red, pulsating flesh stretched out from each other, covering part of the surface of the swords. Finally, two pairs of wings extended from his back; dark gray feathers covered both of them. The top pair extended from his shoulder blades, and they were each four feet in length. The bottom pair extended from the middle of his spinal cord, and they were each two-and-a-half feet in length. Finally, a gray symbol adorned his obsidian breastplate: the Crest of Miracles…except it was upside-down.

Darkheart's blood-red eyes gleamed as he looked down at himself; the armor felt as light as air. His voice possessed a cold chill that made him seem all the more evil. "Yes…I am one step closer. Stage 5: Dark Angel mode is the precursor to the sixth threshold…I am so close…"

Darkheart – now in Dark Angel mode – smiled; he had crossed the fifth threshold. His wings twitched and flapped, shaking the egg white off. With a smile, he prepared to take off…and stopped at the sight of the one standing in front of him.

It was Shaun Kamiya, wearing the Armor of Wisdom.

Darkheart looked at Shaun with mild surprise; he hadn't expected a welcoming party.

In a quiet and deathly serious tone, Shaun said, "Have at you."

And then he charged.

-

/Dragomon's Palace, City of Cthulu, Dark World, 6:34 AM/

Dragomon stared the two chessboards quietly. The right was a representation of the Digital World, while the left was a representation of the Real World.

The left board's bottom had a figure in the shape of Archfiend Castle standing on it. Right in front of that was a figure of UmbraDevimon. Near the top of board was a large, green dome in which sat two figures: the Mind and Demon.

The right board's left side had five figures. In the center of the five was, of course, Kari Kamiya, Queen of the Light. Standing around her were pawns: Gatomon, Paildramon, TK, and the golden Elitemon known as Futa Ishisamee. On the right side sat Darkheart the Dark Angel…and right in front of him was Shaun. However, Shaun's piece was colored black.

Dragomon looked at the left board. "UmbraDevimon has laid siege to Demon's castle…and Demon himself now contends with the Gravemon, one of the greatest plagues in the history of time…"

His gaze turned to the right board. "The corrupted child has ascended in level once more, and the Child of Light has begun to fall into despair…but the one who is not of this time is preparing to risk letting his darkness out…just to try and defeat Darkheart."

Dragomon leaned back and sighed; this day was going to be quite interesting,

-

To be continued…

Next time…

Episode 51: Battle of the Egos

-

Author's Note: The 50th episode is here…and next episode starts the four part Battle Mini-Arc! Hope you enjoy it!

See you soon, and please review!


	51. Battle of the Egos

Standard Disclaimer: Ar. I be a pirate. I don't own Digimon. Yar.

Author's Notes: The Battle Mini-Arc begins now!

To the reviews!

Ninetalesuk: About freaking time.

Anthony1: Uh…no I didn't. At the end of Episode 49, I said Episode 50 would pave the way for a FOUR-PART mini-arc. I said that after episode 50, the Battle Mini-Arc would begin. It wasn't three; it was always planned to be a 4-part mini-arc.

Cloud-821: Heh. You should be surprised…and did you catch the RvB reference in the last episode?

SR71Will: (thwacks) SILENCE!!! NO ANSWERS TILL YOU READ!!!

ficmaster: Actually, Shaun's not going to play as big a part in this battle as you might think…

Dark Qiviut, Luell, and Karnivale: I was hoping it was a misunderstanding…because if it wasn't, I was going to say that you guys overreacted. I mean, good grief; it was only done out of harmless fun. Anyhow, all of it's behind us.

Now to your words…

Actually, the US military hasn't engaged in battle yet; they're still being held out by Demon's fire barrier.

Oh, and you don't mind if I do…this? (boots Dark Qiviut and his associates off the cliff twice…and then throwing a pie down after them for good measure) Hope you like custard! :P

Salamon2: Not in Zero 2… ;)

Malebolgia: Nope. Futa is not like the Arbiter.

reviewer: Uh…Cody's not dead. He was merely absorbed in a painful way.

Dot Cubed: Probably just upgrades. Anyhow, why continue hoping for UmbraDevimon and Demon to work together? You KNOW that's an impossibility…;)

Miracles: Only four more episodes until we reach where NDE was…then I can finally get rid of NDE from FFnet (yay!).

Bluesv20: Oh NO. NOT THIS TIME. I don't WHY I thought to have the battle like that…but let me assure you, this version of the fight will be MUCH better.

UKHoneyB: (lowers glasses and raises eyebrow) Hmm… (chuckles nervously) Didn't know Davis' face was so…so…round. And what's with the four metal thrusters sticking out of his back? O.o; FYI, the thrusters are under the shoulder guards and the hip guards like with Magnamon. Even so, this submission automatically puts you in the top spot of the Fanart contest (which means that if no one else submits a piece, you'll get an original short story!). :)

And I don't think the battle will go quite as you expect…:P

Begin!

----

_Darkheart has crossed the fifth threshold…_

_But now he must face Shaun._

_Shaun has everything to lose…which is why he must win…_

_Or else…_

----

"Hi everyone, it's Paildramon! Well, I actually don't have too much to be cheerful about…Darkheart ambushed us in the morning. He didn't waste any time playing around with us like he usually does…he absorbed Cody, Yolei, Ken, Silphymon, MetalAngemon, and (Wargreymon)…and he ascended to his fifth level: Dark Angel. Even so, Shaun stood behind to fight him…but what can he do?"

----

**Battle Mini-Arc**: _Part 1_

Episode 51: Battle of the Egos

----

/11-110-CHI, 6:34 AM/

Shaun wasted no time in attacking.

Darkheart stepped to the side, a casual look on his face, as Shaun threw a supersonic punch toward his face. With a deadly serious countenance, Shaun unleashed a barrage of punch after kick after punch, all of them moving at supersonic speed.

Darkheart nonchalantly dodged them or parried them with a block with his right hand.

It was no contest: Darkheart was in an entirely different league than Shaun Kamiya. He was now the Dark Angel, the bringer of death; heck, he might as well have gotten a piece of paper, written 'Grim Reaper' on it, and taped it to his chest.

But alas…the poor fool insisted on fighting.

He would entertain him long enough…until the entertainment ceased.

Then he would absorb him.

----

/01-000-ALPHA, 6:35 AM/

The possessed Piedmon looked at UmbraDevimon's Lair from afar. The sky was dark with black clouds, and the air was rife with sand and dust; the curse of the Valley of Death. Sandstorms were a constant theme of this area…and as such, the landscape was always changing.

Piedmon smirked as he knelt down and pushed away at a thin layer of the sand; beneath it was a thick layer of glass: the result of Chimeramon's use of the Doomsday Viper during the last battle of the War against the Emperor.

The possessed Digimon couldn't help but chuckle; even now, nature covered up the past. At one time, all of 01-000-ALPHA had been nothing more than a sheet of glass. The dark power of Chimeramon had completely leveled the desert…but in a matter of less than a day, the sand from the desert in the surrounding sectors had been blown in by the gusts. Only two days after the battle, the entire sector of glass was once again covered by sand.

'Piedmon' smiled. His reign would be eternal…he would drench the entire world with darkness. None would escape it…and nature would not be able to change it. Nothing could.

Not even the Digidestined.

All he had to do…was wait.

----

/11-110-CHI, 6:40 AM/

"SPEED SPIN!!!"

Darkheart casually kicked away the buzzing blue ball that came his way; moments afterward, Shaun opened up and fired two bursts of Blue Dash lasers at him. The Dark Angel casually dodged them both, not even trying to fight the Child of Wisdom.

It had been over five minutes since this little skirmish began. It was time to end this farce.

He pulled out the sword in his right sheath; the red eye blinked and gazed outward with an impassive gaze. It glowed with a dull red aura. "Time to end this. Sword of the-"

A splitting shriek pierced his mind. Unprepared, Darkheart impulsively clutched his head, grumbling out of pain.

Shaun smiled; it had worked. Since he was capable of telepathy while wearing the Armor of Wisdom, he had 'shouted' as loud as he could at Darkheart's mind, hoping to make the Dark Angel vulnerable, if only for a moment.

And it worked.

Shaun took the opportunity.

He _SLAMMED_ his knuckles into Darkheart's chin, followed by a knee to the gut. He quickly followed up with a sweeping kick to the Dark Angel's ankles, causing the corrupted Digidestined to fall off his feet and toward the ground. Before his back could hit the ground, Darkheart's back was hit by Shaun's uppercut.

Darkheart was sent into the air.

Shaun jumped and plunged his feet into Darkheart's gut, sending the Dark Angel into the ground with a ferocious showering of debris.

Shaun flew down and reared his left arm for another punch.

_SLAM!!!_

Shaun yelped as he was sent into the ground by a sudden counterpunch by Darkheart. He clutched his face as the dark Digidestined got to his feet, his red eyes cold and impassive.

"Really now…you should know better. Commendable tactic, but you were foolish to pursue it…" Darkheart pointed his sword at Shaun, who had yet to get up from the ground. "Anything to say before your demise?"

Shaun did not get up from the ground. He remained there with his face on the soil, muttering, "…I…I failed…I couldn't do it…"

"Of course not. You were doomed from the start…now perish." With that, Darkheart raised his sword…and paused.

Something suddenly felt…wrong.

Why couldn't he bring himself to strike the boy? What was…wrong?

Shaun felt an unbearable tightness grip his chest; he dreaded this moment…for you see, all of his memories had to go somewhere. His memories were kept within the mind of the one within his mind…

That mind within him belonged to the one…known as Nega.

And the consequences of bringing him to the forefront would bring his memories back as well…so while Nega had his way with Darkheart, Shaun would be forced to endure every single memory he had.

But he had no choice.

He had to bring Nega out.

Shaun groaned as his hands clenched. One thought crossed his mind: _Remember our deal Nega._

Another voice – one that sounded arrogant, yet knowledgeable – responded. '_Heh. Of course…I have a little fun, you try to do your thing. Just don't let your brain get torn up.'_

_Don't remind me…okay Nega…he's all yours_. And with that, Shaun relinquished control.

At that moment, Shaun leapt to his feet…at least, Darkheart THOUGHT it was Shaun. The feeling he was getting from this boy was now entirely different than what Shaun had exuded.

"Hmm. Forgot what it feels like to be on the outside." With that, the boy turned around…and stared at Darkheart's blood red eyes with eyes that were just as blood red.

Darkheart looked at the boy with surprise. "Who are you?"

The Shaun-copy chuckled as he took off his helmet, revealing spiky black hair. Finally, with an arrogant voice that had an almost light-hearted tone to it, he spoke. "Gent, I am the darkness within the boy you know as Shaun. But that title sucks, so just call me Nega."

Darkheart raised an eyebrow out of realization. "Ah…Nega. I recall Shaun speaking about you. You were quite the nuisance if I recall his words correctly."

"Yep," replied Nega with a proud grin. "I was Shaun and the Digiworld's biggest pest for a little over 1,000 years. Of course, he beat me in our last battle, and I went back into his body...you get the drill." He then put his helmet back on.

Darkheart chuckled at Nega's arrogant claims. "Really now? Bold words…but even so, I doubt you'll fare any better." Darkheart lunged forward with his sword-

"I don't think so."

Darkheart blinked out of confusion…and then shock crossed his face the moment he saw that his right wrist was held by Nega. _What? Shaun wasn't capable of such swift movements…why should he be any different?!_

"Because I AM different, pointdexter." Nega quickly twisted Darkheart's arm and pressed against the corrupted Child of Miracles' back, pinning him in place. "Unlike Shaun, I _REVEL_ in remembering all of his memories. As a result, I know everything he's learned…and unlike Shaun, I don't mind remembering everything. If HE remembered it all…well, he really wouldn't be that much different from me."

Darkheart snarled as tilted his head back to glare at Nega. "You…you dare to try and intimidate me?"

Nega smiled a creepy little grin at his adversary. "No. I haven't even started."

Nega suddenly and without warning whirled Darkheart around and clutched his shoulders. Their faces were separated by a mere foot.

And then…Nega grinned a malicious, almost insane grin. "Let's take a walk on the wild side."

Nega slammed his forehead into Darkheart's; their foreheads were now pressing against each other.

Darkheart saw a flash of stars before the darkness claimed him.

----

/Dome of the Gravemon, Odaiba, 6:50 AM/

"Demon Flare Attack!!!"

A number of infected Deltamon were deleted by two flaming demon heads. That was another round of Gravemon destroyed…but, to Demon's chagrin, there was still a battle to be fought.

He had fought endlessly throughout the night and into the morning against the Gravemon. UmbraDevimon's Army within the Gravemon Dome had been whittled down to a force of 13,431, with the Bakemon under the control of Deathmon and LadyDevimon numbering 2,973. However, most of the casualties had been inflicted by the Gravemon…and as a result, the Mind had begun going in for the kill once its opponents started getting outnumbered.

Demon set down atop one of the few buildings that still stood inside the dome. He quickly sent out a telepathic message to the two Black Generals within the Dome. _LadyDevimon. Deathmon. Come to my position!_ Immediately after that, he shrunk down to his normal eight-foot size; his giant form was negatively affecting his stamina.

In less than a minute, LadyDevimon and Deathmon set down in front of Demon. The demonic Mega quickly said, "Report."

Deathmon quickly responded, "Our forces are being pushed back by the hour. Our soldiers are fatigued…and they need sleep."

"Plus, the Gravemon's numbers keep growing. If we can't break out of this dome, we're done for," said LadyDevimon with a morbid tone.

Demon frowned as his pale blue eyes glared at the Mind, who spewed more Spores toward a group of Monochromon.

All of a sudden, he snarled. "I am Lord Demon…and I will NOT die in this place. Not at the hands of the Gravemon."

And then his body combusted into blue flame. His red robes were incinerated, revealing his body underneath. His blue-white body rippled with powerful muscles, and black fur – with a tint of red – covered his body from the neck down to the knees, leaving only his hands and chest bare. The fur ended at black leather bands, and white, tooth-like spikes of ivory jutted outward from them. A thick spike protruded from each shoulder, and his feet ended in red claws, much like the ones on his wings and hands. A red symbol in the shape of a demon's head marked his chest, and it was surrounded by several red lines that curved across his muscular chest. He still had two white horns curving upward from his temples, and his eyes were still pale blue. His mouth was wide and filled with super-sharp fangs, and his mane of black hair surrounded his face and stretched downward, ending at his shoulders. He still had his wings jutting out from his back.

This was the true form of Demon.

LadyDevimon blinked out surprise. "My Lord…"

"I will destroy the Mind this day…and I will continue my conquest." With that, Demon flapped his wings and burst off toward the Mind. LadyDevimon grinned as she watched Demon fly away. "Heh. Love it when he gets angry like that."

"Stave off your lust. We still have a battle to win," pointed out Deathmon.

LadyDevimon grumbled at Deathmon. "Fine." Her annoyed manner disappeared as she took to the air; now she was acting as the Black General once more.

The Mind grumbled as Demon neared its position. **_"Arrogance! You shall perish."_** The Mind quickly lashed out with several of its smaller tentacles as Demon neared it.

Demon quickly made corrections to his flight path in midair, avoiding the tentacles that slashed away at him. His eyes shifted to the side to see an infected Birdramon charged at him. He extended his right palm at the Champion Gravemon and yelled, "Chaos Flare Attack!!!"

Unlike the Demon Flare Attack, the fiery demon head that flew towards the Birdramon was blue instead of red. The Gravemon howled as it was incinerated.

Demon snorted as the air rushed by his fur; he continued dodging the lashing tentacles as he came closer to the Mind.

As Demon neared within a 100 yards of the Mind's main body, it grumbled a hideous groan…and then opened its mouth, spewing hundreds of Spores at Demon.

The demonic Mega's body combusted into blue flame once more, making his body too hot for the Spores to near him. Those that did popped into shreds as Demon flew onward…and into the Mind's open mouth.

The Mind snapped its mouth shut immediately.

LadyDevimon – from her spot in the air – looked back at the sight and paled, "LORD DEMON!"

Deathmon quickly turned to the Bakemon under his command and roared, "Our Lord has been swallowed whole by that beast!!! We must free him!!!" His soldiers attentively responded with a hearty, "SIR!"

As the Demon Corps rushed toward it, the Mind chuckled.**_ "Foolish ones. The fumes within my body shall turn him into one of us in moments. He was arrogant to enter…did he really think we could be destroyed?"_**

A burning sensation.

The Mind suddenly paused as a near-unbearable warmth spread outward from its long and deep belly…and suddenly, cracks appeared on its skin and tentacles.

Cracks that glowed red. Fire and smoke could be seen seeping through the cracks at a slow pace.

Soon, even the tentacles that formed the Gravemon Dome showed red cracks. It was a sight that made LadyDevimon, Deathmon, and the Bakemon stop and stare in awe…well, the Bakemon that were still engaged in battle couldn't spare the time to stop, but that's beside the point.

Smoke began to emerge from the Mind's mouth, and it began to gurgle and groan. **_"Grrr…urrr…"_**

All of a sudden, an enraged voice echoed out of its mouth.

"**DEMON INFERNO!!!!!!"**

The Mind and all of the tentacles that sprouted from its body suddenly burst in red flame. The Mind howled as a column of hellfire erupted from its mouth, which was already disintegrating into nothing.

----

/Sphere Observation Deck, Fuji Television Station, Odaiba, 7:13 AM/

"Oh…my…God…"

Jim and Jun suddenly awoke at the sound of Natsuko Takaishi's stunned words. They quickly got up from the floor and stared out the window…and gaped.

The large tentacle dome that had appeared yesterday was now bursting into red flame. Even now, they could see a Junsa-cho – Dietz – grumbling at the sight, muttering, "Wonderful…"

Then again, they couldn't blame him. Something big had just happened.

A hand fell on Jim's shoulder. He turned around to face Ackerson, who held his Winchester rifle in his other hand. The Junsa-bucho said, "You ever fire a gun kid?"

Jim suddenly paled at the question; he had never used a knife, let alone a gun! "Uh…no."

Ackerson grumbled. "Figures…" He turned around and walked away, his pocket heavy with a spare pistol. _Man…we haven't found ANY people that have taken any firearms training in this building…I hate to give weapons to untrained civilians, but if this building gets stormed…they won't stand a chance._

**Skrrsh.**

Ackerson blinked; his police radio was being called. He unclipped it from his belt and pressed the button on its side. "This is Ackerson. Go ahead."

"**I'm in the basement…at the plumbing…oh Lord, HELP!!!!!!"**

Ackerson winced at the sudden shout. _What was that all about?_ He quickly called back, "Say again, respond."

"**They came through the pipes that dump waste into the city sewers…they're in the building!!! Oh…my…they're breaking…through the floors! They're coming through the floors!!! No…_STAY AWAY!!!_ "**

Ackerson suddenly heard an ethereal chitter from the radio.

**"OH GOD!!!!!!"**

The radio cut off.

Ackerson frowned as he clipped his radio back to his side, clutching his rifle subconsciously. He turned around to everyone in the room staring at him; his little 'conversation' had awoken everyone.

Jun couldn't help but feel a chill grip her bones; did this mean that Digimon had broken into the television station?

_Thump._

Everyone froze at the sound; where had it come from?

_Thump. Thump. Thump. _

A Junsa suddenly blinked as his eyes turned toward…the restroom door.

_Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump._

**BOOSH!!!**

There was the sound of a porcelain toilet breaking, followed by the sound of rushing water. Miyuki suddenly said, "Huh? What was that?"

Then they broke through the door.

Everyone yelped at the sight of seventy Spores breaking through the door, their otherworldly chitter enveloping the air.

Ackerson impulsively yelled, "Let em' have it!!!" He shouldered his Winchester rifle and fired. A Spore popped into pieces after the bullet pierced it. All of the police officers in the room pulled out their pistols and opened fire. Ilene brought out her Type-89 assault rifle and unleashed a barrage of bullets at the restroom door.

Natsuko gasped at the sight of the strange Digimon, falling to her rear end onto the hard floor.

Jim clasped Jun's hand and ran for the double doors that led to the emergency stairway. Jun yelped as Jim ran at high speed down a few flights of stairs. "Gah! Jim…where are we going?!"

"A different floor," replied Jim with a resolute tone. To be honest, he was terrified; he had hoped as hard as he could that Digimon wouldn't attack the Fuji Television Station…but he might as well have been clutching at straws. It had been inevitable; it had only been a matter of when.

But why…? Why anyway?! Why did they have to suffer so much?! Jim's jaw clenched as he quickly opened the door to the fifteenth floor…

He froze. Jun looked ahead of him and froze. "Oh my…"

Oblivion greeted them.

The hallway was stained with green blood; the sign of destroyed Gravemon…but there also other bodies.

Human bodies. They all possessed a horrible wound of some kind; ragged gashes along the abdomen, broken bones, and bullet holes.

They also saw an infected police officer firing a pistol down the hall. It ran off moments later, leaving Jim and Jun alone in the hallway.

Jun brought a hand to her mouth out of shock. "…man…why…?"

Jim was still reeling over the fact that these Digimon could use GUNS. "Good Lord…what's happening…?" They slowly entered the hallway, the sounds of screams, gunfire, and gurgling echoing throughout the floors above and below them.

The war had finally come to them.

Jun suddenly looked down to see a police officer's body; in his hand was a handgun. Tentatively, Jun slowly picked it up. Although she detested the idea of taking a dead man's personal belonging, she had to have SOME measure of defense. She'd never handled a gun before, much less fire one…but how hard could it be? Just point and shoot.

Gurgling.

Jun froze. So did Jim; it was coming from behind them.

They turned around to see two Gravemon – both wielding two steel pipes – walk up a flight of stairs to the floor they were on. They were humans…at least, they had once been human.

And, as odd it was, they seemed to be looking…at Jun.

Jun's eyes fell upon the Gravemon on the left. It wore a tattered business uniform, and its orange hair was messy and went down to the neck. Its eyes were gone, and large tentacles protruded from its wrists and abdomen. Sensory appendages stuck out of its chest, and on its forehead was…a…green…headband…

_Oh my God…oh no, please no…_

She recognized that headband. She'd recognize it anywhere.

It was the headband that belonged to her mother: Anzu.

She stared at the Gravemon at the right…and after a few moments, registered it to be her father: Hiroto.

A terribly chilling feeling gripped Jun's very soul; her knees suddenly felt like they would give. "Oh no…no no…"

"Jun?" Jim looked down at Jun with worry. "What's wrong?"

"Those…are my parents…" Jun's response suddenly made Jim freeze; those were…her parents?

Jim looked at the two Gravemon and recognized several features that had belonged to Anzu and Hiroto Motomiya. _Oh man…they ARE Jun's parents_. But…could they be…reasoned with? Jim slowly reached a hand out and said, "Mr. and Mrs. Motomiya…can you hear us?"

The infected Motomiya parents responded with an ear-splitting shriek. And then they charged.

Jim immediately grabbed Jun and rammed into the nearest door, pushing it open with his shoulder.

They were now in one of the unisex restrooms of the station. Jim quickly slammed the door shut and locked it.

Moments later, two bodies slammed into the door, threatening to break it off its hinges. Jim quickly pressed himself against the door, trying to prevent the two infected parents from breaking in.

Jun stepped backwards, her body coming to a stop against the wall at the end of the restroom. Her mind was in a tizzy, and her right hand – which held the fallen policeman's handgun – felt tingly; she was still reeling over the fact that her parents had now become monsters.

All of a sudden, the lock was broken by a resounding blow. Jim groaned as he pressed against the adjacent wall with his legs, trying to keep the infected Anzu and Hiroto from breaking in.

But it seemed to be in vain; the two infected Gravemon, using their superior strength, were starting to muscle their way in. Jun's breathing rate increased as she saw them stick their heads and arms through the door.

And then the strangest thing occurred.

"…_kill…us…"_

Jun blinked; the strained and whispery voice had come…from her mom.

She looked to see the lips of her father, barely moving to talk. His voice sounded like her mother's; strained and hoarse; a side affect of becoming Gravemon. _"…please…"_

Jun could feel her eyes watering. How much pain were they enduring? They had lost control of their bodies…yet they had used what little strength they retained to tell her to kill them. _…what are they suffering through now?_

Her hand impulsively tightened on the handgun.

And then they broke through, roaring toward Jun, pipes swinging. As Jim was shoved to the floor by the impact of the door breaking open, he screamed, **"JUN!!!!!!"**

_BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!_

There had been seven bullets left in the cartridge. Each shot made Jim impulsively cringe.

Jun's eyes were closed…and when she opened them, she saw her parents on the ground, bullet holes in their chests. Green blood stained the floor…and moments later, they dissipated into nothingness.

Everything was silent. Jun lackadaisically dropped her gun to the floor, its ammo completely spent.

Then the reality of what had just happened completely hit her; she had just committed murder.

She had killed her own parents.

The guilt was almost too much to bear. _What have I…what have I done?_ Jun immediately hugged her knees, buried her face into them, and sobbed. Sobbed harder than she ever had before.

Her parents were dead…and she had killed them.

Jim moved closer to her in silence, sitting down beside her against the wall. As Jim embraced her in an attempt to console her, Jun's pained cries overwhelmed the gunshots that could be heard from the floors above and below them.

Jim silently cursed; it seemed that fate wanted them all to suffer before the invaders were defeated.

----

/Ruins of the Gravemon Dome, Odaiba, 7:24 AM/

LadyDevimon blinked at the sight of where the Mind had once been. Nothing more than a pile of ashes and burnt skin remained…and standing in the midst of it all was Demon. She, Deathmon, and the Demon Corps advanced towards him slowly.

Demon looked down at a pile of ashes in silence; his true form cost him a lot of energy…of course, that was granted when he was capable of such power.

He had done it; he had destroyed the Mind. Without it, the other Gravemon now operated on only impulses and gut instinct.

Demon smiled; he had just dealt a deathblow to one of the most powerful Digimon that had ever existed. _Heh…perhaps I should get a trophy._

He looked up to see two Black Generals and a lot of Bakemon staring at him. Finally, the demonic Mega stood up straight and said, "I may have dealt a mighty blow to the Gravemon…but I shall need some time to recover my energy. Let us return to my castle…I need a new set of clothes."

LadyDevimon couldn't help but smirk. She turned around and yelled, "You heard the man! Back to Archfiend Castle!!!"

As the forces departed, the ashes of the Mind's remaines seeped through cracks in the ground, dropping into the sewers below.

One clump of it fell in the water...and it stood there. The ash was washed away...revealing a green seed. A seed that seemed like it was made of flesh.

A familiar voice echoed out from it. **_"Arrogant one...we cannot be destroyed...only contained..."_**

It was true; the Gravemon could never be truly destroyed.

Even if they were thwarted for now, they would be back.

It was only a matter of when.

----

/Unknown Location, 7:26 AM/

Darkheart had been wondering in the darkness for quite some time now.

And he was tired of it. "Blast it all…where the heck am I?!"

He suddenly heard the voice…of a little girl.

_"One, two, he's a-coming for you…"_

Darkheart whirled around as a spotlight flashed onto him. _What the…?_

Another girl spoke.

_"Three, four, lock the door…"_

A third girl innocently asked, _"Are you scared?"_

Darkheart snarled. "Show yourself!"

The first girl spoke again.

_"Five, six, oh no, he will not stop…"_

The second girl spoke again.

_"Seven, eight, you'd better write your will…"_

Darkheart growled; this was getting irritating…and, as much as he hated to admit…a little creepy. "Nega…REVEAL YOURSELF!!!"

Then, all three spoke in unison. _"He's heeeere!"_

"You called?"

Another spotlight turned on several yards away…revealing Nega.

However, he was wearing a uniform that a WWE wrestler would wear; black leather pants, thick black combat boots, and a black denim vest…and tattooed onto his chest was a letter in black: N.

Darkheart blinked out of curiosity. "…what the…?"

Nega smiled at Darkheart's befuddlement. "I just felt like we needed a change in scenery."

The entire room was suddenly revealed by yellow stage lights, revealing a blue wrestling mat surrounded by four pylons and rubbery ropes. Darkheart blinked; he was standing in a wrestling arena.

And a crowd of millions – both human and Digimon – surrounded the arena, cheering loudly.

"_**NE-GA! NE-GA! NE-GA! NE-GA! NE-GA!"**_

Darkheart looked around out of shock. "What is this?!"

"You ever heard of a Pay-per-view match?" With that said, Nega ran towards Darkheart, jumped into the air, and delivered a scissor kick straight into his armored chest.

Darkheart's breath rushed out of him as his breastplate was dented by the kick. He stumbled backwards before grumbling, "Cheap shot…MAGNA GUN!!!" He converted his left gauntlet into a multi-barreled gun, firing round after round at Nega the Wrestler.

As hard as it seemed, Nega actually RAN through the bullets, the shells bouncing off of him as if he were made of metal. He got within close range and grabbed Darkheart's left arm. To Nega's great pleasure, Darkheart's eyes were wide with shock. "Can't use bullets in the ring."

Nega pushed his left arm away and got Darkheart into a headlock; Darkheart gagged as Nega's right arm constricted his neck. Nega chanted, "Say uncle! Say uncle!"

The crowd was chanting along with him. **_"UN-CLE! UN-CLE! UN-CLE!"_**

"NEVER!!!" roared Darkheart as he rammed his elbow into Nega's abdomen, causing the wrestler to loosen his grip. Darkheart quickly slipped out and leapt away from Nega before rushing forward, fists aimed for Nega's sternum.

Nega ducked and flipped Darkheart over before jumping up and slamming his elbow into Darkheart's abdomen. The air escaped Darkheart's lungs.

His mind was reeling with confusion? How could this be happening?! _It isn't possible…he's acting like a normal human wrestler…yet he's doing far more…what is his secret…?_

"Until you figure it out, you won't be able to defeat me!"

Darkheart could only blink as Nega lifted him up, clutched his body, and rammed his body into the mat, headfirst.

The infamous Piledriver. Darkheart folded up like an accordion, clutching his neck out of pain. The crowd cheered as Darkheart writhed. Nega smirked as he went to the other side of the wrestling arena and pressed himself back against the ropes.

Darkheart slowly got up; his body was feeling WAY more pained than it should. "Agh…wha…?"

"Yoohoo!"

Darkheart turned around to see Nega running towards him, the ropes having given him a boost. He then gave Darkheart a clothesline with his left arm; Darkheart gagged as his threat was hit by the clothesline, sending him down to the floor with a heavy jerk. Nega kept running toward the ropes.

Once he reached them, Nega turned around and held his feet against the side, pushing back against the ropes…waiting for Darkheart to get up.

The crowd cheered loudly – a man with a soda in his hand yelled, "Jackhammer!!!" – at the sight; they knew what was coming next.

Darkheart slowly got to his feet, his mind in a delirium. This should not be happening…it couldn't be happening!

"Yo!"

Darkheart turned to see Nega leaning against the ropes. "Signature move #1: the Jackhammer."

He raised his feet, and the ropes sent Nega flying toward Darkheart, feet-first. Nega straightened his legs out just in time for them to hit Darkheart's chest.

Darkheart grunted at the impact, and he continued to do so, as Nega kicked his chest numerous times in a rapid-fire manner, all while in midair. To seal the deal, he slammed both feet into Darkheart's chest, sending the corrupted Child of Miracles sprawling to the ground. Nega landed on his feet and held his arms up to the applause of the crowd.

Darkheart could barely move on the ground; his body felt like a freight train had hit it. Nothing made sense…he should've been able to deal with more than this! Yet…he felt as vulnerable as a normal human.

He was suddenly aware that his body was being heft into the air. _What now…?_

Nega smiled as he held Darkheart's body on his shoulders, using his arms to balance the corrupted Digidestined. The crowd's cheer had been loud before…now it grew to deafening levels as he positioned himself on one of the arena's four pylons. He held Darkheart over his head as the crowd chanted loudly.

"_**DARK-SIDE MASS-A-CRE! DARK-SIDE MASS-A-CRE!"**_

Nega smiled maliciously at Darkheart. "Finisher #1: Darkside Massacre."

Nega then threw Darkheart down onto the mat…and before Darkheart hit the ground, Nega jumped up and aimed his knees downward.

Darkheart hit the mat with a hard _smack_, and then he spat blood out the moment Nega's knees landed on his abdomen. A pained gasp escaped his lips.

Nega smiled as he flipped Darkheart onto his belly; he stepped on Darkheart's back and grabbed the upper pair of wings. Then, with a hard _YANK_, he pulled them out of Darkheart.

Darkheart couldn't help but howl as his top pair of wings were torn out of his body, their ends looking like bloody stumps. The crowd roared their approval, their cheers now more like bays for blood. Nega chuckled as he hopped out of the ring to go get something.

Darkheart, meanwhile, was in pain…and he was confused. Why…why was this happening? _This can't be…this can't be happening…_

"Yoohoo."

Darkheart's eyes shifted up to see Nega…holding a metal folding chair. With an innocent, yet sadistic tone, he said, "Say good night Gracie."

Then he popped Darkheart in the head with the chair.

The last thing Darkheart heard before succumbing to unconsciousness were the roars of the crowd.

----

He sat up like a shot.

Darkheart looked around with a shocked expression; he was in a completely white room with only one door.

He immediately looked down and saw that all of his wounds were gone. His armor was brand new…even his wings were back on him. "What the…what the blazes is going on…?"

Figuring that he wouldn't get any answers sitting around in there, he walked toward the door…turned the handle…and entered into the realm beyond.

Darkheart was immediately disoriented. Every single facet of the immense realm beyond was made of gray stone…but the disorienting part was that it went EVERYWHERE. Angular stairwells that went up, down, and sideways; corridors and halls that moved in every direction, even diagonally; windows showed a vivid sky that pulsated with green and blue light…but the thing is, some of the windows were on the floor. Walkways curved and stretched around columns and towers, creating a maze that seemed to stretch onward into infinity. To seal the deal, there were various doors within the cacophony of stone.

Darkheart blinked out of surprise. "…either I'm in an M.C Escher painting, or Nega's up to something…"

"Heh heh heh…"

Darkheart suddenly looked up to see Nega…standing on the ceiling. With a sinister tone, he said, "Welcome to my parlor, said the spider to the fly…"

Darkheart's wings flared as he growled, "Are you insinuating that I'm a mere fly?"

"Egotistical, much?" cracked Nega. Suddenly, out of mock realization, he then said, "Oh, and don't forget the first law of gravity: what goes up must come down."

Darkheart raised an eyebrow…and then he fell _up_. A scream escaped his mouth moments before he crashed into the ceiling…er, I mean floor…back-first.

Nega smirked as he watched Darkheart get to his feet. "Silly boy…this is **_my_** mind you're in. I can turn down into up, and left into right. It's all relative."

Darkheart blinked out of curiosity. "This place…is your mind?"

"A representation of it, dumbbell. The doors lead to memories…and when Shaun is in control, this place looks organized and ordered…and all but a few of the doors are locked. But when **_I_** am in control…" Nega chuckled as he looked at the chaotic realm around them. "Everything is distorted. The mind becomes a realm of confusion and chaos, and it is a representation of all the suffering and experiences that Shaun has lived through…and all the doors are unlocked, waiting to be opened."

Darkheart suddenly had a flash of realization. "That wrestling arena…it wasn't real, was it?"

"Of course not! Heck, the only reason you're in my head right now is because I brought you here with the boy's telepathic powers! Nifty trinket, that Armor of Wisdom…but anyhow, you're in my mind…and if you want out, you need to realize the all-important clue." Nega chuckled as he jumped onto a stairwell…that adorned the wall. He was now looking up at Darkheart (confusing, neh?). "Catch me if you can." And with that, he burst off.

Darkheart grumbled as he jumped onto the stairwell…only to fall down. "GAH!!!" He flapped his wings and took off after Nega through a winding corridor…and then he emerged in an intersection with walkways and stairs leading off in every direction.

The corrupted Digidestined growled; this wasn't getting him anywhere. Where could Nega have gone?!

His eyes fell to one of the many doors that littered the realm. Had he gone through one of those doors…?

It was worth checking out.

Darkheart flew over to the first door in sight; it was made of polished chestnut, and its handle was made of bronze. Tentatively, he opened it…and stepped inside.

He saw a gray plateau; surrounding it were a heard of dinosaur Digimon roughly five-feet tall. Their skin was deep brown, and their eyes were large and green, but their irises were thin like a cat's. Their long tails were thick and muscular, and their chicken-like legs had feet with super-sharp claws. Fangs adorned the mouths of the Digimon. They were Raptormon, a vicious carnivore of the Champion level. Right now, (Wargreymon) could be seen fighting amongst a large group of them…but there were well over a thousand.

Roughly two hundred of them were gathered near one side of the plateau…and they were all roaring at a figure hanging off the side of the plateau's edge.

It was a girl…who appeared to be twelve. Her blonde hair was dirty and unkempt, and the gray sweat pants and the white shirt that she wore were stained with blood; blood that was leaking from a wound in her right arm. She was only holding on with her left hand.

Rushing toward her was a figure Darkheart recognized; Shaun. Fear and desperation could be seen in his eyes.

Darkheart remained silent as he watched the scene take place.

"ELIZABETH!!! HOLD ON!!!" yelled Shaun as he burst for the cliff edge.

Elizabeth suddenly looked a tad sorrowful…and a look of regret filled her eyes. Darkheart raised an eyebrow out of curiosity. What is she thinking?

Then, part of the cliff side broke…and Elizabeth fell just as Shaun dove to reach her.

His hand missed hers by a mere centimeter. His fingers brushed at air…and Shaun could only watch as she fell. **"ELIZABETH!!! _ELIZABETH!!! NO!!!!!!"_**

The moment she reached the ground, the Raptormon converged on her. Blood went flying as Elizabeth's body was consumed.

Shaun could only stare…aghast…and enraged.

Darkheart watched as a Raptormon roared and came up behind Shaun, eager to eat his flesh.

_BANG!_

Darkheart raised an eyebrow out of mild surprise; Shaun had whirled and fired a round from his Desert Eagle pistol, hitting the dinosaur's head at point-blank range.

As the Raptormon's body was deleted, Shaun turned his attention to the ravenous Raptormon that had consumed Elizabeth…and then, he unleashed a blood-curdling howl that could only come from one that had lost the only thing that made them whole. **_"(WARGREYMON!!!) KILL THEM ALL!!!!!!"_**

Before Darkheart could continue watching…

"Pardon my interruption…"

Darkheart whirled around to see Nega standing in a doorway that hovered in the air. He cracked, "…but you forgot to close the door." He then ran off.

"GET BACK HERE!!!" yelled Darkheart as he left the memory of Elizabeth's Death behind. He was now in the realm of Nega's mind once more.

Darkheart looked around and managed to see Nega running up a vertical walkway (or was it horizontal? No one could tell in this place.) Darkheart flapped his wings and took off after Nega.

After a few minutes of chasing Nega through a winding staircase, an upside-down hallway, and a walkway that went DOWN, Darkheart saw his target enter a door. Without thinking, he followed.

Darkheart now found himself inside a dungeon cell. It was dingy and dark, with only a few torches to light it up. His immediate concern was Nega. _Where did he go?!_

Then he saw Shaun once more…except he was pinned to the wall by thick, metal chains and bracelets. His shirt was gone, and his face and body were bruised. His body had been lashed with a whip, and a few cuts lined the side of his ribs.

Standing in front of Shaun was a man dressed entirely in black robes. A hood covered his face…and in his hand was a red-hot iron brand.

Without remorse, the man pressed the brand against Shaun's chest. The Child of Wisdom screamed as his chest was marked with a vicious looking burn.

The man smiled as he retrieved the brand. "Well…a scream at last…but not good enough." He put the brand aside and retrieved a vicious looking knife. "If that's all you're capable of…let's see how well you can scream after I turn you into a woman." The man in black reached for Shaun's pants' buckle…and then the wall was broken open by (Wargreymon), who looked ticked off to no end. He glanced at Shaun once…then back at the man in black. "You hurt him…**_die_**."

(Wargreymon) immediately leapt at the man in black.

"Heh. I like this memory."

Darkheart whirled around to see Nega standing behind him. "But…how did-?"

"Stumbled upon a guy named Isaac while I was around. Turns out he was a member of the Order…and he had been in hiding out of a paranoid fear of the Dark Masters. Managed to convince him that Shaun was the Dark Masters' lackey…and you can see the fruit of my labor." Nega smiled as he turned around and walked away.

Darkheart walked away as well…and he actually looked impressed. "Your methods of inflicting suffering on Shaun…using a member of the renowned Order to do your dirty work. As much as it pains me to do so, I have to say that I'm impressed."

Nega laughed. "Really now? Then let me show you what I think is the cherry on the cake." He snapped his fingers.

Darkheart suddenly found himself in front of another door in a different part of the realm. Darkheart blinked as he stared at Nega, who calmly said, "Walk in."

Darkheart frowned…and then he opened it.

It was nighttime…and Darkheart was watching the memory through Shaun's eyes. He was walking up a pathway…

Darkheart blinked out of a sudden realization; Shaun was in sector 11-110-CHI.

As Shaun neared the top of the pathway, his eyes saw Nega standing in front of Elizabeth Ishida's grave…and he was doing the unthinkable: desecrating the grave.

Shaun's mouth dropped; Nega was whistling a happy, cheerful tone as he did his business.

Darkheart could practically feel the rage and hatred emerge from Shaun's tone. "What. ARE. _YOU_. **_DOING?!?!?!?!?!_**"

Nega turned around and happily answered, "Number one. What's it look like?"

Darkheart couldn't help but feel awed at the calmness and apparent innocence of Nega's answer. "…wow. You've got guts."

Darkheart suddenly found the memory vanishing in front of his eyes…and then he found himself in an endless field of grass, with the sky and horizon being nothing but pure white.

Standing several yards away was Nega, holding a katana. "Having you chase me was getting too boring…now that the picture show's over, let's get down to business."

Darkheart quickly unsheathed his right sword, its eye bulging and aware of Nega's presence. "Let's."

Darkheart charged forward, sword held high. Nega easily parried the strike to the side. Darkheart countered the parry with a roundhouse kick to the chin, but Nega acted as if he hadn't been hit at all.

"Come now…you can do better than that," said Nega as he twirled his katana around.

_I know I can…but why can't I?_ Until Darkheart figured out the supposed 'clue' that Nega had been speaking of, he wouldn't be able to defeat Shaun's dark side.

----

/Warehouse #7, Tokyo Bay, Odaiba, 7:45 AM/

The Inoues, Kamiyas, Takenouchis, Tachikawas, and Anna Hida were all still sleeping, despite the sounds of battle that raged outside. The only ones who were awake at this time were Daniel Hida (who was sitting in a corner, obviously in meditation), Hiroaki Ishida, Gennai, and Joshua Kido. Joshua had not moved from his spot since they had arrived at the warehouse yesterday (except to go to the bathroom, eat, and drink)…and he was still muttering to himself.

Hiroaki stared at Joshua out of pity. "…if only…"

"If only what?" asked Gennai out of curiosity.

Hiroaki quickly said, "Nothing."

"Oh? 'If only' is hardly nothing."

Hiroaki and Gennai turned to see Daniel, who had suddenly spoken for the first time in hours. His narrow eyes stared at Joshua…and then he said, "Has his wound ever healed?"

Gennai raised an eyebrow out of curiosity…but Hiroaki merely gaped with shock. "But…how did-?"

"Hiroki confided in me quite a bit after your little 'mishaps' as children…I know that you are a Digidestined. I know that my son was a Digidestined." Daniel then stared at the trembling Joshua. "And I know that HE is a Digidestined as well."

"WHAT?!?!" yelled Gennai out of shock. "But-but-but-but-but he acts like they don't EXIST! How could HE be a Digidestined?!"

"It's the wound that I have been speaking of. That is where his irrationality stems from…at least, that's what I can assume," said Daniel as he stared at Hiroaki.

Hiroaki sighed; nothing could be kept from this man. "Well…yeah. His wound hasn't quite healed all the way."

"What wound?" asked Gennai, now fully awake.

"A wound from Demon during our final battle with him over twenty years ago…a third-degree burn from Demon's Demon Flare Attack," answered Hiroaki. "…he was the oldest member of our group, and always the most skeptical about the Digital World…but after our final battle with Demon, he just completely…I don't know…shut down. He wanted nothing to do with Digimon anymore…we haven't spoken since we defeated Demon."

"And why's that?" asked Daniel.

Hiroaki sighed. "Well…it occurred after he abandoned his partner."

"Why would he do that?!" demanded Gennai.

"Well…he abandoned his partner after the battle with Demon. If there's one reason why…I have to say it had to be out of fear," said Hiroaki, a sad tone in his voice.

Joshua remained silent; either he was oblivious to their conversation, or he was in silent thought.

"Out of fear? Fear of what?" asked Gennai.

Hiroaki sighed. "…his partner's Mega form."

----

/Archfiend Castle, Tokyo Bay, Odaiba, 7:51 AM/

Soulmon grimaced as UmbraDevimon unleashed another blast of his Dark Viper attack. It splashed over the castle's protective shield…but it wouldn't hold out much longer.

UmbraDevimon had been at it for almost two hours, and the shield was about to give.

"DARK VIPER!!!"

Soulmon winced as the ray hit…and there was a tremendous cracking sound, like glass breaking. He knew what it was.

The energy shield had broken.

"Yo! Colonel!" DemiDevimon fluttered down from one of the castle catwalks and immediately said, "The shield's been broken down!"

"I CAN SEE THAT YOU MAGGOT!!!" roared Soulmon.

DemiDevimon scowled at the Champion-level Colonel. _Gah…sheesh. Stupid temper…_

Meanwhile, UmbraDevimon was laughing. "HAH!!! Victory is mine!"

All of a sudden, Demon dropped down in front of him. UmbraDevimon blinked…and gaped out of shock. "No…it can't be…!"

"It is. DEMON INFERNO!!!"

UmbraDevimon yelped as a stream of red hellfire crashed against him and sent him sailing through the air. By the time he landed, he was on the other side of Odaiba.

Demon chuckled as LadyDevimon, Deathmon, and the Bakemon under their command set down behind him. The demonic Mega turned around and said, "We shall rest and recuperate within Archfiend Castle…and we shall continue the battle at high noon."

----

/Nega's Mind, 7:55 AM/

Darkheart was at a loss.

After a continuous swordfight, he had yet to figure out the clue Nega had spoken of. No matter what kind of damage Darkheart had inflicted on Nega, it had done nothing. NOTHING.

He was capable of so much…how could Nega be so casually outperforming him?

_Silly boy…this is my mind you're in._

Those words that Nega had spoken earlier…they suddenly came to Darkheart, his mind desperate for an answer.

And then he realized it.

_Oh man…that's it!_ Darkheart couldn't believe it…was it that simple?

Nega, meanwhile, yelled, "Alrighty, let's see if you make a good shish kabob!" He charged forward-

_BLAM!_

Nega froze; a bullet had just entered his back. He tilted his head back to see a six-shooter revolver floating in the air behind him, its barrel leaking smoke. Nega looked back at Darkheart out of shock.

Darkheart smiled. "This is your mind…and as such, it's not physical prowess that matters. What matters is the mind…and I simply imagined a revolver shooting you in the back."

Nega smiled, even as blood leaked out of his back. "Heh…bravo." He slumped to his knees…and he chuckled. "Wonder if Shaun got the job done…"

Darkheart looked genuinely surprised. "What job?"

Even as the life drained away from his mental shell, Nega said, "What…you think he was picking daisies this whole time? Why else would he bring me out?"

Darkheart frowned…and then he gaped. "Oh no…he wouldn't dare…"

Darkheart disappeared in a flash of light.

----

/Realm of the Entrapped Souls, 8:01 AM/

He awoke to the sound…of grunting.

Davis blinked; who was in front of him…?

To his eternal shock…it was Shaun. "Huh…Shaun…?"

"Just shut up and be quiet," snapped Shaun as he stretched and snapped one of the few remaining tendrils that held Davis in place.

Davis blinked out of shock; where had THAT come from? "Hey…what are you-?"

"DID I SAY YOU COULD TALK?" snarled Shaun as he looked up and glared at Davis.

Davis Motomiya almost gaped at the person staring at him; Shaun looked so…different.

His face was contorted into one of cold, hardened fury. His voice was filled with rage…yet it had a hint of sorrow.

This was Shaun…with full access to his memories.

And oh, how he loathed it.

With his memories at the forefront, he was being torn apart from within…torn apart by the anger, sorrow, rage, pain, fear, and every other emotion he had experienced in his entire lifetime. It made him bitter…angry…and sad…

He wanted to finish this…so Nega could go away again, and take these dreaded memories with him.

Then, they disappeared.

Shaun suddenly blinked, his hands clutching one of the few tendrils that hadn't been snapped. The memories that had been there before…were gone. He was still angry, but he couldn't remember what he had been angry AT.

_Oh no…did Nega…?_

Nega had fallen. Now Shaun's mind was once more at the forefront.

He had no time to lose. He HAD to finish this. Shaun quickly began using all of his strength to try and snap the tentacle-

"Hello."

Shaun froze as Darkheart stepped out from behind the column of tendrils that held Davis. Their eyes met briefly.

Then Darkheart's right fist – crackling with electricity – slammed into Shaun's gut.

The Child of Wisdom gagged as he was sent flying by the punch. He slammed into the wall on the opposite side of the dark room.

On the left side of the room, held up by fleshy tendrils, were Omnimon, Dinobeemon, Sora, Tai, Garudamon, MetalAngemon, Cody, and the Shadow Mallet.

On the right side of the room, held up by fleshy tendrils, were Gomamon, Joe, Matt, Tentomon, Izzy, Lilymon, Mimi, Silphymon, Yolei, Ken, and (Wargreymon).

All of them were asleep (except for the Shadow Mallet, which was an inanimate object)…and they were like sentinels that stood tall, staring down at Shaun.

Soon, he would be among them.

Shaun grimaced as he got to his feet-

SLAM!!! 

Darkheart's fists slammed into his gut again. Shaun moaned as electricity roared through his body, paralyzing him on the spot.

Darkheart finally lifted him up, his hand on Shaun's neck. Shaun could only do one thing as blood leaked from his mouth.

He laughed. "Heh…I have no luck at all…"

Shaun dissolved into dark blue energy, and he was absorbed into Darkheart.

----

/11-110-CHI, 8:10 AM/

Darkheart opened his eyes.

Shaun's body stood in front of him, limp and unmoving. Without a mind, it was nothing more than a worthless shell.

Darkheart grabbed it and absorbed it as well; the mind was all well and good, but he wouldn't get any strength from the Crest of Wisdom if he didn't absorb the body.

Darkheart sighed; he actually felt good. The challenge had been…most welcome. "That was invigorating…"

With that said, Darkheart flapped his wings and took off to the northwest.

----

/00-010-PSI, 8:35 AM/

Futa Ishisamee dug away at a patch of ground until he saw the glint of purple metal. "Aha." He quickly dug away the rest of the ground and pried open the large lid, revealing a storage space below.

He hopped down to see a large number of ten-foot tall purple crates, filled to the brim with Forbidden City weapons, vacuum-sealed food, and medical supplies. There was even a medicinal tank.

This storage space was one of a few dozen located throughout the Digital World; they had been built by members of the Forbidden City spy agency for emergency use.

Futa smiled as he inspected the crates of weapons; he would have quite a bit to do for now.

Meanwhile, on the surface, Paildramon was standing atop the rocky tower that had once housed the Crest of Humility. Kari was still sitting inside the left prong of the Shadow, while TK was simply walking around in a circle, thinking in silence. Gatomon had just gone off to explore the nearby forest; anything to keep their latest loss to Darkheart off her mind.

Then again, the same could be said for TK, Paildramon, Kari, and Futa; they were all trying to keep their minds off of what had occurred earlier that morning.

Paildramon grimaced as he stared to the southeast; as Darkheart had grown more and more powerful, his innate connection with Davis had begun to disappear…and he hated it. He was Davis' partner…and he was supposed to be connected to him until the day they died. No matter what. It wasn't supposed to happen like this.

TK sighed as he continued walking in a circle; Kari was in a serious funk over the loss of more friends, and so was he. To be honest, he wasn't used to losing like this; sure, an evil Digimon would hand them the occasional loss (their first encounter with Etemon, their first encounter with the Dark Masters, etcetera), but they would ALWAYS rebound and get them in their next battle. But with Darkheart, there were no reprieves from battle…and they continued to lose. It made TK upset…because he feared losing. Because he feared letting the darkness win over what was right and just.

As for Kari, she couldn't help but feel sad; as the Child of Light, she was in tune with both the darkness and the light. The darkness was beginning to overwhelm the light…and that only magnified the sadness she felt. Everything that the Digidestined stood for, everything they fought for…all of it was disappearing…and soon, she would have no one left to rely on. The fact that one of her friends was responsible for their latest string of mishaps made it more difficult for her…and why did Shaun leave anyway? It only served to make her more confused and weary. "…"

"KARI! TK!"

TK and Kari suddenly looked to see Gatomon running towards them from the forest. "Come look what I found!"

----

Gatomon, TK, and Kari dropped through the small hole, which had been cleverly hidden under the gnarled roots of an old tree. After a little crawling, the three had entered the hole. There was a set of vines growing along the side of the hole, allowing access to the outside. "So Gatomon, how'd you find this?"

"I was just exploring, actually…and to be truthful, I wouldn't have found if I didn't catch Shaun's scent," replied Gatomon.

Kari blinked out of curiosity; Shaun had been here? "Really? Is it fresh?"

Gatomon shook her head. "No…it's old. Very old. If the scent weren't confined to this little place, it would've dissipated by now." Gatomon stopped in front of a door. "I stopped here and came to get you two."

TK remained silent as he stared at the musty door's rusty handle. "…well, here goes nothing." He grabbed the handle, twisted it, and pulled it open.

Inside was a small cavern, which was lit up naturally by glowing blue fungi that protruded from cracks in the ceiling. It was almost like sunlight in the small cavern…and inside the cavern – no bigger than a living room, really – sat four bookshelves.

Kari, TK, and Gatomon looked at the books with curiosity. Gatomon sniffed one and said, "Hey…these books have Shaun's scent all over them."

"Man, there over 600 books…did he read all of them?" said TK aloud with a measure of awe.

Kari grabbed one and held it. It was about as heavy as a dictionary, and as large as one. The cover was hardbound, and the magenta cloth that covered it was worn and weathered. She opened up and looked at the front page.

_**'Past Journeys: Volume 1'** _

_'A Story of My Time'_

'_By Shaun'_

Kari paled at the words. "No…he didn't read them…he WROTE them…" Kari couldn't believe it; all of these books contained a tale of Shaun's life…she was holding his memoirs. "His whole life…in all these books…"

"HEY! DARKHEART'S HERE!!!" 

TK, Kari, and Gatomon whirled around as Paildramon's voice echoed through the hole on the surface. They froze at what Paildramon's words entailed.

Shaun had failed in whatever he had tried to do.

Now Darkheart was here for them.

----

To be continued…

Next time…

Episode 52: Battle of Faith

----

Author's Notes: Shaun and Nega took a shot, but failed…what can TK, Kari, Gatomon, Paildramon, and an Elitemon do against Darkheart when everyone else failed?

See you soon, and please review!


	52. Battle of Faith

Standard Disclaimer: Behold the katamari that rolls over lawyers and makes lawsuits cry with relish. Digimon is the ownage of the punks at Toei! Word.

Author's Notes: (looks up at the disclaimer) …don't…ask…

To the reviews!

MajinMewtwo: Welcome to Zero 2 Majin! Thanks for putting my fic in your C2 community by the way. :)

Oh, and MetalAngemon was absorbed, remember? So it's only TK, Kari, Elitemon, AND Aetherdramon against Darkheart. And yes, the odds DO seem to be against the Digidestined…but why are Dragomon and the one controlling Piedmon waiting? Well…for one, they want the playing field to clear up first…and two…well, you forget that the Digidestined have allies in high places. ;)

Oh, and Stoppa? Don't make me do to you what I did to Ninetalesuk's partner Anubismon. I'll even change it up to make you zip your lips. :P

How about…going to an English and Grammar class? :P

As for the quotes, I was wondering about that…and since you reviewed twice, you're subject to one of my favorite traditions! (boots him off a cliff) Hah! :D

reviewer: Dude. They're not dead. I should know; I'm the FREAKING author. Sheesh…shouldn't you be HOPING that they're alive? O.o

Salamon2: Indeed. Everything seems hopeless, neh?

Bluesv20: To answer your sentences…

Yes.

Wait and see.

ficmaster: No. I actually have a little explanation about WHY Demon is more powerful without his clothes in this ep..i…sode…(suddenly sees Demon running around without his clothes on, yelling "Freedom!")

…I'M **_BLIIIND!!!_** X.X

Dot Cubed: Maybe it's because I like the Digidestined going against unstoppable odds and coming out on top…or maybe I'm deliberately GOING to make them lose…you never know…:P

As for why Joshua would be afraid of his partner…well, just wait and see. I'm sure you'll all be pleasantly surprised who his partner is…(cackles evilly) Oh, and the Mind is not dead…as for the rest of the Gravemon, they are now operating on instinct and impulse. Had the Mind not been there, they would've attacked the television station LONG ago…why do you think the station was untouched for so long?

UKHoneyB: Actually, the Gravemon don't talk. They gurgle; the Mind can talk. Anzu and Hiroto were the exception…and think about it! Wouldn't YOU be shocked at first if YOU hadn't seen a Gravemon up close before?

And yes, I had Jun kill her parents. Too dark? Tough cookies. :P

As for the Yu-Gi-Oh! thing…that little realization about what my scene meant didn't come to mind until AFTER I neared the end of the scene. Then I was like, "Hmm."

As for the 'Faith' thing…I'm sure you'll like what happens. ;)

Dark Qiviut: Man, my episodes tend to make you cry a lot. O.o

And no, I'm not a fan of wrestling. I don't actually WATCH wrestling…I just thought about it, and thought 'Hey, that would work…'. I did some minor research on some of the moves Nega used (save for Jackhammer and Darkside Massacre), and voila; Nega the Wrestler. :P

As for your challenge, I'll have to forgo doing 40,000-50,000 words for the final battle with Darkheart; I've already planned it out, and I can't stretch it out THAT far. But as for the last episode…I might be able to get 40,000-50,000 out of it, but I don't know about 75,000-100,000…

Hey, I'm only human. (boots him off a cliff) :P

Anthony1: Well…you really think I should keep it up? Hmm…(thinks about it) Ah, what the heck. What harm is there?

Malebolgia: Yes, Past Journeys WILL take a lot of time to write; easily more than a few years. I'll TRY to finish it by the time I die…so if I suddenly stop updating, that means I'm dead. :P Besides, I've said before that I WOULD write Past Journeys anyway.

Oh, and I hate to break it to you, but Jun's parents are dead. Their pulse is nonexistent. They are gone. Dead dead dead.

Cloud-821: If you don't get it by the time I update Episode 53, then I'll spoil it for you. :P

generic reviewer: Uh…welcome GR. But…why would TOEI be sued? If anyone would be sued, it's me. o.o;

Digi fan: Nope. The next time Shaun's memoirs will be read is in…Past Journeys. :P

Miracles: Yep. A little change from the norm. ;)

Begin!

----

_The deaths continue to climb…_

_The light continues to wane…_

_The darkness continues to grow…_

_How CAN the Digidestined overcome the unstoppable odds facing them now?_

----

**Battle Mini-Arc**: _Part 2_

Episode 52: Battle of Faith

----

/Warehouse #7, Tokyo Bay, Odaiba, 8:40 AM/

Joshua Kido wished they would stop talking as if he weren't there.

He WAS awake…and he could hear them just fine.

They couldn't understand…why should they? Their partners didn't become a monster…not like his partner did.

Their partners didn't become the very image of the one that had hurt him…

Joshua suddenly felt fragmented memories come to mind…from his time as a Digidestined…

_Three boys and two girls facing off against a demon in red and his small force of Bakemon and Vilemon…_

_The five original Digidestined taking their partners to the Mega level to face the demon and his army…_

_A demon in blue fighting hand-in-hand with the demon in red…_

_An unbearable burn crossing his chest as the Demon Flare Attack had hit him dead-on – it had been a miracle that he had survived – causing him to go unconscious from the pain…_

_Awakening after the battle to see the face of his partner's Mega form, a demon in blue…_

_Screaming in fright, yelling out of fear and anger at his partner before fleeing…_

Joshua resisted the urge to sigh; that had been the day he had abandoned his partner. He ignored all messages on his D-Terminal after returning to the Real World. He had simply stopped caring about being Digidestined…heck, he hadn't WANTED to be a Digidestined in the first place!

When he had first been brought to that strange world, he had merely been a 14-year-old boy that wanted to become a doctor – or eventually get a doctor-related career. But his parents had said, "Go to summer camp!" He hadn't had a choice in the matter; he had been a bit of a recluse as a kid. He would've preferred staying alone and reading a book about medicine instead of hanging out with other kids his age…but alas, he had been forced to go.

And that's when he had met four other children: Hiroaki Ishida, Hiroki Hida, Teela Yamaki (related to a Hypno, perhaps? :P), and Miranda Akiyama (who would be the future grandmother to a certain Ryo…:P ).

Before he had known it, he had been dragged to some unknown realm and partnered up with a creepy little thing that had the most annoying voice in the world. He called himself a Digimon…and then he called himself his partner.

The gall of it all! This was the realm of fairy tales and monsters! How could such things exist?!

But they did exist…but he told himself it was all just a dream…just one big dream.

And after the final battle with Demon – in which all of the original Digidestined had returned to the Real World – Joshua slowly convinced himself that it had all been a dream. While Ishida, Hida, Yamaki, and Akiyama were making occasional trips back to the Digital World to see their partners, he was working in medical school. While Ishida, Hida, Yamaki, and Akiyama were balancing jobs, families, and finding time to have Digidestined reunions, he was becoming one of Tokyo's most celebrated surgeons.

But as for his wife, Katherine Kido…

Over ten years ago, his wife had asked him – outright – about the burn mark on his chest in the shape of a demon's head. She knew such a thing wasn't natural…one of the things that Joshua had loved about Katherine was that she was a clever woman and possessed one uncommon trait; common sense.

So Joshua had spilled the beans about his life. Perhaps, by doing so, he was admitting to himself that everything that had happened had been real.

The next day, she had been killed in a car crash.

Joshua bit his lip as he remained silent; even now, he thought of that time as the point where his staunch denial of all things Digimon came into being…as well as his desire to push his sons to a doctoral career.

The former was understandable; after all, he was a man who wanted logical answers – no matter how much evidence supported the contrary – so he had concluded, logically, that telling his wife about Digimon had led to her death.

Make sense? Doesn't matter. That's how he thought of it.

But for the latter…well, being a doctor required work. Lots of it. So much work that one would be consumed by it. Work would be one's life.

That's Joshua wanted for Jim and Joe. Was it good for them? Probably not? Was it even RIGHT? A resounding no.

But Joshua didn't care. It would keep his boys away from the tomfoolery of Digimon and the Digital World.

…okay, so it sounds a tad warped. But hey, if one is told something enough, one will eventually find some traces of truth in it (read the above passages over and over several times and see if you can find a way to sympathize with Joshua…or even condone his reasoning.). Joshua believed the reasons behind it all, and that was good enough for him.

But then there was the Odaiba Fog Incident…and now this…

Joshua couldn't live in the dark anymore. The Digital World was a reality…that much was clear. He couldn't doubt it.

His fear was real…and it was here in Odaiba.

The boogeyman was real…and he had to confront it eventually.

Joshua's ears pricked as he heard Hiroaki say, "I just wish I could talk to him about it…I still think he made a mistake abandoning his partner."

He finally took the time to speak. "I can hear you."

Hiroaki, Gennai, and Daniel suddenly tilted their heads to see Joshua, who raised his head quietly. Daniel remained silent…and then he said, "You have been thinking about all matters 'digital', have you not?"

Joshua nodded moments later. "Even now Mr. Hida, your astute words never cease to hit the nail on the head."

Hiroaki advanced toward Joshua tentatively…and after getting within ten feet of him, Hiroaki asked, "Josh…"

Joshua groaned. "I told you, I HATE informal names. If you're going to use my first name, use my full name of 'Joshua'."

This response triggered a laugh from Hiroaki. "Man, you haven't changed a bit…"

"Fortunately," replied Joshua as he sweatdropped. "Sometimes I thought Hiroki was the only other member of our team that had any common sense."

"And your criticizing tongue hasn't lost its edge…man, I missed you," replied Hiroaki with a genuine smile.

"And I guess I've missed you too," answered Joshua, a small smile tugging his lips.

Suddenly Gennai walked up to the two Digidestined and looked at the two quietly. So these two are part of the Digidestined that preceded the Order…they sure act a bit like the younger kids. Oh well; idiocy comes in all forms, and it isn't reserved for kids. "Well Mr. Kido, I know you know me as Gennai…and if you don't mind my asking, I'm curious about one thing: who IS your partner? I was never told his name."

Joshua told him.

After a several moments of silence on Gennai's behalf…

"**YOU'VE GOTTA BE KIDDING ME!!!!!!"**

It was a wonder no one else woke up.

----

/Archfiend Castle, Tokyo Bay, Odaiba, 8:50 AM/

"Your unholy robes, Lord Demon."

Demon remained stoic as Colonel Soulmon bowed out of subservience; in his hands were Demon's robes (complete with a hood), a set of loose pants, purple shoes, and a purple bead necklace on which a silver pendant was attached.

In silence, Demon first put on the pants. Then the shoes. Then the robes, which covered his entire body (arms included). He flipped the hood over his head – making sure his horns and wings went through the appropriate slots in the side – before putting on the bead necklace.

Demon sighed as he felt his power come under his control. _Good…_

Demon's power was much greater than it appeared at first; it was kept under control by his wardrobe, believe it or not. Its purpose to Demon was to inhibit his power. During the old wars in the Dark World – long before the Digidestined – an old ally of his by the name of Babamon had given him enchanted clothing as a gift from an ally to another; it suppressed his power, but it gave him more control over it. Beforehand, he was capable of torching most enemies with one blast of Demon Inferno…but he would often torch an ally or two by accident. Demon had been so grateful for the clothes that he had asked Babamon to make identical copies of the wardrobe.

Since then, Demon had gone through about five sets of clothes; now that he had attained a very fine level of control over his power, he rarely needed to unleash his full power.

Even so…it was nifty to have.

Demon slowly walked out into the courtyard, where his three Black Generals and the Colonel were waiting. The demonic Mega, now in full uniform, immediately said, "I must say that things are going quite well for us. I have managed to destroy the Mind, which means the rest of the Gravemon are now acting on their own accord. They will mindlessly charge and deploy stupid tactics, which will make the task for our remaining soldiers easier. Speaking of which…" Demon turned to MarineDevimon. "How many Bakemon are left?"

"3,921, sir." MarineDevimon's deep voice seemed booming up close.

"Hmm…acceptable, especially considering we have two enemies to fight," replied Demon. "The Gravemon are no longer our primary concern; UmbraDevimon has that little title now. His army has been decimated, and we are relatively stronger. Even so, we need to send out teams of Bakemon to identify enemy locations for massive attacks. Soulmon, you shall appoint the leaders for these teams."

Soulmon quickly saluted and shouted, "Sir yes sir!"

"And Soulmon, bring me the survivors of the failed missions; I have a task for them."

Soulmon yelled, "Sir yes sir!" before running off with a smile on his face; the tone in Demon's voice indicated that he had something planned for those that had failed.

Demon then said, "DemiDevimon."

"Coming boss!!!" DemiDevimon flapped his wings rapidly as he hovered in place in front of Demon. "It's an honor to serve you Lord Demon, just give the word and I'll do whatever you ask!"

Demon chuckled sadistically at the little Rookie. "Good. Because I have an important task for you."

----

/00-010-PSI, 8:55 AM/

Darkheart remained silent as he stood on top of the rocky monolith, his blood-red eyes peering down at the four gathered to fight him.

TK.

Paildramon.

Gatomon.

And Kari.

Darkheart couldn't help but marvel at how tiny they looked from up here. "So tiny…so puny…" He then held his left hand out and pinched his fingers together. "I'm crushing your head…"

He then looked down at the massive forest of trees behind them. "Oh, but they have a whole forest to hide in…that just won't do…" He grabbed his right sword's hilt with his right hand, while holding its sheath with his left.

He shouted, "Bloody Bushido!"

In the space of a millisecond, Darkheart took his sword out of its sheath, creating a tremendous shockwave with the sheer speed of the sword. Once Darkheart completed the sword's arc, a red line of energy erupted in the air, zooming downwards toward the forest behind his four foes.

Paildramon's eyes widened at the sight of the shockwave. "GET DOWN!!!" He fell down over TK, Kari, and Gatomon, using his body to shield them from the massive gust of wind that resulted from when the shockwave passed over them.

The shockwave acted like a scythe to the trees. Some fell over and piled up upon each other. Some were broken apart into several large pieces. Some were vaporized into splinters.

Where a forest once stood, there was now a field of stumps and broken trees. One of the piles of trees had fallen over the little weapons cache that Futa was now in.

The pile budged a tad…and after it would not go any further, the exasperated groan of an Elitemon could be heard. Futa was stuck…for the time being.

But let's focus instead on the remaining Digidestined.

Paildramon stood up, letting TK, Kari, and Gatomon get up as well. Kari turned around and paled at the destruction around them; the only thing higher than the stumps in this sector were Futa's Shadow, and the rocky monolith that Darkheart stood upon. "Why…? Why…why destroy?"

"Why?"

Kari turned around to see Darkheart set down a dozen yards away from them. "Simple…because I can."

TK scowled in response. "Using power…just for the sake of using it? You're the worst kind of monster there is…"

Darkheart lightly chuckled out of mock surprise. "Really? You ask as if you're an expert on monsters. Does that mean YOU'RE a monster? After all…" Darkheart grinned maliciously as he stared right into TK's eyes. "To know what a monster is, one would have to BE a monster…am I right? TK the monster…that has a certain ring to it."

"SHUT UP!" angrily retorted TK. **"HOLY ARMOR ENERGIZE!!!"** One flash of bronze light later, and TK – wearing the Armor of Hope – charged towards Darkheart.

Darkheart casually sheathed his sword and blocked TK's punch with his palm. He suddenly looked quite perturbed. "Ooh…such anger behind your punch…those who use anger to fuel their punches are monsters."

"NO! My anger is only against the darkness! My fury is RIGHTEOUS!!!" TK opened his wings and yelled, "STAR SHOWER!!!"

Darkheart's right gauntlet converted into a multi-barreled gun. "Magna Gun." Darkheart shot one bullet at a time; each bullet hit a star, shattering it on the spot. None of the stars reached Darkheart. "Is it _truly_ righteous fury? What if it's just fury? What if the righteousness of it all is actually dark in nature? After all, the Digidestined's existence only causes the death of Digimon and the destruction of the Digital World."

"You're wrong!" TK flew at Darkheart and furiously kicked and punched at the corrupted Child of Miracles. "The only ones who cause all of the death and destruction are Dark Digimon and evildoers like YOU!"

"On the contrary." As Darkheart blocked and parried them all, he continued to talk. "Digidestined were supposedly prophesied to come and fight evil. But think about this: is it BECAUSE of the prophecies that evil came in the first place?"

_"LIES!!!"_ TK's fury fueled his punches and kicks, but Darkheart continued to casually block and evade them.

"Think about it. Devimon split all of File Island apart only to separate the Digidestined. Etemon put all of Server under the control of his Dark Network to prepare for your arrival. Myotismon entered the Real World and completely took over Odaiba just to search for the 8th Child. The Dark Masters, in your absence, reformatted all of the Digital World onto Spiral Mountain and destroyed Primary Village. Apocalymon was willing to destroy both the Real AND Digital Worlds just to get rid of you. The Digimon Emperor, one of the Digital World's most hated criminals, was a Digidestined himself. UmbraDevimon enslaved most of the Digital World's population for the purpose of invading YOUR world. Demon used the Dark Spore that Ken powered to grow in strength. Dragomon plans to become one with Kari for the sake of becoming the most powerful being in the universe. The Gravemon have entered the Real World, where UmbraDevimon and Demon were ALREADY fighting each other; who knows how much damage they have caused? Oh, and don't forget me; I AM a Digidestined, and I've destroyed Primary Village." Darkheart quickly grabbed a punch and glared straight into TK's eyes. "Face it; the legacy of the Digidestined is surrounded by death and destruction. No matter what good you do, it does next to NOTHING to heal the wounds caused by YOUR enemies."

_"SHUT UP!!!"_ TK tried to get his fist out of Darkheart's grip.

"You know I speak the truth. The way I see it, the Digidestined are the CAUSE of the evil that now plagues the Digital and Real Worlds."

**"STOP LYING!!!"**

"It's all your fault."

"**_YOU'RE WRONG!!!!!!"_** TK finally broke free and launched a vicious punch at Darkheart. Darkheart casually ducked and slammed his fist into TK's gut, causing the Child of Hope to cough up a globule of blood. Darkheart smiled as the blood hit the ground; he loved making others suffer like this.

"TK!!!" worriedly shouted Kari. She quickly looked at Gatomon. "You need to DNA Digivolve with Paildramon and help TK!"

"All right," replied Gatomon, although the tone of her voice indicated that she didn't like merging with Paildramon again. A white light enveloped her body as she digivolved.

Gatomon digivolve to……Angewomon!

Angeomon glanced at Paildramon. "Ready?"

"You bet!" answered Paildramon. Both of them began to glow.

Paildramon…Angewomon…DNA Digivolve to……Aetherdramon!

Aetherdramon's platinum hair fluttered in the wind as he grabbed his Miraculous Daggers. "Let's cut to the chase!" He flew forward-

_SMACK!_

"OW!!!" Aetherdramon slumped to the ground; he had just flown into an invisible energy field. "What the…where'd this come from?"

"Me," replied Darkheart as his body flared with a dark aura; a result of him summoning an energy field. "I'll lower it when I'm finished with him."

_No…_ Kari managed to bring herself to the energy field, which she placed her hands upon gingerly. From a distance, she looked like a mime; after all, the energy field WAS invisible. "TK!!!"

TK quickly got to his feet and replied, "Don't worry about me Kari…I'll get out once I finish this joker!"

"Heh. What a joke," retorted Darkheart.

SLAM!!!

TK gagged as Darkheart slapped his head with his palm; even so, it felt like a thick metal bludgeon had just hit him. Darkheart calmly looked down at TK as he spoke. "In a way, I owe you for my existence; if it weren't for his jealousy of you, he wouldn't have been corrupted by UmbraDevimon."

"Jealousy…what are you-?"

POW!!!

TK writhed as Darkheart kicked him in the gut. "Even if you never had romantic feelings for Kari Kamiya, Davis saw your arrival as a bad sign; he thought you were moving in on Kari. Even though you and Kari treat each other as best friends, Davis saw it as more…romantic."

TK blinked out of surprise. "What? Me and Kari? Boyfriend and girlfriend? That's silly-"

CRASH!!!

Darkheart's armored elbow struck TK's chest. "Even if you and Kari never harbored any romantic emotions, Davis thought you did. As a result, his jealousy grew. That jealousy was exploited by UmbraDevimon, and thus, I was born."

TK winced as he tried to get up; the few blows he had gotten made his whole body feel so. "Agh…won't lose to you…"

"Lose? Silly boy…the moment I was corrupted, you lost." Darkheart reached down and hefted TK off the ground using one hand, with the Child of Hope's neck being the handhold. "Even though I hate Davis Motomiya's guts, I'll think I'll play out one of his darkest desires: beating the stuffing out of you."

With that said, Darkheart slammed his fist into TK's face.

Kari screamed. _"TK!!!"_

----

/Rooftop, Highton View Terrace, Odaiba, 9:10 AM/

Oikawa scowled; his patience had finally reached his limits.

He had been watching for long enough, pausing to sleep for a little while during the night. He had watched the fiery destruction of the Gravemon Dome…and he had watched Demon return to Archfiend Castle. Even now, more territory was corrupted; the corrupted territory had dark tints to it…and it spread several inches every ten minutes.

Oikawa grumbled; he was going to go to Archfiend Castle. He would go there and tell Demon to take him to the Digital World at once; after all, he deserved it!

He deserved to go to the Digital World; after helping Demon this much, he deserved it! After Hiroki died…

_Oh Hiroki…_ Oikawa cringed as he fought off a sob. _Why…why did you die? You promised me…_

He had promised to take him to the Digital World…but he had died and broken that promise. Although no one knew it, Hiroki's death had snapped poor Oikawa on the inside.

So when the opportunity to serve Demon in exchange for getting the chance to see the Digital World, he nearly jumped with joy.

In essence, he had sold his soul to a demon just to get to the Digital World.

But he didn't care. He didn't even care that Odaiba was in ruins anymore.

He just wanted to go to the Digital World.

_Thump._

Oikawa turned his head back; the door to the Highton View Terrace rooftop was being hit from the other side.

_Thump. Thump. Thump._

It was easily broken; ten Spores and an infected human wielding a crow bar rushed out toward him.

Oikawa scowled; even the Digimon wanted to impede in his quest to get to the Digital World. "Will no one ever let me BE?!?!" Oikawa untied his trench coat and reached inside…and then pulled out two Single Action Army revolvers.

The Single Action Army was a revolver made by Colt; the ones Oikawa used were of the P1650 model, which used .357 caliber bullets and had a 5.5-inch barrel. In total, it was 11" long, and it was made of polished gray metal. Its hilt was pure black, and it could hold six bullets at a time.

Oikawa held one SAA revolver in each hand; this gave him twelve shots before requiring a reload.

He fired all six bullets from his left revolver. Six Spores popped into fragments of flesh.

He fired four bullets from his right revolver. The final four Spores popped, leaving only the infected human left. It howled and charged.

_BANGBANG!!_

Two shots to the chest, which was where the Spore was embedded. The Gravemon fell to the ground and dissipated into particles.

Oikawa sighed as he holstered his left revolver and reached into his trench coat; inside were a countless number of pockets, each one holding a large amount of bullets. He calmly reloaded his left revolver one bullet at a time.

Oikawa had obtained the two Single Action Army revolvers – as well as the ammunition – about two years ago via illegal means. He had been compelled to do so for two reasons.

One: crime was on the way up in Japan, and he would darned if he didn't have a suitable means of defending himself. Even if it WAS illegal for civilians to privately own a firearm, he didn't care.

Two: he thought it would be a good idea; after all, he was the 'employee' of Demon.

Even if he was violating Japanese laws, he didn't care.

He hardly cared for anything anymore. He had become next-to-lifeless after Hiroki had died…but after he had been employed by Demon, he renounced everything. He quit his job at the television station. He stole whatever he needed to buy. He took showers and cleaned himself in the locker rooms of public gyms. And he stole some money every now and then to buy things legitimately (and, starting two years ago, to replenish his ammo in case he ran low; after all, he ran into the occasional thug once in a while), just to put on the act of being a regular civilian. He lived on the streets and slept in alleys. He had no friends.

He didn't care.

All he cared about now was entering the Digital World and experiencing all of its majesty.

----

/Restroom, Fifteenth Floor, Fuji Television Station, Odaiba, 9:18 AM/

The last gunshot they had heard had been about forty-five minutes ago. Whether it was good or bad was anyone's guess.

Jim had remained by Jun's side in the bathroom, not moving ever since she had done the grisly deed of offing her parents over less than two hours ago. During that time, she had cried so much that Jim was almost starting to wonder if her lacrimal glands could produce enough tears. But then, she had stopped, settling into an almost deathly silence. It had been discomforting…but Jim had remained by her side, keeping her in his arms the entire time.

By now, Jim's shoulder looked like it had been doused with water.

Suddenly, the bathroom door was pushed open…revealing Ilene with her Type-89 assault rifle and Himuro right behind her, pistol in hand. Ilene sighed as she lowered her weapon. "Good…more survivors."

Ilene and Himuro quietly walked into the bathroom; Jim asked, "Has the battle ended?"

Himuro nodded. "Yeah. Those freaks were strongest in the basement, the first floor, the second floor, and this floor. We managed to kill them all, but tallies show about 92 human casualties, with 78 of them being civilians. Inspector Macarthur's put Sergeant Ackerson in charge of security detail in the basement; that's where they came in. If anymore of those freakish creatures come in, they'll run into a wall of bullets."

Ilene knelt down and stared at Jun, who kept her face buried into her legs. She also took note of the pistol beside, as well as the ejected brass. "Picked up a pistol I see. What'd you fight? The balloons?" By 'balloons', Ilene was referring to the Spores.

Jim shook his head. "No…it was her parents. They had been infected…she had no choice…"

Those words sent Jun sobbing again.

As Ilene picked up the pistol and pocketed it, Himuro muttered, "My condolences…we managed to set up some beds in this station's cafeteria. She can sleep there…I think she deserves it."

"Thank you," replied Jim. He quietly stood up, helping Jun to her feet as well. Jim slowly followed the Junsa-cho (Ilene) and Junsa-bucho (Himuro), making sure Jun kept her balance; she walked wobbly, and she felt weak-kneed.

Several floors down, in the cafeteria, a number of portable cots had been set up for injured police officers and civilians. Any medics and doctors that could be found on the premises were in there right now. Himuro went off to report to Macarthur, while Ilene led Jim and Jun to a spare cot. "Here you go."

"Thanks," replied Jim as he slowly helped Jun into the cot, covering her from the shoulders down with a cotton blanket after she settled in. She continued to sob softly as she laid in the cot.

Jim sat beside the cot, looking upon Jun with a concerned and worried look in his eyes. No one should've been forced to do what Jun had did.

No one.

She had killed her parents to survive… but, in doing so, did she kill herself on the inside?

No…she didn't. Jim wouldn't let her.

After all, she WAS his patient…and he was committed to helping her.

Jim impulsively leaned and gave Jun a small kiss on the forehead. After a few moments, her sobs continued…albeit they were a bit softer in nature.

After a minute had passed, she silently muttered, "Thank you."

That was good enough for Jim; he just wanted her to get better.

But still, he wondered…where did he get the idea to kiss her?

----

/00-010-PSI, 9:32 AM/

Kari paled as TK was thrown into the ground; she still couldn't believe that she hadn't fainted yet.

To be blunt, TK was a mess.

His armor was dented. His feathered wings were frayed. His skin was lined with bruises and cuts, and his face was almost unrecognizable.

TK was helpless against Darkheart…and Kari and Aetherdramon couldn't do anything to help.

Darkheart smiled as he pressed his foot against TK's back, his foot firmly between his wings. "Anything left to say…'monster'?"

"Not…a monster…" muttered TK, his face firmly against the dirt.

"Hmm…I wonder." Darkheart placed his hands around the base of TK's wings. "When you don the Armor of Hope, do the wings actually become part of you?" He tugged at the wings; TK gave a slight grunt. "Did you actually feel that? Or perhaps you just faked it. Yes…you faked it. Oh well. One way to find out for real." His tone was so casual that he spoke as if he were a curious child finding something out for the first time…but of course, it was all done mockingly. All out of contempt for the Digidestined he had pinned under his foot.

Then, he pulled.

**_RRRRRRRIIIIIPP!!!!!_**

Kari shrieked.

TK howled, his eyes leaking with tears.

Aetherdramon gaped at the sight.

Futa was trying to cut through the trees with his plasma sword (yep, he's still stuck).

Darkheart laughed; in his hands were the orange-feathered wings of TK, their bases drenched in his blood. "Yep, they're connected!" His blood-red eyes fell down on TK as he writhed and cried with pain. _Now you know what I felt…but still, that was a nice move_. If he ever saw Nega again, Darkheart would have to thank him for that idea (that is, before he killed him).

As blood leaked from TK's back, Darkheart casually lifted TK up. "Your usefulness as a source of entertainment as ended." He clenched his fist tightly around TK's neck, and the Child of Hope howled again as his body dissolved into a strand of bronze light, which merged with Darkheart moments later.

"**NO!!!** TK!!!!!" Kari screamed as the energy field disappeared; she fell to the ground and sobbed.

"Heh…go ahead and scream; you've earned it." Darkheart chuckled as he cracked his knuckles. "Kari Kamiya…Child of Light…the last Digidestined left. Kind of fitting…but even so, it is now your turn."

Aetherdramon stepped in front of Darkheart, daggers in hand. "You won't touch her."

"Really now? Interesting…because you must've become many times stronger since my last bout with you, because I can reach her and absorb her before you can even turn around."

"…"

Darkheart smirked. "Thought so. But still…I admire your spunk."

Aetherdramon said nothing. He only charged forward, daggers slashing at Darkheart. Darkheart casually jumped backward before unsheathing his smaller left sword, using it to parry Aetherdramon's dagger slashes.

"Heavenly Arrow!" Aetherdramon clutched onto his dagger as he aimed his left gauntlet at Darkheart; out of the front slot emerged a slew of arrows, each one zooming toward Darkheart at high speed.

He quickly unsheathed his second sword and used both to block and cut through all of the holy arrows; Darkheart's blades and arms moved at a dizzying speed. It was difficult to tell where the arms ended and the swords began.

Finally, Darkheart leapt forward, right sword held above his head. "Death's Wrath!"

The eye on the sword opened.

Red streaks of unholy light erupted from it, each one zooming toward Aetherdramon at high speed. If one were the judge of impressions right now, then that judge would give Aetherdramon's impression of a 'deer seeing headlights' a gold medal.

"AETHERDRAMON!!! MOVE!!!" screamed Kari; she couldn't take it if Aetherdramon was absorbed…then she'd truly be alone…

Suddenly, Aetherdramon's upper pair of wings – the angelic pair – bent forward, enveloping the DNA Warrior in a sort of cocoon. "Light Tornado!"

Darkheart blinked as Aetherdramon started spinning, his body being enveloped by a cyclone of holy energy. The red streaks of light were deflected by the tornado; moments later, they dissipated in the air.

Darkheart couldn't help but smile. "So, you've been holding out on me, eh?" He hadn't put a lot of 'oomph' behind the Death's Wrath attack…but then again, he hadn't expected Aetherdramon to pull a fast one on him.

Aetherdramon suddenly stopped spinning before leaping forward. He sheathed his daggers before rearing his arms for a massive strike. At that moment, his claws extended as he shouted, "Angel Claw!"

Darkheart quickly brought his swords up as Aetherdramon struck; his long, white claws clanged against Darkheart's two swords. Even now, Darkheart seemed unperturbed by the new moves Aetherdramon was displaying. "Is that all of you've got? If so…Magna Missile!" A slot in his right shin guard opened up, revealing a large black missile. It launched upward, exploding against Aetherdramon's chest.

"AGH!!!" Aetherdramon grunted as he was sent flying backwards by the sudden explosion. He landed on his feet several feet away-

_BAM!!!_

Only to have Darkheart leap forward and kick his chin. Aetherdramon grimaced as he landed on his back.

"Ow…that hurt…" Aetherdramon slowly got to his feet…and then looked up to see Darkheart charging again.

Aetherdramon suddenly split in a flash of light. After the flash faded Paildramon pushed Angewomon away just as Darkheart grabbed his throat. "ACK!!!"

Angeomon grunted as she landed; she turned around to see Darkheart holding Paildramon in midair. "Paildramon!!!"

Darkheart smirked as he stared right into Paildramon's red eyes. "How 'noble'…you split apart to save her. Heh…still harboring that silly crush over her?"

Paildramon snorted.

"Spunky. No matter how many times I see that in someone, it never ceases to amuse me." Darkheart smiled as he squeezed harder. "Oh well…you're not that entertaining. I'll absorb you right now."

Suddenly…Paildramon chuckled.

"What's so funny?" demanded Darkheart with a raised eyebrow.

Paildramon stared right back at Darkheart before replying, "Davis won't let you absorb me."

Darkheart blinked out of surprise. Then he laughed. "HAH!!! What makes you think that?"

Paildramon simply replied, "Simple…I have faith in him. He'll keep me safe…I just know it."

----

/Realm of the Entrapped Souls, 9:40 AM/

"Welcome to our 'humble' abode."

TK woozily looked up; he was being held up by fleshy tendrils on the left side of the room, right between MetalAngemon and Cody. "Huh…?" He looked to his right, where the source of the voice had come from.

It was Shaun, who was in a column of tentacles between Sora and Tai. "Hi TK."

"Shaun…where are we?" asked TK, his voice indicating a bit of delirium on his part.

"We're inside Darkheart," replied Cody.

TK suddenly realized that everyone that Darkheart had absorbed was in this room. "Guys! You're all here!"

"Yeah; you think we were dead?" replied Matt with a sarcastic tone.

"Well…"

"Hey, what's going on with him?" said Lilymon, out of the blue.

Everyone turned their attention to Davis…who was suddenly starting to glow gold. If one looked hard enough, you could see his lips moving. "You won't…you won't get him…I won't let you…kick his butt…"

----

/00-010-PSI, 9:41 AM/

Darkheart suddenly froze; a strange feeling suddenly gripped his veins. "What the…?" He suddenly felt a strange feeling in his chest; with a thought, he caused his breastplate to separate. His bare, muscular chest could be seen…and the Crest of Miracles, which was embedded into his sternum, was glowing. "What the…?"

Paildramon smirked as he was enveloped in a golden glow. "Told you. Faith can do quite a bit."

Darkheart yelped as Paildramon's glowing body suddenly burned his hand. "AGH!" _What the…? What is he doing…?_

**_"PAILDRAMON…"_**

His glowing body suddenly exploded outward.

**_"MEGA-DIGIVOLVE TO…"_**

When the glow faded, a massive Digimon – easily over seventy feet tall – could be seen, standing on all fours. Black armor curved over his legs, torso, and back, and shimmering gold trim lined the armor. The claws on the Digimon's front legs were twenty feet of solid gold. The claws on the back legs were fifteen feet of sterling gold. However, on the front legs were large spikes that extended from the top of his feet for twenty feet. Like the claws, they were also made of gold. A golden band lined the area under the Digimon's red eyes, which glared at Davis. On top of his head was a spiky 'helmet' made of white bone. Sticking out the front of the helmet was a white horn. His wings were now massive, stretching a wingspan of fifty feet each. Unlike the Dark Dragon's wings, these scaled wings were pure white. The tail was thirty feet long, dragging on the dirty ground. Patches of blue skin could be seen at the armor joints. The last thing that was noted was the large black cannon – about fifteen feet in diameter – situated between the bases of the two wings. It was also trimmed with gold. The Crest of Miracles glistened brightly on the cannon's top. Finally, with a loud, booming voice, he roared.

**_"IMPERIALDRAMON!!!"_**

Angewomon and Kari stared in awe. The female angel mumbled, "His…Mega form?"

Kari could only nod in response. "Wow…" Could it be possible…could Imperialdramon tip the tables against Darkheart?

Darkheart stared at Imperialdramon with some surprise. As his breastplate converged together, becoming whole once more, he said, "Well…this is interesting. How'd you come to be?"

Imperialdramon gave a feral smile. "Thank my partner." In response to Darkheart's scowl, he said, "Hey, I said faith can do quite a bit…but watch what I can do!" Imperialdramon jumped high into the air, using his wings to hover. He aimed his massive cannon downward, which pulsated with blue energy. "POSITRON LASER!!!"

A massive blue laser with red spiral trimming erupted from the cannon on his back, roaring down toward Darkheart at an incredible speed.

Darkheart's eyes widened; he hadn't expected such speed. "WHOA!!!" He quickly leapt into the air, using his wings to get quick propulsion as the laser hit the ground.

**_KABOOM!!!_**

Angewomon quickly grabbed Kari and fell down as the shockwave from the laser's collision sped by, threatening to send them flying. Angewomon grunted as she tried to keep a handhold on the ground.

Meanwhile…

A plasma sword suddenly slashed through a tree, neatly bisecting it. Moments later, Futa Ishisamee raised his head out of the weapon cache's entrance. "Finally." He looked around…and then saw a shockwave coming his way.

He immediately ducked back in as the shockwave passed over the ground…and then, MORE fallen trees fell on top of the hole, creating yet another, even BIGGER pile. The exasperated groan of an Elitemon could be heard.

Oh well. Them's the breaks.

As for Darkheart, he was flying upward when Imperialdramon suddenly appeared in front of him. A sonic boom accompanied him. "WHAT?!"

"Imperial Blade!!!" Imperialdramon slashed his left arm forward, hitting Darkheart with the large spike that protruded from above his hand. Darkheart grunted as he was sent flying downward. As he did, he thought, _Unreal…how is capable of such speed? He's moving than Sonocomon!_

"POSITRON LASER!!!"

Darkheart immediately moved out of the way of the blast…but to his shock, the blue and red laser curved around to follow him. "GAH!!!" Darkheart immediately transformed his gauntlets into tremendous cannons. "Supreme Cannon!!!"

Two crackling orbs of dark energy erupted from his cannons, rushing toward the Positron Laser.

Two seconds later, they collided. A massive explosion occurred in the sky, causing a plethora of colors to flash momentarily before the last traces of energy disappeared.

Then, Darkheart saw Imperialdramon flying toward at an immense speed.

SLAM!!!

Darkheart grunted as Imperialdramon rammed his head into his abdomen.

Now, most people know that force is equal to the mass BEHIND the force times acceleration, AKA how fast it is moving. Force equals mass times acceleration.

So imagine the force of a tremendous dragon – easily weighing over a fewtons – ramming his hardened head into you while moving even FASTER than the speed of sound.

Yeah. It would hurt. A lot.

Darkheart grimaced as he was sent flying backwards. It would be several seconds until he would regain control of his flight path.

It was all the time Imperialdramon would need.

As for the fight's two spectators, they were slack-jawed with awe. Kari muttered, "Unreal…Imperialdramon's making a chump out of Darkheart!"

"No kidding…maybe DNA Digivolving with HIM wouldn't be so bad," quipped Angewomon. Of course, she couldn't…but even if she could, she'd have to be in her Mega form as well.

"HEY!!! ANGEWOMON!!!"

Angewomon looked up at Imperialdramon, who shouted, "Use your Heaven's Charm to charge up an arrow! I'll give you a boost!" The cannon on his back flared blue.

Angewomon nodded out of realization. She held her arms above her head, shouting, "Heaven's Charm!" A pink halo shining with rainbow light materialized above her head. She maneuvered it so that its open side was facing Imperialdramon. "Now!!"

"POSITRON LASER!!!" The blue and red laser blasted from his back with resounding force, entering the pink halo at high speed. The continuous laser continued charging into the halo for about seven seconds.

Then Darkheart decided to show up again.

"RAAAH!!! BLOODY BUSHIDO!!!"

Imperialdramon cut off his attack and burst upward as the red shockwave rushed through the air, barely missing the massive Mega by inches. Darkheart quickly looked upward, holding his right sword upward. "You won't get away! Death's Wra-"

"HEY!!!"

Darkheart scowled as he looked down…and to his surprise, he saw Angewomon aiming a Celestial Arrow at him. His scowl turned into a cocky grin. "Heh…you think THAT will do anything to me?"

Angewomon didn't say a word…well, except the two she said upon releasing the arrow. "Celestial Arrow!!!"

It went flying.

To Darkheart's surprise, it was coming in very fast, and it was crackling with energy. As it neared with two feet of him, it dawned on him: it had been charged.

Imperialdramon had charged it up BIG-TIME.

He couldn't even move before the arrow pierced his armor and embedded itself in his stomach. Darkheart howled loudly as supercharged holy energy crackled through his entire body. **_"AGGGGHH!!!"_**

Then, above him…

"POSITRON LASER!!!"

Darkheart screamed as a blue and red laser crashed into his back, pushing into the ground with a resounding _thud!_ Smoke and dirt were kicked up by the collision.

Angewomon looked at the rising cloud of dust with awe. "Did we do it…?"

"We can't risk anything," said Imperialdramon. "Just to be safe, I'll give you another charge." Imperialdramon set down several dozen yards away from Angewomon and Kari as his cannon flared blue.

"Right. Heaven's Charm!"

"Positron Laser!"

As the seconds passed – and Imperialdramon continued to provide energy to Angewomon – Kari couldn't help but feel a small sense of elation. For the first time ever since Darkheart had begun absorbing the Digidestined, she felt…hope. Perhaps they could defeat Darkheart, free the others, and save Davis…after all, Paildramon had believed in Davis. Even at the moment he was going to be absorbed, Paildramon had not lost faith in his partner…and his reward was his TRUE Mega form: Imperialdramon.

Maybe…maybe she should've just had faith in the others that things would go all right. Maybe…

Twenty seconds had passed.

The cloud cleared…and it revealed Darkheart. He had an arrow-sized hole in the armor over his abdomen, and he had a hole in his stomach. Part of his armor was dented, and some burn marks existed on it as well.

Oh, and he looked so angry that it would take an expletive to describe it. His face was contorted into absolute rage. "You just took all the fun out of my day." He pulled out his right sword and threw it into the ground…right below Imperialdramon.

Imperialdramon looked down out of confusion. "Wha?"

Darkheart roared, **"SWORD OF THE APOCALYPSE!!!"**

The eye on the sword glowed red, and red cracks appeared in the ground that Imperialdramon stood on.

Suddenly, the ground erupted with a column of unholy red energy, enveloping Imperialdramon in a hellish laser column. The Mega screamed as the energy tore at him.

The elation Kari had felt moments ago suddenly disappeared. "IMPERIALDRAMON!!!"

"**_NO!!!"_** screamed Angewomon as she condensed her gathered energy into a Celestial Arrow. Her first one had seven seconds of a Positron Laser charge; this one had twenty seconds worth.

When the red column, Imperialdramon could be seen lying there, immobile and unmoving.

Then, he suddenly exploded into a cloud of particles.

Kari and Angewomon could only stare, dumbstruck at what they just seen.

Imperialdramon had been deleted.

Angewomon suddenly screamed, _"NO!!! IMPERIALDRAMON!!!"_ She looked like she was about to fly up and try to get the particles back one at a time if she had to.

Suddenly, before the particles disappeared, they stopped in midair.

Then they became a stream that rushed into Darkheart's mouth. "Heh…you've should've seen the looks on your faces." He cocked his head toward the two as he said, "You think I would let a prized Digimon like that simply suffer deletion? Of course not…"

Angewomon scowled at Darkheart. "You monster…"

"Speak for yourself. After all, weren't you once the servant of Myotismon, one of the evilest Digimon to ever walk the face of the planet?" said Darkheart with his ever-so casual tone.

"THAT WAS A LONG TIME AGO!!! I'M NOT LIKE THAT ANYMORE!!!" yelled Angewomon out of anger.

Darkheart smirked. "People NEVER change. That's just a basic fact of life…no matter how much time passes, part of them will always act like the way they used to."

"NOT ME!!!" shrieked Angewomon as she primed her arrow and fired it. "CELESTIAL ARROW!!!"

This arrow was so charged with power that it was actually leaking energy from its sides, making it look more like a comet instead of an arrow.

But before it could even tough Darkheart, he grabbed it in midair, much to the shock of Angewomon. "But…HOW?!"

"Simple. I'm not playing around anymore." Then he crushed the arrow, turning it into nothing more than mere fragments of wasted energy.

Kari couldn't help but freeze with shock. Darkheart had been hurt. But that had only been because he had been 'playing' with them...what were the depths of his true power?

Without warning, Darkheart rushed toward Angewomon and sent her flying with an uppercut.

----

/Realm of the Entrapped Souls, 10:00 AM/

Suddenly, black tendrils of flesh appeared on the opposite end of the room, drawing the attention of everyone in the large realm (well, except Davis). "Someone was just absorbed," dully noted Joe.

"But who? That's a lot of tendrils for one person," commented Omnimon.

Suddenly, the head of the one stuck in the tendrils protruded from it. "Gah…I was so close…"

Everyone blinked out of confusion…except for Shaun. He knew what kind of Digimon that was. "Imperialdramon?"

"Imperial-who?" said Dinobeemon.

"Imperialdramon: the Mega form of Veemon," answered Shaun. To be honest, he was a little surprised; Imperialdramon hadn't appeared until the World Tour incident. But then again, he doubted that that would occur now…not with all of the changes.

"VEEMON'S MEGA FORM?!" shouted everyone out of surprise.

Imperialdramon grunted as he looked around. "Agh…hey, it's everyone! How you all doing?"

"Splendid," dryly commented Yolei.

Imperialdramon then caught sight of one Child of Miracles. "DAVIS!!!"

Davis didn't even acknowledge.

He had failed…he had tried to help his partner. He had tried to help his partner by giving him the strength to digivolve to the Mega level…but that had failed.

It seemed he was destined for failure, no matter what…and thus did Davis Motomiya sob. He now knew nothing but despair.

----

/00-010-PSI, 10:02 AM/

_POW!!!_

Angewomon hacked as Darkheart's fist slammed into her chest, sending her into the air. Then Darkheart flew upward and elbowed her helmet, right at the forehead. Finally, he kicked her in the head, sending her downward into the ground with a mighty crash.

Kari couldn't bear to look anymore; in the space of two minutes, Darkheart had completely beaten Angewomon within an inch of her life. The mere sight of seeing her partner barely able to stand was tearing her apart. _Angewomon…don't get up…_

Angewomon crawled over towards Kari, her steel helmet filled with cracks. Her body was bruised, and part of her clothing was ripped. It was painful to see such a proud and powerful Digimon – who had often solved problems with her claws (as Gatomon, natch) – so weak.

And yet, she still continued to move.

Suddenly, the helmet completely cracked apart…and it revealed her face for the first time.

Her face was like that of a human's, except it was twisted with pain. Blood trickled down from a cut in her forehead, and she was breathing raggedly out of her mouth, which was leaking a small trickle of blood. But even so, her blue eyes were not filled with pain…but worry for Kari.

Kari's eyes began to water at the sight of her eyes. Even now, Angewomon could care less about herself. As Angewomon slowly crawled in front of Kari, the Child of Light mumbled, "Angewomon…you should run…he'll absorb you if you stay…"

"Never. Not in a million years." Angewomon quietly embraced Kari, who began sobbing into her arms. "I would never abandon you…not even if it meant my death."

_SHICK._

Angewomon gagged, her arms loosening around Kari. Kari looked up…and a drop of blood dropped onto her cheek.

Protruding from the middle of Angewomon's chest was Darkheart's three-foot sword; he had impaled her in the back. Blood slowly dripped from the demonic blade and onto Kari's stunned face. "A…Angewomon…"

Darkheart chuckled as her body burst into data particles, which then poured into his mouth. "Yes…" He was so close…so close to crossing the sixth threshold. Once he absorbed Kari, he would truly become the greatest villain in the world.

Kari sobbed as Angewomon's blood began to drip down her face. "No…NO!!! WHY?! WHY ARE YOU DOING ALL OF THIS?!?! WHAT'S THE POINT OF IT ALL?!?!"

Darkheart flashed a toothy smile at her. "Simple…because I want to, and because I can."

----

/Realm of the Entrapped Souls, 10:06 AM/

Everyone blinked as another column of fleshy tendrils appeared beside Imperialdramon. Mimi moaned, "Aw man! Not another one!"

Seconds later, it was revealed to be Angewomon. Garudamon suddenly said, "Now only Kari's left…"

Silence filled the room. Kari was the last Digidestined to stand against Darkheart…and to be honest, her chance for victory would be like a snowball's chance in Hades: virtually nil. Also, at the mention of Kari being the last one, Davis' silent sobbing suddenly stopped.

Suddenly, Matt said, "I had a bad feeling about Darkheart the moment we met him two days ago…I guess you could call it a foreboding feeling, but I felt something strange about him. I guess…I guess you could say I didn't feel like we had much of a chance against him."

"When you think about it…did we even ever HAVE a chance against Darkheart?" said Izzy.

"Uh…I'm putting my money on 'nope'," quipped Gomamon. Everyone shot him a small glare. "What? What's so bad about making a joke?"

Tentomon sweatdropped. "It's called timing."

"And tact," continued Silphymon.

TK just sighed out of dismay. "Kari…"

All of a sudden, a voice that hadn't spoken up in a while pierced the air.

"LISTEN TO YOURSELVES!!!"

Everyone whirled their heads around to see Davis; although his head was still sagging downward, his angered voice could be heard. "So what if Kari is the last one…she still has a chance!!! I mean, we're DIGIDESTINED!!! She's a Digidestined! She'll pull through…I KNOW IT!!!"

Yolei sweatdropped. "Typical. Mention Kari and he morphs into He-Man."

"Yolei," sternly said Ken. Yolei quieted.

"Come on…so what if you didn't have a chance?! You still fought anyway to try and save me!" yelled Davis, his head finally tilting up to look at them all. "I believe in her…I always have!!! You can do the same…CAN'T YOU?!?!"

Silence.

Then, Shaun chuckled. "Heh…believe. Faith…haven't had anything to believe in or have faith in for a long time…what the heck. Might as well."

"Yeah, I forgot; after all this, we're STILL the good guys!" said Tai with a big smile.

All of the Digidestined were in agreement; even though they were imprisoned inside the body of a corrupted Digidestined, they still were Digidestined. They had pulled out of tough spots before: they would do it again.

But this time, they would do it by having faith in Kari Kamiya.

----

/00-010-PSI, 10:11 AM/

Darkheart stood over Kari, a sadistic smile plastered onto his face. "Well well well…it all comes down to you. Fitting, if you think about it."

Kari remained silent…and then glared defiantly at Darkheart.

This caused the corrupted Digidestined to laugh. "Heh…again with the spunk. I LOVE IT."

Kari was having some thoughts about this whole thing…and to be honest, Darkheart's absorption of Angewomon had been the last straw.

Darkheart grinned at Kari. "Okay, enough beating around the bush; time to finish this. Just don't try to run; it's demeaning." He reached down…

"No." And then Kari stood up, stepping back several yards away from Darkheart.

Darkheart shook his head. "Silly girl; what do you think running will accomplish? Diddly-squat, THAT'S what."

"I'm not going to run," answered Kari, her eyes fixed into a stern gaze. "I'm going to stop you."

Darkheart looked at her, a bit dumbfounded. Then he laughed out loud. "HA HA HA HA!!! Oh man, that's a good one…" His blood-red eyes gazed into amber eyes, and then he frowned. "You're serious…a pity. Defiant to the last."

Kari remained silent…until her fists clenched. "I've always been the damsel in distress; I've always relied on everyone…but no one's ever relied on me…and I'm tired of it." She glared defiantly at Darkheart. "I'm the Child of Light. I'm the last Digidestined left. And for the sake of both worlds…for the sake of everyone I love and care for…I won't fail. I've always had faith in my friends…and I still do. Even in you…Davis Motomiya."

Darkheart chuckled. "Sorry. The number you have dialed is no longer in service." He pulled out both swords. "I'll make this quick."

Without warning, twelve motes of light suddenly phased through Darkheart's chest and twirled around Kari. He muttered, "What the…?"

Kari stared at the lights out of wonder…and then she realized what they were: Crests. The twelve Crests of the twelve other Digidestined.

Courage.

Friendship.

Love.

Knowledge.

Sincerity.

Reliability.

Hope.

Wisdom.

Kindness.

Caring.

Humility.

Miracles.

Kari Kamiya smiled a genuine smile; she could feel the love and support from all of her friends right now. Even now, imprisoned within Darkheart, they still had faith in her.

Kari smiled softly as the Crest of Light flared on her chest. "Thank you…everyone…"

Then, the thirteen crests converged together…and when the light faded, they revealed the Digiegg of Light.

Darkheart grimaced. _Curses…those stupid Digidestined! How could they unlock the Armor of Light from INSIDE me?!_

Kari grabbed the Digiegg…and the she looked one last time at Darkheart.

He was darkness.

She was light…and she was ready to burn away the shadows that possessed her friend.

She shouted at the sky.

**_"HOLY ARMOR ENERGIZE!!!"_**

Kari's body glowed a brilliant white, overwhelming everything else around her. The very sounds of the wind and the sky were drowned out by the sheer intensity of the light. Her forearms suddenly stopped glowing, revealing armored gloves that stretched all the way to her elbows. A ruby could be seen on the top of each white glove, and silver trim went down their sides. Next came her lower legs. Long boots made of leather stretched to her knees. Golden trim lined her white boots, which fit her legs snugly. Her torso and waist came next. A silver skirt that went halfway down her thighs shimmered in the light, and her skirt was trimmed with gold. From there, white armor protected her upper body. It fit her just right, curving around her chest with silver and gold trim. Situated right on the center of the breastplate was the Crest of Light. Finally, came the rest of Kari's skin. It stopped glowing, revealing Kari's head. She seemed to be wearing headgear similar to that of Nefertimon's, save for the fact her face didn't have the Egyptian facemask on it. The metal cat ears were there, as well as the yellow carapace that surrounded the sides and back of her head. A sword materialized into right hand, and a circular shield materialized in her left hand. The sword was about two feet long, made of sterling white silver. The hilt was made of gold, and in the hilt was a ruby carved in the shape of a cross. Her shield was made of the same white metal that composed her breastplate, and the Crest of Light was branded on it. Kari stopped glowing, and pure white wings stretched out. The wings were three feet in length, their white feathers reflecting the sunlight that came from the blue sky above.

The Armor of Light.

Kari got into a defensive position, her amber eyes staring straight into Darkheart's. Her sword was held behind her, with her shield at the forefront.

Darkheart the Dark Angel smirked. Things had just gotten more interesting. "Well…perhaps I can still have some fun after all." He held both of his swords calmly, with the longer one being held in front of him and the shorter one being held above his head.

As the two stared each other down, one could've sworn a familiar and infamouswhistling tune could be heard in the background.

Kari Kamiya, the Child of Light, was good.

Darkheart, the corrupted Child of Miracles, was bad.

And this was going to get UGLY.

----

To be continued…

Next time…

Episode 53: Battle of the Heart

----

Author's Notes: Hope you like it. Next chapter; Kari and Darkheart lay the smackdown on each other! I will tell you this; Kari WILL get some unexpected help in the next episode…and it's not from Futa!

See you soon, and please review!


	53. Battle of the Angels

Standard Disclaimer: Where'd all the lawsuits go? They went where the toilet paper went: down the toilet! I DON'T OWN DIGIMON! Wonga.

Author's Notes: Zero 2 has now amassed over 400 reviews! Wonga times 4!

But still, I have to say something…I sort of feel sad. Because even though I'm the one writing it, I want to feel how you readers feel when you read a new episode. I want to know the anticipation and how it feels to read through a big plot twist or the introduction of a new villain. I'd love to know how it would've felt when Shaun's past was revealed, when the Duel of the Wargreymon occurred, when Omnimon appeared, when the War for the Real World began, when Darkheart came into being…or how it would feel to read through this episode.

But I can't. And I never will. Just a thought, but enough of that. (puts on a happy mask) See? I turned my frown upside-down:P

To the reviews!

Dark Qiviut: Nah. I have no plans to write about any Digimon series other than anything involving 02.

Ninetalesuk: Yeah. It stinks when you want to access FFnet…but it says that the you cannot get in! Oh, the pain…grr…

Anthony1: A 'bit time battle' you say? 16-bit or 128-bit:P

Digi fan: Not JUST Kari…

SR71will: Could you pass the butter?

Cloud-821: Well…remember in the episode when Sheila and Lopez were talking about forming their own robot army? It started with Tucker speaking to Sheila about keeping the new 'mechanical romance' quiet to keep Caboose from getting jealous…and then Caboose yells from atop Blue Base, _"SHEILA! COME BACK TO ME! I BAKED YOU A MUFFIN!"_

And as for Darkheart's sixth form, you'll see him in a future fic. (gasps) Whoops…did I let that one slip? ;)

Dot Cubed: Nervousness with Jim is always fun. :P And I'm glad you've been taken with Dietz; even the POLICE characters have gotten fans. :D

ficmaster: I'd wager you that you're wrong. It's NOT the Crest of Light (for non-NDE readers, don't ask). ;)

Bluesv20: You shall see...you're talking about Blackwargreymon, right? Nope...he's not the helper I'm talking about. ;)

Miracles: Hark! I sense sarcasm!

reviewer: Apparently. Sheesh…Cody's absorption must've hit you hard. O.o

MajinMewtwo: But she SHALL get help…from an unexpected source. ;)

Quinton Notwen: Eew. Darkheart may be many things, but he's not a pervert. Nor is Davis (besides, if he wanted to cop a feel, he's not exactly in the position to do so anyway).

Silver Warrior: Uh…why'd you say Takato? He's a Tamer, and Tamers aren't in Zero 2. o.o; And what did you mean by 'Gravemon predated tout of fan fiction'. O.o?

And yes, Endgame was also notorious for its lemony content. Oh, almost forgot. (boots him off the cliff twice) :P

BeatlesLover: Welcome to Zero 2 BL! I'm glad you think my story is the best Digimon fic on the web. As for my decision to call it 'Zero 2', I went like this; most people on the web call the second season of Digimon 'Season 02', or Digimon 02. I just took the 02 and broke it down into 'Zero 2'. And now you know. Besides, 'Zero 2' sounds much better as a title than 'Season 2'. Ya dig?

Salamon2: Yeah, Zero 2 has surpassed Season 02 in length; the only season that still ran longer is Season 01, and that had only 54. I'll beat that soon. :P

And I'm going to run a little contest…I'm going to list four Digimon. One of them is Joshua's partner…and if you guess correctly, then I won't say. You'll just have to wait until the chapter that his partner is revealed if you want to know if your answer was correct… ;)

Here are your choices:

a) MarineDevimon

c) Blackwargreymon

c) Soulmon

g) LadyDevimon

Pick away. :P

Oh, and I've changed the episode title to something more suitable. I think you'll agree it fits better.

One more thing; remember the song cameo I said would accompany Kari's debut with the Armor of Light? Well…better get your Halo 2 soundtrack ready. ;)

Begin!

xxxx

_The line has been drawn._

_Light._

_Dark._

_Which angel shall prevail?_

xxxx

"This is Kari speaking. Demon is regrouping his forces in the Real World, and Jun is starting to slowly heal in the aftermath of the Gravemon's attack on the TV station. But in the Digital World, we had to deal with Darkheart ourselves. He absorbed TK after torturing him, but we had a small glimmer of hope when Paildramon mega-digivolved to Imperialdramon…but then he was absorbed…and so was Angewomon. But by then, I was through being threatened. It was my turn to step in…I have no choice but to fight. No more hiding."

xxxx

**Battle Mini-Arc**: _Part 3_

Episode 53: Battle of the Angels

xxxx

/Cafeteria, Fuji Television Station, Odaiba, 10:15 AM/

Natsuko Takaishi remained silent as her eyes fell upon Jim Kido; he was sitting beside one of the cots several yards away from her cot, on the verge of dozing off. After a few moments, she recognized Jun lying on the cot.

Natsuko sighed as she rubbed her left forearm; it was completely covered in a white cast. During the fracas on the Sphere Observation Deck, her left arm had been hit by one of the infected policemen's arm. It had completely severed her ulna, but thankfully the bone hadn't broken through the skin. It took some work, but her arm had been successfully bandaged and put in a cast by two of the medics working at this station cum shelter. Then she had been placed in the cafeteria and told to rest in one of the cots.

Truthfully, however, she didn't want to rest. She wanted to go outside. She wanted to go to the Digital World. She wanted to find her two sons and make sure they were all right…she wanted-

"Hey."

Natsuko's inner monologue were halted by the voice of the Junsa-cho standing above her. It was the one known as Dietz, and he was holding a bottle of sake. He pulled out a small cup and asked, "Want some? Some Junsa found a small stash of sake, I'm on break, and I'd like to talk with SOMEBODY who isn't weeping. I'm too bushed to deal with tears."

As Natsuko nodded and said, "Sure. Thank you," she noted how blunt Dietz was being. But then again, he had probably had some sake already; it was probably true, considering the almost unnoticeable slur that was when his words when he spoke.

As Natsuko drank the sake slowly out of the small cup, Dietz chugged down more sake from the bottle. After exhaling heartily, he muttered, "Man, I hate this job…"

Natsuko said nothing.

"You know that I have a girlfriend?" muttered Dietz as he took another sip.

"No. I didn't," replied Natsuko stoically. She knew this kind of behavior; someone drowning their sorrows in alcohol. Then they proceeded to tell other people about their sorrows, even if they didn't want to hear them.

Finally, Dietz said, "And the sad part is, I don't even know where she is…she's somewhere in Odaiba, and I have no clue if she's okay or not…" He glanced down at Natsuko quietly. "I may be young, but I know one good piece of advice; don't let go of what you have…because you never know if it might suddenly be taken away."

Those words actually struck a chord with Natsuko. She silently said, "…thank you." She took another small sip of the sake.

Dietz giggled – a sign that he was too drunk – and cheered, "To Godzilla!" He took another swig of the sake. He then glanced down at Natsuko, who was staring at him oddly. "It's a monster movie lady. We're IN a monster movie. Get it? Ah whatever…" In his drunken stupor, Dietz clambered away from Natsuko, obviously no longer intending to talk.

Natsuko was now alone again.

And she was grateful for it; now she could think.

For you see, Dietz's one piece of advice had caused her to start thinking about a subject she had been dwelling on for so long.

The divorce. The divorce that had occurred seven years ago.

At first, it had seemed like the only course of action to her. After all, Hiroaki had been going out on more numerous occasions. When she had asked him why he was staying out so late, he always tossed out two excuses.

"_I had overtime."_

"_Personal stuff."_

After about the fiftieth 'Personal stuff' excuse, she had gotten sick of it. What had Hiroaki been up to? Natsuko always wondered, but never voiced her opinions.

That is, until a friend of hers had happened to witness Hiroaki eating dinner with three people at a restaurant one night.

One of them had been a man. The other two had been woman.

So Natsuko had assumed that the man was married to one of the women…but what about the second? Had he…been cheating?

That would explain why he had been acting so distant…

So it had happened like that. Natsuko had spoken to Hiroaki and said that she was going to file for divorce.

Just like that. She had been fed up with all of it; his late night excursions and his long work hours. She had two boys – Matt and TK – to take care of, and she would NOT be acting as the lone parent.

Much to her relief, Hiroaki had pretty much acquiesced during the whole divorce trial. All he had asked for was to retain custody of Matt. Natsuko had agreed. In her opinion, Hiroaki's unwillingness to argue about the divorce had been him admitting to an affair…admitting his guilt.

Natsuko hadn't given it much thought for the several weeks after the divorce.

But in the few times she had seen Matt (she and Hiroaki had set up certain 'dates' where they would be able to see both children by themselves; one day Natsuko would watch over TK and Matt, while Hiroaki would watch them both on a different day. These dates were usually a few weeks apart), she had noticed that he had changed. He had always retained a sort of 'too cool' demeanor, but he had become…distant. Almost…cold. His desire to retain friends had withered up and died.

It would take a few years until he became more outgoing like he had once been (right after his trip to summer camp, ironically. ;P ).

As for TK…well, he had been okay at first. He had been too young to understand such things as divorce. But as he had grown a bit older – around the time he reached the age of 10, which was two years ago – he had begun to secretly dissent her divorced lifestyle. Although TK would never admit, Natsuko could tell that…that…that he wanted the Ishidas and Takaishis to be one family again.

And right now, when there was nothing but despair – and a cup of sake – to accompany her, Natsuko found herself agreeing with her youngest son.

Right now, she was wondering whether or not filing a divorce had been a mistake.

Just like she had wondered so many times over the course of the last seven years.

"DIETZ!"

Natsuko turned her head just in time to see Dietz being berated for becoming drunk at a time like this; the chastiser was one Junsa-bucho named Ackerson. As Dietz was being shouted at by the older Ackerson, Natsuko couldn't help but be reminded of how Matt would sometimes be chastised when growing up…and at that, she smiled.

She sipped some more of her sake, finding solace in her memories.

xxxx

/File Island, Ruins of Infinity Mountain, 10:22 AM/

File Island was slowly on the road to recovery. Leomon and Piximon were hard at work trying to rebuild Primary Village alongside some of File Island's denizens. Digimon such as Centarumon, Monzaemon, the Poyomon, Meramon, Frigimon, and even the Numemon were helping out.

Primary Village would be rebuilt soon…but there was no way that Infinity Mountain could be rebuilt. The forests would grow back. Life would teem in the barren hills once more. However, Infinity Mountain would never grow back.

However, it could still be the sight of a great event…and one was about to take place.

A flash of light erupted from the crater that had once been Infinity Mountain.

"_**RrrrrrraaaaaAAAAGGGGHHH!"**_

His roar echoed through the air; he was whole once more.

He looked down quietly at his rippling muscles; he was at the Mega level again.

A content sigh escaped his lips. "At last…"

However, he was tad confused. It had only been one day since he had been reborn (remember the only Digiegg that had survived Toy Town's destruction? ;) ), and he had been reborn with a rather…strange device.

It confused him. Why had this device come out of the Digiegg when he had hatched? Did it mean something…?

He didn't know. He was confused…and he didn't like it. He wanted answers.

Them.

The Digidestined. They would know what this strange device was.

The Mega-level Digimon stepped out of the crater and stared at the sky, revealing himself to the world.

He was Blackwargreymon.

He had been reborn.

And in his hands was a purple D-3.

His yellow eyes stared eastward. The Digidestined were somewhere in that direction…he could sense it. "They'll have the answers I seek." He also felt compelled to go there for some other reason…but he didn't know what that reason was.

With that said, Blackwargreymon took off into the sky.

xxxx

/00-010-PSI, 10:24 AM/

They hadn't moved at all.

And Kari was starting to feel a bit wary.

Darkheart had just been standing there, holding his two swords, not moving an inch. Neither had she.

For one, she didn't know if Darkheart was waiting for her to move…or just waiting to make his first move.

Oh, and she was starting to feel a bit weak-kneed. At first, she had been determined…but after several minutes of no moving, she had begun to doubt her chances of victory. _I think the term is…ice in your veins…I think._

Well, Kari's veins were now iced up. She couldn't think of moving first…not now. There was too much doubt.

All of a sudden, her nose twitched.

And then she sneezed.

"AAAAA**CHHOOOO!**"

When she finally opened her eyes after the sneeze, Darkheart was right in front of her. "Peek-a-boo." Then he kneed her in the gut.

Kari gagged as the hit knocked the air out of her lungs. It also sent her into the air.

Darkheart immediately flew after her, sheathing his left sword as he did. His left gauntlet converted into a familiar minigun as he yelled, "MAGNA GUN!"

The bullets went flying.

At the last moment, Kari brought her shield down in front of her. The bullets pinged off of the handheld shield, creating a bunch of little _tinktinktinktink_ sounds.

The shield was unharmed.

The bullets looked flattened as they fell to the ground.

Kari finally breathed. "Whoa…intense."

"Not as intense as THIS."

Kari immediately looked left to see Darkheart swinging his right sword down towards her arm.

Kari immediately brought her own sword up. Metal clashed against metal as the two angels tried to fight for leverage.

Darkheart smirked as he pushed down harder on Kari's sword. "Feisty. Good…keep me entertained."

"This is not a game!" yelled Kari as she bashed Darkheart's face with her shield. The Dark Angel was pushed back a few feet before he stopped in midair with a light flap of his wings.

He looked unamused. "It's not anymore." Darkheart converted his minigun into a cannon. "MAGNA CANNON!" A globule of crackling dark energy was launched from his left gauntlet cum cannon. "Let's see your wimpy little shield block THAT!"

Kari shrieked as she impulsively brought her shield. Oh, and just for the record, she also yelled, "HOLY SHIELD!"

The orb hit.

_**CHOOOOM!**_

Kari vanished in a massive explosion of black light. Darkheart grinned as pieces of rock and rubble fell on his armor. "Well…that should shut her up." He wasn't worried about her dying; he hadn't used enough to utterly obliterate. Just enough to put her down long enough for him to absorb her.

When the smoke cleared, Darkheart's mouth dropped.

Kari was standing right there…and her shield had become a shining white barrier that was six feet in diameter. Darkheart growled at this new development. "Rrr…"

Kari finally opened her eyes; she was surprised to find that she was still alive, not to mention the white barrier that had sprouted from her shield. "Whoa…Nefertimon doesn't have THIS technique." Then again, Nefertimon didn't have a sword and a shield either. Suddenly, the barrier disappeared. Kari frowned and pouted, "Aw man…"

Darkheart scowled at Kari. "You want to get all flashy do you? Fine." Darkheart took out his left sword again. "Let's see how good you are with a bit of swordplay." Darkheart immediately dashed toward Kari.

Kari frightfully brought her shield and sword up again. Darkheart's right sword clashed against Kari's shield, while his smaller left sword struck Kari's blade. The sound of metal scraping against metal could be heard as Darkheart maneuvered his left sword so that Kari could not break the sword-lock without putting herself at risk. This meant she only had her shield to use against Darkheart's right sword.

Darkheart raised his right arm. Kari brought her shield up just in time for the blade to clash against it. Waves of pain shot through Kari's left arm. _OW! Man…he's as strong as an ox!_

Darkheart grunted as he continued swinging harder, trying to get past Kari's defenses. More slashes hit the shield, and Kari's arm began to waver. Darkheart continued walking forward as he slashed, causing Kari to move back as a result.

Finally, Darkheart swung his sword horizontally, pushing Kari's shield to the side. She was now open to attack. "GOT YA!"

Kari quickly and instinctively yelled, "Cat's Eye Beam!" Two yellow lasers shot out from the eyes of the eagle figurine on top of her headgear. The two lasers struck Darkheart's face, causing him to impulsively flinch. "GAH!"

Kari used this opportunity to leap away from Darkheart. She quickly followed up on the attack with an old standby of Nefertimon's. "Rosetta Stone!" A small, milky-white portal appeared in front of Kari, and out of it came slabs of rock that looked like the infamous Rosetta Stone.

Darkheart looked up just in time for the first slab to him square in the face. His vision swam as he erratically tried to gain his bearings. "Grr…why you little-!"

Then the second one hit him in the face.

By the time the tenth one had hit and broken on his face, he was acting like a stumbling and bumbling idiot. His voice wavered in and out as he tried to stay on his feet. "Oh dEaR Mary POpPIns, you'VE been nAUGhty…Santa'S goING to GIve you COAL and I'll MAke lOTs of pANcAKEs…" Then he slumped to the ground.

Kari blinked out of astonishment as she set down near the fallen Darkheart. Surely it couldn't be THIS easy… "Maybe I overdid it a bit."

**_SLAM!_**

"AAAH!" screamed Kari as she was sent flying by a sudden flip kick from Darkheart; he had gotten off the ground and performed a flip kick against Kari's chin so quickly she hadn't had time to blink.

Darkheart chuckled as he wiped some of the blood away from a cut on his forehead. "Hurt a bit…but it was worth taking the fall for that." Darkheart chuckled as slots in his armor opened, revealing missiles. "Magna Missiles!" A dozen black missiles erupted from Darkheart, threatening to strike Kari.

She quickly aimed the top of her gloves and yelled, "Ruby Claw!" Energy pellets shaped like rubies erupted from her gloves, crashing into the missiles before they could reach her. Smoke and fire erupted as the missiles exploded…well, all except one.

The last hit the ground below Kari's feet, sending her into the air. "AAAH!"

Darkheart chuckled as he jumped into the air. "Now for the finisher! Magna Ray!" Streams of black light erupted from more panels in his armor, streaming toward Kari at high speed.

Gasping, the Angel of Light (you know, Nefertimon: the Angel of Light, yadda yadda yadda…) quickly brought her shield up. The shield managed to deflect most of the rays, but one of them got past and singed her leg. "AGH!"

Darkheart chuckled as he moved at an extraordinarily high speed, his arms crackling with black electricity. He zoomed behind Kari and punched her in the back. Electric energy rushed into Kari's body, shocking her as she fell downward towards the ground.

As she righted herself, she screamed, "Cat's Eye Beam!" The yellow energy rays zoomed upward, but Darkheart simply dodged to the side.

"Tough luck, chica!" Darkheart held both swords tightly and held them together as he flew downward. "Take THIS!"

Kari quickly flew away at the last moment; Darkheart barely avoided crashing into the ground, his wings acting as a parachute to halt his fall. The jolt from the momentum wasn't particularly enjoyable, but it wasn't as bad as crashing would've been. He looked upward to see Kari holding her sword up high. "What's your objective now, little Miss 'Light'? You think you can hold out against _moi?_"

Kari didn't listen. She was now operating on adrenaline and fighting instinct. It was probably the armor…but she sort of felt like a Digimon. It would explain how she knew how the attack like she did…but even so, it was…refreshing.

She was holding her own fate in her hands. Her life was in her own hands…and not those of anyone else's. It was refreshing…and sort of exciting, to be honest.

To not rely on anyone else but yourself…it was something Kari had never experienced.

And she loved it.

That's why she wasn't acting so fearful anymore. That's why she was going to fight as hard as she could…and if she lost…

Then so be it. She would've fallen giving her all…and even if she regretted not being able to do more for the rest of eternity, she would at least take comfort in that.

And as Darkheart charged toward her, Kari yelled, **"Sword of Heaven!"**

The ruby cross on her sword's hilt glowed as the sword transformed into a shining 20-foot blade. She swung as hard as she could downward, creating an arc of holy energy that roared toward Darkheart with terrifying ferocity.

Darkheart paused in mid-flight, his red eyes widening at the sight of the holy energy streaming down toward him. "…oh boy."

_CRAAAASSSHHH!_

An unearthly sound was heard as the holy energy collided with Darkheart's torso. Energy crackled and the Dark Angel wailed as he was pushed downward and into the ground by the massive attack. Dust and dirt were kicked up by the collision.

Kari couldn't believe what had just happened; the ground was now lined with a large, fifty-foot gash from her 'Sword of Heaven' attack. "Wow…did I do that?"

The morning sunlight poured into the gash, revealing a large cavern that existed below the surface. Darkheart was in there somewhere.

Did she dare go in…?

She made up her mind in a matter of moments. Kari slowly descended into the darkness of the cavern, where Darkheart lied in wait.

/Cafeteria, Fuji Television Station, Odaiba, 10:33 AM/

xxxx

Jim blinked; he had dozed off. _Gah…that stupid attack by those strange Digimon must've affected me more than I thought._

He looked at the cot…and found that Jun wasn't there. _Huh! Where'd she go!_ He looked up to see a Junsa walking by with a tray full of food, obviously going for one of the other cots in the room. "Excuse me…there was a girl in this cot. Where'd she go?"

"Hmm…does she have dull-cherry colored hair? And is she wearing a school uniform?" asked the Junsa.

Jim nodded. "Yeah. You've seen her?"

The policeman pointed over his shoulder to the door leading to the hallway. "I think she told one of the Junsa-buchos that she was heading up for the Sphere Observation Deck."

"Thank you." Jim quietly stood up and scurried out of the cafeteria and towards the nearest stairway.

As he ascended the stairs toward the top floor – the Observation Deck – he wondered why Jun had left the cot. More importantly, why had she left without telling him?

_Wait a second…why am I thinking like that?_ Now he was acting as if it was a crime that Jun had left his side. Man…was he getting too concerned about his patient?

No…it wasn't that…it was something else. Jim knew it.

He quietly reached the top of the stairs and slowly walked onto the Sphere Observation Deck. In less than a minute, he found Jun staring out a window at the fiery sky (literally) of Odaiba.

She slowly glanced back at Jim out of mild surprise. "Oh. Hi…sorry for leaving like that. I just had to go think."

Jim was mildly surprised that she was apologizing. "Oh, you don't have to apologize for anything." A few seconds passed as he stood by her side. "So…what have you been thinking about?"

Jun remained silent…and then she quietly tilted her head towards Jim. "I wanted to thank you…for everything you've done."

"Oh, it was nothing. Just helping my patient out," replied Jim with a good-natured smile.

Jun sternly said, "No. I think it's something more than that…and that's what I want to talk to you about."

Jim suddenly felt a tightness arise in his chest. It sprouted from nervousness and anxiousness. _Why am I feeling like this…?_ "Uh…okay. You go first."

Jun sighed; she was also feeling nervous. "Well…the kindness and compassion you've showed me…I may not be the smartest apple on the tree, but I know those kind of emotions can't be faked. Especially with the way you've demonstrated those emotions…they just can't be faked."

Jim remained silent; he suddenly had an inkling where this was going. It made him feel afraid…and, at the same time, excited.

"Well…I guess I want to tell you a proposal of sorts…I…I love you Jim…and if you don't feel the same way about me, then at least just promise that you'll stay with me…because…" Jun suddenly started sobbing again, her quiet tone becoming tinged with sadness and sorrow. "…because…I don't have anywhere else to go…or anyone else to go to…" Her tears started coming out with full force.

Jim suddenly caught the undertone of her conversation; she was _desperate_. After the murder of her parents, she had been driven to the edge of her sanity. She was desperate for companionship…because if she had been alone, she probably would've still been in the restroom on the fifteenth floor, crying over what had happened and what she had done.

Jim fully understood it now; she didn't just WANT him…she NEEDED him. Truly and sincerely needed him.

Jim's expression turned solemn as he placed a hand on Jun's shoulder, using his other hand to wipe the tears from her face. "Jun…I couldn't leave you. I'll stay by your side, no matter what happens. We're in this together…okay?"

Jun slightly sniffled as her frame trembled. "…do you mean it?"

"You have my word…and I'll prove it." Jim slowly embraced Jun…and then his lips met hers.

Jun's tear-stained eyes widened out of monumental shock and awe…but she slowly faded into pleasure as she returned the kiss.

Her first kiss…and it couldn't have been with a better man.

His first kiss…and it couldn't have been with a better woman.

Everything began to melt away around them; the fires of Odaiba could not compare to the embers of passion that had been ignited in their souls. Even the ferocious battle sounds between UmbraDevimon and Demon (which had resumed, of course; those two would never stop fighting at this rate. Moving on!) were not registered by their minds. For the briefest of moments, there was only them.

"Hey! Get a room!"

Jim and Jun suddenly broke the kiss and turned around to see a grinning, albeit sweaty Dietz come to a stop on top of the stairway. Suddenly, Ackerson came up behind the Junsa-cho and smacked him on the head. "Did I say you could stop? You still have ten laps to go!"

"Ah…it was only a little sake!"

"You got DRUNK. This is something I'd expect a rookie to make, not a senior officer! But since we're in a bit of a dire situation at the moment, your punishment is laps. Not to mention the hangover you'll get later. And you're not DONE! So MOVE IT!" yelled Ackerson.

Dietz groaned as he began jogging back down the stairs, with Ackerson right behind him. Jun and Jim could only stare on in silence.

Finally, Jun began laughing, if only because of the sheer absurdity of it all.

Jim found himself snickering…and before long, he was laughing with Jun as well.

At least they had something to laugh about.

xxxx

/00-010-PSI, Underground Cavern, 10:40 AM/

Kari frowned; there was still no sign of Darkheart.

The underground cavern was large, and a glittering river ran along the cavern's floor. Stalactites and stalagmites littered the ceiling and floor; the only sources of light in the cavern were the sunrays drifting through the large gash in the ceiling, the blue fungi that grew through cracks in the floor and walls, and Kari herself.

Her armor seemed to shine in the darkness, helping her see as she walked deeper through the cavern. Although it helped her sight, it also made her a walking bull's eye. If Darkheart was waiting to attack her, it wouldn't be that hard to hit her.

That's why Kari was being so cautious; her sword and shield were both held tightly in her hands, ready to strike at a moment's notice.

Kari entered a larger part of the cavern; it looked sort of like an anteroom, except it was more irregular and rocky. There was no light beyond that being emanated from herself and the fungi.

The Child of Light frowned. "Man…I have a bad feeling about this…"

"**YOU DON'T KNOW THE HALF OF IT.** BLOODY BUSHIDO!"

Kari shrieked as a line of blood-red energy slammed into her abdomen, pushing her back against the wall with a tremendous crash. The wall cracked as she collided into it; the armor on her abdomen had been pierced by the attack. There was a small cut about several inches long in her armor, and her belly could be seen underneath it. A small trickle of blood ran from the cut in her skin.

Kari grimaced as she fell to the ground, barely managing to land on her feet. She looked up to see Darkheart holding his right sword quietly, his body elucidated by the dull light of the fungi.

It was sort of creepy; the way his body was dully lit up by the blue light of the fungi. It gave him a ghostly illumination, and that made his sadistic grin and blood-red eyes all the scarier.

Darkheart silently sheathed his sword before he cockily, "Let's see how good you are with those wings." At that moment, both pairs of wings began to flap at a high speed…but instead of levitating into the air, Darkheart slammed his hands into the ground, creating handholds for himself.

"**BLACK MAELSTROM!"**

A black whirlwind suddenly erupted from Darkheart's wings, completely swarming through the cavern anteroom. Kari squeaked out of fright as the aerial maelstrom swept her off her feet, bringing her into the air.

Moments later, the grinding of stone could be heard as the surface was broken. The whirlwind streamed through, taking dirt, sand, stalactites, stalagmites, and Kari with it. Darkheart cackled as he continued to flap. "Hope you can FLY!"

Kari could only scream as the whirlwind tossed her every which way. Every time she tried to reorient herself with her wings, it only sent her tumbling in midair again.

Suddenly, a broken stalactite was sent flying at her. "WAAH!" Kari tried flapping her wings again; she barely managed to move out of the way before it could impale her. _What am I going to do! If I stay here any longer, I'm going to be skewered!_

She needed something to balance herself on. With her feet going all over the place, she was having difficulty telling which way was up, down, left, right, etcetera, etcetera. She needed something to stand on.

A flash of inspiration hit her.

It was a bit crazy…but it could work. It would just be like surfing, except on air instead of water. She quickly dismissed the sword and shield with a thought, the two weapons disappearing in a minute flash of light (how she knew to do that, no one knows; she was operating on instinct now).

"Rosetta Stone!" Kari quickly grabbed the Rosetta Stone the moment it came out of the small portal. Kari held it tightly as she jammed her feet into the stone, turning it into a surfboard of sorts.

Good. Her legs were firmly locked in place. Her tumbling slowly began to stop as an updraft caught the bottom of her 'stoneboard'. Once she straightened herself out, she flared open her wings, catching the wind that was being pushed upward by Darkheart.

As she began to fly upwards, using the updraft as a propeller, Kari couldn't help but smile out of enjoyment.

For a few moments – despite the danger she was in – Kari found herself smiling. Skydiving in a tornado…oh, if Tai and her mother could see her now. _They'd probably get a heart attack._

Moments later, Kari was thrown out of the maelstrom's top. Kari took her feet out of the Rosetta Stone and let it fall to the ground. She quickly summoned her sword and shield back into her hands – not bothering to wonder how she did that – and flew down through the original cavern entrance.

Darkheart was about to get a big surprise.

But, for the time being, let's turn our attention back to a certain Digimon named Futa.

Globules of white-hot blue plasma burned through the top of the tree pile. Futa stuck his head out, sighing with relief; in his right hand was an energy rifle. "At last…" His eyes turned around to see the whirlwind that was the Black Maelstrom swirling out of a large hole in the ground. "…that's interesting."

Numerous pieces of debris were swirling about in the whirlwind…

Then he noticed that part of that debris – a number of broken stalactites and stalagmites – were falling out of the whirlwind…and toward his position.

Futa's four mandibles couldn't help but slack at the sight. He moaned, "Oh…this just isn't fair…" He quickly dropped back in as a few dozen spires of rock crashed into the pile, sealing the Elitemon back into the weapons cache.

Man, he really has bad luck today, doesn't he? Then again, he is the 'Outcast', so it's sort of expected…never mind, I'm starting to ramble. Back to the fight!

Darkheart stopped flapping his wings. The Black Maelstrom ceased to exist.

The Dark Angel slowly looked out of the hole formed by his own personal tornado. "Hmm…don't see her. Guess she fell already. Oh well…as long as I absorb her body, I'll be fine."

A shield suddenly slammed into his face.

Darkheart moaned loudly as he staggered backwards, completely caught off-guard by the sudden attack. Immediately after wards…

"Rosetta Stone! Ruby Claw! Cat's Eye Beam!"

Slabs of rock, ruby-shaped energy pellets, and two yellow lasers bombarded Darkheart with startling swiftness and ferocity, pushing the Dark Angel further back towards the wall.

The startling part was that every hit stung.

It shouldn't have…why was he feeling pain? It shouldn't have been possible; Kari was only attacking him with the techniques of an Armor Digimon…

Except she wasn't. The Holy Shield. The Sword of Heaven. Those had been new…and even the regular Armor techniques were harming him.

There was only one explanation: Kari's affiliation with the light.

_Of course…_ Kari was the Child of Light. She was the pinnacle of light, and the enemy of darkness. Whenever her power unleashed itself, she would become brighter than the sun, and all darkness in her presence would be extinguished. Even powerful Digimon like Dragomon had felt the pain of her stinging light.

But in this form – as the Angel of Light – she could now utilize that power in a more efficient manner. Every single attack was filled with the essence of the Crest of Light…and it was strongest against the darkness.

Darkheart could only grimace as another Rosetta Stone slammed into the armor on his gut, creating a dent around the spot where Angewomon's arrow had pierced him earlier. _Well this is a little disappointing…looks like I'll have to get serious._

Kari ran forward and thrust the shield into his chest.

Darkheart was sent backward, into, and through the cavern anteroom's wall.

Kari rushed toward the hole in the wall, looking down as Darkheart fell into a deep abyss that ran for many thousands of feet downward into the crust. Kari paled as she heard pieces of rock tumble downward, their sounds echoing throughout the chasm.

Kari waited a few moments after Darkheart had gone out of sight…and then she waited some more.

He didn't come up.

"Hello?" said Kari, her voice echoing downward into what seemed like infinity.

He still didn't come up.

xxxx

/11-011-OMEGA, Sanctum of the Hierarchs, the Forbidden City, 10:52 AM/

"_Nothing was there?"_

"Yes, noble Reality," responded the Spec Ops Commander. Huvo Nuvonaree remained where he was; kneeling on the platform of purple light. He was delivering a report of what he and his Spec Ops troops had witness inside the bottom chamber of the Gravemon Prison Facility in Trash Bin Swamp. "My men investigated the tunnels; many of them were big enough to fit a SkullMammothmon."

Wisdom quickly asked, _"Did you investigate further?"_

"Yes. I ordered that Seraphs be brought in through the landing pad's elevator system." Serpahs were purple aerial fighters that were shaped like tear drops. They used an anti-gravity system to stay suspended, so very little power was needed for the thrusters placed on the sides. That way, most of the power for the one-man fighters – exclusively used by the Elitemon – were reserved for the forward plasma turrets and the on-board Fuel Rod Cannon. "The Seraphs went to the end of the tunnels and reported back. Most of them went to the north and to the east. All of them went farther than 200 miles."

"**_Two hundred…"_** muttered Absolution, who was in awe. Right now, the Prophets were in full sight of the Spec Ops Commander.

Wisdom snappily yelled, _"Why didn't our intelligence network pick up on any activity! They should've found these holes!"_

"All of them were positioned far away from our hidden intelligence outposts. Also, there were signs that many of them had been cleverly covered up; I theorize the Gravemon hid the holes when the Mind sensed one of our spies nearing its location," replied Huvo.

Silence.

Reality leaned back into his throne, silent with thought. _"This is a very troubling development…this means that what Shaun said was correct. The only place the Gravemon could be now is in the world of reality."_

"**_Then we have no choice! This is the sign we have been waiting for! It is our sworn duty to contain the Gravemon; by entering the sacred world of reality, they are compelling us to follow! This is surely the beginning of the Great Journey!"_** yelled Absolution with zeal.

Wisdom sighed as he rubbed his brow. _"There's no denying the logic behind your words…but even so, the last sign would be if the vessel would activate. In all the times we have hoped for the Great Journey to begin, it has never activated. If it does not activate now, then that means it is not time."_

Reality quietly looked at Huvo Nuvonaree…and then he said, _"Go. To the Sanctuary of Omniscience. Try to activate the sacred vessel."_

Huvo bowed his head. "It would be my honor." And it truly was; the Sanctuary of Omniscience was the massive chamber that served as the first Hierarch's resting place. Since Digimon did not leave bodies after dying, his resting site only had his clothes, throne, and crown…but there was something else in there.

That 'something else' was the vessel on which the Great Journey would be taken.

Huvo asked, "What if it activates?" There was no hiding the small tone of anticipation in his voice.

"_Then contact the Grand Praetor. Tell him that the Great Journey is upon us; tell him to rally all of the city's denizens onto the Sacred Path,"_ replied Wisdom.

"And if it doesn't?"

Absolution replied moments later. **_"Then pray that the fidelity of the world of reality will remain uncompromised by the wretched parasite."_**

Oh, how wrong he was…because the Real World had been compromised by more than just the Gravemon…oh how wrong he was…

xxxx

/00-010-PSI, Underground Cavern, 10:58 AM/

That was it. No more waiting.

Kari was going down into that abyss to search for Darkheart. Even if he was her mortal enemy, she couldn't risk him dying…because if he did, then that meant everyone else died.

She leapt into the hole and slowly began to descend, using her wings a sort of parachute.

Suddenly, a red dot could be seen from below.

It was advancing quickly…and moments later, Kari saw it to be Darkheat, covered in a red energy aura. And he was moving FAST. "Wha-?"

She never got to the 't'.

Darkheart's fist _slammed_ into her chin: a vicious uppercut that sent the Child of Light upwards.

**_CA-RASH!_**

Kari tore through the surface, her momentum sending her through the rock and soil that separated the land from the abyss and the underground cavern. Kari continued to go upward as Darkheart zoomed toward at an incredibly fast speed. When he stopped right beside her, he rammed the hilt of his left sword into her gut.

"GAAH…!" Kari spat out saliva mixed with blood.

Darkheart followed up with a knee to the back.

The breath escaped Kari's lungs as an agonizing pain shot through her spine. Darkheart immediately sheathed his left sword and pushed both hands together, creating a double fist that slammed hard into Kari's midsection.

She was sent flying downward into the ground, her body carving a seventy-foot long trench in the ground. Grass clippings and dirt were sent into the air.

All of the panels on Darkheart's armor suddenly opened. "Magna Ray! Magna Missile!"

Dark rays and black missiles crashed into Kari and the area around her, kicking up a dense cloud of dust and dirt. He didn't even wait for the dirty cloud to clear; he converted both gauntlets into cannons and aimed at Kari's position.

"**MAGNA CANNON!"**

The Dark Angel shot two orbs of black energy at the Angel of Light. Upon collision, the intense heat melted any nearby sand into glass. The cloud of dirt and dust became a fog of ash and energy.

Darkheart remained silent as he slowly descended; the wind suddenly picked up. A gust blew by, taking the unnatural fog with it.

When everything cleared, Darkheart smiled: Kari was lying on the ground, her body bruised and beaten. Her armor was singed and dented. Her gloves and boots were covered with dirt…and she looked like she was about to fall unconscious from the pain.

Kari grimaced as Darkheart advanced toward. "Can't lose…won't lose…"

This caused the corrupted Child of Miracles to laugh heartily. "Ho ho _HO!_ You're a real comedian, you know that? Let's face it: YOU'VE LOST. The moment UmbraDevimon corrupted me, I won this war. You tried to fight me…but all you've done is lose LOSE **LOSE**. And now I can end it at last…once I absorb, I'll cross the sixth threshold…I'll be the greatest villain EVER. No one will be able to hold a candle to me. Not UmbraDevimon. Not Demon. Not the Gravemon. Heck…not even freaking XEEDMILLENIUMMON would be a match for me. I've won. Got it?"

Kari could only grimace as Darkheart advanced toward her. She had failed…she had lost.

Darkheart had won.

xxxx

A sigh. "Poor Kari…she has the power to strike down the darkness, but she is too weak to do so…Darkheart is simply too strong."

_"…help her."_

A startled gasp. "But…master, I can't leave here!"

_"You MUST."_

"It took me years to get in-tune with your souls. CENTURIES. If I go now, I might not be able to get back in contact with you!"

_"It doesn't MATTER. If Kari falls, then ALL is lost. Darkheart must be defeated if ANY of the evils that plague this world are to be put away."_

"…master…"

_"Go. I'm **ordering** you to do so."_

A sigh of relent. "Very well…I shall help her. As your messenger, I obey." And then she vanished into thin air.

xxxx

/00-010-PSI, 11:04 AM/

Darkheart suddenly stopped several feet away from Kari's fallen body, his face scrunched into a frown.

Someone else was here.

He suddenly looked up to see a ghostly figure appear right behind Kari. It was of a tall woman with flowing blue hair; her entire body was clothed in robes made of nothing but white light, which contrasted against her obsidian eyes. 0s and 1s emerged and dissipated from her hair.

She spoke with a heavenly voice. "Hello Darkheart." She then looked down at Kari. "Do not worry young one…you are safe."

Darkheart suddenly blinked out of realization. "Ah…I see. Davis Motomiya saw you after obtaining the Crest of Miracles. You're Siara, Messenger of the Guardian Beasts."

"That I am," replied Siara.

Kari was now feeling confused…and then she nearly gasped; this was Siara. Siara had been the one who possessed her body four years ago in Puppetmon's Domain. _So this is what she looks like…_

Darkheart couldn't help but chuckle. "So, what brings you down from the nexus? Wanted a front seat to watch my ascension to the title of the Digiworld's greatest villain? Well you're just in time!"

Siara stared at him in silence for several seconds…and then she said. "You do not deserve such a title."

"…what?" Darkheart's tone suddenly took on a menacing edge.

"Your power comes from others. Without the Digidestined, even UmbraDevimon would be able to crush you without a second thought. And you dare to think you could compare to XeedMilleniummon, a Digimon so powerful that his mere existence nearly destroyed the Digital World?" Siara shook her head out of pity. "Poor fool…you seek an unreachable title…such petty reasons for so much devastation caused…"

Darkheart scowled as he glared at Siara. "Say what you will. I WILL become the most powerful bad guy…and the moment I absorb Kari, you can replace 'will become' with 'am'."

"I won't let you," calmly replied Siara.

Darkheart smirked malevolently. "So that's why you're here? To stop me?"

"I am under the direct command of Azulongmon himself. He told me to stop you…and I shall." Her stare suddenly hardened into a battle-hardened glare. "As the Messenger of the Guardian Beasts, I will not fail."

The sky began to darken…and four ghostly figures suddenly appeared behind Siara.

A dragon.

A phoenix.

A tiger.

A turtle.

Darkheart suddenly paled; he didn't know how, but he knew he was staring at the Guardian Beasts.

He shook his head and blinked. The figures were gone.

Siara's body began to glow with a ghostly blue aura. "I was created from the data of the Guardian Beasts. Their power flows through me…and I am synonymous with the Light. Kari shall be the vessel through which I carry out the will of the Guardians'."

Kari suddenly felt a chill rush through the air as the sky continued to darken with black clouds. But this chill wasn't dark in nature…it simply entailed the coming of a great power.

Siara looked down at Kari quietly. "Do not worry Child of Light…through you, I shall save your friends."

_(cue 'Blow Me Away' by Breaking Benjamin)_

Darkheart remained silent as lightning crackled in the distance. Thunder rolled through the sky as Siara's entire body shined with a blue aura. As more great power began pooling into the area, the sky became red in color.

Siara entered Kari's body, disappearing into her. Kari suddenly gasped as an incredible surge burst through her; the power of the Light was being unleashed. Darkheart raised an eyebrow out of curiosity.

Kari's body suddenly began floating.

Suddenly, and without warning, her entire body was encompassed by a blue glow. Her body was outlined by a white trim, giving her an otherworldly look (think Light Jak from _Jak 3_.).

The ground they were standing on suddenly erupted upward, becoming a massive tower of earth. The column was rushing upward according to Siara's will. Her power was great…and she was about to roar.

The newly formed tower of ground stopped several hundred feet in the air. Darkheart quickly pulled both swords out as Kari looked at him…and her eyes were now pure white. No pupils. No irises. Just pure, glowing light.

She held her sword and shield tightly, glaring straight into Darkheart's blood-red eyes.

And then she charged.

Darkheart brought both swords up just in time for Kari to slam her shield into them. She immediately followed up with an upward slash with her sword, sending Darkheart upward.

Darkheart grunted as a Rosetta Stone was sent flying towards him. He barely managed to swat it aside. _Man, she's not pulling any punches!_

Well, he wouldn't either.

Darkheart immediately converted his arm into a multi-barreled gun and unleashed bullet after bullet at Kari Kamiya. She nimbly dodged with ease, her ghostly aura leaving a blue trail of light in its wake.

Darkheart aimed his right sword at Kari. "DEATH'S WRATH!" The eye opened, and red streams of unholy power erupted from it.

"HOLY SHIELD!" Kari's shield shined bright and formed a large barrier of light…however, Siara willed the barrier to send out lines of holy energy to counter the red streams.

The streams of red and white energy collided, lighting up the dark midday sky with energy explosions.

Darkheart and Kari charged toward each other, swords drawn.

A blue lightning bolt crashed in the distance, illuminating the two combatants in an ethereal light. Sparks flew as the steel of their blades met.

The red sky crackled with lightning as the two tried to get the upper hand.

Darkheart tried to slide his left sword past Kari's shield; she immediately compensated by pushing harder with shield against the corrupted Digidestined. The eagle figurine's eyes on Kari's headgear suddenly glowed yellow.

"CAT'S EYE BEAM!"

Darkheart grunted as he was pushed downward by the two beams; however, he grabbed Kari's left wing as he fell, pulling her down with him. He elbowed her in the back and immediately regained control of his fall by opening both pairs of wings, stopping his descent.

Kari did the same…however, Darkheart was right above her. And he was holding both swords tightly, his arms crisscrossed over each other.

"BLOODY BUSHIDO!"

Two lines of red energy – crisscrossing each other in an 'X' fashion – roared down towards Kari.

She immediately brought up her shield to defend…just as Darkheart expected her to.

As the red X crashed into Kari's shield, Darkheart zoomed down and to the side before ramming into her side with his shoulder. Pain lanced up Kari's side as she winced.

Kari immediately kicked up with right leg, pushing Darkheart away. She twirled her sword around and struck him in the face with its hilt. Darkheart grimaced as the blow sent him backwards a few feet.

"RUBY CLAW!" Hundreds of ruby-shaped projectiles streamed towards Darkheart.

Thunder rumbled through the air.

Darkheart sliced through the incoming rubies with both swords, his arms a blur in the air. With expert ease, he turned the projectiles into fine red dust.

Panels opened in his armor. "MAGNA MISSILE!" Black missiles roared toward Kari, who impulsively brought up her shield. Any missiles that tried to go around met the steel of her sword.

After slicing through the last missile, Kari lowered her shield only to find Darkheart right in front of her. Both swords were already moving forward, preparing to strike her.

She quickly brought hers up in defense.

Lightning struck in the distance.

Sparks flew, coloring the red sky with flashes as Kari and Darkheart's blades met once more. Darkheart's arms moved like blurs, his swords trying to get past Kari's defenses. However, he was not getting past Kari's sword and shield. She was moving just as fast as he. A grim look of determination was plastered on her glowing face.

Darkheart howled with anger as he spun, slamming his fist into her face. Kari was sent downward, crashing into the rocky column's surface. Kari quickly looked upwards to see Darkheart's foot.

**POW!**

Kari winced as the foot hit. Darkheart immediately followed up with numerous rapid-fire kicks to the gut. Her eyes widened with pain.

Darkheart raised his arm to slice off an arm with his left sword. Kari quickly raised her shield to block. Lightning flashed and thunder boomed, masking the sound of sword striking shield.

The left sword broke in half on the shield. The shield cracked into pieces due to the hit. Both the left sword and the shield were shattered into shards of steel.

Darkheart growled as he clenched his free hand into a fist, rushing it up to Kari's stomach. Kari quickly kicked away Darkheart's right arm, allowing her right hand – which held the sword – to strike at the uppercut, knocking it off its path. Darkheart grimaced at the sudden sting.

Darkheart leapt up and kicked Kari's face, sending her backward. She dragged her feet along the ground of the tower, stopping her before she could go off the edge. She yelled, "CAT'S EYE BEAM!"

Darkheart brought his sword up, deflecting the beams with his only sword: the right one. _This battle is becoming far more trouble than it's worth…I have to end this…and NOW._

Darkheart jumped up and rushed down toward Kari, roaring at her with all the anger he could muster. A bolt of lightning illuminated the red sky, accompanying Darkheart's foot hitting her chest. However, Kari immediately grabbed his leg with her free hand and slung him down into the ground with a hard crash.

Kari flew over twenty yards away as Darkheart got to his feet, growling with rage. "ENOUGH!"

Red cracks lined his right – and last – sword as its demonic eye opened. **_"SWORD OF THE APOCALYPSE!"_** A red lancet of demonic energy erupted from the sword, streaming towards Kari.

Kari immediately aimed her sword as well. **_"SWORD OF HEAVEN!"_** Her sword's ruby cross glowed; she swung, and the arc of holy energy erupted from the blade, zooming towards Darkheart's own attack.

The holy white energy met the demonic red energy. A tremendous explosion erupted and bloomed outward, enveloping both combatants and the earthen tower.

The tower was vaporized…and a tremendous lightning bolt crashed into the ground, creating an ear-deafening thunderclap.

_(End 'Blow Me Away')_

The smoke and energy-laced dust faded. The remains of Siara's self-made tower crumbled downward to the surface…and in the sky, Darkheart and Kari were still engaged in battle.

Darkheart roared as he swung his sword downward. Kari swiftly dodged to the side and sliced horizontally toward his chest. Darkheart got back up in time to block the blade. "Heh…not bad."

Siara said nothing. She was not going to waste time on words. She kicked upward, striking Darkheart's bruised chin. The Dark Angel grumbled as he whirled around, striking her back with a roundhouse kick.

Kari was sent flying through the air by the kick, but she stopped several yards away. With a thought, she dismissed her sword; the rubies on her gloves glowed, the eyes on her eagle figurine glowed, and a milky-white portal appeared in front of her.

"RUBY CLAW! CAT'S EYE BEAM! ROSETTA STONE!"

Ruby projectiles, two yellow lasers, and large slabs of stone came at Darkheart with surprising speed. On impulse, the Dark Angel sheathed his right sword and converted both gauntlets into miniguns. "MAGNA GUN!"

An endless stream of black bullets erupted from his two arm guns, creating a terrifying _baddabaddabadda_ sound. Numerous lightning bolts struck in the distance, causing mighty thunderclaps to echo through the red sky.

Kari quickly ceased her barrage and flapped her wings hard, flying over to Darkheart. Before the Dark Angel could redirect his fire at Kari, she rammed her helmeted head into his face.

Darkheart yelped out of sudden pain. An enraged roar escaped his lips as he shouted, "NO MORE!" His armored elbow snapped forward with frightening speed, ramming into Kari's breastplate. The impact dented Kari's armor, and it sent her flying backwards.

The eye on Darkheart's sword opened up. **"DEATH'S WRATH!"** Streams of red energy spread outward from the eye, swarming at Kari from all sides.

She quickly yelled, "CAT'S EYE BEAM!" She used her two lasers to cut through some before they got close enough, and those that came in close, she parried with her blade.

But some got through.

Kari screamed as red energy crackled through her body, causing her nerves to erupt with pain.

But Darkheart wasn't finished. Oh no…not yet. He zoomed behind Kari and sheathed his sword. **"BLOODY BUSHIDO!"** Just as quickly, he unsheathed it at high speed, creating the familiar arc of red supersonic energy.

All breath escaped her lungs as a piercing pain hit her back; another cut to mirror the one on her abdomen now existed on the armor covering her back.

Darkheart flew forward towards Kari's unprotected back, his left arm crackling with electricity. His fist crashed into her back, right between the shoulder blades from which her wings protruded.

A pained expression crossed her face as electricity coursed through her body; the punch also sent her flying forward. Darkheart immediately pursued.

Kari quickly turned around and prepared another triple attack for her opponent.

"RUBY CLAW! CAT'S EYE BEAM! ROSETTA STONE!"

Darkheart stopped his pursuit as the lasers, stone slabs, and ruby projectiles neared him…and he smirked.

He had been waiting for her to try this again.

He immediately turned around, his back toward Kari. As the stream of rock and energy neared him, Darkheart roared, "BLACK MAELSTROM!"

His wings flapped hard and fast. The familiar black tornado returned…and this time, Kari's attacks became the debris. They were sucked in by the infinitely powerful vacuum of the tornado…and redirected at the Child of Light.

Kari's mouth gaped as her own attacks came screaming back at her. She tried to strike at them with her sword, but it was simply too much to try and deflect. Stone, projectiles, and lasers slammed into her with tremendous force, adding pain after pain to her already long list.

Darkheart stopped the whirlwind and charged, sword in front of him.

Kari moaned as she lowered her arms; they were now bloodied and bruised, as were her legs. Her gloves were in shreds, and her armor was dented.

However, she lowered her arms only to see Darkheart right in front of her, sword – crackling with red electricity – raised above her head.

**_SMACK!_**

He struck with the broad side of the blade. Kari moaned because of the pain, her body becoming too tired to use her wings.

A tremendous crash sounded as Kari crashed into the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust and rubble in her wake.

Darkheart chuckled…and then he laughed. "So much for the almighty Messenger." As he set down onto the ground, his eyes facing eastward, he quietly sheathed his sword.

Inside the body of Kari, Siara was reeling. _No…Kari's body is simply too weak for such a rigorous battle…_

Hey, the last time she fought had been as Neomon…and that had been over five thousand years ago. Cut her some slack.

She only had one chance…she had to strike Davis down now.

As Darkheart advanced, she held her blade out tightly.

This caused Darkheart chuckle. "Oh, how funny…you really think you can do anything? I'm Darkheart, Miss 'Messenger'." He spoke with contempt at her. As he continued speaking, he unsheathed his sword. "I'm going to strike you down. Right here. Right now. I'll absorb Kari…and if you feel like sticking around, I'll absorb you as well…but even so, I commend you for such a hard-fought battle. Even more so since it was all futile…bravo."

Kari said nothing in response. Lightning flashed in the distance, and thunder boomed. The two angels were now several yards apart.

He prepared to rush forward and impale her with his blade…and then he would absorb her. "Farewell…last of the Digidestined."

"_**RrrrrrrrrrraaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGHHHHHH!"**_

The color drained from Darkheart's face at the sound of that enraged roar…he KNEW that roar.

He tilted his head backwards…and he saw Blackwargreymon, spinning like a corkscrew…and he was only ten feet away from his back.

Darkheart couldn't believe it. _No…he's supposed to be DEAD. WHY IS HE HERE?_

In the end, it didn't matter.

Blackwargreymon slammed into Darkheart's back. The Dark Angel was knocked off balance and sent flying forward.

Kari seized the opportunity. She quickly staggered to her feet and held her sword forward, which glowed with blue and white light. **_"SWORD OF PURITY!"_**

_**SHICK.**_

A ragged breath escaped from Darkheart's mouth. Everything seemed to slow down…and then the pain came.

He couldn't speak. His red eyes looked downward…and he saw that Kari's sword was sticking into his abdomen.

He had lost.

xxxx

/Realm of the Entrapped Souls, 11:30 AM/

A gigantic sword suddenly ruptured through the ground, illuminating the entire room in a blue and white light.

Everyone shrieked at the sudden brightness of it all. Tai yelled, "WHAT THE HECK IS THAT!"

Angewomon could only mutter one word. "Kari…"

Before anyone else could say anything, the light overwhelmed them all...and as it did, Davis smiled. "That's my girl..."

xxxx

/00-010-PSI, 11:31 AM/

A soundless howl emerged from Darkheart's mouth as a stream of light emerged from it…and out came the Digidestined and their Digimon.

A seam suddenly opened in Darkheart's back…and out came the corruptive influences.

The fifteen Black Gears flew into the air, dissipating into nothingness.

A black aura in the shape of Devimon howled as it floated away, becoming incinerated by the holy energy that permeated the air.

The seam closed…and suddenly, Demon's Dark Spore emerged from Darkheart's neck, falling to the ground and shattering into a million pieces.

As the Digidestined and their partners all fell to the ground, Kari removed her sword from Darkheart's abdomen. The Dark Angel slowly groaned as his black armor dissipated into black smoke, fading away into the air…and he slumped to the ground in normal clothes.

It was Davis Motomiya.

Kari suddenly groaned as Siara left her. Her ghostly form ascended into the air as Kari's armor vanished in a flash of light; she then fell to the ground and lapsed into unconsciousness.

Siara couldn't help but frown with sadness. _I am sorry for pushing your mortal body so hard young Child of Light…but I had to do what I had to do._

Siara then looked down at Blackwargreymon, who was crushing the Shadow Mallet – which had also come out of Darkheart's mouth – with his feet. He then glanced upward, staring at her with yellow eyes. _Thank you for your timely arrival…all would've been lost had you not assisted me…_

As her pale form began to fade away into the nexus once more, a sad frown crossed her face. _Now it is all up to Davis…Darkheart has been defeated on the outside…but the Child of Miracles must defeat him on the inside if this darkness is to ever truly be destroyed…_

And then she faded away.

As the Digidestined slowly got to their feet, TK looked up and blinked out of surprise. "Blackwargreymon! You're alive! What are you doing here!"

Blackwargreymon stared quietly at where Siara had been before she had faded away…and then he quietly replied, "I just had a feeling that I was needed here…"

Meanwhile, several dozen yards away…

A plasma sword cut through the fallen stalactites. Futa immediately jumped and glanced around…and to his shock, he saw a black Digimon – Blackwargreymon, if he remembered the intelligence reports correctly – standing over all of the Digidestined and their partners. The Child of Light was lying unconscious on the ground…as was the Child of Miracles. The red sky was turning blue again, and the clouds were beginning to clear.

It was over.

Futa angrily yelled, "Confound it all! I MISSED EVERYTHING!"

Poor chum.

xxxx

To be continued…

Next time…

Episode 54: Battle of the Mind

xxxx

Author's Notes: Heh. You thought that was the end of Darkheart? HECK NO! Davis still has to defeat him on the inside. ;)

Oh, and as for my choice of music, 'Blow Me Away' is track 02 on the Halo 2 Soundtrack: Volume 1. I heard it…and it just fit that scene. Don't know why. It just did.

Hope you all enjoyed the battle (out of curiosity, was it better than in NDE?)!

See you soon, and please review!

(UPDATE: 4/27/2005: Had to remove the lyrics. Stupid FFnet.)


	54. Battle of the Mind

Standard Disclaimer: To say 'I don't own Digimon' or not to say…THAT is the question. I choose the former so I can continue writing!

Author's Notes: The last episode of the Battle Mini-Arc is here! And apparently, you lot liked the Kari/Darkheart battle…after all, I've gotten 27 FREAKIN' REVIEWS.

To the reviews!

Dark Qiviut & Darrent: I got your 'FC, SF' review…and don't worry, I wasn't confused. (looks at the bottom) Top five of all TIME? That's including stuff outside of Digimon fandom too…uh, gosh…I'm honored (It's hard for me to accept praise…maybe it's because I'm a little shy). O.o;

And Darren, glad you liked 'Blow Me Away'. (boots them both off a cliff) :P

BeatlesLover: Indeed.

Miracles: Interesting…yes!

Dot Cubed: What's Third Watch? o.o And you sure squealed a lot in that review.

Digi fan: Actually…they have something else to deal with afterwards… ;)

ficmaster: (watches DarkTroymon chase ficmaster away) …man, I never have a normal review. :P

SR71will: Uh…how could Blackwargreymon be Hiroki Hida's partner? He was CREATED in Episode 25!

Alforce Zero: Welcome to Zero 2, uh…Zero! I'm glad you've taken the time to read through it all. I also hope you like the twist I've put on the Original Digidestined (I know you're writing a fic about them). ;)

spiecas: Welcome spiecas! And Dragomon would agree with 'Kari rules!'…after all, she is the 'Queen of the Light'. :P

Nightfire04: Ah! Welcome to Zero 2 Nightfire! Glad you're taking a look at this one as well.

Anthony1: Thank you censors! :P

Salamon2: Yes; poor Davis indeed. At least there's someone who understands what he's been through (points at Shaun, who had to deal with Nega for 1000 years). ;)

generic reviewer: Darkheart is indeed evil, eh? (boots him off a cliff for reviewing more than once) :P

Bluesv20: Here's your clue – read the story.

reviewer: Wow…a reviewer and a generic reviewer! Were you two separated from birth? :P

Quinton Notwen: So the Forbidden City is the gravy…would that make the Digidestined the steak and would that make everything going on in the War for the Real World the potatoes? :P

HevnoAngered: Welcome Hevno! (reads the part about Shaun being the cybernetic ghost of Christmas past from the future…and then imagines a cybernetic Shaun wearing a Santa suit) …okay…and what makes you think Darkheart is a pimp? O.O;

Cloud-821: It's Tuesday, October the 26th. It turned Tuesday in episode 50; I state the date whenever the day switches over. And when you think about it…episode 25 began on Thursday, October 21. So far, 28 episodes have occurred in the span of five days in the story…scary, ain't it? :P And did you understand where the 'muffin' reference came from?

Lady Nire: Welcome Lady Nire! I'm pleased you think Zero 2 is the best fanfic ever.

Malebolgia: Ooh! Fellow soundtrack owner! :D

And…am I missing something when you're saying '5th beast'? o.O?

Ninetalesuk: Zero 2…it's what's for breakfast! :P

sapphirewitch: Ooh! Constructive criticism to talk about! :D

First of all, before I move on to your main points, let's just think logically; it's hard NOT to be affected when so much is happening at once. After all, they're suffering through things that would make ADULTS suffer as well. Being a Digidestined is not easy, and if the show had them go through similar incidents like I'm putting them through, I'm sure the Digidestined would be affected as well. I'm not changing their characters; I'm just making everything harder for them, and they're adapting accordingly.

1) What seems so impossible about siphoning the power of others to power yourself? It's been a technique used quite extensively in anime canon (Cell from Dragonball Z, Buu from DBZ…heck, even Myotismon harvested the data of other Digimon to become VenomMyotismon). As for Davis seemingly having no problems like he did in the anime…I'm sorry. I don't buy that. Whatever happened to his crush on Kari? How could he not fear something happening to her? ALL human beings have problems, no matter HOW perfect they seem. Look at TK; he seems like 'Mr. Perfect' to many, but he has divorced parents! And Davis did NOT become 'bad'; he merely became jealous, as human teenagers are wont to do. And it presented a weakness that UmbraDevimon exploited.

2) Well, Davis is an emotional boy at heart, and he tends to act first and think later. But let's be realistic; although he regrets his decision to leave TK behind in the Emperor's first base, there is STILL the small hint of jealousy that he has for the relationship TK and Kari have. Besides, UmbraDevimon captured Davis and began corrupting him practically the moment after he saw a brainwashed TK start attacking Kari. What would YOU think in his shoes? And be real; Leomon, one of the most just Digimon around, was corrupted by only ONE Black Gear (can't remember if this was shown in the dub). Davis had FIFTEEN, along with Devimon's Touch of Evil, and DEMON'S Dark Spore. I don't think ANYONE could endure that kind of corruption…not even the Child of Miracles, especially considering how UmbraDevimon exploited him.

3) Hey, he can only do so much. So what if I don't act like most Daikari stories? Of course Davis is protective of Kari…but come on, the poor guy's been through enough already (had his head crushed in, had his heart ripped out, his chest split open, and his stomach gutted open, and he STILL did his best to recover from the pain); cut him some slack! Besides, it turned out all right in the end, didn't it? And let's be honest; it was Kari's time to step up, not Davis'…his time comes in this episode. :P

Thank you for your thoughts sapphire…but I still disagree with your opinion. No hard feelings. ;)

Silver Warrior: You'll see eventually…

So, for the poll numbers…

MarineDevimon – SR71will (split), Anthony1, Salamon2, reviewer

Blackwargreymon – Lady Nire

Soulmon – Dot Cubed, ficmaster, SR71will (split),

LadyDevimon – (No votes)

Well…Joshua's partner is revealed in this chapter… ;)

Oh, and **IMPORTANT NOTE**: the fan art contest ends on February 1st! Any entries submitted after that day will not be counted! So far, UKHoneyB is the only one to submit art (and thus qualifies for the original short story reward). Remember:

3rd Place Prize: Special cameo in Zero 2

2nd Place Prize: I write a chapter for one of their stories of their choosing

1st Place Grand Prize: Original Short Story by me on whatever subject they want

Begin!

----

_The Angel of Light is victorious…_

_The Dark Angel is no more…_

_Darkheart has fallen…_

_Or has he…?_

----

"Hello everyone, it's Shaun. In the Real World, some happiness was made: Jim and Jun are now a couple…even if the seed of their love was sowed in hardship and sorrow…but in the Digital World, Kari took on Darkheart in one last fight. Kari nearly lost…but then Siara came and possessed her body to continue the fight. Even so, Darkheart nearly won…if it weren't for the reborn Blackwargreymon, we wouldn't have won in the end. We're free…but I have a feeling the fight's not yet over."

----

**Battle Mini-Arc**: _Part 4_

Episode 54: Battle of the Mind

----

/Archfiend Castle, Tokyo Bay, Odaiba, 11:52 AM/

LadyDevimon sighed as she leaned against the wall of the castle courtyard. "Sometimes I hate following orders…I'd rather be fighting."

"Orders are orders, fellow General," hissed Deathmon in his whispery voice. "Demon can do what he pleases…besides, he would've waited until noon had UmbraDevimon not shown up again."

It was true; even though Demon had ordered a resting period for his troops until noon, UmbraDevimon had returned over an hour ago to continue the fight. So Demon had left his Black Generals and Colonel Soulmon in command of the castle whilst Demon continued the fight.

Meanwhile, MarineDevimon was down at the waters of Tokyo Bay; even now, the dark influence of Archfiend Castle continued to corrupt the territory around it. Soon, the mainland of Odaiba would be influenced by Demon…and then his power would be immense.

Once the entire world was corrupted, Demon's power would be unfathomable in its strength. No one would be able to stand against him. Lord Demon would be the ruler of all. The Black Generals would be feared as Demon's enforcers. The Bakemon Army, under the command of Colonel Soulmon, would patrol the world and implement Demon's will all over the world. And DemiDevimon…um…well…oh, who was he kidding; DemiDevimon was probably going to be executed as soon as possible. Why DemiDevimon was kept around, MarineDevimon did not know…perhaps he was there to humor Demon.

But that wouldn't explain why Demon had put a Dark Spore inside DemiDevimon the day he had become his servant…it's not like the little Rookie would get much of a power boost. So why?

Oh well. It was none of his concern.

MarineDevimon glanced over at LadyDevimon and Deathmon. "Only one minute until noon. Prepare the armies."

LadyDevimon smirked. "Now it's play time!"

----

/Docks, Tokyo Bay, Odaiba, 12:00 PM/

"Gah…I hate this one…" moaned one of thirty Bakemon that were on patrol at the docks.

"STOP COMPLAINING!!!" roared the one in charge.

Normally, that statement would've shut the Bakemon up…of course, that would've been if they had a more suitable commander. However, DemiDevimon wasn't exactly that much of a commander.

One of the Bakemon behind DemiDevimon grumbled angrily. "We're Champion-level Digimon; members of the prestigious Demon Corps! Why should we listen to a runt like you?!"

DemiDevimon turned around and hovered in front of the Bakemon's face. "Because I am ALSO part of the Demon Corps. I also report directly to Lord Demon, which puts me at a higher rank than any of you stooges! Also, I was chosen by Demon himself to lead this mission! SO ZIP YOUR LIPS AND DO WHAT YOU'RE TOLD!!!"

The Bakemon snarled at DemiDevimon, baring his bloody teeth at the Rookie. "Oh yeah? Well maybe we should just do away with you…we could just tell Demon that you died in battle." The grins that suddenly coated the other Bakemon's faces seemed to point out that they agreed with the dissenter's idea.

Now, DemiDevimon had been in command of Digimon before. When he had been the #2 henchmon of Myotismon – with Gatomon being the #1 henchmon, blast it! – he had led Myotismon's troops. And he had dealt with dissenters as well…

A giant syringe filled with a gray liquid suddenly appeared in DemiDevimon's left claw. "Demi Dart!!!"

The needle plunged into the dissenter's skin, pumping the gray liquid into his body. Suddenly, the dissenter Bakemon plunged to the ground…and dissipated into data.

The 29 other Bakemon gasped out of shock and surprise. One of them shouted, "What did you do?!"

"Well, my Demi Dart used to carry only a serum that would knock you out cold and give you one doozy of a fever…but Lord Demon was kind enough to give me a Dark Spore." DemiDevimon then turned around, revealing a small, nigh invisible bump on the back of his head. "Although it didn't increase my power per say, it turned the knockout poison in my Demi Dart into a fatal venom! So don't cross me; I report to Demon, he put me in charge, and you will DO AS I SAY!!!"

The other Bakemon remained silent.

"That's better! Now, Demon gave me orders to search the docks for any humans. That's where YOU come in! Find any and all humans in these docks! If you find any, take them back to the castle!" ordered DemiDevimon.

"Yes sir!" yelled the Bakemon; with DemiDevimon's actions, they had newfound respect for the diminutive Rookie…if only because they knew what he would do if they disobeyed.

The Bakemon went to work searching the warehouses and fisheries of the area for any humans.

DemiDevimon smirked. _That'll show em'!_

----

/The Nexus/

She was floating.

Kari sat up and looked around; there was an endless cloud bank all around her, and yellow light was shining through it; along with the orange sky, it made the illusion of sundown.

She looked down…and saw the Digital World. "Huh?"

"_Hello Kari."_

Kari looked up…and saw Siara floating right in front of her. "…Siara…am I-?"

Siara shook her head with a smile. "_Of course you're not dead…you're just unconscious right now."_

Kari blinked. "Oh…okay." She didn't even bother to ask why she could talk to Siara if she was out cold. Her head hurt enough as it was. "But…why am I here? What time is it? Is it sundown?"

Siara giggled. _"In this nexus, time is irrelevant. As for why you're here, I wanted to talk to you."_

"…okay. About what?" asked Kari.

"_Well…it concerns your power. Your power of Light,"_ said Siara, her tone suddenly solemn.

Kari frowned. "…oh. What about it?"

"…_when you donned the Armor of Light, you became capable of utilizing the full power of your Crest. Even though you lack the combat ability to fully use it, you will with continued usage of the Armor,"_ answered Siara.

"Okay…why are you telling me this?"

"_To prepare you."_

Kari blinked out of confusion. "Prepare? Prepare for what?"

"_For Dragomon,"_ answered Siara. _"He's been watching recent events from his safe haven in the City of Cthulu…and he knows about your newfound ability to call upon the Armor of Light."_

_Dragomon…_ The mere name brought the thought of that monster to mind. Even after everything she had gone through in the past few days, Kari still thought of Dragomon as the creepiest Digimon around. "So…what are you saying?"

_"He's keeping track of your progress; he's watching how much you're maturing in your powers…"_

"But why? Why is he watching the progress of my powers?"

_"Because he wants to be prepared for when he makes his move,"_ explained Siara. _"You know he wants your power: he told you himself. And when he makes his move, you had best be prepared."_

Kari sighed…and then began pleading, "Why? Why does he want me? Why am I his 'prize'?!"

"_Because you are the Child of Light…and when you donned the Armor of Light, you exercised your hidden power against the darkness…for that is the Armor's special gift, much like the Armor of Wisdom's telepathy, Hope's rejuvenation capabilities, or Miracles' power to absorb power…your special power is this: being the bane of darkness."_ Siara quietly looked up at the realm of 0s, 1s, and empty space above them: Digital Limbo. _"Your Light, when used, is stronger than anything else against pure darkness. Dragomon knows this…that's why he fears you."_

"He FEARS me?!" said Kari incredulously.

"_He fears you because of your Light…it is kind of interesting…and sort of ironic,"_ said Siara with a smile. _"Your Light…it is the key to his ultimate power…and it is his greatest weakness."_

Kari just sighed ruefully. "…sometimes, I wish I weren't the Child of Light…it always gives me nothing but trouble…"

Siara just smiled. _"Keep this in mind…if it weren't for the power of your crest – the power of your Light – then your friend wouldn't be alive now."_

Kari blinked…and then she gaped. "You mean…?"

_"Yes…but he'll need the help of you and your friends to wake up…but first, you need to wake up…wake up…"_

----

/00-010-PSI, 12:04 PM/

Kari sat up like a shot.

She immediately regretted doing that, as a wave of pain shot through her entire body. "Ow…"

Arms suddenly wrapped around her, causing her to snap, "OW! LET GO!!!"

"Oh. Sorry…"

Kari exhaled slowly as the arms let go…and then she turned around to see the owners of those arms being her older brother. Tai Kamiya. "Sorry Tai…I'm just a little sore, that's all."

Tai nodded out of understanding. "I know…I'm just glad you're alive…you really came through for us sister. I couldn't have done better if I tried."

Kari took note of two things; one, that Tai didn't call her his 'little' sister…just sister. It denoted a sort of mature respect that couldn't be attained with 'little'. Two…well, Kari felt a genuine tone of sincerity in Tai's compliment. "You mean that?"

Tai smiled his trademark goofy smile at her. "Of course!"

That meant more to Kari than Tai thought it would; she had always looked up to Tai…because of his Courage. Tai had always possessed the initiative to do the impossible; for instance, there had been the final battle with Etemon, where he had fully unlocked the power of the Crest of Courage. There had been the battle against Piedmon and Grandkuwagamon, when he and Matt had defiantly stood against the dark titans…and their reward was Omnimon.

But to have Tai tell her that…it meant so much to her.

She would've hugged him – or something along those lines – but she was too sore and tired to do so. She simply muttered, "Thank you…"

And then she finally got a good look at herself.

Her arms were bruised, and a number of bandages – complete with gauze – covered them. She brought a hand up to her face and felt bruised skin…and her nose felt a tad sore, as did her head. Suddenly remembering another wound she had received in battle, she lifted her shirt up about several inches and looked at her belly; bandages, gauze, and medical tape encircled her stomach and back a number of times, covering up the two cuts she had gotten from Darkheart's Bloody Bushido.

Kari lightly chuckled. "I must look like a mess…"

"You don't know the half of it!"

Kari turned around to see Yolei walking toward her with a friendly grin on her face. In her hands was a dish filled with the same purple taste that had been served in the Forbidden City. "Must be hungry. Eat up!"

Kari blinked as Yolei set the dish down in front of her. "Yolei…where'd you get this?"

The Child of Caring pointed over her shoulder to Futa Ishisamee, who was sitting beside Izzy, Tentomon, Ken, Wormmon, Cody, Armadillomon, and Blackwargreymon…wait. Blackwargreymon? Kari blanched at the sight of the Control Spire Digimon that wasn't. "Wait…why's Blackwargreymon here? Wasn't he destroyed by Skullsatamon?"

Yolei shrugged. "Your guess is as good as mine. As for the dish, you have to thank the gold guy; he actually found some of this stuff in sealed canisters inside an equipment compartment underground." Yolei quickly dumped her gloved finger into the paste and pulled it up, licking it off just as quickly. "Mmm…cake…"

Kari couldn't help but smile. "That's your only freebie." Kari quietly used her hand to scoop some of the paste into her mouth. Kari chewed silently as the paste took on the taste of her favorite food mere milliseconds after it touched her taste buds. "Mmm…"

Her favorite food had been a dish prepared by her mother, ironically. Although Yuuko Kamiya was notorious for preparing bad – and unorthodox – dishes, she had been able to create a dinner meal that was extremely satisfying. Basically, Yuuko had decided to cook Kobe beef for dinner when a friend had called…and she talked. And talked. And talked. She had prepared dinner all the while, not really paying attention to what she was doing…and when the food was finally done, it had turned out to be her best meal. Tai, Susumu, and Kari had been extremely surprised.

Ironic how her best work had been done when she hadn't really tried. Kari couldn't help but giggle as she took another bite of the paste.

"KARI!!!"

Kari yelped out of surprise as her partner suddenly leapt into her lap, snuggling against her. "I'm so glad you're all right!"

Kari smiled as she scratched Gatomon's ears. "Thank you Gatomon…" However, she didn't add, _I'm sorry you got hurt saving me…_

Meanwhile…

Izzy examined the purple D-3 quietly. It still had the white body of a normal D-3; only the sidebars were purple. "Hmm…Digital…Detect…Discover…it has all of the regular options. It looks like a bona fide digivice to me…"

"But why would one be reborn with Blackwargreymon?" asked Cody out of curiosity.

"I would like to know as soon as possible," said Blackwargreymon quietly. He wanted answers; he hated being left in the dark about anything…and he still did not know everything he wanted to know. For instance, he was still relatively clueless about why the Digidestined's partners protected those weaker than them.

Ken remained silent as he contemplated potential reasons…but no matter how much he thought, he could only come to one conclusion. "I can only think of one reason…you have a partner somewhere."

Blackwargreymon frowned as he thought about it. Him? The partner to a weak human? _It's ridiculous…yet…it has some appeal_. It might give him the knowledge he sought. Maybe having his own partner would provide the answers he wanted.

"I think it would be quite the experience for you Blackwargreymon…and you could use some human interaction."

Blackwargreymon turned to see Futa Ishisamee cleaning his energy rifle. "What do you mean?"

Futa turned around and smiled at the black Mega. He quietly pressed a small indentation in the golden armor covering his thigh…and then a slot opened up in it, revealing black device that looked extremely similar to a regular digivice. "This is a Digi-beacon. A long time ago, before the Order was created, the Guardian Beasts used their data to create the digivices for the first Digidestined. Some time between the great Gravemon outbreak and the Digidestined's last battle with Demon, I asked the Guardian Beast Baithumon to create a device that would allow me to go the Real World…just in case I ever wanted to see my partner."

"And?"

Futa sighed before answering Blackwargreymon. "He instead created something else: this Digi-beacon. When I activate it at the nearest Digiport, my partner's digivice will open a portal in the nearest device that has a network connection. It's not as good as an actual digivice, but it can be useful in an emergency…"

Tentomon looked up at Futa and said, "So you think there's an emergency to deal with?"

"You haven't forgotten, have you Tentomon?"

The Child of Knowledge turned around to see Shaun walking towards him, with (Agumon) right behind him. Shaun continued talking. "Remember that both Demon and UmbraDevimon have invaded the Real World."

"Oh yeah! I can't believe I forgot!" exclaimed Tentomon.

Wormmon piped up, "I don't blame you; we had Darkheart to deal with." It was true; in all the chaos and confusion surrounding Darkheart and his quest to absorb the power of the Digidestined, the thought of the Real World invasion had been pushed to the wayside.

But not now. Their next destination was the Real World.

Futa turned to Shaun and said, "I'm afraid my offer to go to the Real World right now is limited to Blackwargreymon, and him alone."

"Huh? Why?" asked (Agumon).

"Well, for one, your friend is still unconscious." Futa pointed over to Davis, who lay unconscious on the ground; Joe Kido was looking at him, trying to figure out the cause of his comatose condition.

"True that…what else?" asked Armadillomon, his Texan accent thick and heavy.

Futa frowned as he glanced momentarily at his Shadow, which sat some distance away. The fact it hadn't been destroyed in the titanic battle between was a sheer miracle. He then glanced back at Shaun. "Because think about it; the Dark Obelisks have continued to spew out Black Gears this entire time. The Gears have sought out Digimon all over…and sooner or later, UmbraDevimon will return to get a fresh army. That is not a guess; it is a fact. And with the arrival of the Gravemon in the Real World, I'm certain it is 'sooner'."

Shaun's face seemed to pale; even though he had suspected that the Gravemon had entered the Real World, he hadn't been able to confirm it…until now. "So…they have entered the Real World."

Futa nodded. "Yes, they have…and I'm going there to help my partner out." He glanced back at Blackwargreymon. "My offer still stands."

Blackwargreymon was silent as he contemplated Futa's offer. Even though he wanted answers from the Digidestined, he felt strangely compelled to go to the Real World…perhaps his supposed 'partner' was there? Maybe…and besides, there was a war going on…and he still enjoyed a good fight.

Finally, he said, "Very well…I accept your offer."

"Then we have an accord," replied Futa with a smile. He tilted his head towards the other Digidestined and said, "I must be off. Make sure you're prepared for the harsh road ahead." And with that, Futa walked off, with Blackwargreymon right behind him.

After they were out of earshot, Cody said, "I wonder why he doesn't want us to come to the Real World right away…?"

"Who knows…" muttered Ken.

As for Futa, he spoke as well once the two were out of earshot. "I did not ask the Digidestined to come for a reason, if that's what you're thinking."

"No, that isn't what I was thinking about…but since you brought up, then enlighten me," dryly replied Blackwargreymon without tilting his head.

"I've spoken with Gennai recently; he's a member of the Order and he's in the Real World. Things have taken a turn for the worse there; the city district known as Odaiba is almost completely demolished, and a typhoon of fire has surrounded it. In a three-way between UmbraDevimon and his army, Demon and his Demon Corps, and the Gravemon, I don't want the Digidestined to get involved until the playing field is more level."

"You're _concerned?_" said Blackwargreymon with some disbelief. "They are very powerful warriors. Why should you worry?"

Futa smirked as he hopped into the cockpit of his Shadow. "I only do it because I too am the partner of a Digidestined…and unlike these young ones, I know what the stakes have been raised to." Futa then closed the cockpit after saying, "Follow my Shadow to the nearest Digiport."

Blackwargreymon nodded as the dropship ascended…and moments later, both Blackwargreymon and the Shadow burst off to the north.

Meanwhile…

Palmon glanced down into the large hole in the ground, peering at the underground river where Mimi was. "Are you done yet?! You've been down there an awfully long time!"

A voice echoed out from a spot in the river that was out of sight. "I'm not CLEAN yet! Just hold on!"

Behind Palmon, Matt groaned. "Man, she's said that TEN TIMES ALREADY."

Beside him, Sora giggled. "She's a clean freak, especially when it comes to personal hygiene." Biyomon added, "I wish she'd hurry; I want a bath too!"

"Good luck with that," replied Matt sarcastically.

Gabumon was sitting behind Matt, leaning against his back in silence; his red eyes stared up into the sky quietly, which was filled with several cumulus clouds. Even now, as he heard the Digidestined talk and basically chatter, he couldn't help but smile at how calm they were acting…but then again, they had finally been freed from the prison of a very bad guy. They wanted to loosen up.

Business as usual…business as usual.

Meanwhile…

Joe frowned as he put away his first aid kit, which was nearly completely empty. "Nothing."

TK raised an eyebrow out of surprise. "Nothing?"

"No. NOTHING," replied Joe.

Gomamon yelled, "Are you KIDDING ME?! I may be the joker of jokes Joe, but that's a horrible one! There's no way he could be without a single scratch!"

Agumon, who was standing right behind them all, said, "I mean, we SAW Kari stab him in the gut just after we got out of Darkheart! How could he not have a wound at all?!"

"I don't know," admitted Joe with a frown. After bandaging and fixing Kari's wounds, he had found that Davis had no wounds at all. Not one. Nothing. Nada. Zilch.

TK's eyes narrowed as he thought about it. Patamon suddenly poked his head out from under TK's hat and asked, "Maybe it was a special technique that Kari used?"

"It's a possibility," replied TK quietly.

And all the while, Veemon was sitting right beside Davis' head. Davis looked completely at peace…he looked to be asleep, and nothing more.

Veemon frowned; he couldn't help but worry. _Please wake up Davish…_

----

/Dragomon's Palace, City of Cthulu, Dark World, 12:20 PM/

Dragomon smiled as he crushed the Darkheart piece with his tentacle. "And another pitiful being falls to the harsh light of my Queen…"

Dragomon could not help but feel happy; on one chessboard – with the exception of Mummymon, who stood in the far corner – stood only the Digidestined, who surrounded the Queen of the Light: Kari Kamiya.

On the chessboard sitting beside it sat two figures: UmbraDevimon and Demon.

"The two enemies continue to fight each other, and the Gravemon, now without the Mind, roam endlessly without direction, consuming any that cross their path…" Dragomon sighed as he leaned back into his throne. With a thought, another figure materialized on the board with the Digidestined: Piedmon. "And of course, there is this one…"

----

/Sphere Observation Deck, Fuji Television Station, Odaiba, 12:22 PM/

Natsuko quietly exited the door to the stairs in silence…and the first sight she saw was that of two figures.

Sitting against the wall in silence were Jim and Jun, both in an embrace…and it was an embrace of protectiveness, of desperation…and of love. And they were asleep.

She couldn't help but smile. _How sweet…_ She wished she could get some rest as well. Her body needed it. Although the sake Dietz had offered her had calmed her, it wasn't exactly therapeutic. Plus, it only made her think more about the past…alcohol had that effect on a lot of people.

"Need some help miss?"

Natsuko turned her head to see Inspector Macarthur walk towards her. She immediately shook her head, saying, "No, I'm fine…thank you anyway."

Macarthur nodded as he ran a finger across his black mustache, trying to keep it somewhat groomed. But, there wasn't really a time for personal appearances…not with everything that was going on right now.

Sighing, the Keibu looked out the window and said, "Do you think the end times are upon us?"

That question sort of threw Natsuko for a loop. After a few moments of thinking, she shook her head. "I…don't really know."

Macarthur sighed again. "I'd hope not…because there are so many things in life that I've yet to experience…I still have a kid in high school…I'd like to see him graduate college before I die…eh, but I'm rambling again. Guess I just need someone to talk to."

Natsuko remained silent…because she was one again reminded of the time she had been Natsuko Ishida instead of Natsuko Takaishi. So many things in life yet to experience…

What about things in life that have already been experienced…but you wish to experience them again?

**Skkrsh.**

Natsuko's thoughts were interrupted by the crackling of Macarthur's police radio. He quickly pulled it out of his trench coat's pocket and said, "This is Inspector Macarthur, go ahead."

"**Sir, we've just captured the enemy!"**

----

In the main lobby of the Fuji Television Station were five Bakemon. Their orders had been to scout out this building to see if any humans were here.

They had found humans…but they had not expected the amount they were now seeing.

Twenty Junsas surrounded them now…and two Junsa-chos – Dietz and Miyuki – and a Junsa-bucho – Ackerson – were staring at them quietly.

Dietz aimed his pistol at them and mockingly said, "Not so tough now, are you?"

The lead Bakemon flashed a set of bloody teeth at the Junsa-cho.

Dietz sheepishly muttered, "Please don't kill me."

Miyuki stepped forward – pistol gripped tightly in both hands – and demanded, "Why are you here? Why are you here in Odaiba?"

The Bakemon were silent.

Ackerson pressed the barrel of his Winchester rifle right between the eyes of the lead Bakemon. "I believe the lady asked you a question."

More silence.

Suddenly, the lead Bakemon chuckled. "You humans are all fools…our master, Lord Demon, is telepathic…and I just sent him a message. Now he knows you're here…"

The policemen and policewomen were silent; in the background were a number of civilians who were quietly watching the conversation between humans and Digimon, terror seeping into their bones.

Miyuki professionally asked, "Who's Lord Demon?"

"Our master…and the demon in red that will be the end of you…"

Dietz suddenly thought of the large horned demon in red clothing he had seen fighting the freakish hybrid sometimes yesterday. "…oh man, you've gotta be kidding me…"

Ackerson grumbled as he stepped back and yelled, "Open fire!"

Bullets flew.

But they hadn't been from the police.

As the five Bakemon became nothing more than masses of deleted data, a man in purple could be seen behind where the ghosts had once been. He had just entered the station from the outside. In his hands were two SAA revolvers.

Ackerson looked at the mans long, pale face quietly…and then he said, "Who are you?"

The man responded, "My name is Yukio Oikawa…and I'm only here to rest." _For a short while, that is_. After he fully rested, he was going to Archfiend Castle.

The senior police officers and the police sergeant were silent as Oikawa walked past them.

They were silent…because they were now scared. Not of the man in purple…but of what the ghostly creature had told them.

Their safety had been compromised.

They had been found out.

----

Darkness.

Nothing but darkness in every direction.

The only thing that could be seen was himself, which was illuminated by a large spotlight.

He was Davis Motomiya…and he was finally stirring.

"Ow…my head…" Davis slowly got up, moaning as he did. "Huh…where am I…?"

"_**RRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!!!!!"**_

Davis' lungs suddenly lost their air as Darkheart punched him in the gut, causing the Child of Miracles to stagger backwards. The spotlight followed him…and then another spotlight turned on, shining upon Darkheart.

However, he was not the Dark Angel. He was not the Dark Dragon. He was not the Hunter. He was not the Fighter. He was merely wearing the corrupted Armor of Miracles of the first stage: Normal mode.

And he looked MAD.

Davis didn't even have time to speak as Darkheart slapped him across the cheek. The dark titan roared, "I LOST **_EVERYTHING!!!_**"

A punch to the left temple.

"I WAS **THIS** CLOSE!!!"

A roundhouse kick across the face.

"I WAS THIS CLOSE TO REACHING MY ULTIMATE POWER!!!"

A furious series of punches to the torso.

"BUT NO!!! _SHE_ HAD TO INTERFERE!!!"

A vicious head butt to the head.

"SHE TOOK AWAY EVERYTHING I HAD GAINED!!!"

A ram with his shoulder into the sternum. Davis coughed up blood.

"AND IT'S ALL."

A powerful sweeping kick to the ankles. Davis feet lost contact with the ground; he was now airborne.

"YOUR."

A downward elbow thrust to Davis' chest, sending his airborne body into the ground with a sickening _SMACK._

"_**FAULT!!!!!"**_

A downward kick into his chest. Davis gagged on blood; there was now more blood in his mouth than saliva.

Darkheart stepped back and took several deep breaths, his immense rage at Davis pushing him on to inflict as much suffering as possible. He then asked, "What do you say…to THAT?"

Several seconds passed. Finally, Davis managed to…chuckle. "Heh…heh heh…if I recall correctly, wasn't it you who lost…?"

Darkheart snarled as his hand latched onto Davis' head. **_"WRONG ANSWER!!!"_**

He then slammed Davis' head into the ground. The Child of Miracles cried out in pain.

"You cocky little piece of trash…you think you're such hot stuff, DON'T YOU?" Darkheart slammed Davis' head into the ground again, eliciting another pained moan from the Child of Miracles. "Well guess what; you're NOT. As a matter of fact, it's all your fault such suffering came upon your pathetic friends." Nothing could hide the contempt and venom in Darkheart's voice.

Davis managed to choke out, "No…you caused all that suffering…"

Another slam into the ground. "Even if my free will is owed to Demon's Dark Spore, I was STILL created when UmbraDevimon exploited the weakness in your heart. Even though I'm no my own entity, I spawned from you…and honestly, you've overstayed your welcome."

Another slam into the ground. Blood was starting to leak out of Davis' right ear and mouth. The right side of his head was now wedged into the floor. It was a miracle his head hadn't been crushed…but at this rate…

"I'm going to get back in control of this body."

Another slam into the ground.

"And this time, I'm not going to have you interfering. No more digivolving your partner from the inside."

Another slam into the ground. Davis started to sob out of the sheer pain that gripped him.

"I'm going to beat you down until you can't get back up."

Another slam into the ground. A loud cry of pain escaped Davis' lips.

"**I'm going to put you through suffering so great…"**

Darkheart raised Davis again, his hand clutching the Child of Miracle's bloody head. He then reared his arm…

"…_**that the agony of Hell itself will PALE IN COMPARISON!!!!!!"**_

…and then he threw Davis as hard as he could.

Davis' body flew through the air, the spotlight tracking him all the while. He crashed into the wall with a loud thud, and he slumped to the ground, moaning all the while.

Darkheart walked up to him and pulled him off the ground with his left hand, using his right hand to grabbed Davis' right arm.

Then, in a voice colder than death itself, Darkheart said, "By the time I'm through with you, you'll have wished for death a thousand times over…and then some."

Then he snapped Davis' right arm in half.

Davis screamed.

----

/00-010-PSI, 12:35 PM/

"_**AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!"**_

Everyone suddenly jumped out of surprise; that scream had belonged to Davis.

Veemon yelled, "What's wrong Davish?!"

Davis' force was contorted with pain…but aside from that, he did not move. Only his face showed any movement whatsoever.

Veemon looked up at Joe, who was scanning Davis' face quietly. "What's wrong with Davish?"

"…I don't know…it looks like he's in the middle of a nightmare," replied Joe.

Shaun frowned as he stared at Davis' face; this was no nightmare. The cry that had emerged from Davis had been one of pain…and not of fear.

Shaun knelt down and opened Davis' eyes…and then gasped. "Oh Lord…he's still alive…"

Everyone gathered around to stare at Davis' eyes…and they gasped as well.

The right eye was Davis' normal eye color: brown. But his left eye…was blood red.

Kari knew what Shaun meant now. "Darkheart…is still alive?" Then what Siara had said about Davis needing his friends to wake up…was this why…?

Shaun nodded. "Yes…I think I know what's going on…Darkheart is still alive, and he's fighting for control of this body…"

All of a sudden, the brown eye began fluctuating in color.

It was mystifying to see the iris of the human eye to change in color; from brown to red and all the shades in between the two. Davis' right eye was constantly changing between red and brown and back again.

"…this is creepy…" muttered Patamon.

"What is the meaning of this?" asked Hawkmon, who had been enjoying a good flight in the sky until Davis had screamed.

Shaun could only come up with one answer.

"…it means Davis is losing."

No one could believe what was happening; after all the hardship they had endured to defeat Darkheart…there was the chance he was going to come back.

Shaun immediately yelled, "HOLY ARMOR ENERGIZE!!!"

Everyone impulsively leapt back as a flash of blue emanated from Shaun's body. When the flash subsided, they could see Shaun – in the Armor of Wisdom – holding Davis' head with his hand.

"What are you doing?!" demanded Tai.

As Shaun's eyes suddenly went out of focus, he replied, "I'm going to help him."

----

/Davis' Mind, 12:40 PM/

Darkheart couldn't help but smile as Davis cringed, his body in a fetal position. His right arm had been broken at the elbow, and it was limping loosely by his side.

"Now it's time to REALLY get to work…" Darkheart grabbed Davis' broken right arm with both hands, preparing to rip the forearm off at the elbow-

A flash of blue light.

Darkheart whirled around just in time for Shaun's fist to hit his face; a third spotlight suddenly turned on, revealing Shaun in the Armor of Wisdom.

Darkheart grimaced as he got up, his blood red eyes glaring straight into Shaun's emerald eyes. "You've caught me in a bad mood…"

Shaun brought his arms up in preparation of a strike from Darkheart. "I don't care. I'm just going to keep you from beating up on my friend."

Darkheart's expression suddenly contorted into one of absolute rage. **_"I WON'T LET ANYONE INTERFERE!!!"_**

Then, at a speed that would've made Imperialdramon jealous, Darkheart slammed his fist into Shaun's face.

----

/00-010-PSI, 12:43 PM/

Shaun suddenly yelped with pain as he brought his hand to his face; he broke off the telepathic link as he muttered, "Dang it…he's serious…"

"So Darkheart's actually alive?! What's going on in there?!" exclaimed Matt.

Shaun sighed as he rubbed his forehead with worry. "Darkheart's using a technique he figured out when I faced him…since he's in Davis' mind, he can do whatever he pleases there…and if I try to go in there again, he'll just push me out."

"Then what can we do?!" yelled Veemon.

Shaun was silent.

"Nothing."

Everyone suddenly turned towards Cody, who had just spoken. Yolei immediately burst, "Cody…HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND?!?!"

Cody shook his head.

"Then elaborate on what you mean," asked Izzy.

Cody kept his eyes fixated on Davis' still form as he spoke. "As far as I can tell, only Davis can defeat Darkheart now…all we can do is give him enough hope and courage to defeat him."

Everyone was silent as they contemplated Cody's words…and all of sudden, Shaun got sense of them. "I see…all right. Worth a shot."

"Wait. What are you talking about?" asked Mimi (who had finally gotten out of the river some time ago) out of confusion, her hair still wet from her soak in the river.

Shaun placed his hand on Davis' forehead again. "Everyone, grab on to me."

Cody, already knowing what to do, placed his head on Shaun's shoulder. Gatomon frowned out of confusion. "I don't understand; how is this going to help Davis?"

"It's like Cody said; we're going to be giving him the hope and courage needed to defeat Darkheart," said Ken, suddenly realizing what Cody's plan was. "Using the telepathic power of Shaun's Armor of Wisdom, all of us will be giving Davis our support."

"Wait…if Shaun could use his power to fight Darkheart in Davis' mind, then how come he can't just send us all there to kick Darkheart's fanny?!" asked Gomamon, demanding an answer.

Shaun gave Gomamon an annoyed look. "My telepathic powers are limited; putting myself in Davis' mind is one thing, but trying to put ALL of us in there? If I tried that, I'd probably give myself a fatal migraine."

Gomamon sweatdropped. "Oh."

Shaun looked over to everyone and said, "Well…shall we?"

Veemon immediately placed his paw on Shaun's arm. "Of course! Anything to help Davish!"

Kari quietly walked forward and placed a hand on Shaun's other shoulder. "Let's do it."

Soon, everyone had put their hands upon Shaun's arms, shoulders, and head. Their thoughts were ones of encouragement, support, and basically a statement of 'kick Darkheart's butt!'…but they all had a central theme.

We believe in you.

----

/Davis' Mind, 12:47 PM/

Davis had never felt such pain before…not even when had been held prisoner when Darkheart had been in power. His arm had already been broken…and now, Darkheart was tearing strips of his flesh off around the elbow, down to the bone.

Darkheart chuckled as he tore another strip of skin off. "Does it hurt? I want you to cry…I want your pride to suffer as much as your body."

Davis growled…well, he tried to. It only came out as a pained whimper.

A flash of blue light.

Darkheart growled as he began turning his head. "Are you back AGAIN?! If it didn't work once, it won't work…a second…time…"

Darkheart blanched at the sight of Shaun's…head. There was only a large head, illuminated by a spotlight. Davis, suddenly aware that the pain wasn't being inflicted anymore, looked up…and saw Shaun's floating head. …huh?

Shaun's head said, "The Digidestined have a message for Davis…so if you don't mind Darkheart…"

Shaun's head opened its mouth…and out came wisps of ghostly vapor in the general outline of the Digidestined and their partners. Darkheart and Davis could make out their faces and upper bodies.

Darkheart sweatdropped. "Okay…I don't care who you are. That's just plain weird."

Davis actually agreed…but his mind became preoccupied with the mists that were swirling around him…their light…it was so…comforting…

One in the shape of Tai drifted past him. _"Don't give up, man!"_

Davis blinked out of confusion. _Wha…?_

Another drifted by in the shape of Ken. _"Don't let the darkness take control of you."_

Then there was one drifting by in the shape of Matt. _"Don't lose your cool man; we're all here for you."_

Then there was one in the shape of Veemon. _"Hey Davish! Don't worry; I'm here too!"_

Davis couldn't help but marvel at all the wisps of light; they were his friends…even after everything that had happened, they were still here for him. They were still supporting him…they were still his friends…

Another wisp passed him; this one looked like TK. _"Don't lost hope!"_

It was almost a shame…he had almost lost faith in his friends…that they would somehow save him. The pain had been so great, that he had lost hope…

"_No matter what happens, we're all by your side,"_ spoke a wisp that looked like Sora.

But he had been a fool. They were still there.

They were still there for him…and they would stay there until the end.

Another one floated in front of him…and this one looked like Kari. She spoke softly at him. _"We have faith in you Davis…so don't lose faith in yourself…"_

Davis silently grabbed the Kari-shaped wisp and embraced it, even though it wasn't solid. What a girl…what a girl… "Thank you…everyone…"

"How touching."

Davis looked up at Darkheart, who was glaring at him without mercy. "But your torture's not over yet." His fist crackled with dark energy…and then he launched his punch. "SAY GOODNIGHT!!!"

Darkheart's punch never hit Davis' face.

Instead, it hit the palm of Davis' right hand…and that was surprising enough, considering that his right arm had been broken moments ago…in fact, it looked brand new.

Darkheart's eyes bulged out of shock. "WHAT?!?! **HOW????**"

Davis chuckled as the light around him seemed to disappear…and after Shaun's head seemed to fade away into the background, he said, "I just figured out how to beat you…it's all in the head." At that moment, the Armor of Miracles – golden and shining – appeared on Davis' body, glowing in all of its glory.

Darkheart could only stare…and then he muttered, "Today just isn't my day…"

**POW!!!**

Davis punched Darkheart into the ground before flying into the air, his entire body glowing with golden energy. "You know what I've realized Darkheart?!"

Darkheart could look up, his body paralyzed in place. _I can't move…now…he's taking control again…!_

Davis cockily smirked at Darkheart from above before saying, "I've realized…that you're nothing more than a big, bad bully…" His entire body flared with a golden aura as he roared, "AND I'M NEVER SCARED OF A BULLY!!!" The aura continued to flare brighter as Davis thrust his arms and legs outward. "MAGNA…"

Darkheart could only say one thing in the face of his impending destruction. "…ah, son of a-"

"**EXPLOSION!!!!!!!"**

The sphere of golden light erupted from Davis' body, pressing out against every single wall of the dark room…and when it reached maximum size, Davis thrust his arms and legs downward at Darkheart, directing all of the energy at his corrupted alter ego. **_"HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!"_**

Darkheart howled as the golden sphere turned into a massive stream that pressed down against his body, pushing him further downward into the recesses of Davis' mind. As he was continuously pushed downward, the dark being roared, "_THIS ISN'T OVER DAVIS MOTOMIYA!!!_ **_YOU HEAR ME?!?!_** **_THIS ISN'T OVER!!!!!!"_**

Davis ceased his attack…and then he clapped his hands together. The massive chasm that had been formed by Darkheart's body suddenly closed over. "Tell it to the judge."

It was finally over.

Darkheart had been sealed away…hopefully for good.

----

/00-010-PSI, 12:54 PM/

Davis sat up like a shot.

**_KONK!!!_**

This resulted in him hitting Shaun square on the head. The Child of Wisdom was knocked backwards, his hands impulsively snapping toward his forehead. "OW!!!"

Davis wasn't so lucky. He flopped backward, landing on the ground.

"DAVIS!!!" yelled everyone as they gathered around him.

Joe quickly opened Davis' eyes, stared at them for a moment…and then he sweatdropped. "He's just unconscious." Yes; Davis' infamous spree of bad luck had struck again.

Silence.

And then Yolei laughed. "Some things never change…"

Kari, however, noticed one change.

Both of Davis' eyes were brown. A small smile crossed her face. _Welcome back Davis…_

And all the while, a Black Gear was floating above, high in the sky…and it had been the same one trailing the Digidestined during their fights with Darkheart.

----

/Sky over Odaiba, 12:56 PM/

"DIE!!!!!!"

Demon casually dodged to the side, evading all four of UmbraDevimon's punches. "You're becoming hasty. CHAOS INFERNO!!!"

UmbraDevimon groaned as his body was pushed away by the demonic blue fire; the hybrid Mega fell against the rubble of a fallen building, his teeth clenched out of pain. Demon set down in front of him moments later.

The demonic Mega smirked. "You're losing your edge UmbraDevimon. Is your stamina too low after constant fighting?"

UmbraDevimon didn't respond…but he knew what the answer was. The Digidestined's Digimon, after maintaining such a high level for so long, had finally dedigivolved…and his power had gone down as a result. Darkheart must have given those Digibrats a run for their money.

Demon smiled as the howl of a Greymon echoed through the air, accompanying the sound of Deathmon's shouting, "Death Arrow!" The demonic Mega said, "Look around you; both of our armies have experienced great losses…but even so, think about the numbers. You came into battle with 1,000,000 Digimon…and I had only 10,000 Bakemon under my command, with three Black Generals and Colonel Soulmon. Now look; your army is nearly destroyed. Unlike your mindless slaves, my troops have been well trained. They know when to momentarily retreat…and with the advent of the Gravemon, they know better than to stick around when they appear, whereas yours will blindly charge…face it UmbraDevimon. This fight is over."

UmbraDevimon frowned; he knew Demon spoke the truth. He needed another army…and he knew just where to get one.

His lower right hand's index finger glowed red. He immediately tore open a portal right above him and flew in. Before anything could be said about it, the red portal closed.

Demon remained silent…and then he contemptibly muttered, "Coward."

Oh well. It mattered not…now he had other matters to deal with.

For one, the suffering of humanity; he would gather all surviving humans in his castle…and then commence the torture.

Demon immediately thought of the one message he had gotten via his telepathy from a Bakemon soldier. His pale blue eyes quietly turned toward one structure: the Fuji Television Station.

Demon reached out with his telepathic powers…and he smiled. There wereover a thousand humans in that building alone. "Perfect…"

He would choose LadyDevimon and Colonel Soulmon to lead a new mission: a mission to invade the building and capture all the humans within.

----

/01-000-ALPHA, UmbraDevimon's Lair, 1:00 PM/

Mummymon tilted his head towards the wall; a red portal suddenly appeared in it, and out stepped UmbraDevimon. "Hello master."

UmbraDevimon sighed as he lumbered into the room; this place had once been the main computer room for the Digimon Emperor, as evidenced by the large computer Mummymon was standing in front of. Now it was used to see other parts of the Digital World using the Black Gears.

Such a thing was useless to UmbraDevimon; he had a link to all of his Black Gears. But to one such as Mummymon, the tool was useful. "Hello Mummymon…what has happened while I've been gone?"

"Darkheart has fallen," sullenly replied Mummymon.

"**_WHAAAT??!!"_** roared UmbraDevimon out of absolute shock; his one weapon against the Digidestined had been defeated? "HOW?! Did they kill him?!"

"No." Mummymon motioned towards the computer terminal. "I've been watching Darkheart from time to time…they are in sector 00-010-PSI right now. The Digidestined freed the Child of Miracles from your corruptive influences."

UmbraDevimon scowled; this would explain his sudden loss of power. With no enemy, the Digidestined would have no need to digivolve their Digimon. "This is just perfect…"

"Master, may I inquire as to why you are here?" asked Mummymon silent, his yellow eye staring out from under his big blue hat.

UmbraDevimon frowned as he answered, "I am here to replenish my army. Why?"

Mummymon calmly replied, "I would like to go and face the Digidestined on my own…to buy you time to recuperate your forces. I may not stand much of a chance…but I have a few tricks up my sleeve."

UmbraDevimon thought about it; Mummymon wasn't exactly a zealous warrior. But even so, he could use any time the Ultimate Digimon offered him. One couldn't be picky when the ball was not in one's court; he had to make some short-term sacrifices to win the long-term war. "Very well." His lower right hand's index finger glowed red as he tore a circular portal open in the floor. "Go."

Mummymon nodded as an Egyptian sarcophagus materialized above the portal. It was made of pure gold, and a number of Egyptian hieroglyphics adorned its sides. It looked like an exact replica of King Tutankhamen's sarcophagus.

Mummymon hopped inside, letting the lid close over him. And then it fell into the portal.

UmbraDevimon immediately sent out a message to all Digimon under the control of his Black Gears. _All servants of my will…your master beckons you to his Lair!_

----

/Warehouse #7, Tokyo Bay, Odaiba, 1:06 PM/

"I still don't understand…" muttered Hiroaki. "Why would he willingly join the bad guys?"

"I wouldn't blame him…I did abandon him, after all," said Joshua in a nonchalant tone. In all honesty, he hadn't been surprised when Gennai had told him of what had become of his partner in the time since the last battle against Demon.

Gennai sighed as he leaned against the wall. "Still, it's a troubling development…and I honestly don't know where he is now."

Daniel Hida remained silent…but he had an ominous feeling grip his bones. Something was about to happen.

The four males had kept to themselves in the back corner of the warehouse; by this time, everyone had finally woken up.

Mantarou grumbled a she fiddled with the bandage on his right thigh. "Man…stupid wound…"

His mother lightly thwacked him on the head. Subaru immediately said, "Don't mess with the bandage. That was a nasty wound you got."

"But it itches!" moaned the only male child of the Inoues.

"Listen to your mother," dully interjected Sasuke, the father of the Inoue family.

Mantarou just groaned, eliciting giggles from his sisters: Chizuru and Momoe.

Keisuke Tachikawa grumbled as he walked toward the door. "If you guys don't mind, I'm going out for a few minutes to get some fresh air."

"Don't be too long!" yelled Gennai. "There are lots of Digimon out there!"

Keisuke opened the door.

He was face-to-face with a ghost, who was obviously surprised to see him there. Keisuke stumbled backward and screamed, "AAAHH!!!"

Ten Bakemon poured into the room, with the eleventh going to alert the other eighteen Bakemon searching the docks. DemiDevimon stomped inside, stopping in front of them. "Good work chumps! Round them all up and take them to the castle!"

"Hello DemiDevimon."

DemiDevimon blinked out of confusion. He turned to face the Bakemon and yelled, "Who said that?"

The Bakemon shrugged. "Wasn't us."

"It was me."

DemiDevimon turned his eyes toward the one who had spoke…and he faced Joshua Kido.

The Rookie frowned. _That face…_ Suddenly, on instinct, he roared, "DEMI DART!!!" He threw the syringe at Joshua, who caught it mere inches away from his neck.

The doctor glanced at it with a sad smile. "I've told you before…clean your syringes. The needles look dirty…"

DemiDevimon's eyes widened; he knew that phrase…and he knew who spoke it. His yellow eyes hardened into an angry glare. "You…you again…"

A Bakemon incredulously asked, "You KNOW this human?!"

DemiDevimon nodded. "Yeah…this chump was once my 'partner'…but he didn't CARE!!!" DemiDevimon hastily turned his head and ordered, "TAKE ALL THE HUMANS EXCEPT THAT ONE!!! I want that one **_DEAD!!!_**" _After all, he deserves it after he abandoned me…_

The Bakemon looked at each other…then they shrugged. One human didn't matter to them. "Well, let's bloody him up!" The ten Bakemon charged…

And at that moment, the digivice in Hiroaki's pocket glowed.

The nearby computer terminal shined brightly as a Digiport was opened…and when the light faded, two figures could be seen standing there.

Futa Ishisamee.

And Blackwargreymon.

Satoe Tachikawa paled at the sight of the new, imposing Digimon standing in their midst. She whimpered, "Oh dear…I knew letting Mimi come to Japan was a bad idea…"

"Futa!" exclaimed Hiroaki from the rear of the warehouse.

Futa said nothing. He merely pulled two rods off of his belt and pressed a button on each; he now held two activated plasma swords. He chuckled as he said, "Just in time for the show…don't you agree?"

Blackwargreymon extended the claws of his gauntlets. "Yes…"

Suddenly, the Bakemon weren't so sure about their chances for survival.

----

/00-010-PSI, 1:13 PM/

Davis rubbed the knot on his head angrily. "Stupid bump…" He wad currently leaning against one of the trees in the area…sitting by himself…well, Veemon was with him.

Veemon happily said, "It's good to have you back Davish…"

"Yeah…it's good to be back too." Davis sighed out of content. To finally be in control of his body…he relished it. And Darkheart was finally gone…he hoped.

"Hi Davis."

Davis yelped out of surprise, causing Veemon to tumble over. The Rookie mumbled, "Ow."

Davis looked around to see Kari there. "Oh…hi Kari."

"Mind if I sit down?" asked Kari sweetly.

Davis blushed as he nodded; Kari sat down next to the tree a several feet in front of him. She sighed before saying, "Davis…it's good to have you back."

Davis smiled back Kari…but he still felt a little rotten for everything he had put Kari and the others through. "…Kari, I'm sorry."

"For what? What Darkheart did wasn't your fault," said Kari with a warm smile. "You couldn't help it…all that matters now is that you're safe."

"But still…" Davis groaned as he leaned back against the tree. "The only reason Darkheart was created by UmbraDevimon in the first place was because of my anger and jealousy towards TK…I know that you and TK aren't an item…but still, that monster used every trick he had to make me hate TK…and because of that, I became Darkheart." His head sagged downward. "I'm sorry for being so weak…"

Kari silently reached a hand over to Davis, placing a hand on his cheek gingerly. "Davis…we all have our moments of weakness…but you overcame it. That's all the matters."

_Such friendship…man, she's awesome._ Davis smiled widely at Kari. "Thanks…"

"Uh, pardon my interruption, but what's that?" asked Veemon.

Davis and Kari tilted their heads to see an Egyptian sarcophagus standing amongst a throng of trees. Kari blinked. "I don't remember seeing that before."

All of a sudden, it opened…revealing Mummymon in his true mummified form. In his right hand was his massive gun. "Hello Digidestined."

Davis got to his feet. "Kari, go get the others."

Kari nodded. "Okay…be careful." She quickly ran out of the woods towards the others. Davis turned back toward Mummymon and pulled out his D-3. "I WAS hoping for a day off…but I guess not." He looked down at Veemon. "Ready Veemon?"

Veemon happily grinned. "Always am Davish!"

Mummymon remained silent as he stared at the Child of Miracles quietly. _Give me freedom from this torturous existence…give me the death I seek._

----

To be continued…

Next time…

Episode 55: Plight of the Pharaoh

----

Author's Notes: The Battle Mini-Arc is over…and as it ends, so does the Darkheart Saga.

But now, another saga is nearing its end as well.

Hold on everyone; the UmbraDevimon Saga, which began in episode 24, is now nearing its climax.

And before any of you mutilate me for giving you incorrect choices on the 'Guess who Joshua's partner is' list…be honest; do you REALLY think I would've given it away like that? :P

See you soon and please review!


	55. Plight of the Pharaoh

Standard Disclaimer: Snarkly snark snark. I don't own Digimon. Walla walla, Washington. Yo.

Author's Notes: The hype has set in…I have good news for you all. I will now update Zero 2 continuously until the end has been reached! In other news, Zero 2 – as of this episode – is now longer than any season of the regular Digimon show!

And one more thing; my name is now **_Ultra Sonikku._** FFnet, for some reason, has outlawed numbers in the profile name, and Ultra Sonic had already been taken.

To the reviews!

Anime obsessed fan: Hello Mr. Fan! Glad you finally decided to jump ship.

Cloud-821: Well, that's the curse of doing the follow-up of such a big, battle-heavy chapter like 'Battle of the Angels'. I never intended for the Davis/Darkheart fight to be like the Kari/Darkheart battle. Sorry if I disappointed anyone, but that's the way it goes. Oh, and one more thing…can you catch the RvB reference in this episode? ;)

Malebolgia: OH. I thought you were talking about my 'Joshua's Partner' list. Heh…Huanglongmon…that's a good one…(hides plans for the last episode) Nothing to see here. C.C;

reviewer: I see you're a big-time Cody fan.

Nightfire04: Heh…just you wait until you see this episode for the truth behind Mummymon's 'suicidal' feelings. ;)

Anthony1: (add comment here)

ficmaster: (blinks) …okay…

Alforce Zero: The other two original Digidestined mentioned are Teela Yamaki and Miranda Akiyama. Miranda's importance is that she's Ryo's grandmother…and as for Teela…just you wait and see. ;) They'll both make an appearance in Zero 2, FYI.

And thanks for the cameo (of sorts. :P ) in 'Legends of the Digidestined'.

Miracles: About another ten episodes or so.

UKHoneyB: You said MarineDevimon, and then DemiDevimon…and it wasn't a Black Gear that went him; it was a Dark Spore. O.o;

As for your request, sure thing. As a matter of fact, I've already formulated what the cameo will be…just put in character info in your next review. (boots her off the cliff)

SR71will: You're sort of right…but mostly wrong. If you look in Episode 29: The Puppetmon Games (where Shaun first mentioned the Guardian Beasts), I also called him Baithumon. I changed the name because I think it sounds better.

Dark Qiviut and Jeremy: (blinks as Qiviut yells at him, then laughs, then makes naughty references) …okay…mind keeping you personal exploits with Samantha 'personal'? (goes off to hit the naughty imagery out of his head) X.X;

I knew about the Digimon Encyclopedia, but the Digiport was quite a nice one. Thank'ee.

As for you Jeremy, I just added the words (starting in the fifteenth episode 'The Dark World') at the beginning to sort of allude to what would take place in each episode. Sort of like a mini-spoiler.

Ninetalesuk: Of course there are questions…and you shall get answers as time goes on…

Dot Cubed: Eep. O.O; (puts on a police hat and a Dietz mask) Please don't kill me.

BeatlesLover: I wasn't aware my mom was a female dog…o.o; As for my choices…well, I like to surprise people. ;)

Digi fan: Dracomon? Who is this Dracomon? o.o?

Bluesv20: I take it you find it funny. :P

spiecas: Heh. 'Long' you say? :P

Salamon2: Umm…I don't exactly get the point behind your 'plot device' message. o.o; However, I will say this; you are DEAD wrong about Mummymon. I'm certain you will be VERY surprised. And my answer to your question is (suddenly gagged and knocked out by my inner author) …

Silver Warrior (cackles) You can't figure it out! You can't figure it out! :P (slugged) Ow. x.x

IMPORTANT NOTE FOR FFX-3 READERS: Since this was requested by 'Assamite', I'll answer him. Yes, all three factions of Trigon have their own Overdrive.

Begin!

----

_Death._

_To some, it is the end of life…_

_To others, it is eternal rest…_

_But there are those who do not know rest, even in death…_

_Mummymon is a prime example of this._

----

"Hi guys, guess who? Yep, it's me, Davis! In case you're wondering where've I been…well, it's sort of obvious. But the good thing is that Darkheart was finally defeated! I finished him off, with a whole heaping load of thanks to my friends. A lot more stuff happened in the Real World, but come on: the Digidestined are the stars of this show! Speaking of show, we have a big fight coming with Mummymon!"

----

Episode 55: Plight of the Pharaoh

----

What is a soul?

One definition is 'the immaterial essence, animating principle, or actuating cause of an individual life'. A second is 'an active or essential part', or 'a moving spirit'. Another is 'a person's total self'.

Many people say that all humans have a soul. Some say that all living things have a soul…and there are quite a few who extend it to every single thing, living and nonliving.

No matter what people say, one thing is almost universally agreed upon; a soul is something that continues on, even after death.

Some souls endure endless torture; punishment for the sins they commited in life.

Other souls rest in peace, for that is their award for a life of goodness and virtue.

However, some souls that achieve rest…have it taken away. They are denied their reward…and sometimes, the reasons behind that are cruel.

For instance, take Mummymon as an example. His soul had once known rest…but that rest had been taken away. Now he seeks it once more…

----

/00-010-PSI, 1:19 PM/

…and it had brought him here to face the Digidestined in a fight to the death.

Davis and Veemon stared at him in silence…but judging from their tense stance and their rigid frames, they were ready to fight.

Davis quickly pulled out his D-3. "No chances Veemon! Let's do it!"

"Right Davish!" Veemon immediately digivolved.

Veemon digivolve to……XVmon!

XVmon digivolve to……Paildramon!

Davis then roared, "HOLY ARMOR ENERGIZE!!!" One flash of golden light later, and he was wearing the Armor of Miracles.

Paildramon looked at Davis out of confusion. "Hey. How come you didn't let me go all the way to Mega?"

"Because," replied Davis as he flashed his partner a cocky grin. "I wanted a piece of him too!" Paildramon smiled back at his partner. "Right!"

"You have made the first move…now let me make mine." Mummymon held his left arm forward. "Snake Bandage!!!"

Then the bandages came flying. Davis and Paildramon's mouths dropped out of surprise as dozens of snake-like bandages erupted from his arm, swirling through the air and under the ground. Before Davis and Paildramon could do anything, a wall of tapestry had formed behind them. The only part that wasn't covered by bandages was a tunnel. Davis yelled, "Hey! What gives?!"

"My fight is with the younger children; the elder Digidestined are trapped by my bandages," answered Mummymon. "Only the new Digidestined are my foes."

Paildramon arched an eyebrow out of confusion. "Uh…why?"

Mummymon frowned bitterly before replying, "Because I was one of those who tortured the young ones…you remember, do you not?"

Davis frowned as he fought revulsion; the memory of UmbraDevimon's 'lesson' suddenly became clear in his mind. Paildramon merely winced because he had been a PART of that lesson. The Child of Miracles growled, "Yeah…I remember."

Mummymon continued, "Well…I happen to believe in vengeance. Now prepare yourself." Mummymon raised his weapon and pulled the trigger. "Mummy Blaster!!!"

Davis and Paildramon leapt away as the blast of red energy rocketed toward them, scorching the ground.

The battle was on.

----

/Warehouse #7, Tokyo Bay, Odaiba, 1:24 PM/

The mere sight of Joshua Kido made DemiDevimon's blood boil.

The last time he had seen him had been 28 years ago…in the nexus between the Digital World and the Real World.

That had been when the original Digidestined had fought Demon for the last time. The fact that Demon was now his current 'employer' made this memory even more vivid in DemiDevimon's mind.

The battle had been fierce; the original Digidestined's five Mega Digimon had fought Demon and his small army of Bakemon and Vilemon. Even though they had already bested both Apocalymon and the Gravemon, Demon had proven to be…quite tough.

All of the Digidestined's partners had fought with all their might.

Elitemon (Futa Ishisamee), the partner of Hiroaki Ishida.

DemiDevimon, the partner of Joshua Kido.

Gabumon, the partner of Hiroki Hida.

Lopmon, the partner of Teela Yamaki.

Hagurumon, the partner of Miranda Akiyama.

The Mega forms of those five Digimon (Futa is a Mega anyway, but that's beside the point) had engaged in battle with Demon and his army. After a long-fought battle, they managed to seal Demon away in the Dark World. They had been victorious.

But there had been casualties of that fight…specifically, the friendship that had been formed between DemiDevimon and Joshua.

During that fight, Demon had inflicted a horrible burn wound to Joshua. After that fight, his partner had immediately gone to help…but he had been shunned.

DemiDevimon's teeth clenched angrily. _How dare he…how dare he…after all the trouble I went through to try and be a good guy, he had to do that to ME?!?!_ Before he knew it, he was a few feet away from Joshua.

The surgeon looked down at DemiDevimon impassively through his glasses. Even the sounds of Futa and Blackwargreymon tearing through the Bakemon with expert ease didn't reach their ears.

To others, it would appear that they were standing in the middle of an old warehouse. But to them, they were in an entirely different realm, where only they existed.

Finally, DemiDevimon said, "I changed for you, you know that?"

Joshua was silent. However, the slight rise of his eyebrow indicated that he wanted to hear more. DemiDevimon momentarily grumbled; as he had gotten to know Joshua long ago, he had gotten to know his various quibbles and body language.

DemiDevimon continued, "I was once a bad guy before you showed up in the Digital World. I was a prankster, a pickpocket…heck, I was a henchman for a tyrant or two."

"I remember quite well. You were the highly-ranked servant of Orochimon when we first found you." When he had first found DemiDevimon, he had been the servent of Orochimon, an eight-headed serpent Virus Digimon of the Ultimate level. Orochimon had been the ruler of the BETA sectors long ago. As a matter of fact, he had been the original Digidestined's first villain, before even Apocalymon.

"That's right…and then I find out we're partners, and I have no choice but to go with you." DemiDevimon grumbled as he remembered the times after Orochimon's destruction…which, ironically, had been at the hands of none other than his Champion form: Devimon (not the Devimon that would become the older kids' first enemy, mind you). "At first, I couldn't believe how I'd gotten stuck with a chump like you. You were a stickler for order, a complainer, and you always pointed out my social flaws!"

"And you were also a complainer, you had a nasty habit of pranking my fellow Digidestined, and you had a bit of mean streak," pointed out Joshua, who showed no trace of emotion in his voice. Nothing but utter calm.

DemiDevimon's glare softened into a stare as he continued speaking, "As time went on, you managed to get me to turn over a new leaf."

"Not completely. Just one side at a time."

"Hey, I'M telling the story!" snapped DemiDevimon. "Anyhow, you actually started treating me less as an annoyance…and more like a partner. I was doing the same to you…and things were starting to get swell by the time we started fighting Lord Demon."

Joshua interjected, "So now he's replaced Orochimon in your life?"

"I'M TELLING THE STORY!!!" roared the little Rookie. If there was one thing about Joshua that could always tick DemiDevimon off to no end, it was Joshua's logical way of speaking. "Then we fought Demon…and we beat him…and then you had the gall to do what you did…"

Joshua remained silent as his partner floated to face level. Then, DemiDevimon kicked him in the chin. Joshua made a slight wince…and then DemiDevimon howled, _**"YOU ABANDONED ME!!!!!!** **AFTER EVERYTHING WE DID, EVERYTHING WE ACCOMPLISHED, YOU HAD THE GALL TO JUST UP AND LEAVE ME!!!!!!!** YOU RETURNED TO YOUR COZY LITTLE HOME, AND I NEVER HEARD FROM YOU AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!"_

His voice was practically deafening; by this time, all of the Bakemon had been annihilated…and all eyes were directed towards Joshua Kido and DemiDevimon.

DemiDevimon continued his tirade. "Do you have any _IDEA_ what that DID TO ME?!! **_I WAS CRUSHED!!!_** YOU PRACTICALLY RUINED ANY AND ALL PROGRESS I MADE TOWARD BEING A GOODIE-TWO-SHOES!!! _DO YOU KNOW HOW HARD IT WAS TO MAKE THE TRANSITION BACK TO BAD GUY?!?!?!_ **IT TOOK YEARS!!!!!!** I WENT THROUGH BEING MYOTISMON'S TOADY, AND NOW LORD DEMON'S!!! DO YOU THINK I **_ENJOY_** SUCKING UP TO THEM??!!! PART OF ME ENJOYS BEING A BADDIE…**BUT DEEP DOWN, IT MAKES ME THINK OF YOU_, AND IT TEARS ME APART!!!!!!!!"_**

DemiDevimon floated back and took a deep breath; although he hadn't been aware of it, he now had tears welling up in his yellow eyes. Joshua remained silent as DemiDevimon contemptuously muttered, "And now you're back…well if you're expecting me to get on my knees and come crawling back to you…**_YOU CAN FORGET IT."_**

Joshua was silent. Everyone was silent. Only the sounds of war could be heard now.

Finally, Mr. Kido said, "First of all, wipe away those tears. They ruin the 'tough-guy image' you say you possess."

DemiDevimon blinked, finally realizing the wetness that had gathered in his eyes. "GAH!!!" He quickly set down and wipe his eyes clean with his wings.

Joshua then said, "Also, I don't expect you to come back to me."

DemiDevimon blinked out of genuine confusion. "Uh…you're not?"

"It's unrealistic to think that you'd be so willing to come back to me, especially after I abandoned you. I'm speaking to you for one reason, and one reason only." Joshua sighed as he removed his glasses and rubbed his eyes. After placing them back on, he said, "To say that I'm truly sorry for abandoning you. You above all people do not deserve it…and I also want to ask for your forgiveness."

DemiDevimon glared silently, staring into Joshua's eyes. The fact that he had taken off his glasses at all meant that he was feeling VERY emotional about this.

Finally, he grumbled and turned away, muttering, "…just don't expect any favors."

Joshua actually smiled; that was DemiDevimon's 'unique' way of saying yes. The man sighed with relief, saying, "Thank you…now, we must get down to business."

DemiDevimon's wings twitched at the sound of 'business'. It meant something big was about to happen. "What 'kind' of business?"

Joshua Kido reached into his pants pocket and pulled out something very familiar: his digivice. "Your employer is destroying my home…and it's their home as well." He motioned toward all of the humans standing in the room, except for Gennai. "I'd like for you to help."

DemiDevimon frowned before asking, "…what if you get scared and abandon me again?"

"I won't."

That was good enough an answer for DemiDevimon. He was silent…and then he chuckled. "Heh…looks like I'm going to be fired for this."

Futa clicked his upper mandibles together; a sign of enjoyment amongst the Elitemon. Hiroaki grinned at the display. Blackwargreymon was merely confused; he had no idea what had just happened. He glanced down at Futa and quietly asked, "What has just happened here?"

Futa smiled as he replied, "Reconciliation."

DemiDevimon waited silently as Joshua held his digivice forward. "Now…let us proceed. Digivolve."

DemiDevimon vanished in a flash of white light.

DemiDevimon warp-digivolve to……Daemon!

When the flash of light faded, an eight-foot tall being that looked eerily similar to Daemon could be seen. However, there were differences; unlike Demon, Daemon's robes were blue and not red. The yellow eyes that lined the cuffs of his sleeves and the bottom rim of his robes were now simple ovals. The green markings that marked the triangular design on the front of his robes were gone; all of the pentagrams on his uniform were also gone. His necklace was made of jade beads, and the pendant was gold instead of silver. Also, Daemon was the Data version of the viral Demon. Aside from that, nothing had changed; not the skin, not the wings, not the claws, not the horns…and not the icy blue eyes that peered out from under the hood.

Joshua momentarily froze at the sight of those eyes; for a moment, he thought he was looking at Demon the enemy and not Daemon the friend.

Daemon – in a deep, hoarse voice similar to Demon's – reassuringly said, "I'm not Demon."

Joshua's fear suddenly evaporated as he once again realized his mistake. When he had run away 28 years ago, he had fled from the wrong Digimon. He had fled from Daemon…and not Demon.

Hiroaki stepped forward and placed a hand on Joshua's shoulder. "I'm proud of you."

Joshua said nothing.

At that moment, Yuuko stepped forward and demanded, "Okay, WHAT ON EARTH IS GOING ON HERE?!?!"

**_CRASH!!!_**

Everyone yelped with surprise as a Digimon crashed through the metal roof of the warehouse and landed on the floor to the very rear of the room…and when the dust cleared, a demon in red could be seen.

"I'll be glad to answer," replied Demon with a sneer.

Futa growled as he deactivated his plasma swords and pulled two energy rifles out of their holsters. "You…"

Demon's pale blue eyes narrowed as he stared at Futa Ishisamee, Hiroaki, Joshua, and Daemon. "Well well…two members of the original Digidestined." He glared at Futa. "I still remember the hole you put in my gut with those swords of yours."

"And I'll be happy to do so again once I get close enough," replied Futa with a devilish grin.

"And you…" Demon sneered as he looked at Daemon. "My pathetic doppelganger."

"I'm no doppelganger. I'm my own class act," replied Daemon with a snarl.

Demon chuckled. "If you say so…but still, it was fortuitous I had let you into my castle in the first place. I knew one day that you would lead me to one of the Digidestined that sealed me away."

Daemon's eyes widened with surprise. "What? How did-?"

"I NEVER forget a face…especially the face of an enemy. Nor did I forget your stench…but I brought you in for a reason." He suddenly clenched his fist as purple electricity coursed through it.

Daemon suddenly gagged as a tremendous pain roared through his body; all of a sudden, it left as the Dark Spore phased through his neck and dissipated into nothingness. "Wha…? What did-?"

"I put that Dark Spore for a reason: I did it to keep a constant eye on you. With a mere thought, I could see and hear whatever you saw and heard…and that's how I knew to come here." Demon chuckled as his fists crackled with red fire. "Now…let us settle this old score."

Blackwargreymon suddenly stepped between Daemon and Demon. Demon arched an eyebrow out of mild surprise. "Whoever you are, stay out of my way."

"No." Blackwargreymon placed the purple D-3 in the small cranny beneath his right gauntlet and extended his Dramon Destroyer claws. "Until I can find the owner of this digivice, I will do what I do best…fight. And you seem to be a worthy opponent."

Demon snickered at his challenger. "Very well…let us do battle in the sky." With that, Demon flapped his wings and ascended through the hole in the roof and into the air. Blackwargreymon immediately followed.

Before Daemon could ascend, Futa hopped on his shoulders. The Elitemon asked, "I'm sure you remember our last fight with Demon."

Daemon smirked as he glanced up at his ally. "I only wish your sense of balance is top-notch." Daemon immediately flapped his wings and ascended through the hole in the roof, with Futa maintaining his balance with expert ease.

As they left Joshua's sight, he only thought one thing: _Be careful._

Toshiko Takenouchi suddenly yelled, "We have to get away from here; this place isn't safe anymore."

Daniel Hida calmly and logically replied, "The question, Mrs. Takenouchi, is 'where'? What other place in this city would be safer at the moment?"

"…the TV station…"

Everyone turned their heads towards Hiroaki, who spoke with sudden realization. "Gennai can use his wires to configure a portal…we would quickly pass along the edge of the barrier between the Real and Digital Worlds through a Digiport…and then we would end up in the television station."

"What makes you think the TV station will be safe?" asked Mantarou Inoue.

"The TV station is one of the primary fallback spots for the police in case something bad happens to the police station," answered Hiroaki.

"How do you know this?" asked Anna Hida.

Hiroaki confidently smiled. "Hey, I'm head of security there. It's my job to know these things."

Gennai nodded out of understanding. "Yes…the TVs in the station are all connected to communications networks. And there are a lot of computers as well. We'll have no problem getting there!" Gennai quickly ran towards the computer terminal and let the wires slide out from under his fingernails, causing him to momentarily wince. They connected with the computer terminal and worked their magic.

Hiroaki looked at everyone as he held his own digivice tightly. "Everyone, gather around the computer; we're going for a little ride."

Haruhiko Takenouchi – the father of Sora – stepped forward. His blue business suit was wrinkled and disheveled, which mirrored his tanned face quite well; he was starting to show wrinkles around the edges of his eyes, and his russet hair was unkempt. His black eyes stared at Hiroaki with a degree of fascination. "What sort of 'ride'?"

Joshua Kido merely grinned. "Let me just say that you'll wish you had a seat belt."

"It's done," said Gennai. The wires disconnected from the computer terminal and reentered his body. Hiroaki stepped forward and aimed his digivice at the screen, saying words he hadn't said in years. "Digiport open!!!"

A bright flash of light overwhelmed them all. When it faded, they were gone.

Unfortunately for them, Hiroaki's 'safe spot' wasn't so safe…for you see, Demon – before going to the warehouse – had already given LadyDevimon and Soulmon orders to invade the station.

----

/Office, Fuji Television Station, Odaiba, 1:37 PM/

Natsuko Takaishi remained silent as she strolled through the empty office. She had felt a need to get up and explore; to get away from the Sphere Observation Deck, where she could see nothing but a war zone.

Her eyes drifted through the small, empty office in silence; it probably belonged to a manager, or perhaps a producer. It looked to be a tad too large for a simple worker.

Her eyes gazed at the picture that sat beside the computer monitor on the desk; it was a framed picture of the blonde-haired man who worked in this office. He was in a park…and sitting beside him was a young child – the camera angle didn't reveal the child's gender – and a raven-haired woman. The frame itself had words engraved in it:

'THE YAMAKI FAMILY'

_Family…_ Natsuko sighed. So many memories…

A bright flash of light.

Before she knew it, she was on the bottom of a dog pile…a dog pile that consisted of the Inoues, Takenouchis, Kamiyas, Tachikawas, Hidas, Gennai, Joshua Kido, and Hiroaki Ishida.

Speaking of Hiroaki, he happened to be the one lying on top of Natsuko. His eyes widened out of brief surprise…and then he nervously chuckled. "Heh…hi Nancy. Guess I have some explaining to do, don't I?"

As her face flushed a small tint of red, Natsuko quietly replied, "I would say that you do."

----

/00-010-PSI, 1:39 PM/

"So…anyone want to bet Mummymon's behind this?" asked Shaun as his palm radiated with blue light, illuminating the Digidestined inside the tunnel of mummy bandages.

Shaun wore the Armor of Wisdom. TK wore the Armor of Hope. Kari wore the Armor of Light. Gatomon had digivolved to Angewomon. Hawkmon and Wormmon had gone all the way, becoming Goliamon. The same thing could be said for Armadillomon and Patamon, who had DNA-Digivolved into MetalAngemon. (Agumon) had warp-digivolved to (Wargreymon). As for Yolei, Cody, and Ken, they just walked along in relative silence.

Everyone raised their hands in response to Shaun's question. Ken asked, "I wonder why Mummymon would go through the trouble of setting this all up though…we've been walking through nothing but a long, winding tunnel for the last twenty minutes." It was true; there had been no deviations from the path, no branching channels…just one tunnel that winded around and about itself in the darkness.

Goliamon calmly answered, "To separate us from the other Digidestined of course."

Kari silently muttered, "I hope the older kids are okay…"

----

Speaking of older kids, they were just hanging out.

Literally. Save for their heads, their entire bodies had been wrapped in bandages, and they were now hanging upside down. The same went for their partners, who had been entrapped so fast that they had had no time to digivolve.

Joe mumbled, "Well this is a bit of a predicament…"

"THAT would be an understatement," commented Izzy.

Tai spent his time moaning.

"Tai, QUIT MOANING," growled Matt.

"But all the blood's rushing to my head!" exclaimed Tai.

"MOANING'S NOT GOING TO HELP!!!" roared the Child of Friendship.

"But it huuurts!" moaned Tai.

Matt just went, "GAH!!" in response. He shot a glare over at Agumon and said, "Can't you do anything?! Can't you digivolve?!"

Agumon meagerly replied, "Well, Tai's not technically in any real danger…and he'll need to grab his digivice if he wants me to digivolve manually."

"IF HE KEEPS MOANING, HE'LL DRIVE ME INSANE!!! ISN'T THAT REASON ENOUGH?!?!?" roared the Ishida boy.

All the while, Sora and Mimi could only sigh and shake their heads.

"Boys…" said Sora.

"…will be boys," finished Mimi.

----

"Look; light!" exclaimed Yolei.

They had reached the end of the tunnel. All of them ran as fast as they could toward the end…and when they got there, they saw a peculiar sight upon the barren and nigh-treeless plain.

Mummymon had Paildramon pinned to the ground with more bandages from his left hand; he was using his right hand to hold his blaster. Instead of red energy, however, it was firing flames at Davis, who was dodging as fast as he could. However, the flames left him no room to attack. Embedded into a slot on the gun was a yellow projectile with a fiery red tip.

MetalAngemon scowled. "I remember that weapon; he's using one of his special bullets to turn the blaster into a flamethrower."

Davis set down on the ground, pausing to catch his breath. Mummymon then ceased his attack as he turned to face the other Digidestined. "Ah…the rest of the younger generation have arrived…"

Angewomon quickly ran over to Paildramon and pulled apart the bandages holding him in place. "You okay?"

Paildramon nodded. "Nothing a date from a Digimon like you wouldn't fix."

Angewomon blushed at the suddenness of the statement, as well as the seeming audacity of it. "Uh, Paildramon…did you just try to flirt with me?"

"Uh…" Paildramon suddenly stammered, knowing he had just slipped. "Well…er…" Finally, he nervously said, "Pass?"

Angewomon frowned; then again, she shouldn't be that surprised. She had been part of Paildramon long enough by now as Aetherdramon to tell that he harbored strong feelings for her.

"HEY!!!" Both Digimon turned their heads toward Davis, who was screaming his head off. "QUIT THE LOVEY-DOVEY STUFF!!! WE HAVE A BAD GUY TO FIGHT!!!"

In her head, Yolei mentally added, _Of course, you wouldn't complain if the 'lovey-dovey' stuff was between you in Kari._

'_I'll make sure to tell him that.'_

Yolei suddenly blinked; that had been Shaun's voice. _HEY!!!_

Turning their minds to business, Angewomon and Paildramon immediately DNA-Digivolved.

Paildramon…Angewomon…DNA-Digivolve to……Aetherdramon!

Mummymon remained silent as (Wargreymon), Aetherdramon, Goliamon, MetalAngemon, Davis, Shaun, TK, and Kari moved forward to fight him. "So…eight on one. Four Megas and four powerful humans against one lowly Ultimate…the odds seem to be against me."

"Because they are. Surrender now or suffer the consequences," demanded TK.

Mummymon ejected the fire projectile from his weapon and replaced it with one that had a gray tip. "However…I have more than enough tricks to keep me alive. MUMMY BLASTER!!!"

This time, instead of fire, gray smog was emitted from the barrel of the weapon with tremendous force. Mummymon's foes gasped with surprise as their vision was clouded by the smoke.

"Hey! No fair!" yelled Davis. All of a sudden, he was wrapped up and slammed into the ground by a pair of bandages that wrapped around his ankles.

"Davis!!!" yelled Aetherdramon. He immediately yelled, "Miraculous Daggers!" before pulling them out and slicing at the nearest bandage that neared him. However, this only allowed another to sneak up behind him and wrap around his neck, pulling him down into the ground with tremendous force.

Shaun remained still, his telepathic powers reaching out to try and pinpoint Mummymon. _Where are you…where are you…_

Mummymon suddenly materialized out of the smog.

_SLAM!!!_

Shaun yelped as the Ultimate slammed the butt of his gun into his face, sending the Child of Wisdom down to the ground with a thud. Mummymon immediately moved on to his next target.

As the one who created the smog, Mummymon could see through it with ease. To him, it was like it wasn't really there.

He moved on towards Goliamon, rearing his gun to strike him down.

Suddenly, Goliamon roared, "Camouflage Shield!"

Then, to Mummymon's surprise, he disappeared. _What?_

_POW!!!_

The air escaped his lungs as Goliamon's fists rammed into his gut, sending him into the air.

MetalAngemon, meanwhile, flew up into the air – above the thick cloud of smog – and twirled his Metallic Angel Staff around at a high speed, creating a gate of platinum. "Gate of Extinction!!!" He moved aside as the Gate of Extinction opened, revealing the gray maelstrom beyond. In a matter of seconds, all of the smog had been sucked away. MetalAngemon immediately closed it, not wanting another repeat of what happened the last time he had opened the gate (see episode 50 for more info).

Mummymon had just reached the zenith of his aerial flight; as he began to fall, TK glanced over at Kari and yelled, "Kari! Remember Nefertimon and Pegasusmon's joint attack?!"

Kari remembered after a second of thought. "Yeah…I remember! Let's give it a shot!" She thrust her sword into the ground and held her right palm towards TK, who extended his palm as well.

Then, as one, they yelled, "GOLDEN NOOSE!" A line of golden energy suddenly snapped into existence, held together by their palms. TK and Kari immediately flew upwards towards Mummymon and wrapped the noose around his waist, preparing to slingshot him into the ground.

Mummymon quickly ejected the smog projectile and inserted one with a blue tip. "Do not think you have achieved victory so quickly. MUMMY BLASTER!!!"

This time, a tremendous jet of water – pressurized so much that it looked more like a solid than water – erupted from his blaster's barrel, pushing against the ground with so much force that it actually _pushed him upward_, stopping his descent mere meters above the ground.

However, this caused TK and Kari – who had so much downward momentum during the descent – to slam into each other, as Mummymon's sudden upward thrust had turned him into a fulcrum. The Child of Hope and the Child of Light moaned as they slumped to the ground, momentarily dazed by the collision.

"Man! Where'd he get such fancy toys?!" exclaimed Davis.

Shaun cautiously warned, "Just be aware of that water cannon; with that much pressure, that cannon of his can punch through solid rock." He immediately curled up into a ball and yelled, "SPEED SPIN!!!"

Mummymon immediately brought his blaster to bear on the supersonic buzz ball. "Mummy Blaster!" The pressurized water cannon slammed into Shaun, slowing down his speed immensely…but he still kept going.

However, the loss of speed was all Mummymon had needed. "Snake Bandage!" He immediately wrapped Shaun within the binds of his bandages, swinging him into the nearest target: Aetherdramon.

Suddenly, (Wargreymon) was upon him.

"TERRA FORCE!!!"

Mummymon immediately ejected the water projectile and slammed one with a white tip in it. "MUMMY BLASTER!!!" This time, an immense gust of wind emerged from the blaster's barrel, slamming into the orb of orange energy and sending it careening it into the sky.

(Wargreymon) set beside Shaun and Aetherdramon and helped them both up. "That guy's packing some serious firepower!"

"We need that gun out of his hands," said Shaun with a look of grim concentration.

Davis set down beside them and said, "Leave that to me! Just give me some cover!" With that said, Davis immediately dove into the ground, punching his way through a flurry of Magna Punches.

"You heard the boy; keep Mummymon busy!" yelled Aetherdramon as he aimed his gauntlets at Mummymon. "Holy Arrow!"

Mummymon turned his blaster towards the stream of arrows. "Mummy Blaster!!!" A gust of wind blew the arrows away.

"Star Shower!"

"Rosetta Stone!"

Mummymon turned his blaster and unleashed another blast of wind, redirecting the stone slabs and energy stars into the sky.

"Angelic Spikes!!!" roared MetalAngemon. With a flick of his tail, the four golden spikes were launched at Mummymon, their surfaces glowing with bright holy energy.

Another blast of wind knocked them away. "Come on now! You are the vanquishers of the Digimon Emperor! The ones who bested Chimeramon, Zanbamon, Arukenimon, Grandkuwagamon, and Piedmon! You have even felled the mighty Darkheart. Surely this is not your best!"

_CHOOM!!!_

A golden body erupted from the ground in front of Mummymon. His one visible yellow eye widened as Davis' golden fists grabbed the sides of his blaster.

The Child of Miracles smirked. "Not even close!"

The sound of metal crunching together was the sound heard as Davis crushed the Mummy Blaster, rendering it completely useless.

Mummymon seemed aghast…and then his expression turned stoic. "Well done."

Then he leapt back, jumping back into his sarcophagus.

"HEY!!! Get out here!" roared (Wargreymon).

"I can not," curtly replied Mummymon from within the Egyptian sarcophagus.

"And why not?!" demanded Yolei, a small hint of sarcastic contempt in her voice.

"Because I am sworn to fight as hard as I can. Honor demands it," replied the Ultimate Digimon.

At those words, looks of perplexity crossed everyone's faces. Shaun asked, "What do you mean? You have a code of honor?"

"Yes."

TK yelled, "Then how come you're aiding UmbraDevimon?!"

A sigh could be heard. "You may choose to think of me as a Dark Digimon…and perhaps I am, for I serve a dark master. Nevertheless, I only do so out of respect for the code of my family."

Correction: NOW they all looked perplexed. "START MAKING SENSE! You're making my brain hurt!" demanded Davis.

"I may be a mere Digimon made of nothing but data, but my soul still remembers a time from long ago…and as such, I do what I can to honor those days. My heart reviles a being such as UmbraDevimon, but the code of my family is this: if one should be resurrected, thou must serve thy restorer."

"…so you're saying UmbraDevimon created your body, but your soul was reincarnated?" asked Cody.

"Correct. My soul has been cursed to serve him…but that is why I have come to you this day. Honor dictates I fight like a warrior, and I shall…but you are greater warriors than I. That is why I come…"

"…come for what?" asked Aetherdramon.

"Death."

Everyone nearly froze; he was seeking death? "What are you talking about?!" shouted Kari.

"I seek freedom from this existence, and I can only have it by being granted a warrior's death…so please Digidestined: grant me this wish. Grant me death."

Everyone was silent; how could they answer such a question? It was just too far out there for them to comprehend, let alone understand.

Well, except for Shaun. He had been through this many times before – such as Yuga Tusivmaree – and he had a nose for when the person asking for death was sincere.

Now was one of those times. "Very well Mummymon. We shall oblige your wish."

"Thank you." Suddenly, the sarcophagus began growing…and Mummymon's voice began to grow deeper and stronger as it grew. "But take heed…I shall not ask for no quarter, nor shall I give one. I will fight as hard as possible…and I expect you to do the same!"

When the sarcophagus had grown thirty-feet tall, it stopped its size increase.

And then it opened, revealing a terrifying figure.

His entire thirty-foot body was wrapped in golden bandages from head to toe. The shin guards on his shins and the cuffs on his wrists were made of pure amethyst, and they had gold rimming. He wore a pearl white tunic – it went down to just below the knees – that was fastened to the body at the waist by a brown belt of leather; its golden buckle was in the shape of an ankh. He also wore a white cloak that billowed down to his calves, and in his right hand was a twenty-five foot golden rod that had an ankh at the tip. His head was covered by golden Egyptian headgear similar to Nefertimon's except the figurine was a cobra's head instead of an eagle's head. Also, his facemask was solid gold; the only things about his face that could be seen were his large, red eyes.

Shaun paled at the sight of the new Digimon. _No way…that's Mummymon's Mega form! How could he Mega-Digivolve?!_

The large Digimon stared at them impassively as he said, "Now you must face Pharaohmon in a fight to the death. Give me an honorable death; for that is the last wish of a dead pharaoh." His cloak suddenly started floating in the air as a purple mist erupted from within his body. "Necro Mist!!"

The purple mist zoomed through the air, encompassing the Digidestined in a fog even murkier than that of Mummymon's smog projectile.

Also, this mist brought about fits of coughing. Ken quickly pulled Yolei and Cody back into the tunnel. "Don't breathe it in!"

"Hey…what gives?" yelled Davis as he coughed with tremendous force.

"Can't…breathe…" muttered TK as he slumped to his knees. He felt a nigh-unbearable tightness in his chest; he was suffocating, as was everyone else.

MetalAngemon managed to yell out, "We…have to get rid of…this smoke!"

"Maybe…I can…help…" Kari held her shield tightly as the Crest of Light glowed on it. "HOLY SHIELD!" The barrier of light erupted from the shield, as did tendrils of holy energy. Kari then willed them to spin around like a cyclone, blowing the wind away.

However, Pharahomon was immediately upon them, swinging his staff at them. "Tutankhamen's Rod!"

_CLUNK!_

His first target was Goliamon's head. The golden rod smacked into the DNA-Mega's head, resulting in a massive headache. "OW!!!" Goliamon immediately turned around and fired blue energy spikes from his visor. "Sonic Sting!"

Pharaohmon quickly blocked all of them with his rod. On impulse, he whirled around to see Aetherdramon leap towards him with his daggers. "RAAAH!!!"

Metal struck metal as Pharaohmon parried Aetherdramon's daggers with his rod. Aetherdramon quickly followed up with a flurry of intricate and complex slash and thrust moves, trying to get past the Mega Digimon's defenses.

However, Pharaohmon was proving to be quite good at blocking the blows with his rod. "You perform admirably."

"Metallic Angel Staff!"

Pharaohmon used on his hands to catch MetalAngemon's incoming staff; now he was in an intricate balancing act that involved keeping Aetherdramon from getting past his rod and at his body, as well as keeping MetalAngemon at bay.

Suddenly, he was lifted into the air…from below. Standing beneath his right foot was Goliamon, who yelled, "Wanna know why I'm called Goliamon?" Then, in a move that would make the infamous Goliath of biblical times proud, Goliamon used his immense strength to _slam_ Pharaohmon into the ground.

"OOF!" The Mega Digimon grimaced as his body hit the ground. As he started getting up, Davis immediately opened fire. "Chew on this! Magna Missiles!" Golden missiles launched from panels in his armor, leaving vapor trails as they streaked toward Pharaohmon.

Pharaohmon quickly flipped up and jumped away, avoiding the explosion of the missiles. His red eyes looked stoically upon them all. Then, he said, "Commendable. You have forced me to resort to more…painful measures."

For some reason, Shaun didn't like the sound off that. "Everyone, get ready for anything!"

Pharaohmon then raised his Tutankhamen's Rod into the sky, authoritatively roaring, "I now call upon the might of the Egyptian gods themselves! They shall aide me in this fight to the death!"

From the tunnel, Yolei said, "Egyptian gods? What is he talking about?! Aren't they fictitious?!"

"Maybe so…but that doesn't mean his attacks aren't powerful in nature. Maybe he believes these attacks – whatever they are – are powered by the Egyptain gods themselves," explained Ken. Whatever was about to happen, he was intrigued; he wanted to watch.

Pharaohmon's staff began glowing yellow as the clouds parted, revealing the burning sun above. "Now I call upon the might of Ra, the Sun God! **Flames of Ra!!!**"

As he spoke those words, a suddenly tongue of flame erupted from within the sun, arching down towards them at high speed. (Wargreymon) roared, "TERRA FORCE!!!" He threw the orb of orange energy at the tongue of flame…but to his dismay, the orb was vaporized before it even reached the flames.

"Uh…that's not good," muttered Davis.

"MOVE!!!" yelled Shaun as he immediately retreated from the tongue of flame. The flame crashed into the ground, barely missing its targets. Aetherdramon muttered, "Man! That would've vaporized us!"

Shaun quickly looked over at Davis, TK, and Kari. "Come on! Joint attack!!!" He aimed his palm at Pharaohmon, roaring, "BLUE DASH!!!" A blue, supersonic laser erupted from his palm, roaring towards Pharaomon.

The other three human combatants immediately opened fire.

"MAGNA MISSILES!"

"EQUIS BEAM!!"

"CAT'S EYE BEAM!!!"

The missiles and the three energy attacks roared toward Pharaohmon. In response, his staff began glowing gold. "I call upon the might of Horus, the Falcon God! **Light of Horus!**" A falcon suddenly appeared atop the head of Pharaohmon, and its eyes glowed golden; a transparent energy shield suddenly materialized in front of Pharaohmon, blocking all of the attacks. After the attacks were nullified, he dismissed Horus and the shield.

"HEY!!! NO FAIR!!!" complained Davis.

TK could only wonder at what other tricks Pharaohmon had up his sleeve…after all – if he remembered his history well enough – Egyptinan mythology had had A LOT of gods.

Pharaohmon's rod began glowing black. "I call upon the might of Anubis! **Abyss of Anubis!**"

Suddenly, a being in the form of a black jackal coursed along the ground…and when it disappeared, a large section of the ground vanished, revealing a dark chasm that looked like its name: an abyss.

Fortunately, all eight of the fighters could fly, so that was practically a waste of time.

Pharaohmon sweatdropped. "Very well…let us try something different." His rod began glowing blue. "I call upon the might of Osiris! **Judgment of Osiris!!!**"

Suddenly, all of the Digidestined – including Ken, Yolei, and Cody – disappeared.

Then, Pharaohmon's rod glowed red. "And now, I call upon the wicked might of Set to shroud them in darkness, making their hearts feeble and weak…thus may their souls be unprotected for the Judgment. **Shadow of Set**."

With that said, an orb of pure darkness appeared in the sky above.

----

When they reappeared, there was nothing but darkness in every direction. Oddly enough, they could see each other just fine. "Where are we?" asked (Wargreymon).

"Are we dead?" asked Ken.

Davis yelped, "I don't want to be dead! I want to be alive!" Then, he mentally added, _Or the husband to Kari._

_'I heard that.' _

"D'OH!" yelled Davis as he facefaulted.

Meanwhile, Kari started shivering. "This darkness…it's so pure…and deep…what is this?"

"_The Shadow of Set."_

Pharaohmon's voice echoed out through the darkness. Yolei yelled, "SHOW YOURSELF YOU COWARD!!!"

_"I am merely one-hundred yards below you…but even if I were ten feet in front of you, you would not see, for the shadows spawned from Set are absolute."_

"The Egyptian God of Evil?" asked Ken; it was more of a statement than a question.

_"Correct. Within this darkness, your hearts are stripped away, revealing your souls."_

"But why?" asked MetalAngemon.

_"With your souls showing all, the Judgment can commence."_

Suddenly, a tremendous set of golden scales appeared below their feet. The central stand had the image of a green-skinned man upon it. The Digidestined were standing on the left scale.

_"Behold: the Scales of Osiris, Lord of the Dead. He shall judge you against the Feather of Ma'at."_

On the right scale, a large, pearly white feather flashed into being. The scales did not budge. TK asked, "What the? What are you doing?"

_"When someone dies, their soul is sent to Osiris, and he judges it against the Feather of Ma'at. Ma'at is the Lady of Truth and Order, and the one who brings balance to the universe. Even the gods revere and look up to her. And her feather is the measure of one's soul."_

"…so our souls are being judged?" said Shaun grimly.

_"Yes. The Judgment has yet to begin, and the scales are perfectly balanced. However, once the Judgment begins, your souls will go on trial. Should they be predominantly good, you shall weigh lighter than Ma'at's feather and thus be deemed worthy of salvation."_

"And if what if the feather is lighter?" asked Cody.

_"Then your souls have been deemed to be evil. Should the left scale – YOUR scale – completely sink to the floor, then your souls have been deemed unworthy to even exist. That is when the servant of Anubis shall came to devour you: the demon Ammit, Devourer of the Wicked."_

Ken froze at the name. "Ammit…a demonic beast that's comprised of parts of a crocodile, a hippo, and a lion…"

_"You know your history. Then you must know that should Ammit devour you, not only will your physical bodies be devoured, but so will your spirits. Your souls will be destroyed, and you will utterly cease to be."_

Silence filled the dark void. Fear had set in.

At that moment, Davis said, "Well this is a waste of time! We're the good guys! We have nothing to fear!"

_"True…but there are three who stand against you."_

Suddenly, three images winked into existence in front of the Digidestined on the left scale…and they were very familiar figures.

Darkheart (Normal Mode).

The Digimon Emperor.

Nega.

Ken glared at the Emperor's purple shades. Davis yelled, "YOU!!!" He prepared to punch Darkheart's lights out when Shaun grabbed his shoulder. "Don't waste your breath…they look real, but they're only illusions."

_"Illusions they may be, but their sins are real. Nega, the darkness of the Child of Wisdom. The Digimon Emperor, the darkness of the Child of Kindness. Darkheart, the darkness of the Child of Miracles. Those three combined have sinned and performed many deeds of evil and darkness throughout the years. Your souls may be good in nature, but theirs are black with rot and corruption."_

That's when the doubt set in; Nega had been a tremendous bane to Shaun and much of the Digital World in the 1000 years he had been separated from Shaun. The Digimon Emperor had killed, enslaved, and conquered many of Server's resident Digimon. Darkheart…well, you know what HE'S done.

So it all came down to which one would prevail…the new Digidestined…or the dark trio of bad boys.

_"And now, the Judgment begins."_

Immediately, the left scale began sinking.

Everyone – save for the illusions of Nega, the Emperor, and Darkheart – yelped as they sank. "AAH!!! WE'RE SINKING!!!" shrieked Yolei.

"Maybe we can get off to make it lighter!!!" suggested Aetherdramon.

"Good luck with that," muttered (Wargreymon) as he tried to lift his legs. "We're stuck!"

Thunk.

It sounded like a death knell.

The left scale had touched the ground. Even though it had been the souls of seven Digidestined and four Digimon against three corrupt humans, the sins that had been committed by the three had been far too great.

The trio of illusions smirked at the Digidestined.

Nega said, "Looks like WE get the last laugh."

The Emperor waved his hand, mockingly saying, "Ta ta, Digidestined…"

Then, to add insult to death, Darkheart said, "…you losers."

The three laughed out of mocking derision as they disappeared. It seemed that they had indeed had the last laugh.

Pharaohmon's voice echoed out. _"You have been deemed guilty by Osiris. And now receive your reward: total oblivion at the hands of Ammit!"_

Suddenly, a deep growl emanated from below…and out of the darkness came a tremendous beast that was as large as Imperialdramon.

The face and snout were those of a crocodile. The fangs were those of both a crocodile and a lion. The mane of a lion protruded from the scalp. The body was lithe like a lion's, tough like a crocodile's, and it possessed the girth and size of a hippopotamus. The four legs were those of a crocodile, but they were long and muscular like a hippo's and possessed the claws of a lion. The hindquarters were that of a hippo…and the eyes were those of a demon.

Ammit: Eater of the Dead, Devourer of the Wicked.

Yolei shrieked. "AAAH!!! **THAT'S AMMIT?!?!?**"

"It is…" muttered Ken out of sheer fear. The beast roared as it neared them.

Kari felt sheer terror grip her essence; the last time she had felt such darkness grip her had been in the presence of Dragomon in the City of Cthulu. Such terror…how deep did the darkness go? How deep did darkness seep into the universe's roots?

Ammit howled an unearthly roar as its maw closed in on the scale.

Aetherdramon suddenly split apart into Paildramon and Angewomon. Paildramon had one last-ditch option.

Paildramon Mega-Digivolve to……Imperialdramon!

Imperialdramon was simply too big for the scale to hold. He brought his feet and aimed his cannon down at Ammit. "Eat THIS!!! POSITRON LASER!!!"

The blue and red laser roared downward – breaking a massive hole in the left scale – and pressed down at Ammit.

The demonic beast kept coming.

Shaun suddenly found he could move; now that the trial had ended, they were free to move. Not that it would do much good if Ammit got to them. "Everyone! We have one chance…hit Ammit with everything you've got!"

"RIGHT!" responded everyone. TK flew into the air, his armor radiating with a bronze light. The Digimon felt their strength returning; even Imperialdramon's cannon got a bit of a boost.

"Celestial Arrow!"

"Sonic Sting!"

"Terra Force!"

"Gate of Extinction…RELEASE!!!" This time, the Gate of Extinction unleashed a ray of pure white energy.

"Blue Dash!" Shaun fired lasers from both hands.

"Magna Ray!" Rays of golden light erupted from panels in his armor.

"Equis Beam!"

"Sword of Heaven!!!" The ruby on Kari's sword glowed red as her blade grew into a twenty-foot blade. She swung it downward, forming an arc of holy energy.

The myriad of attacks joined Imperialdramon's Positron Laser. The demonic beast roared as all of the power pressed down against him.

"Come on! Show that beast who's boss!!!" cheered Yolei with enthusiasm. And she had good reason to cheer them on; if they failed, she was dead meat.

Suddenly, Ammit was pushed downward.

The combined efforts of the Digidestined had warded off the Devourer of the Wicked.

----

/00-010-PSI, 2:05 PM/

Pharaohmon's eyes snapped out. "It can't be…they warded off Ammit…"

His red eyes glanced upward at the orb of the Shadow of Set.

It suddenly shattered into pieces as Ammit fell through it…and then, he turned his murderous gaze toward Pharaohmon.

Pharaohmon's eyes widened as Ammit fell toward him; there was no escape.

He had lost.

And yet…he smiled. _Thank you Digidestined…you have given me freedom…_

Then Ammit consumed with one gulp. The beast burst into smoke moments later.

Shaun, TK, Davis, Kari, Angewomon, Goliamon (holding Ken and Yolei), MetalAngemon (holding Cody), (Wargreymon), and Imperialdramon set down on the ground. Goliamon muttered, "Man…not a trace left of him."

"I guess Ammit truly does devour the body and the soul," answered Ken.

A voice suddenly emerged from within Pharoahmon's closed sarcophagus. _"Don't be so sure…"_

All of them tensed up. "Pharaohmon?!"

_"No…I am merely myself. My body is gone, but my soul is not wicked…Ammit took my flesh, but not my spirit. You have given me the death I sought…thank you."_

Even though Pharaohmon had asked for his own death, it was still odd to hear someone basically say 'Thanks a lot for killing me!'

Shaun stepped toward the sarcophagus and asked, "Who are you? Really?"

_"…I am the soul of one who has been reincarnated…I am a pharaoh who has finally found rest once more…"_

Ken stared intently at the sarcophagus…and then he suddenly recognized it. The image of the sarcophagus…it was EXACTLY like the resting place of one famous pharaoh. "Oh my God…I know who you are…"

"Who? Who? Tell us!" exclaimed Davis with a bit of excitement.

"…King Tutankhamen…" finished Ken.

"**_WHAT?!?!"_** shouted Davis, TK, Kari, Yolei, and Cody out of sheer shock. Shaun merely raised an eyebrow as another memory came to mind. _Hmm…reincarnated soul…well, that would explain Aryamon._

_"Yes…that is my name. And now I must rejoin my brethren…but I have one last message for you. UmbraDevimon has returned to his lair to summon a new army. This is your chance to stop him before he returns to the Real World. Go Digidestined…the world needs you."_

And then his voice faded away, and his sarcophagus burst into data.

The Digidestined stared on in silence.

Finally, Angewomon asked, "Pardon my asking, but who's King Tutankhamen?"

"What's this about Tutankhamen?"

That had been Joe's voice. Everyone looked around to see the older kids and their partners walking toward them, stray bits of bandages clinging to their clothes (much to Mimi's chagrin). Apparently, the prison of bandages had fallen after Ammit had devoured Pharaohmon.

Before anyone could answer, Imperialdramon interjected, "Can't we explain this on the way to UmbraDevimon's Lair?"

"Yeah…let's just get on Imperialdramon. We can talk along the way," said TK.

Minutes later, with all of the Digidestined on Imperialdramon's back, the draconic Mega burst off to the east, intending to go beyond the sectors PSI, OMEGA, and the End of the World…with the destination being UmbraDevimon's Lair in 01-000-ALPHA.

The war with the Digimon Emperor had ended there…and so would the battle against UmbraDevimon.

----

/Office, Fuji Television Station, Odaiba, 2:12 PM/

Hiroaki had requested that he be left alone with Natsuko so that he could talk to her.

The others had obliged…and over the last half hour, Hiroaki had told her everything.

Everything about his being a Digidestined, his partner…and even what he had done all those times he had gone out late at night. As it had turned out, those two woman her friend had seen Hiroaki with at the restuarant had been Teela Yamaki (the woman in the picture she had seen?) and Miranda Akiyama. The man had been someone called Hiroki Hida.

He hadn't been cheating…it had merely been one of the Digidestined reunions Hiroaki loved going too.

Hiroaki muttered, "…so…do you have anything to say?"

She did. Natsuko sullenly replied, "Yes…why?"

"Why what?"

Natsuko kept her eyes trained on the floor. "Why didn't you tell me? I divorced you because I thought you were being unfaithful and a lousy father…"

Hiroaki actually smiled. "I guess I sort of gave that impression, didn't I?"

"Don't joke. I divorced you for NOTHING. It turned Matt into a loner, and TK's hurting because of it! Why didn't you tell me before I started the trial! I would've stopped!" pleaded Natsuko.

"Would you have believed me?" replied Hiroaki.

This silenced Natsuko. Now that she thought about it, it would've seemed farfetched and silly if Hiroaki had told her it seven years ago. But now – what with their children being in a whole different world, Odaiba being surrounded by a fiery typhoon, as well as being invaded by monsters – it didn't seem so farfetched. "But still…you could've tried to stop me."

"I guess I was in shock. I couldn't believe it had ended so soon," innocently replied Hiroaki.

More silence.

Then Natsuko asked, "Why did you start staying out so late as we neared the time of the divorce?"

Hiroaki sighed. "Oh boy…well, I guess it was because I was bored."

"BORED?" repeated Natsuko incredulously.

"Think about it Nancy!" retorted Hiroaki. "When I was boy traveling through the Digital World and fighting evil monsters, I felt like I was really DOING something! I mean, working at a television station is dandy, but it's small potatoes compared to being a Digidestined? Why report about a giant monster invasion when you can actually FIGHT the monster invasion?" Remember, he hadn't become head of security detail until around four years ago, well after the divorce.

Natsuko thought about it. It sort of made sense…after all, life WOULD seem boring after traveling to an entirely different world.

"So as time went on, I began craving for more of the glory days. I always went to the reunions with the old gang, and sometimes we would actually go to the Digital World to see our partners and stomp down a troublemaker or two…for a bit there, I felt like I was doing something worthwhile again." His head sagged. "But I was an idiot."

Natsuko blinked out of surprise as she raised her head to look at Hiroaki. She had never heard him be so bluntly honest. "…"

"I was too caught up in the old days to think about the present…because I was doing something worthwhile and I didn't even see it…" He then looked straight into her eyes. "Those things were being your husband and being a father."

A tightness gripped her chest as a strange emotion coursed through her. It was unfamiliar…and yet familiar. It was passion…and love. Love for a man she had forced away for the wrong reasons. Then she glanced at the golden ring on his index finger. "…you still haven't taken your wedding ring off."

"I never could," answered Hiroaki as he stepped towards her. "Nancy…once all of this is over, I want to remarry you…I want to make up for what I did to you and the boys."

Natsuko was silent…and then she embraced Hiroaki quietly. After a few moments of shock, Hiroaki embraced her back.

Finally, Natsuko whispered, "Okay…"

----

In the sky above the End of the World, Imperialdramon was flying towards 01-000-ALPHA. And his passengers were in the midst of a conversation.

"So you're saying that the guy you fought was King Tut reincarnated in a Digimon's body?" asked Tai out of sheer disbelief.

The younger kids nodded.

"Hmm…" muttered Izzy.

"Something on your mind?" asked Tentomon.

"It's just that this means that the Digital World is more integrated with the Real World than I ever thought," replied the Child of Knowledge.

Goliamon asked, "What do you mean?"

"Think about it; we've always known that in many ways the Digital World is a mirror image of the Real World. However, we never knew just how much the worlds were connected…but this is incredible. The soul of an ancient pharaoh being reincarnated inside a body…the mere fact it happens is just incredible."

After Izzy finished speaking, Shaun said, "This has actually happened before."

Everyone turned towards Shaun. Agumon asked, "What do you mean?"

"Well…a long time ago, (Wargreymon) and I fought this strange Digimon called Aryamon," replied Shaun.

(Wargreymon) suddenly scoffed. "Oh. HIM."

"Yeah…he was a Data-type Digimon who tried to rally all of the Data Digimon in the world to destroy the Viral and Vaccine type Digimon. He especially had a bone to pick with Viral Digimon. He claimed Data Digimon were 'genetically' superior."

After Shaun finished speaking, Joe immediately saw the connection. "You're saying he was the Digmon version of Hitler?"

Shaun nodded. "Yeah. It would also explain why he forced his followers to go 'Heil Aryamon'!"

Everyone sweatdropped…but it was unsettling.

The Digital World. In many ways, it was more complex than its denizens, or even the Real World itself. One could even think of it as a living organism capable of more than met the eye. And to think, it was so interconnected with the Real World that the souls of those who died in the Real World were reincarnated in the Digital World as Digimon.

But…could it work in reverse?

"We are now in 01-000-ALPHA!" yelled Imperialdramon.

Everyone tensed up and went silent.

A big battle was about to take place.

----

/01-000-ALPHA, UmbraDevimon's Lair, 2:18 PM/

UmbraDevimon was silent as he saw a large figure appear over the cliff side of the End of the World. "So…Mummymon has fallen…"

No matter. Even if all of them came against him, the Digibrats stood no chance.

UmbraDevimon's fists clenched as he said, "I'll crush them."

----

To be continued…

Next time…

Episode 56: The Fall of UmbraDevimon

----

Author's Notes: In episode 24, UmbraDevimon rose to power…and next episode, he shall fall…but it will be at the hands of someone unexpected.

As for 'Aryamon', the root word is Aryan. Adolf Hitler said that the Aryan race was superior to other races.

See you soon, and please review!


	56. The Fall of UmbraDevimon

Standard Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon. Pass the ketchup.

Author's Notes: To clarify, Demon is the same as the Daemon from the second season. However, the Mega form of Joshua's partner – DemiDevimon – is the data version of Demon; to separate the two, I've called him Daemon.

Daemon is good. Demon is bad.

To the reviews!

ReaverOfFate: Welcome ROF! As for your disappointment in episode 18, forget about it. No need to apologize: it's most likely my most iffy episode of Zero 2, because I was on a 'sugar high' after seeing Terminator and Alien. Still, I don't regret it; it was fun to write. However, what the heck do you mean by 'introduction of information or situations contradicting events that have already occurred'?

And as for Shaun, have you been skimming? Because if you're talking about his past from NDE, then yes the references to violence and blood are off. But if you're talking about Zero 2, then I have to disagree. Still, your opinion, and I respect it.

However, the whole thing with injuries disappearing upon going through the Digiport will have to be redone; it contradicts later episodes. Thanks for reminding me of that little bit (check it out when you have the time, it fits better). And one last thing (concerning your notes on Sonocomon)…dude, it's Digimon. The realm of believability is stretched beyond the limits practically by default when it comes to this show, if you think about it enough.

SR71will: (mails Aryamon over to SR)

Dark Qiviut: Uh…yes I did. O.o; As for Aryamon, he's an exclusive Digimon for Past Journeys. You'll just have to wait. And Futa was kicked out of the Forbidden City by the Hierarchs for going to the Real World; NOT for being the partner of a Digidestined.

As for longest episodes…here are the top ten, in order of least to most from top to bottom (this is using FFnet's word counter tool).

Episode 55: Plight of the Pharaoh (10,417)

Episode 48: Calm before the Storm (10,588)

Episode 50: The Fifth Threshold (11,083)

Episode 24: The Rise of UmbraDevimon (11,105)

Episode 53: Battle of the Angels (11,285)

Episode 29: The Puppetmon Games (11,328)

Episode 46: To Hunt, or Not to Hunt (11,462)

Episode 38: The Future's Past (12,024)

Episode 39: Puppetmon's Obstacle Course (12,584)

Episode 18: The Reliable Sea Guardian (16,069)

And as for your review…(snaps fingers) It has been done. (watches him jump off the cliff) Aw…no fair! X(

Nightfire04: Here's the digivolution path I used. First, DemiDevimon digivolves to Devimon, his natural Champion form. Then, he digivolves to his alternate Ultimate form SkullSatamon. Finally, he digivolves to his natural Mega form (except he becomes a Data Digimon), Daemon.

Anime obsessed fan: Uh… (opens mouth, then closes it…opens mouth again, then closes it again) Shoot. Okay, so you didn't exactly jump ship. -.;

And after UmbraDevimon, there's only Demon and the being that possessed Piedmon who remain.

Anthony1: Heh…I'm certain you'll be surprised. ;)

UKHoneyB: Thanks for the character info, but I'm afraid I'll have to disregard the family stuff. I've already planned out what purpose the cameo character will play, so I want to make sure you're hunky-dory with it. I'll only be using Azami and no one else. As for what that purpose…well, I can't say. Let me just say it'll be…surprising.

BeatlesLover: I know. My reply was a joke in and of itself. :P And yes, I really like history. One of my favorite quotes is 'Those who don't know their history are doomed to repeat it.'

Lady Nire: Sorry. Blackwargreymon's taken.

reviewer: yAy! I R oR1ginAl:P

Dot Cubed: Wow. You really don't like UmbraDevimon, do you? Mind elaborating?

spiecas: Sorry. Tamers do not exist in this timeline. Ryo, for that matter, is of an entirely different origin than in the anime for that matter. And you don't like DemiDevimon's new role? Tough cookies. Besides, he never really struck me as a bad 'bad guy' anyway. He's more like Ogremon or Impmon than Myotismon or LadyDevimon.

Cloud-821: Aw, come on…those lines aren't stupid in nature; they're funny! And yes, the Digidestined return to the Real World in episode 57.

Digi fan: Yup. Nifty ain't it:D

Ninetalesuk: Just wait.

Bluesv20: Too easily? You'd be surprised how quick some people are to forgive once they get something off their chests (case in point: DemiDevimon gives Joshua the mother of all rants) Besides, you think DEMIDEVIMON (of all Digimon) would turn down a free warp-digivolution? Heck, he and Impmon are practically separated by birth:P

Salamon2: Yay! I surprised you:D

ANSWERS FOR ASSAMITE: Mog does NOT have an overdrive. His dance moves depend on the terrain and the elements around him. As for stats, he's pretty high in Magic Offense and Magic Defense, but his HP, Strength, and Defense are low. But he does have good Luck.

Hirum DOES know Fira. He doesn't know third-level 'Ga' spells.

The pound signs were bleeping the word 'hump'. Don't know how or why that word was censored when I uploaded it. O.o;

Begin!

-

_UmbraDevimon did something horrible when he rose to power._

_He had mutilated all but two of the new Digidestined._

_Why? _

To teach them a 'lesson'…

_Well, now it's payback time._

-

"Hello, it's Ken. DemiDevimon poured his heart out in a tirade to Joshua, but the two went through a case of forgive and forget. However, Demon showed up, and it's about to become a battle of Megas: Daemon, Futa, and Blackwargreymon versus Demon. As for us, the new Digidestined had to deal with Mummymon and his Mega form Pharaohmon. Despite all of the tricks he had up his sleeve, we managed to grant his wish…and now, we're on our way to finish UmbraDevimon off once and for all."

-

Episode 56: The Fall of UmbraDevimon

-

/Sky over Odaiba, 2:20 PM/

_WHAM!_

Blackwargreymon gasped for breath as he crashed into the ground. His body ached, his limbs felt like they were filled with lead, and he felt a horrible pain in his gut.

And he loved it.

The battle between Demon and the trio of Futa, Daemon, and himself had been going on for the better part of about forty minutes. It had been hard and strenuous; the time where he had fought the two Wargreymon paled in comparison to this battle.

It was magnificent. The uncertainty of fighting an enemy stronger than you…and he had plenty of strength left to spare. He would not be fearful as he had been in the fight with Piedmon and Grandkuwagamon. He was a warrior to the core.

And until he found out why he had received the purple D-3 – or who it belonged to – he would continue to do what he did best: fight.

"RAAAH!" Blackwargreymon roared as he jumped up from the rubble and flew back into the sky.

Meanwhile, Demon thrust his right hand forward, roaring, "Chaos Inferno!"

The blue stream of hellfire roared toward Daemon, who was flying at high speed. Standing on his shoulders was Futa, who was keeping his balance. Even though he was only standing on Daemon's shoulders, Futa constantly shifted his weight and stance to account for changes in Daemon's flight pattern. It was quite a sight to behold…and it was advantageous as well.

Since Futa could stand on his own, Daemon didn't need to use his hands to hold on to him. As a result…he could attack.

"FLAME INFERNO!" A stream of orange fire flew from his left hand. The streams collided, creating an inferno of orange and blue fire in the fiery sky of Odaiba.

Demon was not impressed. "Weakling. You may have been a nuisance in our last fight, but now that I've been empowered by the Dark Spore, you've been downgraded to an annoyance."

"Heh. We'll see about that!" Daemon growled as he put more strength behind his Flame Inferno.

Demon fake-yawned at his Data version. "Embarrassing. I'll burn you into a cinder." He put more of his great power behind the Chaos Inferno, and the blue stream of fire doubled in size, threatening to dwarf Daemon's smaller Flame Inferno.

Suddenly, globules of blue plasma slammed into Demon's face.

"AGH!" Demon flinched as he impulsively brought his hands to his face.

Unfortunately for him, this allowed Daemon's Flame Inferno to slam into him, pushing him backward through the air.

Daemon chuckled as Demon was sent flying. "The ol' bait-and-switch. Gets em' every time."

"After all, the adage is 'If it isn't broken, don't fix it'," quipped Futa as he waited for his energy rifles to cool down. While Demon had been busy dealing with Daemon's Flame Inferno, Futa had used the opportunity to fire a few bursts of blue plasma at the demon's face.

Blackwargreymon suddenly flew by them, his claws extended forward. "Black Tornado!"

As Demon finally regained control of his errant flight, he saw Blackwargreymon the Cyclone right in front of him. Demon quickly brought one flame-covered hand forward, using it to block Blackwargreymon's attack. "I'm not so easily vanquished." Using his other hand, he formed a fiery demon's head. "Demon Flare Attack!"

Blackwargreymon grunted as the fiery demon head slammed into his side, stopping his Black Tornado in its tracks. Blackwargreymon was sent downwards towards, the ground, but he halted at the last moment, stopping mere meters above the ruinous ground. "Rrr…" Blackwargreymon formed an orb of red energy in his claws. "TERRA DESTROYER!" Then he threw it upward with all his might.

Demon snarled as he formed an orb of gray energy in his left palm. "Want to play rough, do you? Fine. APOLLYON CRUSHER!"

The massive gray orb collided in midair with the red orb. Demon's attack was twice as large…and in a matter of moments, it pushed through the orb and sailed downward towards the mighty Blackwargreymon. Some of its energy had been lost, but the orb was still strong enough to annihilate anything on contact.

Suddenly, Daemon and Futa were between Blackwargreymon and the Apollyon Crusher…and now, Futa was holding both of his plasma swords. His face twisted into a grin. "Play ball."

He swung his arms as fast as he could; both plasma swords slammed into the side of Apollyon Crusher.

Then, to Demon's shock, the orb was sent flying back towards him. **"WHAT!"**

Futa chuckled. "You forget Demon…I am a Mega Digimon! And as such, I have the strength of one!" Of course, the Terra Destroyer had partially weakened the Apollyon Crusher. Otherwise, Futa wouldn't have been able to bat it back at Demon, but that's beside the point.

Demon groaned as his own orb slammed into him, exploding in a shower of gray energy that propelled the demon lord Digimon backwards…

_CRASH!_

…and into the Fuji Television Station.

"…oops," muttered Futa. All three immediately took off for the TV station.

-

/Hallway, Fuji Television Station, Odaiba, 2:26 PM/

Oikawa had been walking alone in the hallway – contemplating how to best approach Archfiend Castle – when the unexpected had happened.

Demon had come crashing through the wall, landing in a pile of rubble mere feet in front of him.

Oikawa had, at first, been shocked. After all, it's not every day that a demonic beast you helped out crashes through a wall and lands in front of you.

But even so, it was good for Oikawa…very good.

He was finally going to the Digital World.

"DEMON!"

Demon grumbled as he stood and brushed the rubble off of him…and then he finally noticed Oikawa. "Oh. You." Annoyance tinged his voice.

Oikawa sternly said, "Remember our deal? I told you the location of Ken Ichijouji, like I promised. Without his power, you wouldn't be here…so you owe me. You have to keep up your end of the deal…now open a portal to the Digital World."

Demon frowned. Then, he promptly answered, "No."

Oikawa frowned. "Oh really?" He accusingly pointed a finger at the dark Digimon. "You wouldn't be where you are without me! YOU. OWE. ME."

_SLAM!_

Oikawa gagged as Demon's hand grabbed his neck before he was slammed into the wall. Venom dripped from the evil Digimon's voice. "I owe you NOTHING. You're nothing but a miserable worm that would do anything to get what you want. I am a Mega Digimon, and you're a mere mortal who sold out the entire human race just to get to the Digital World. Considering the crime you're guilty of, I don't think you deserve to go…besides, I was never going to hold up my end of the bargain anyway." Demon sneered as he let go, letting Oikawa drop to the ground.

As Demon prepared to fly out the hole, Oikawa felt a wave of emotions flood through him. Disbelief. Sorrow. Anger…and then rage. He immediately whipped out both SAA revolvers and pulled the triggers.

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Oikawa roared as he fired all twelve bullets the demonic Mega.

Demon opened his right palm as the bullets neared him. All twelve bullets ignited, burned, melted, and were vaporized in the space of one second. The Mega scoffed. "Pitiful." Then he opened his wings and flew out the hole to rejoin the battle.

Seconds passed. Seconds that felt like an eternity.

Oikawa holstered his weapons. Then he howled as he sank to his knees and pounded the ground with his fists, sorrowful anger in his voice. "It's not fair…! It's not fair! I DESERVE TO GO TO THE DIGITAL WORLD!"

He didn't understand. Why was everyone against him? All he wanted to do was go to the Digital World…was that so wrong? The only reason he went to such extreme measures was because of his deep desire to go.

Making a deal with Demon, a dark demon lord Digimon? Oikawa hadn't cared…it meant going to the Digital World. He had not know why he wanted Ken; it wasn't his job to worry.

But now, his only means of going to the Digital World…was gone.

Oikawa grimaced as he looked up; there was nothing he could…wait…who was that?

His eyes caught two people crossing a T-intersection at the far end of the hallway. One was a blonde woman wearing a black tank top and gray sweat pants; wrapped around her waist was a denim jacket. Walking beside her was brown-haired man wearing a wrinkled white shirt and khakis; covering his shirt was brown coat. They were obviously talking to each other, apparently about the object in the man's left hand.

That object. Yukio Oikawa's eyes widened as he recognized it.

It was a digivice.

As the two walked past the hallway, too focused in their conversation to notice Oikawa and the hole in the wall, Oikawa felt flabbergasted. He remembered one of Hiroki's talks a long time ago…he had mentioned other Digidestined like him, but he had not said anything about them beyond that.

That man must've been one of them.

It took Oikawa a few moments to remember the man. Hiroaki Ishida; he had been a fellow reporter back when Oikawa had also worked at the station. _So…you're a Digidestined as well._

Oikawa chuckled as he pulled out his right revolver and reloaded all six chambers. "Very well Demon…if you won't take me to the Digital World, than I shall simply go via another method." And he would do anything necessary to get there.

As Oikawa began pursuing Hiroaki and Natsuko, the eyes of a wizened old man stared at him from behind. He had watched the whole event from behind the corner of an open door…and he was now worried about the course of action Oikawa was taking.

"Yukio…" muttered Daniel Hida out of worry. He clutched both of his wooden kendo swords before pursuing Oikawa.

-

/Sphere Observation Deck, Fuji Television Center, Odaiba, 2:30 PM/

"1, 2, 3!"

Dietz's ears perked. _Eh?_

"1, 2, 3!"

He tilted his head around to see none other than Jim and Jun, sitting against the wall. As for why they were saying the aforementioned phrase…

"1, 2, 3!"

…well, they were playing Ro-Sham-Bo, AKA Rock, Paper, Scissors. And judging from the bemused look on Jim's face, Jun had won again.

Dietz sighed out of amusement. Why couldn't HE waste time like that? Instead, he was forced to do boring patrols…at least when those icky creatures had attack earlier, there had been something to DO. _Bleh, shouldn't think like that…too many people died…_

"Excuse me?"

Dietz turned around to see a black-haired man walking towards him. He wore a light green dress shirt that was covered with dust, as well as a pair of gray slacks. He wore thick-rimmed glasses with square-shaped lenses (with curved corners), and he looked tired and worn out. Dietz replied, "Yeah?"

"My name is Masami Izumi," said the man – Izzy's foster father – "And I was wondering if you've seen my wife." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a black leather wallet. He pulled out a tiny picture that had the picture of his wife – Yoshie – on it. In the picture, she was wearing a yellow apron over a green sweater and a purple skirt. "We got separated during all the fighting…so have you seen her?" For the better part of the previous two days, the Izumis (excluding Izzy) had been moving cautiously throughout the city to find shelter…but then they had been separated when a herd of Tyrannomon fought a bunch of Bakemon-possessed Greymon, destroying the building they had been hiding in in the process. Shortly thereafter, Masami had found the body of a nearly-dead Junsa; before the poor boy had died, the Junsa had told him about the shelter at the TV Station. So Masami had gone there.

Dietz blinked before recognition occurred. "Oh yeah. I saw her down in the cafeteria." Dietz scratched his chin as he thought about the condition in which he had seen her. "She was bit roughed up; some cuts and bruises on the face. Oh, and her entire left arm was gone."

Dietz suddenly noticed Masami had stopped breathing. He blinked when he saw the look of utter horror on Masami's face…and then Mr. Izumi burst off for the stairs.

Dietz scratched his head out of confusion. "What'd I say?"

_POW!_

"OW!" Dietz immediately grabbed his head; Ackerson had come up behind him and smacked him with his knuckles. The Junsa-cho impulsively yelled, "WHAT WAS THAT FOR!"

"Kid, I saw you talk with that man…and you handled that situation…let's see what's the word? Oh yeah…POORLY." Ackerson sighed as he rubbed his temples. "Look…you have a tendency to be honest. However, when you're telling someone the current condition of a loved one, there's something called being SUBTLE."

"Alright, alright!" retorted Dietz. "Man…no need to bite my head off."

-

/01-000-ALPHA, Outside of UmbraDevimon's Lair, 2:34 PM/

Imperialdramon set down one mile away from UmbraDevimon's Lair. "Here's our stop!" With a thought, Imperialdramon 'beamed' them down to the desert's surface.

Davis grinned. "Star Trek, eat your heart out!"

"Okay guys, this our final battle…so everyone digivolve to their highest levels. We can't take any chances," said Tai.

"Right," replied everyone as they pulled out their digivices. "DIGIVOLVE!"

Agumon warp-digivolve to……Wargreymon!

Gabumon warp-digivolve to……Metalgarurumon!

Wargreymon…Metalgarurumon…DNA-Digivolve to……Omnimon!

Biyomon digivolve to……Birdramon!

Birdramon digivolve to……Garudamon!

Tentomon digivolve to……Kabuterimon!

Kabuterimon digivolve to……MegaKabuterimon!

Palmon digivolve to……Togemon!

Togemon digivolve to……Lilymon!

Gomamon digivolve to……Ikkakumon!

Ikkakumon digivolve to……Zudomon!

Patamon digivolve to……Angemon!

Angemon digivolve to……MagnaAngemon!

Gatomon digivolve to……Angewomon!

Hawkmon digivolve to……Aquilamon!

Aquilamon digivolve to……Silphymon!

Wormmon digivolve to……Stingmon!

Stingmon digivolve to……Dinobeemon!

Armadillomon digivolve to……Ankylomon!

Ankylomon digivolve to……Stegomon!

(Agumon) warp-digivolve to……(Wargreymon!)

Dinobeemon…Silphymon…DNA-Digivolve to……Goliamon!

MagnaAngemon…Stegomon…DNA-Digivolve to……MetalAngemon!

Davis, TK, Kari, and Shaun all yelled, **"HOLY ARMOR ENERGIZE!"** In a flash of gold, bronze, white, and dark blue light (repectively), the aforementioned Digidestined were all wearing their Holy Armors.

TK glanced back at everyone, the bronze light emanating from his armor naturally energizing all of the Digimon to their fullest potential. "Okay guys…we all know the plan. All of the short-range fighters charge ahead. Everyone with long-range attacks hang back and fire a round or two before charging in as well. As for Imperialdramon…"

Davis smiled a goofy grin. "Don't worry! He knows his part! Right pal?"

"You got it Davis!" replied Imperialdramon, his voice booming through the air.

Tai stepped forward, quietly saying, "Sis…just you guys be careful, okay?"

Kari smiled sweetly at her older brother. "Don't worry. We'll be fine."

"Everyone ready?" asked Shaun, his voice loud enough to be heard by all.

"YEAH!" roared all of the Digimon, Davis, TK, and Kari.

"Alright. Imperialdramon…" Shaun couldn't help but feel a sense of giddiness grip him; an all-out battle like this was going to be…well, to put it blunt: AWESOME. Of course, he only let it show as a small smile. "…knock on his door."

Imperialdramon chuckled. "Positron Laser!" As the cannon on his back charged to maximum power, he yelled, "HEY! **UMBRADEVIMON!** KNOCK KNOCK!"

The blue and red laser roared at high speed towards the tall 'Formerly-The-Emperor's-Base-But-Now-The-Lair-Of-UmbraDevimon'. Then, with a terrifying crash, the blast hit the lair dead-on. Imperialdramon cheered, "Bull's eye!"

When the smoke cleared, the dark Hybrid himself – UmbraDevimon – was seen standing amongst the rubble. He was unharmed.

He chuckled malevolently as he clenched all four of his fists. "You know? That sort of itched…but now you owe me a new lair." With that, UmbraDevimon charged forward at high speed.

Imperialdramon roared, "POSITRON LASER!" As he fired another blast, Davis yelled, "CHARGE!"

The Digimon all roared as they charged; the four energized Digidestined led the charge. Shaun's body took on a blue glow as he roared, "BLUE DASH!" He zoomed at UmbraDevimon, his body moving like a speeding bullet. Davis, TK, and Kari were right behind him. Charging behind those three were Omnimon, Goliamon, and MetalAngemon. Garudamon, MegaKabuterimon, Zudomon, Lilymon, Angewomon, and (Wargreymon) lingered further behind to launch a flurry of long-range attacks.

"Wing Blade!"

"Horn Buster!"

"Vulcan's Hammer!"

"Flower Cannon!"

"Celestial Arrow!"

"Terra Force!"

The fiery phoenix, the orange bolt, the yellow streak, the green blast, the white arrow, and the orange orb all slammed into UmbraDevimon, enveloping him in a haze of energy vapor. By this time, the designated short-range fighters had reached UmbraDevimon's position.

Shaun roared as he slammed into UmbraDevimon…but he was immediately grabbed and thrown away by the devilish Mega. UmbraDevimon stepped out of the haze with a smirk on his face. "Come now…is that the best you can give?"

Davis paled. "NO WAY! He doesn't have a scratch!"

"Then let's give him one!" roared Omnimon as the sword extended out of his left hand. "Transcendent Sword!" He swung.

UmbraDevimon used his upper right hand to block the blade. "Weak. Dark Viper!" A blast of his dark ray sent the DNA-warrior flying away.

"RAAAH!"

UmbraDevimon blinked as he was suddenly lifted into the air. Beneath him, holding his left foot – and looking like an ant – was Goliamon, muscles bulging as he tried to throw the massive beast.

UmbraDevimon smiled. He flapped his wings once to get some air, and then he stomped on Goliamon with his right, sending the fusion beast down into the ground. "Is this all you can muster against me!"

"Not even close! Virtuous Rapier!" A silver blade erupted from the platinum gauntlet on his left arm, and he slashed at UmbraDevimon with it. Meanwhile, Davis, Kari, and TK unleashed an offensive trifecta at the Hybrid devil.

"Magna Punch!"

"Ruby Claw!"

"Equis Beam!"

The ruby projectiles, the turquoise beam, and Davis' gold-encrusted punch did nothing against the seemingly impervious hide of UmbraDevimon. "You fools…Needle Spray!" UmbraDevimon opened his maw, showering his combatants with a relentless barrage of razor-sharp needles. MetalAngemon roared, "Fall back!"

As the close-range combatants momentarily retreated to avoid UmbraDevimon's barrage of needles, Shaun sent a telepathic message to Imperialdramon.

Over one mile away…

'_Imperialdramon! We need another salvo!' _

"Roger! Positron Laser!" Another blast was fired, slamming into UmbraDevimon's body. The long-range fighters also chipped in.

"Wing Blade!"

"Horn Buster!"

"Vulcan's Hammer!"

"Flower Cannon!"

"Celestial Arrow!"

"Terra Force!"

_**BOOOOOM!**_

As the tremendous barrage bombarded UmbraDevimon, the other Digidestined watched on from beside Imperialdramon's gargantuan feet.

Cody frowned. "Something's not right here…"

Ken nodded. "Yes. He shouldn't be this powerful…"

"Come on! He probably didn't even survive that last attack!" exclaimed Tai with a flashy grin.

When the smoke cleared, UmbraDevimon stepped out, smiling with malevolent glee.

Matt cleared his throat as Tai facefaulted. "You were saying 'Mr. Leader'?"

"This is troubling…UmbraDevimon is acting far stronger than he's led us to believe," muttered Izzy.

"What do you mean?" asked Mimi out of confusion.

Izzy frowned. "I don't know exactly…but something doesn't seem right." After all, UmbraDevimon was only a fusion of Devimon – a Champion – and Chimeramon, who was a mere Ultimate.

So why was UmbraDevimon so strong? Why…?

-

/11-011-OMEGA, Sanctuary of Omniscience, the Forbidden City, 2:45 PM/

Inside the cliff upon which the Forbidden City was built upon was a massive chamber: more so than even the Sanctum of the Hierarchs.

Now you might wonder why there even WAS a chamber larger than that of the Hierarchs' Sanctum, ESPECIALLY considering how respected and revered they were by most – if not all – of the city's denizens.

It was rather simple, really.

This chamber was the resting site of the Prophet of Omniscience, the very first Hierarch. He had been the one who overseen the construction of the Forbidden City. He had been the commander of the Forbidden City's military, leading them through many encounters of the Gravemon. He had been the one who collaborated with the Guardian Beasts so that the Fortress Wall around Trash Bin Swamp could be built. He had been the one to prophesize the Great Journey. He was the most respected figure in the history of the city, and his burial chamber showed it.

The Sanctuary of Omniscience was a cylindrical chamber with a diameter of one mile: exactly the same diameter of the Forbidden City. The chamber itself was 1,000 feet high, and the only way to get to there was via a secret elevator platform at the bottom of the Sanctum. The walls were made of polished silver metal, and the burial coffin of Omniscience was situated on the far end of the sanctuary. His coffin – an ornate piece of metal seven feet tall, six feet long, and five feet wide – was made entirely of polished purple metal and gold rimming. Within that coffin sat his clothes, his crown, and his throne. The coffin was illuminated by a blinding white flood light from above, and the walls of the chamber were lined with various objects, art pieces, and other articles that Omniscience owned or treasured.

However, there was another reason why the Sanctuary of Omniscience was so big.

You see, the Sanctuary was also where a great vessel was housed. It had been constructed under the order of Omniscience for the sole purpose of transporting the Forbidden City's denizens when the Great Journey began.

And right now, a certain Spec Ops Commander was on the bridge of that vessel.

Special Operations Commander Huvo Nuvonaree remained silent as he stood upon the raised platform. The bridge of the vessel was comprised of a large room with a polished gray floor and purple walls. Four hexagon-shaped doors – made of white metal – adorned the walls, serving as the entrances to the bridge. All but one glowed with a red light, indicating their locked status. The one Nuvonaree had come through glowed with a bright green light. The actual command center on the bridge stood upon a raised platform, which was accessed by a gray ramp. Numerous holographic panels and displays lined the invisible 'wall' of the platform; from here, all commands were given out.

Now there was just the matter of turning the ship on.

Nuvonaree sighed as he began working on a certain holographic display. He had come to this bridge many times since he had been born in the Forbidden City. It always took a few hours to make the trip to the Sanctuary, disable the security measures on the vessel, and navigate his way through the numerous locked doors inside the vessel. And every time, it would refuse to turn on. Then he would have to relock the entire vessel, reinstate all of the security measures, and make the trip back to the surface.

Nuvonaree remained silent as he continued to work. Something seemed different this time…he could feel it in his bones.

Perhaps…perhaps this time the Great Journey would begin?

He did not know. He could only wait and see.

Nuvonaree sighed. "Here goes nothing." He pressed one last switch.

Seconds passed by. Nothing happened. The ship was still cloaked in darkness, with the only light coming from the holo-displays and the doors.

The Spec Ops Commander sighed. It was not time. Feeling dejected, he reached forward to shut down the system-

_CHOOM!_

The Elitemon nearly leapt out of his armor; a thunderous boom rumbled through the floor.

The ship's main reactors had just been activated.

Huvo couldn't help but gape in awe as the lights flickered on. The displays and panels suddenly whirled with activity as all of the ship's systems turned on.

He couldn't believe it. A wave of disbelief passed through him. Then awe…and finally, wonder.

The vessel had activated.

"The Great Journey…at last!" Huvo immediately ran off as fast as he could. He had to tell the Prophets!

Such wondrous news! The Great Journey was finally upon them!

-

/Cafeteria, Fuji Television Station, Odaiba, 2:50 PM/

"Oh my Lord…Yoshie…"

Yoshie Izumi silently opened her eyes. A white cotton blanket covered her entire body from the neck down, and she had a bandage wrapped around her forehead. She glanced up at Masami and sat up in her cot, letting the blanket fall to her side. As Dietz had said, her left arm was gone; only a set of bandages covering the tiny bump that had once been her shoulder remained of it. Her right arm, fortunately, was perfectly healthy. "Oh…hello honey."

"Yoshie…" Masami slumped to his knees, staring at his wife with utter horror in his eyes. "What happened…?"

"Oh. This?" Yoshie lightly smiled as she held the remaining half of her left shoulder in her right hand. "After we got separated, I found a group of policemen leading a group of survivors to the TV station. I grouped up with them…but just before I got here, we were attacked by a bunch of those ghosts. One of them bit my left arm off."

Masami's eyes became as wide as saucers. "…did it hurt?"

"Actually, no. I went into shock, so I didn't feel any pain. Thankfully, the doctors in this building bandaged me up before I lost too much blood. They were also able to calm me down…and I've been sleeping. That is, until you showed up." Even now, she still smiled.

Masami began sobbing. "I'm sorry Yoshie…I shouldn't have left you…"

"Ssh. It's okay." Yoshie calmly embraced her husband with her right arm. "I'm alive at the very least…the one you should be worrying about it is Izzy. He's in another world right now…and he's probably in a more dangerous situation than this one."

Masami wiped away his tears. "Yes…you're right. Our concerns should be for Izzy…besides, we're alive and relatively safe. What more could happen?"

CHOOM!

A black Digimon was suddenly thrown through the wall of the cafeteria, his body being propelled by a demonic fireball. He was pushed through the other side and fell out on the other end of the TV station. A demon in red immediately pursued him through the hole, with a demon in blue and a golden Digimon with two blue weapons pursuing the demon in red.

Everyone in the cafeteria was dead silent. Four Digimon had just practically flown over their heads.

Masami blinked. Then, he muttered, "Yipe." Then he fainted beside Yoshie's cot.

Yoshie smiled calmly as she leaned down and kissed her husband's cheek. "Yes…rest. You deserve it…" With that said, Yoshie laid back down and went back to sleep.

-

/01-000-ALPHA, Outside of UmbraDevimon's Lair, 2:55 PM/

Ten minutes had passed, and little had been accomplished against UmbraDevimon.

He was still impervious to anything the Digidestined threw at him.

He was still filled with indomitable strength.

And it was bugging the heck out of the Digidestined.

"SUPREME CANNON!"

UmbraDevimon charged forward, his lower left hand slamming through the orb and crashing into Omnimon. "You haven't even inflicted a single scratch on me! You have no chance of beating me!"

As Davis launched another volley of Magna Missiles from afar, he huffed, "Man…what's with this guy! He's tougher than Darkheart!"

"That seems to be the case," replied TK as he unleashed a flurry of stars with his Star Shower. UmbraDevimon didn't even notice them.

Meanwhile, the long-range combatants – hesitant to charge forward considering how tough UmbraDevimon was proving to be – one more volley.

"Wing Blade!"

"Horn Buster!"

"Vulcan's Hammer!"

"Flower Cannon!"

"Celestial Arrow!"

"Terra Force!"

UmbraDevimon sneered as the six attacks came roaring towards him. "You annoy me…APOCALYPTIC VIPER!" Dark violet energy gathered on his horns and shot out at Garudamon, MegaKabuterimon, Zudomon, Lilymon, Angewomon, and (Wargreymon). The six Digimon howled as tremendous pain shot through them, their bodies convulsing with violet energy.

When it ceased, they fell to the ground, reverting back to their Rookie forms…and yes, that included Angewomon, who had become Salamon.

"SALAMON!" shrieked Kari as her attention on the battle was momentarily distracted.

_POW!_

"OOF!" grunted Kari as UmbraDevimon's foot slammed into her back, sending her crashing into the sandy desert floor. However, Kari didn't notice the small twitch in UmbraDevimon's eye after his last attack had hit.

However, Shaun did. _Huh?_

**SLAM!**

Shaun's lack of diligence was rewarded by a punch to the gut. Even so, it felt a tad strange…did it feel a little less…intense? Maybe his stomach was going numb.

Oh well. No time to contemplate it. He whirled around and yelled, "TK!"

TK descended to Shaun's level in the sky, asking, "What is it?"

"Go to the Digimon; heal them with the Armor of Hope's power!" After Shaun's words, the Child of Wisdom sped back into battle against the dark titan.

TK immediately flew over towards the six fallen Digimon, purpose behind each and every flap of his wings. Meanwhile, Omnimon, Davis, Kari, Goliamon, MetalAngemon, and Shaun continued the fight.

"Camouflage Shield!" In a flash of blue light, Goliamon disappeared. UmbraDevimon blinked out of surprise as his four arms tended to Omnimon, Davis, Kari, and MetalAngemon all at once. "Huh?"

_**POW!  
**_

"GAH!" UmbraDevimon gagged as the thunderous kick of Goliamon slammed into his sternum. The goliath's invisibility wore off, and he landed in the sand quietly as UmbraDevimon fell to the ground. "Heh! Looks like he's finally losing steam!"

As UmbraDevimon fell on his back, his four attackers went on the offensive.

"SUPREME CANNON!"

"MAGNA GUN!"

"CAT'S EYE BEAM!"

"Gate of Extinction…RELEASE!"

A crackling right orb, golden-tipped bullets, yellow twin lasers, and a white stream of holy energy slammed into the fallen UmbraDevimon. Davis whooped out of joy. "WOOHOO! We've got him!"

The smoke cleared…and then UmbraDevimon stood. His body was a tad charred, and his breathing was a bit labored…but otherwise, nothing. He chuckled at them. "Come now…is that the best you can offer?"

Meanwhile, from a fair distance, Shaun took note of the injuries. _Now he's actually gotten hurt…is he actually reaching the end of his rope?_

A bronze light caught his attention. Shaun looked over to see TK floating over the six long-range combatants.

TK's Armor of Hope blazed with a bronze light; he was now consciously utilizing his Holy Armor's special ability: rejuvenation. "Come on guys…we're not done yet!"

A bronze aura covered Tentomon, Gomamon, Biyomon, Palmon, Salamon, and (Agumon).

When the aura disappeared, they all leapt to their feet. "Wow! I feel fresher than a ladybug!" cheered Tentomon.

"I could spout off a million jokes!" exclaimed Gomamon.

"PLEASE DON'T," sarcastically groaned Biyomon, Palmon, and Salamon.

"Come on guys!" yelled (Agumon). "We have our strength back; let's digivolve again!"

"Right!" They were immediately covered by a white light as they digivolved.

(Agumon) warp-digivolve to……(Wargreymon!)

Salamon digivolve to……Gatomon!

Gatomon digivolve to……Angewomon!

Biyomon digivolve to……Birdramon!

Birdramon digivolve to……Garudamon!

Palmon digivolve to……Togemon!

Togemon digivolve to……Lilymon!

Tentomon digivolve to……Kabuterimon!

Kabuterimon digivolve to……MegaKabuterimon!

Gomamon digivolve to……Ikkakumon!

Ikkakumon digivolve to……Zudomon!

The six long-range combatants immediately ascended into the air, charging up another salvo. TK smiled as he turned back towards the battle. "Okay everyone; UmbraDevimon's been weakened! Let's finish him off!"

The six Digimon all nodded as they fired off their respective attacks.

"Terra Force!"

"Celestial Arrow!"

"Wing Blade!"

"Flower Cannon!"

"Horn Buster!"

"Vulcan's Hammer!"

From even farther away, Imperialdramon fired again. "Positron Laser!"

As for the close-range fighters, they all retreated and fired their own long-range attacks.

"Supreme Cannon!"

"Magna Missiles!"

"Equis Beam!"

"Rosetta Stone!"

"Sonic Sting!"

"Angelic Spikes!"

All of them crashed into UmbraDevimon with resounding force. A massive explosion erupted, clouding the dark titan in a fog of sand, dust, and haze.

Shaun, however, had been the only one to not attack. He was now intrigued…and he wondered if UmbraDevimon was TRULY running out of energy.

When the smoke cleared, his suspicions were confirmed: UmbraDevimon was standing there…and he had no new wounds.

"WHAT! BUT THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE!" roared Davis out of sheer disbelief. "WE HIT HIM WITH EVERYTHING WE HAD!"

Goliamon, on the other hand, merely smiled. "Don't worry; I'll knock him on his can, then we'll whale on him some more!" Goliamon ran forward and leapt into the air, screaming as his foot impacted UmbraDevimon's sternum.

He didn't budge. He acted like he didn't even feel the hit. He grinned malevolently as he grabbed Goliamon and stared straight at his visor. "Weakling. You're no goliath." He then slammed Goliamon into the ground and charged at Omnimon and MetalAngemon, engaging in battle with them both.

Shaun had had enough of this. He immediately whirled around and set off towards Imperialdramon.

Kari looked back at him and raised an eyebrow out of confusion. _Where's he going?_

-

"Uh…did UmbraDevimon catch his second wind or something?" asked Joe out of nervousness.

Matt shrugged. "Beats me."

Yolei squinted at a blue figure speeding towards them. "Hey…isn't that Shaun?"

Sure enough, it was Shaun. He set down on Imperialdramon's back and strode straight towards Ken. "Ken."

Ken blinked, more out of confusion than anything else. "Uh…yes?"

"Did Chimeramon have any other extra abilities?"

Mimi frowned at Shaun's serious question. "Uh…what are you getting at?"

Shaun frowned as he stared back at UmbraDevimon. "I think there's more to UmbraDevimon than meets the eye."

"What do you mean? Tell us everything!" demanded Tai.

"Well, for one, I noticed a strange look in his eye when his Apocalyptic Viper caused our long-range combatants to dedigivolve…and immediately after that, his strength and endurance weakened considerably. However, the moment TK restored their energy, he looked…pleased. And after they digivolved, he was suddenly impervious and indomitable again."

After Shaun's explanation, everyone was silent.

Suddenly, Izzy's eyes widened. "Could…could that be it?"

"Yes…I think so too," replied Shaun, understanding the conclusion the Child of Knowledge had arrived at.

Ken realized it too. "I see…it makes sense now!"

"What does? What are you talking about!" yelled Tai, who was frustrated that they understood what was going on and he didn't.

"It's UmbraDevimon's body…it's the key to his power," said Izzy, his tone even and logical.

Sora frowned. "Huh? What do you mean?"

Ken stepped forward. "Allow me to explain. Chimeramon's body is made up of parts from Tai's, Matt's, Izzy's, Joe's, Mimi's, Sora's, TK's, Kari's, and Shaun's partners." He momentarily flinched as the memory of Chimeramon's creation came to mind. However, he regained composure and continued on. "Even though he was his own being, Chimeramon's body was linked to the data of those he was made of…so I think there was a strange side effect."

"What side effect is that?" asked Mimi.

Shaun finished by saying, "It's actually quite simple; as the nine Digimon that made up Chimeramon's body digivolve, UmbraDevimon grows stronger. Even though he's only a fusion of Devimon and Chimeramon, his power grows as they digivolve."

A lightning bolt of shock swept through the Digidestined. Matt yelped, "Wait a tic! You mean if we digivolve our Digimon, he grows stronger! How the heck are supposed to defeat him!"

"Simple."

Everyone glanced at Cody. "We simply fight with Digimon who don't make up Chimeramon's body."

Silence.

In all actuality, it was simple. The partners of Davis, Yolei, Cody, and Ken had not been used to create Chimeramon. Which meant the Imperialdramon and Goliamon would still be able to fight. As for MetalAngemon, he would simply split off into Stegomon and MagnaAngemon (who would immediately dedigivolve to Patamon). Also, there were the four Holy Armors (and the children who wore them) to account for.

"Heh…this is sort of crazy…winning by weakening ourselves," commented Tai.

"Hey, it's not always the strongest that are the victors," said Cody, remembering when he had gotten the Crest of Humility. "Sometimes it's the strongest."

Shaun chuckled as he pulled out his D-3. "Well…let's DEdigivolve."

Tai, Sora, Matt, Joe, Izzy, and Mimi took out their digivices as well. "Right."

The digivices responded to their will…and they reacted by shining with a white light.

Suddenly…

_CHOOM!_

Everyone grimaced as Omnimon, Garudamon, (Wargreymon), Lilymon, Zudomon, and MegaKabuterimon were enveloped by white light. Kari yelled, "What's going on!"

When the light faded…Davis nearly felt like fainting. "Uh…that."

Standing where the aforementioned six had been moments ago, there were only Agumon, Gabumon, Biyomon, (Agumon), Palmon, Gomamon, and Tentomon.

Agumon yelled, "HEY! What happened!"

"We dedigivolved!" exclaimed Gabumon.

TK blinked as Shaun flew back towards them. Before the Child of Hope could say anything, the Child of Wisdom said, "Dedigivolve your Digimon." He glanced at Kari. "You too."

"WHAT!" shouted both TK and Kari.

Davis was in agreement. "What are you talking about! UmbraDevimon's creaming us already! How's dedigivolving them going to help!"

Shaun smiled slyly at them. "Trust me. UmbraDevimon's COUNTING on us to digivolve them…otherwise, he's as strong as any other Mega."

TK and Kari both blinked. Then, the Child of Hope glanced at UmbraDevimon…and to his surprise, he saw that the Hybrid beast looked…perturbed…and SCARED.

That alone convinced TK. "Okay…we should do it. We don't have any other options; we already tried attacking him with our strongest guys."

"Okay…well, here goes nothing." Kari reached for her D-3, as did TK. Both of their D-3s glowed brightly…and then Angewomon and MetalAngemon were enveloped in bright light. When the light faded, Gatomon remained. As for the DNA hybrid, there was only Patamon and Stegomon.

"Hey! What gives!" demanded Patamon. "I was about to whip that bad guy's butt!"

"We'll whip him twice as hard for you…all right guys! Goliamon, Stegomon, Davis, TK, Kari…all of us attack at once!" yelled Shaun.

-

'_You too Imperialdramon! Try and put a little more oomph behind your next attack!'_

Imperialdramon grinned in response to Shaun's telepathic message. "Oh, I'll do more than that…" He opened his mouth…and a golden orb that crackled with blue electricity formed in it. **_"MEGA DEATH!"_**

As Imperialdramon roared, the orb was sent flying at UmbraDevimon.

-

UmbraDevimon's eyes widened as the sphere came roaring towards him. _No…this can't be!_

Almost all of them had dedigivolved…and there was only one reason why.

They had figured out his weakness.

Now he would have to actually FIGHT. _Curses…!_

KABOOM!

He vanished in a flash of gold and blue. The Mega Death attack produced a miniature mushroom cloud, enveloping the dark Hybrid in a massive cloud.

When it cleared, UmbraDevimon was still standing…but his body was charred and smoking. "Curse you…!"

Everyone boggled out of shock. It had worked! "All right!" cheered Davis. "CHARGE!" He zoomed toward and aimed both golden fists at UmbraDevimon's face. "MAGNA PUNCH!"

UmbraDevimon grunted as he was sent stumbling backwards. Goliamon immediately charged forward and grabbed his foot. "Let's see how tough you are NOW!" Then, with effortless ease, she picked the tremendous dark Digimon up…and then tossed him into the ground.

"_**YEEOOWWW!"**_

Of course, that was where Stegomon had set his tail. Now UmbraDevimon was hopping up and down, hands holding his aching butt in the classic 'hop up and down and scream real loud' stance.

Stegomon snickered. "You should've looked before you sat!"

TK and Kari immediately took the opportunity to strike. "GOLDEN NOOSE!"

Before UmbraDevimon knew it, his arms and body had been wrapped up and bound by a golden line of energy, which was held taut by TK and Kari. The Children of Hope and Light yelled, "NOW!"

Shaun quickly clasped Davis' hand and flew up into the sky. Davis yelped, "HEY! What gives!"

Shaun chuckled as he came to a stop about one mile in the sky. "Remember when Sonocomon threw Flamedramon at supersonic speeds at the Deltamon?"

It had been so long ago; even though the actual event had been less than two months ago, it felt like a lifetime to the Motomiya boy. "Oh yeah…" A smile crept onto his face. "Let's do it!"

Shaun reared his arm and roared, "BLUE DASH!" He then threw Davis downward with terrifying force, creating a sonic boom in his wake.

Davis aimed his foot downward. His body glowed with blue light – the result of his supersonic speed – and his foot suddenly glowed gold. "MAGNA KICK!"

Davis' foot connected with UmbraDevimon's head.

The terrifying force behind the kick sent UmbraDevimon into the ground. A column of sand was kicked up by the collision. He went so far underground that the breaking of glass and stone could be heard.

Davis cheered heartily. "HAH! Take THAT!"

When the cloud cleared, UmbraDevimon could be seen. His body was sprawled amongst the ruins of a stone chamber that had sat underneath his lair.

The Hybrid devil grimaced as he shook his head. _I'm losing…_ Then his eyes caught sight of a strange blue mote of light flying out of what remained of a broken ring. _What…?_

The mote suddenly rose into the sky and flew westward, towards the End of the World.

Everyone stared at in silence.

Then, Tentomon asked, "Anyone mind guessing what that was?"

_**CHOOM!**_

An ear-deafening thunderclap split through the air…and a blue serpentine figure rose into the air from above the End of the World, its body snaking through the cloudy sky.

Tai blinked. "Wait…didn't I see that in DBZ?" Everyone beside him sweatdropped.

At that moment, the being appeared out of the clouds. His entire serpentine body was easily hundreds of feet long, and it was about seventy feet in diameter. As for the body itself, it was colored a ghostly blue, and it seemed transparent. Chains wrapped around his entire body, and translucent wings dotted his body at various intervals. He had four clawed hands protruding from his body near the front and rear of the body – one pair each – and there were three blue spheres encircling each hand. As for the creatures' head, it was covered by a blue facemask with yellow lightning bolt designs. It was spiked at the tips, and a horn shaped like a blue lightning bolt protruded from the tip of his nose. Pearly white facial hair – mustache and beard – drooped and flowed from his nose and chin, and his four eyes were blazing red in color.

Shaun and (Agumon) recognized the figure immediately…and so did UmbraDevimon. _No…_ A great fear suddenly washed over him. That chamber he had fallen into…that ring he had broken…had it been one of the Dark Masters' seals?

Davis, on the other hand, asked, "Uh…who are you?"

The serpentine figure – in a deep and majestic voice – replied, "I am Azulongmon, the Guardian Beast of the Eastern Digital World." His red eyes glared unmercifully at the fallen UmbraDevimon. "You are a being unworthy of existing. I have other matters to deal with, so I'll deal with you quickly."

On impulse, UmbraDevimon roared, "HARPOON TORPEDO!" From his mouth, countless numbers of explosive harpoons erupted from his mouth, rushing toward Azulongmon.

Azulongmon frowned. "Always the hard way…" Two of the chains that wrapped around him suddenly crackled with electricity and zoomed downward, striking through the torpedoes cleanly. "Lightning Whip!" All of them exploded in midair. Then he flew around so that his body formed the outline of a circle…and the space inside that circle crackled with bluish-white light. "Aurora Force!"

UmbraDevimon paled as crackling bluish-white energy rushed toward him with ferocious speed. The Hybrid titan didn't even have time to scream before it slammed into him. The mighty devil vanished in the light before the area around him exploded in a burst of energy.

UmbraDevimon had finally fallen.

Everyone just stared in awe at the mighty Guardian Beast. He had destroyed UmbraDevimon so swiftly (even if he was at the end of his rope anyway)…such was the power of the Guardian Beasts.

As Imperialdramon moved closer and set down in front of the mighty Guardian Beast, Azulongmon said, "Hello Digidestined…although it feels good to be free, time is short…and I have much to talk to you about."

-

/Hallway, Fuji Television Station, Odaiba, 3:17 PM/

Natsuko blinked as Hiroaki recounted to her some of tales from his time as a Digidestined. "…man…you went through quite a bit."

"I know," muttered Hiroaki as he glanced at the digivice in his hand. "Heh…and now Matt and TK are having their own adventures. I guess being a Digidestined is hereditary. Life's funny that way…"

"Perhaps," said Natsuko, sullen at the sudden reminder of her sons. She sighed before saying, "I wonder if they're oka-"

A hand suddenly wrapped around her mouth. Natsuko tried to scream, but it only came out as a muffled groan.

Hiroaki whirled around out of shock. "NATSUKO!"

The pale left hand of a man in a purple trench coat covered her mouth, preventing her from screaming…and in his right hand was a SAA revolver, its barrel pressed against her temple. Natsuko's eyes were widened out of sheer horror, terror, and fright. Meanwhile, the one holding her hostage was smiling malevolently at Hiroaki. "I agree Hiroaki…life CAN be funny sometimes…"

Hiroaki suddenly recognized the man. "You're Oikawa…what are you doing?"

Oikawa grinned as he pressed harder with the barrel of his revolver into Nancy's temple. She screamed into his hand. "Simple…you're going to give me what I want. After all, I'm sure you don't want this woman's blood to stain the floor."

-

To be continued…

Next time…

Episode 57: The Great Journey

-

Author's Notes: Cliffhanger! I'm evil...BWAHAHAHA!

Next episode brings some revelations from Azulongmon himself…and the Digidestined finally return to the Real World!

See you soon, and please review!


	57. The Great Journey

Standard Disclaimer: MUST…EAT…TOEI…MUST…SAY…I DON'T OWN DIGIMON…GROWL…

Author's Notes: Hurray for caveman speech. ;P

The Zero 2 Fanart Contest has ended…and since UKHoneyB was the only participant, she wins the prize of 'Cameo in Zero 2!'

To the reviews (of which there are now 500. WONGA)!

Dark Qiviut: He's not dumb; he just doesn't have a lot of tact. Thanks for reminding me of Gatomon's actual Rookie form. And I have to say that I actually do write these down in a few days and then post them (I've never even USED a notebook). As for how quickly I can write them, I just plan ahead. Heck, I had already planned out the Battle Mini-Arc when Darkheart was introduced. I had the FINAL EPISODE worked out before the Forbidden City was even shown. I plan FAR ahead.

I don't really HATE any of the Digidestined, but my favorite characters are Davis, Tai, Yolei, Izzy, Kazu, and Jeri (don't really like Frontier).

SR71will: Be careful though…start taking precautions if BlackMeggidramon starts saying, 'Heil Hitler!' O.o;

Anthony1: DOOR BELLS!

Dot Cubed: (chuckles) I'm sorry…have you forgotten Shaun has a major score to settle with Demon? ;)

Miracles: You shall see…

generic reviewer: Yes. It's also the name of Imperialdramon's most powerful attack (for his Dragon mode, that is; his Fighter mode uses Giga Death, or Giga Crusher in the dub).

(blinks as GR kicks and pokes him) …ZANZIBAR! (slashes at GR with a spork)

Bluesv20: Too…many…run-on…sentences… X(

Cloud-821: Yeah, I know…I'm a goober-head. X.X But edited it, so it should be fine in a bit.

Alforce Zero: I simply thought about it. And I've been planning for Mummymon being a reincarnation of King Tut ever since he was introduced (look at when he was introduced in episode 18 at the end). And it's not just her left hand; it's Yoshie's entire left arm.

Ninetalesuk: Yeah. He's been around longer than any other villain in the Digimon canon…I think.

Digi fan: Nope. Not in Zero 2 anyway.

Nightfire04: Read on, and your questions will be answered…

BeatlesLover: GASP! You didn't THINK! O.O (calls 911) I have a vegetable here!

Salamon2: Hey, I'm not perfect. :P Besides, the title 'Fall of UmbraDevimon' practically gave it away. But then again, 'Piedmon's Last Jest' practically did the same thing.

reviewer: Glad this fic brightens your day.

Begin!

-

_UmbraDevimon has fallen._

_Azulongmon has been freed._

_The Great Journey is about to begin._

_For the first time in a while, things are looking up…_

_Or are they?_

-

"Hello, it's Ken. In the Real World, Demon engaged in a ferocious battle with Daemon, Futa, and Blackwargreymon. Oikawa's set his sights on Hiroaki as his only means of entering the Digital World, so he's taken Ms. Takaishi hostage. Meanwhile, we fought UmbraDevimon in a battle to the end…and he would've won had we not discovered the key to his strength. However, the one who had dealt the killing blow had been, of all Digimon, Azulongmon. Talk about a surprise."

-

Episode 57: The Great Journey

-

/Hallway, Fuji Television Station, Odaiba, 3:20 PM/

Being a Digidestined was tough. That was practically a given.

However, there were some drawbacks that couldn't be foreseen immediately. For instance, there was the possibility that being a Digidestined would eventually arouse suspicion from others in the Real World. When the new Digidestined had first started fighting the Digimon Emperor, going to the Digiworld, fighting the Emperor, and getting home on time was a delicate balancing act.

But there was another drawback that was far graver: the possibility that your loved ones would be attacked by someone because of what you were. People you loved and cared for would be attacked simply because of who you were.

Right now, Hiroaki was experiencing that drawback.

Outside in Odaiba, Digimon were fighting each other, reducing the city to rubble in the process. Those Digimon were comprised of three fractions.

UmbraDevimon's Army, which was in tatters.

The remaining remnants of the Gravemon, which had largely disappeared since the Mind had been defeated.

And, of course, the Demon Corps, led by none other than Demon.

Inside the Fuji Television Station was Hiroaki…and several feet in front of him was Yukio Oikawa, holding his ex-wife at gunpoint.

Yeah. Drawbacks. Messy stuff.

Hiroaki grimaced as his hands impulsively clenched. "Oikawa…let her go."

"Nah ah ah." Oikawa chuckled as he pressed the barrel of his revolver even harder into Natsuko's temple, causing her to wince out of pain. "You won't get your flower back until I get what I want."

All it took was one glance into Natsuko's eyes. They were wide and filled to the brim with horror; they were on the verge of tearing. She was scared…scared of dying. Then again, most humans were scared of death.

Hiroaki sighed; he had acquiesced to Oikawa. "Fine then…what do you want?"

"Entry to the Digital World," replied Oikawa.

Hiroaki frowned, suddenly remembering something. "I see……Hiroki told me that he was going to show the Digital World to you. I take it you never got to go."

"DON'T YOU **_DARE_** TALK ABOUT THAT DAY!" roared Oikawa as he tightened his grip on the revolver. "Mention Hiroki again, and I'll shoot the brains out of your precious little flower! UNDERSTAND!"

Hiroaki couldn't help but boggle out how forceful and deranged Oikawa was acting. The wild look in his eyes…how desperate was he to get to the Digital World? "Oikawa…what's happened to you…?"

"A promise was broken, nothing more…now go to the nearest computer and open a Digiport! Or else…" He smiled as he placed his finger on the trigger. "Better hurry…my finger might slip."

"YUKIO OIKAWA!"

Oikawa paused. He turned around to see the face of none other than the wizened Daniel Hida. "Well…if it isn't Hiroki's old man. Haven't seen you in quite some time…"

"I can say the same." Daniel's tone was calm…controlled. The same could be said for his stance. He didn't seem to be the least bit perturbed by the sight before him…and if he actually was, he didn't show it. "Why are holding that woman at gunpoint?"

"None of your business old man," hastily replied Oikawa.

Daniel frowned. "You are about to kill an innocent person, and you say I don't have any business here?"

"She's my hostage…and if Hiroaki wants her head to remain in one piece, he'll do what I say." To prove his point, he pressed harder.

Hiroaki grimaced. "Please Mr. Hida…just stay away. I'll do what he asks…"

"No. Oikawa does not deserve to go to the Digital World."

Oikawa suddenly froze. Had his ears just played a trick on him? "What…did you say…?"

"You do not deserve to go to the Digital World. What makes you think you are worthy of going there?" asked Daniel in a logical tone.

Oikawa grit his teeth angrily at the old man. "Simple. Hiroki promised me…and he's one of the Digidestined! That alone gives me the right to go!"

"Right? You think going to the Digital World is a 'right'?" This caused Daniel to chuckle quietly. "Going there is a privilege…and you are not worthy of that privilege."

"WHAT!" Oikawa growled with contained rage as he turned around to face the man, still keeping his hand on Natsuko's mouth and his revolver pressed against her temple. "What makes you think that! YOU THINK YOU'RE BETTER THAN ME!"

"Tell me Oikawa, do you think going to the Digital World is worth the ticket price?" asked Daniel.

The sudden question caused Oikawa to momentarily pause. "…what?"

"Do you think going there is worth the life of that woman?"

Oikawa scoffed. "She's only my ticket there; if Hiroaki cooperates, his little flower will remain unharmed."

"You didn't answer my question," sternly said Daniel. "Answer me."

Oikawa was silent. "Well…it's only that…"

"Let me ask another question." Daniel slowly turned his gaze to the nearby window. "Do you think cooperating with a demon is worth going to the Digital World?"

Oikawa's eyes widened out of shock. "What? How did you know?"

"I overheard your conversation with Demon in the hallway. It was quite…enlightening."

Even Hiroaki couldn't help but gasp out of rage. "You made a DEAL with **DEMON!** **_WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU!"_**

"A very good question Hiroaki." Daniel took a few steps forward, speaking as he did. "Tell me Oikawa, do you have common sense?"

"…yes," muttered the man in purple. Nervousness tinged his voice.

Daniel's eyes suddenly hardened. "Liar. If you had common sense, then you would know not to make deals with devils and demons. They have a tendency to backfire…and your little deal with Demon backfired, did it not?"

Oikawa did not reply.

"What was this deal of yours anyway!" demanded Hiroaki. Now his interest had been caught; he wanted to know what Oikawa had been up to with Demon.

Oikawa took several seconds to reply. His voice was quiet and morose. "Demon appeared to me one day…in exchange for helping him find a boy named Ken Ichijouji, he would let me go to the Digital World. I immediately said yes."

"Do you know why he wanted the boy?" asked Daniel.

"Not until later…when I asked, he told me that Ken held great significance to him. When he got his hands on him, he would finally regain his power…I didn't care for his reasons. I just wanted to go to the Digital World…" Oikawa's voice was edgy and quiet.

Daniel scoffed with anger. "You are not only without common sense, but you are a fool!" He angrily gestured with his kendo swords toward the window. "Look out that window! Odaiba is up in flames and in ruins! A maelstrom of death and destruction has claimed this entire district! And once Demon is finished here, he'll move further on and conquer new areas! His power is so great that any nation's military could be laid to waste by him! But if it hadn't been for you, he wouldn't even be here!"

Oikawa paled. For the first time, he didn't let his aspirations for the Digital World cloud his thoughts. He actually thought about what his deal with Demon had entailed. Almost fearing the man's answer, Oikawa muttered, "……what are you getting at?"

Daniel snorted. "There have been hundreds of human deaths today, maybe thousands! Had you not given Demon what he wanted, he wouldn't even be here! Do you realize that the deaths of all the humans since this invasion began are on YOUR HANDS!"

Oikawa couldn't help but inhale sharply; his hands suddenly felt limp, and his arms slumped to his sides. _All those deaths…on me…?_ His face hardened. _No…it can't be!_

Natsuko, meanwhile, suddenly realized she wasn't being held anymore. "AAAH!" She screamed as she made a break for Hiroaki.

Oikawa's eyes suddenly flared with anger as he aimed his revolver at Natsuko's back. **"I TOLD YOU NOT TO MOVE!"** He squeezed the trigger-

_SLAP!_

Oikawa winced as Daniel slapped his right hand with both kendo sticks. The force behind the blow sent the revolver clattering to the floor.

Oikawa glared down at Daniel…and found eyes of ice. "You were about to shoot her."

Oikawa froze again. This man was incredibly wise and knowledgeable…and he had keen ways of getting under people's skin. Such were the abilities of those who matured with age.

Daniel silently stood back, his hands both holding onto his wooden swords. "Let me ask you two more questions. One: who do you think is the worse monster; Demon, or yourself? And two: do you think Hiroki would have wanted _this?_ I think you know the answers."

Oh, how clear he made it seem. Oikawa slumped to his knees, his eyes now level with Daniel's. The old man's gaze only made Oikawa wither more. He couldn't help but start sobbing as the full weight of his actions hit him. _Oh…what have I done…? Hiroki…what have I become…? I've perverted everything I remember of you…all because of one goal…forgive me Hiroki…_

Daniel watched in silence as Oikawa began sobbing. "His lesson has been learned."

Natsuko couldn't help but shiver as she watched the man – who had held her gunpoint just moments ago – sob into the floor. It was such a radical transformation… "Why? Why would someone be willing to go to such extreme measures…even if it meant death?"

"That's humanity for you honey," answered Hiroaki. "Humans can find a reason to do anything if they think about it hard enough."

"Not only that…but after Hiroki died, I think the Digital World became the only thing left for Oikawa. The only thing left that connected him to Hiroki…but unfortunately, he became consumed by his desire." Daniel sighed. His work was finished.

Suddenly, tentacles broke through the door and wrapped around his leg. Daniel gasped as he was pulled through the floor. "AAH!"

"**MR. HIDA!"** Oikawa suddenly leapt forward and grabbed the old man's left kendo sword. As part of the floor fell away, Yukio could see that the tentacles protruded from the head of a Digimon that looked like a sea serpent. It was an infected Seadramon…however, it had sprouted legs and arms after the infection by a Spore.

Daniel winced as the infected Seadramon howled and pulled harder. His legs were pulled out their sockets. "Yukio! Even though you've made mistakes, you're still my son's friend! I have one last request: tell my grandson to remain strong!"

Then he let go of the kendo sword.

Yukio Owikawa paled as the infected Seadramon sank through the hole in the floor, taking Daniel with him. Daniel said nothing as he was pulled through floor after floor; the Seadramon had come in through the ground and gone upward through many of the floors before getting Daniel.

Oikawa silently began sobbing as he held the wooden sword gingerly. The sounds of Gravemon entering the building and police officers opening fire on them reached his ears, but they didn't register.

He was too absorbed in his tears.

He had made a deal with a demon…and even if his actions hadn't caused the coming of UmbraDevimon's Army or the arrival of the Gravemon, there was still a heavy price to be paid.

And we would have to pay it, one way or another.

-

/01-000-ALPHA, 3:30 PM/

"So, what is it you want to have explained? The Holy Armors? The new Crests? The Forbidden City? Tell me; time is short, and I want to explain any and all questions you might have!"

"WHOA, SLOW DOWN!" yelled Davis at Azulongmon. Everyone had dedigivolved to their default forms – which meant Gatomon was Gatomon and not Salamon – and Davis, TK, and Kari had dismissed their armors. Shaun still wore the Armor of Wisdom. "Easy big guy; take it slowly!"

"Apologies. It has been a while since I've spoken with anyone, so my conversational skills might be rusty." Azulongmon's eyes looked over them all before saying, "So…what do you wish to know?"

"Um…I have a question about the crests," asked Ken as he reached down his shirt and pulled out the tag that held the Crest of Kindness. "I'd like to know why they were created." Truthfully, he wanted to ask why he had been the one to receive the Crest of Kindness…but his mouth had other ideas apparently.

"Ah! Very well then; hunker down. You're in for quite a tale," Azulongmon cleared his throat before speaking out. "You see, I and the rest of the Guardian Beasts experience many premonitions of the future."

"Like fortune-telling?" said Tai.

"No. More like dreams of the future. Around nine years ago – Earth time – we had premonitions of new Digidestined rising up to face one of their own. That would come true in the form of the new children facing the Emperor."

Ken momentarily flinched, but Yolei quickly clasped his hand. Wormmon also nudged up against his foot. He calmed down almost immediately.

"Since regular digivolution wouldn't work against the Emperor's Control Spires, we created the _Digieggs of the Crests_. Courage. Friendship. Love. Knowledge. Sincerity. Reliability. Light. Hope. Also, we created the Digiegg of Miracles for the purpose of Veemon's eventual fight against the Dark Hybrid: Chimeramon." Azulongmon's eyes suddenly hardened. "However, shortly afterwards, something extraordinary happened…and it changed all of our premonitions."

"Yeah. My entry into the past," answered Shaun.

"Exactly. Shaun's entry into the past caused quite a stir amongst the ranks of the Order and the Guardian Beasts. Many of our premonitions were replaced by darker ones…thankfully, the events with the Emperor were still going to occur, but everything else beyond that changed. So we had to compensate."

"By creating the new Crests," finished Izzy.

"Correct." Azulongmon then plucked one of the three blue spheres surrounding his front left hand's wrist. "This is a Digicore; it contains the purest part of my data and power. Zhuqiaomon, Baithumon, Xuanwumon, and myself each contributed one Digicore to create the Crests of Kindness, Caring, Humility, Wisdom, and Miracles, as well as the Digiegg of Wisdom for Shaun. These Digicores are also what we used to create the Digieggs of the Crests. Siara was also created from our Digicores."

"Man! Versatile little trinkets, aren't they?" exclaimed Armadillomon. Cody nodded out of concurrence.

"We finished the Digiegg of Wisdom first and then sealed a Digimon under it."

"That's me!" ventured (Agumon) with a happy grin.

Azulongmon nodded. "Once Shaun obtained his Digiegg and his partner, we got to work on creating the five new Crests. When we were finished, we spread them out so that they would be found later on. Shaun found his almost immediately, which is no surprise considering that he witnessed the new Crests being spread out."

"May I ask a question?" asked Hawkmon.

"Shoot."

"Why was Yolei's Crest placed in the brain of Azulmon? That's not exactly the most appropriate place, wouldn't you agree?" Yolei suddenly looked sick after Hawkmon's question. "Oh yeah…that was gross."

Azulongmon sighed. "It had originally been placed in a different spot, but Azulmon must have found it and ingested it. When we sealed the Flan Digimon away, we had no idea the Crest of Caring had been sealed away with them. It's fortunate that the seal on the Flan Digimon weakened over time; otherwise, Azulmon might not have been able to get out."

_Hmm…that explains that little oddity_, thought Shaun with an amused grin.

"I see…thank you Azulongmon. That's all," said Ken.

"You are welcome, Child of Kindness." Azulongmon then looked at all of them again. "Anyone else?"

TK raised his hand. "I have a question about the Forbidden City."

"Yes?"

"Well…when we were in the Forbidden City, one of the Elitemon spoke of a 'Great Journey'…what is that about?" finished the Child of Hope.

Azulongmon pointedly said, "THAT, my dear child, is something best explained by the Hierarchs, for that is their business. However, I will give you the basics." He cleared his throat again. "It all started with the very first Hierarch: the Prophet of Omniscience…"

-

/11-011-OMEGA, Sacred Path, the Forbidden City, 3:37 PM/

Every single denizen of the Forbidden City had gathered on the Sacred Path: all 10,000 of them. Of them all, 4,000 were Gruntmon. 3,300 were Jackalmon. 2,000 were Elitemon, and 700 were Huntermon. Oh, and there the three Hierarchs of course. The only ones absent were the Outcast (of course) and Vula Tusa'lamee, along with a few dozen black Elitemon.

Right now, the Grand Praetor – Nola Kusulamee – was speaking to the crowd. "Creatures of the Forbidden City! The time that we have been waiting for is upon us! The Great Journey, prophesied by the majestic Omniscience millennia ago, is nigh!"

This sent a wave of shock and awe through the Digimon that had gathered. Even all 300 of the stoic Honor Guards – which were gathered behind Kuvo Hutalamee and the Prophets – couldn't help but feel elation at the news.

"Now my fellow Digimon, we have gathered here today to begin the Great Journey…and before we depart, here is a special gift for you: lay your eyes for the first time upon the Hierarchs!" Nola then stepped aside, revealing the Prophets of Reality, Wisdom, and Absolution for all of the Digimon to see.

This was a moment of historical significance; in the long history of the Forbidden City, only the Prophet of Omniscience had ever shown himself to the public's eye. Now there were three more to add to that list.

"_Creatures of the Forbidden City. The time has come at last,"_ said Reality.

Wisdom then said, _"Some have lost faith in the prophecy…but those who remained steadfast have finally received their reward this day."_

Absolution exclaimed, **_"The Great Journey is upon us! All those that have persevered through all the trials and tribulations the years have brought are now getting what they deserve! Not the rebels, not the Outcast, not even the Gravemon could make this day any less significant!"_**

"_There are those who said this day would never come…well what do they say now?"_ asked Reality, his tone actually joking. _"Your patience has finally paid off…now behold the vessel that will take us on the Great Journey: the _Great Journey_."_

This solicited laughs and chuckles from the crowd; how ironic that the vessel which would take them to the world of reality was called the _Great Journey_.

Suddenly, the foundation of the city rumbled. Everyone went silent as the sounds of a massive hangar door opening in the cliff side could be heard…and then there was the roaring of engines.

Then the vessel ascended into the sky. The denizens' mouths dropped out of sheer awe.

Reality held his arms up and exclaimed, _"The Great Journey begins NOW."_

-

/01-000-ALPHA, 3:42 PM/

"…and that's the story behind the Great Journey," finished Azulongmon.

"Okay," replied TK. _Okay…so Omniscience prophesied a Great Journey. This Great Journey entailed traveling to the Real World…and that's it. Man, they've been waiting thousands of years for that?_ To TK, the Digital World was far more beautiful a place than the Real World…but then again, the grass always looked greener on the other side.

"I have a question about the Higher-Arts!" chirped Patamon.

"Hier**ARCHS**," corrected Azulongmon.

"Right, Higher-Darts." Ignoring everyone's sweatdropping, Patamon said, "Are those guys actually Digimon? I've never even heard their actual name! I mean, Futa Ishisamee is an Elitemon. So what about those Prophet guys?"

Azulongmon sighed. "Well…they ARE Digimon…but their real names can't be pronounced."

"Aw, come on! They can't be that tough!" boasted Davis.

"75 syllables. And that's not counting the 'Mon'," pointed out Azulongmon.

Everyone sweatdropped. Davis facefaulted. "Never mind…"

"Can YOU pronounce it?" asked Mimi out of curiosity.

Azulongmon grumbled. "I may be a Guardian Beast, but I'm not perfect. Any other questions?"

Kari raised her hand. "Um…about the Holy Armors…"

"You wish to know more about them? Very well…I shall elaborate. You see young child, the premonitions the Guardian Beasts were experiencing after Shaun's arrival to the past forced us to create new tools. New Crests wouldn't be enough…so while we were creating the Digiegg of Wisdom, we gathered the Digieggs of Hope, Light, and Miracles together with it. We bestowed upon them a unique power…I'm sure you know what it is."

Davis, TK, Kari, and Shaun nodded. Matt calmly asked, "So, why were these Holy Armors necessary?"

"Because the foes you're now facing cannot be beaten with Digimon alone. Need I remind you of UmbraDevimon? Even though you had Imperialdramon, Goliamon, and Stegomon fighting, it would've been far more difficult to defeat him without the Holy Armors."

"What about Demon?" asked Wormmon. "Will Digimon alone be enough?"

Azulongmon shook his head. "No. Demon will be willing to use his full power; after all, he defeated the Mind from the inside using his true strength."

Only Shaun and (Agumon) grasped the full enormity of this…because the fumes within the Mind were absolutely lethal. They would turn one into a Gravemon within moments.

"However, we could not let the Holy Armors be accessible from the get-go. Had you tried to utilize their powers too early, the power might've driven you mad. You had to mature as Digidestined first…which is why we put a lock in place."

Davis suddenly remembered his talk with Siara upon his claiming of the Crest of Miracles. "My Crest…"

Azulongmon nodded. "Yes. That Crest was the key to the lock; not only was the power of the Holy Armors unlocked, but so were a variety of other powers that would serve you well in the upcoming battles. The original eight Crests had their powers rejuvenated, and DNA Digivolution was also unlocked."

"Wait; you mean you had locked away DNA Digivolution?" said Ken, a hint of incredulousness in his voice.

"Yes. We Guardian Beasts are capable of a lot when at full strength; however, we didn't want to risk any of your enemies naturally DNA Digivolving, so we locked that away. Why else do you think the light show made by the Crest of Miracles was so flashy?"

Everyone sweatdropped at Azulongmon's unintentional (or was it?) joke.

Suddenly, Azulongmon glanced eastward. "Ah…they're coming."

"Who? Who's coming?" asked Sora.

Azulongmon looked back down at the Digidestined before saying, "I'm afraid our little talk will have to be cut short; your ride to the Real World is arriving, and I must seek out the other seals that are keeping my fellow Guardians' souls imprisoned in Digital Limbo. But take heed…when you get to the Real World, you may not like what you see." With that said, Azulongmon took off towards the east, beyond the End of the World…and as he flew off, a giant vessel flew past him.

It was tremendous: one mile long, the ship was made of the reflective violet metal that was characteristic of the Forbidden City. It was sleek in design, and its bow was rounded, like the head of a whale. The massive rear engines – of which there were three – expelled glowing blue exhaust, a leftover product of the ship's reactors. To the immediate rear of the bow, the ship seemed to pinch inward before widening out to at least 4,000 feet for the rest of the ship. The curved hull and utter lack of any corners gave the airship a predator-like appearance; it almost looked like a naval organism instead of an airship. At various points on the ship sat spherical orbs from which thin needle-shaped barrels extended from; these were heavy-duty plasma turrets. The bottom of the ship had a large, circular slide-away panel; it led to the ship's main hangar. Also, there were two slots on the side of the ship that could extend, thus becoming platforms upon which vehicles and soldiers could fire from.

The _Great Journey._

The Digidestined stared on in silence and in awe; the ship was absolutely tremendous. Kari muttered, "Neat." Before impulsively grabbing the camera tied to the cord around her neck and taking a picture. Suddenly, she blinked. "Hey. I forgot I had this!"

Suddenly, the circular panel on the underbelly of the ship opened up, revealing the inner hangar. A purple beam of transparent light suddenly charged downward from the hole and towards the ground. It was a gravity lift, and coming with it was a familiar figure: the golden Elitemon known as Vula Tusa'lamee.

Vula Tusa'lamee smiled as his feet lightly fell on the sand. "Hello Digidestined. The Hierarchs would like you to accompany us on the _Great Journey_…for the Great Journey has begun."

"Wow…neat ship! What's it called?" asked Veemon, his red eyes wide with wonder.

"The _Great Journey_," bluntly replied Vula.

All of the Digidestined sweatdropped. Gatomon cracked, "Are you guys big on irony or something?"

Vula chuckled. "Maybe. Now come…we are heading for the world of reality. Vula stepped back into the grav-lift and ascended into the air. The Digidestined quietly followed.

As the panel closed behind them, a white mote of light erupted from the front turret on the _Great Journey's_ bow. It immediately grew into white, wavy portal that seemed to shimmer in the air.

It was a portal to the Real World.

The _Great Journey_ seamlessly moved through it. Its destination: the World of Reality.

However, we cannot yet leave this arid desert…for something else is about to happen.

A black hand – with a red index finger – suddenly thrust through the surface of the desert. Coming out of the desert sand was a familiar figure: Devimon.

The Champion groaned as he sat on his knees. His body felt tired, and he felt weak…and he was enraged. "Curse it…I lost…" He had had so much power…and he had squandered it. He should've been able to defeat them…but he had been too shocked after they had discovered his weakness to do anything. And then Azulongmon had showed up…curse it all…

It's okay. He could wait. "Yes…I can wait. I'm patient…I'll just devise another plan. I'll be back on top in no time."

"I seriously doubt that."

Devimon whirled around to see none other…than Piedmon. His red eyes suddenly hardened out of anger. "PIEDMON! WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN! You traitorous dog…you could've made a difference! Where were you? **_HIDING!_**"

In response to this, Piedmon only chuckled. "Hm hm hm…poor fool."

"What's so funny?" angrily said Devimon.

Piedmon looked at Devimon with a malevolent glint in his eyes. "You've obviously got the wrong 'mon…because Piedmon is dead. Just like you are." He held his hand forward and roared, "_Soul Banishment!_"

An invisible wave of energy slammed into Devimon. His eyes suddenly went wide…and then he slumped to the ground, as lifeless as a rock.

His soul had been utterly obliterated.

'Piedmon' chuckled as he plunged his hand into Devimon's chest. Moments later, the body burst into data; data Piedmon eagerly absorbed.

The possessed Dark Master sighed with content…and then his eyes stared far to the south, where a Dark Obelisk stood. "Heh heh heh…they're working perfectly. Just as I planned…"

His hand glowed red as a red portal appeared in front of the possessed Dark Master. Without hesitation, he stepped into it.

Next stop: Odaiba.

-

/Outside of Fuji Television Station, Odaiba, 3:57 PM/

LadyDevimon smiled at the sight of the large building one-mile away. It was one of the remaining buildings that still stood in Odaiba; even the Palette Town amusement park had been leveled, Ferris wheel and all.

"Heh…so that's the humans' last stronghold…" Behind LadyDevimon were several hundred Bakemon, on their own and in possessed bodies. In front of her unit, on the ground, was Colonel Soulmon and seventy Bakemon. They were going to infiltrate the building and take the humans prisoner. Her unit would stay behind to make sure nothing would get into the building. "Ready Colonel!"

Soulmon chuckled as his body became transparent. "Roger that, General LadyDevimon! Alright you maggots; phase into the ground and charge into the building! Remember; disable any human that dares to resist!"

"SIR YES SIR!" With that said, the Bakemon phased through the ground, following Colonel Soulmon's lead. LadyDevimon remained silent; MarineDevimon still fought the largest faction of UmbraDevimon's Army in Tokyo Bay, and Lord Demon was still fighting Blackwargreymon, the golden Elitemon, and his blue doppelganger in the sky.

"GENERAL! ABOVE THE TARGET!"

The voice of a Bakemon caught LadyDevimon's ears. She looked at the building…and blinked at the sight of a white portal forming above it. "What in the…?"

A massive vessel suddenly emerged from within. It was sleek and purple…and the front turret on its bow began radiating with red plasma.

LadyDevimon's eyes widened. **"EVASIVE MANEUVERS!"** Her body burst into a group of dark red bats that immediately scattered.

The turret fired, unleashing a line of red plasma that sliced through a large number of Bakemon. The Bakemon that had been hit howled as their bodies dissipated into particles. The rest quickly scattered to avoid being attacked.

The _Great Journey_ slowly moved into position above the Fuji Television Station, coming to a stop in the air. The portal closed silently behind it.

The Digidestined were finally home…but it wasn't going to be a warm welcome.

-

/Bridge, _Great Journey_, Sky over Odaiba, 4:01 PM/

"Targets scattering. Should we pursue?" asked a black Elitemon that stood in front of a holographic display.

"No. Dispatch strike teams. We do not want to damage this world's environment," answered Tusa'lamee. The black Elitemon nodded as he went to work on the display, which showed the targets as nothing more than Xs on the screen; the Great Journey was represented by a large purple icon.

Sitting in the middle of the bridge's raised platform were the three Hierarchs. The Spec Ops Commander was with the Spec Ops troops in the main hangar. The Grand Praetor was off preaching the words of the Hierarchs to the ship's passengers. Kuvo Hutalamee – the Chief Honor Guard – stood protectively in front of the Hierarchs, with the other Honor Guards guarding the entrances and halls leading to the bridge.

As for the Digidestined, they were standing around the Hierarchs, watching the black Elitemon operate the holographic panels that controlled the ship's systems.

By this time, the infamous 'homesick syndrome' had set in. "Oh, I can't wait to talk to my parents! They must be so worried!"

"Don't worry your pretty little head about it Mimi," assured Matt. "I'm sure they're all fine."

"I hope UmbraDevimon and Demon didn't mess up the place too much," muttered TK.

"Aw, don't worry yourself TB!" said Davis with a smile. For the first time in a while, he mispronounced TK's name…but this time, he only did it jokingly. "I'm sure everything's just fine!"

"Sir, the system has just finished processing external imaging. Bring it up on the main display?" asked another black Elitemon.

This time, Reality was the one to answer. _"Do it."_

The Elitemon did so. Another, larger holographic display appeared in the air, and it began transmitting images of the outside.

Davis suddenly regretted his words. The Hierarchs took a sharp intake of breath. The Elitemon looked aghast. The Digidestined all gasped.

Azulongmon had warned them…but they had had no idea…

Few buildings stood anymore. Most of Odaiba was nothing but rubble. A whirlwind of fire encircled the entire district and part of Tokyo Bay. Digimon fought in the seas and in the air. It was if the Underworld had decided to pay a visit to the Earth.

Sora and Mimi gasped out of absolute shock. Yolei fell down to her knees and resisted the urge to vomit. Kari cringed as she backed away, her body bumping into the nearest Elitemon. Joe and Izzy's mouths dropped down, threatening to fall down to the floor. The rest of the boys seemed to freeze and clench their fists out of restrained rage and righteous fury…that is, except for Shaun.

He was calm…and sober. It was as though he was expecting this to happen…and he had. He could tell that his journey was finally nearing its end…which was why he was saving his rage for Demon, and Demon alone.

"_By the crown of Omniscience…what has become of this place?"_ said Wisdom out of absolute shock.

"**_Surely this cannot be the pristine world of reality that Omniscience spoke of in the historical archives…this place is more of a wasteland!"_** exclaimed Absolution, his voice tinged with disbelief and fear; fear that the prophecy had been wrong.

Reality held his hands up to silence the two Prophets. _"This IS the world of reality…but do not forget that this realm has been ravaged by war…hmm. Now I understand why this vessel is built like a warship; it is now up to us to help cleanse this world of those that would taint it."_ He quickly glanced over at the Battalion Commander. _"Prepare for a full-scale assault on the enemy. We shall first enter the building below us and use it as a ground-based deployment base."_

"Yes, noble Hierarch," replied Vula as he bowed.

A black Elitemon spoke up. "We have just scanned the building below us. Several hundred humans have taken up residence there…we also have confirmed enemy Bakemon…as well as Gravemon."

Wisdom scowled. _"The Gravemon…scan the entire battlefield! Report any Gravemon that show up!"_ The Elitemon nodded in response.

"HEY!"

Everyone turned to face Tai, whose face was contorted into one of frustration. "It's not like you can do anything without us; this is our home after all! We have just as much right to fight as you do!"

"**_We're not going to stop you,"_** replied Absolution. **_"Do what you will. It matters not to us."_**

"Everyone."

The Digidestined turned around to see Shaun, who was standing near the far end of the bridge. He motioned for them to come over, so they did. "What's wrong?" asked Ken.

Shaun quickly spoke. "Demon has three Black Generals commanding his forces. Deathmon, MarineDevimon, and LadyDevimon." He tapped his forehead. "I probed a Digimon's brain to get the info."

"LadyDevimon…" growled Gatomon as her hair stood on end. Their personal rivalry began four years ago on top of Spiral Mountain…and Gatomon was determined to face her alone. "She's mine!"

Izzy quickly made some calculations in his head. "Well, MarineDevimon sounds like a naval Digimon…I think Joe, Cody, TK, and myself should deal with him."

Tentomon sighed. "And we just finished a battle…oh man…"

"We can moan later; this is our home we're talking about!" yelled Matt. "We've gotta do what we can to save it!"

"What about Deathmon and Demon?" asked Biyomon.

Shaun just pulled out his D-3 and held it towards (Agumon). It glowed brightly.

(Agumon) warp-digivolve to……(Wargreymon!)

(Wargreymon) looked down at Shaun with worry. "What are you doing?"

"…I'm just going to walk around for a while." Shaun slowly turned towards the door, his armor shining in the light of the bridge. "I just want to remember before my battle with Demon…" There was sense of finality in his voice that was…unsettling. The Child of Wisdom said nothing as he exited the bridge.

The Digidestined were silent. Veemon scratched his head out of confusion. "Davish? Do you know what the heck that was about?"

Davis shook his head. "No idea…"

Reality remained silent as the Digidestined exited the bridge. _They have their own vendettas to settle now…as do we. The heretics that defiled this world shall pay for the beauty that they have tarnished!_

-

/Sky over Odaiba, 4:09 PM/

"CHAOS INFERNO!"

Daemon nimbly dodged the attack, but he couldn't avoid his side being singed. "Gah…blasted fire!"

"If you thought that was hot, wait until you see THIS." Demon then formed the Apollyon Crusher orb in his hands once more. "Heh heh heh…"

"Well well well…" Futa smiled as he glanced over Demon's shoulder. "Looks like the Great Journey finally began…"

Demon raised an eyebrow out of confusion. "Hmm?" He glanced backward…and then he paled at the sight of the massive warship – the _Great Journey_ – hovering over Fuji Television Station. "What is that…!"

"NEVER TAKEYOUR EYE OFF THE ENEMY!"

Demon grunted as Blackwargreymon rammed his foot into his gut. Growling, Demon let go of his Apollyon Crusher orb – which dissipated in the air once Demon let it go – and grabbed Demon's leg, slinging him away toward the station at high speed.

Futa looked at the _Great Journey_ as a number of Shadows and Seraphs – the one-mon aerial fighters of the Forbidden City military – were dispatched from the warship. He then looked down at Daemon. "You'll have to continue this fight on your own. I have matters to attend to." He then jumped down off of Daemon's shoulders just as a Shadow passed by. Futa landed softly on the top of the dropship as it flew off toward another part of the district.

Daemon indignantly roared, "HEY! WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING SPLIT-CHIN!"

"Heh heh heh…another ally abandon you?" said Demon with a mocking tone. "Then again, who would want to be allies with a doppelganger like you?" His hands glowed with fiery demon's heads. "Now to finish you off."

Motes of blue plasma suddenly struck his back.

"OOF!" Demon growled as he whirled around to see ten Seraphs opening fire on him; their forward cannons flaring with blue plasma. "Pests…CHAOS INFERNO!"

The Seraphs quickly barrel-rolled to the side, avoiding the stream of blue hellfire…but as the fighters moved out of the way, familiar beings could be seen.

Metalgarurumon.

Lilymon.

Garudamon.

Goliamon.

The four Digimon came to a stop in the air in front of Demon. Goliamon blinked out of confusion. "Huh? TWO Demons?"

"Eh, don't sweat the small stuff feather-boy!" said Daemon as he formed two orange fireballs in his hands. "Now…let's see if you've got the stuff it takes to compete."

-

/Tokyo Bay, Odaiba, 4:12 PM/

MarineDevimon grimaced. The sight of that strange warship in the sky didn't ease him at all; although the naval campaign was going well, his forces were dwindling in numbers. The appearance of another enemy would be tantamount to a deathblow.

"VULCAN'S HAMMER!"

"HORN BUSTER!"

"ANGELIC SPIKES!"

MarineDevimon blinked at the sound of soldiers behind him being deleted. He turned towards the Odaiba shoreline and saw three Digimon standing upon the shore.

Zudomon.

MegaKabuterimon.

MetalAngemon.

MarineDevimon scowled. "More enemies…wonderful…."

Oh well. He was a Black General. He would finish them off quickly…and as four possessed MegaSeadramon gathered by his side, his scowl turned into a malevolent smile.

-

/Ruins of Palette Town, Odaiba, 4:13 PM/

A number of dark red bats suddenly converged into one position in the ruins of the Palette Town amusement park. Moments later, they reconfigured into LadyDevimon. "Man…that was a close one."

"LadyDevimon!"

LadyDevimon suddenly froze at the sound of that voice…that _voice_. She growled as she turned to see none other than Angewomon floating in the sky above her. "Heh…well well…if it isn't **_blondie_**." Venom dripped from her voice at the utterance of the word 'blondie'. "You and I have a score to settle!"

Angewomon nodded. "Indeed we do." And then she charged.

-

/Ruins of Shinbashi Station, Odaiba, 4:14 PM/

"UNGODLY EYE!"

Deathmon's mighty blow utterly incinerated the last remnants of the Devidramon and Deltamon; it had been a mighty struggle, and only one hundred of the Bakemon under his command had survived. The mighty Mega sighed with regret. "Our forces are dwindling…we cannot keep up the fight forever."

"**YOU'VE GOT THAT RIGHT!"**

Deathmon whirled around-

"POSITRON LASER!"

"TERRA FORCE!"

"GAIA FORCE!"

The demonic Mega howled as the last of his unit was incinerated by the trio of energy attacks; the shockwave sent him hurtling through before he crashed in a heap on a pile of rubble. When he finally looked up, he saw three titanic beings looking down on him.

Imperialdramon.

(Wargreymon).

Wargreymon.

Deathmon scowl as all three of his eyes narrowed. "So…more infidels seek to challenge the might of Lord Demon and his forces…so be it. I shall destroy you in his name!" Then Deathmon charged.

-

/Hallway, Fuji Television Station, 4:15 PM/

Oikawa continued to sob silently; Hiroaki and Natsuko had long left him alone: most likely to go assist in helping other innocents escape the Gravemon that had once again entered the building, seeking to take as many humans with them as possible.

But he didn't care…he didn't care if that they were here. He would prefer death to the horrible agony he was suffering now…

No. Death was too good for him…oh, what had he done? Why had he let his desire consume him? "Hiroki…forgive me…"

"Well well."

Oikawa turned around to see the bloody grin of Colonel Soulmon. "If it ain't the human who helped Lord Demon…you're the perfect epitome of the human race."

Oikawa said nothing.

Soulmon then took of his black witch's hat. "You betrayed your own kind just so you could get what you want…vintage humanity. Well guess what: it's time to pay the piper." He then reached into it and pulled out the Rod of Shame. "A bloody fate awaits you and the rest of your incompetent race…" He put his hat back on and clenched the Rod of Shame with both hands. "…and I, Soulmon, Colonel of the Demon Corps, shall send you to it!"

Oikawa did not even try to put his arms up. He could tell…he could tell that this was his punishment. Punishment for what he had done. It would hurt…but he deserved it.

"Now…BURN." Soulmon raised the Rod of Shame-

_CRASH!_

Oikawa and Soulmon both tilted their heads to see Blackwargreymon crash through the wall, landing in a heap against the floor. A broken pipe gushed out a stream of water upon the fallen Digimon.

Soulmon snorted. "Distraction. Nothing more." He then pushed the Rod of Shame downward. "I'm going to make the pain last…"

Even through his thick trench coat, Oikawa could feel the unbearable heat coming through. In moments, it had burned through his coat and shirt…and then the brand touched his chest. Soulmon didn't push at all; he just let the Rod of Shame burn at his skin.

Oikawa tried not to scream…but it was futile. The pain was more agonizing than anything he had ever experienced before…well, except the mental anguish he had endured after Hiroki's death. _"AAAAAAAAAGGGGHH!"_

"Yes! Scream…**SCREAM!**" cheered Soulmon.

_**SHICK!**_

Soulmon's eyes suddenly dilated. He tilted his head backward to see Blackwargreymon right behind him…and his Dramon Destroyer claws were sticking out of his chest. "You…you would save the life of a human over a fellow Digimon…? He's not worth saving…!"

Blackwargreymon snorted. "Whatever his worth is, it is not my concern. All I can see is what's in front of me…and you're striking down a defenseless being. If he could fight, I would not have interfered…but he can't. As a proud warrior, I can't let this happen." Then he slashed upward.

Soulmon gasped soundlessly as his body split in half…and then he burst into data, as did the Rod of Shame. Oikawa still breathed rapidly; the pain of the burn on his chest still existed. "Agh…agh…"

Blackwargreymon frowned. He then walked away towards the broken water pipe and redirected it toward Oikawa. "Close your mouth."

_SPLOOSH!_

"AAAAAAAAHHHH!" Oikawa screamed as the water splashed onto his burn wound, creating an immensely painful stinging sensation. "NO MORE! NO MORE!"

Blackwargreymon redirected the pipe. He remained silent as he walked towards Oikawa and looked down at him without compassion.

Oikawa gasped for air as he washed the water out of his hair…and then he got a good look at the burn mark on his chest. It looked like a diagonal line that was seven inches long and dark red in color; pus-filled bubbles could be seen around the burn mark, and dried blood could be seen in the actual wound. It was third-degree burn…which meant the skin there would never completely heal.

_Heh…not like I don't deserve it…_ Oikawa slowly got to his feet, his body soaked with water. "Thank you for the help…whoever you are."

"My name is Blackwargreymon. Now that you're safe, I must be off." Blackwargreymon turned around, began walking toward the hole in the wall…and stopped.

He arched an eyebrow out of curiosity. Something was vibrating inside his right gauntlet. He quietly let the object slip out into his left hand.

It was the purple D-3. It was vibrating, and its screen was glowing white.

Oh, and it started floating. Blackwargreymon watched out of curiosity as it floated towards Oikawa of all people. That digivice…could it belong to that man?

Oikawa took note of the strange device floating in front of his face. "…huh…?" His right hand seemed to move on its own. He silently clutched the purple D-3, his mouth morphed into an expression of utter and absolute disbelief. "…a digivice…what…what kind of sick joke is this!" After what he had done, the powers that be had decided to give him a digivice anyway! Did fate have a twisted sense of humor!

"Apparently, it is yours," said Blackwargreymon out of the blue. "And apparently, that makes us partners." One couldn't help but notice the slight edge to his voice…perhaps it was because that, after watching Soulmon have his way with the man, he thought of Oikawa as 'weak'. And he DESPISED weakness.

But then again, should he expect more?

No. He shouldn't. He was only human.

Oikawa grimaced as he stood, impulsively bringing his hand to his chest. Even though he finally had what he wanted – a key to the Digital World – the Digiworld wasn't on his mind.

Hiroki was.

So was Daniel…and the grandson he spoke of. I have to find him… "Blackwargreymon…if I truly am your partner, then that means we must listen to each other…so listen to me now. I have something I need to take care of…so go and do what you please." With that said, Oikawa walked away, leaving Blackwargreymon.

Blackwargreymon raised an eyebrow out of curiosity. "Interesting…he's not like the other Digidestined…intriguing." Blackwargreymon walked over to the hole in the wall and gazed outside…and he saw a number of battles taking place.

Numerous Shadows were setting down in various areas around the city, attacking the remaining remnants of UmbraDevimon's Army, the Demon Corps, and the Gravemon. But there was also some other conflicts taking place…

Demon vs. Daemon, Metalgarurumon, Lilymon, Garudamon, and Goliamon.

MarineDevimon and his naval unit vs. Zudomon, MegaKabuterimon, and MetalAngemon.

LadyDevimon vs. Angewomon.

And the last one intrigued him: Deathmon vs. Imperialdramon and the two Wargreymon.

"Hmm…the other two Wargreymon…" He immediately remembered the wondrous duel they had engaged in. That battle had been one for the records…so what if all three teamed up?

The black Digimon chuckled as he took to the air. "This shall be interesting…"

-

/Sphere Observation Deck, Fuji Television Station, Odaiba, 4:21 PM/

Jun and Jim held onto each other as tightly as they could; in front of them stood several Junsas, Sergeant Ackerson, Dietz, and Inspector Macarthur. All of them had their guns trained on the Gravemon that were charging at them from across the room, eager to consume them.

Just one problem; they had spent all of their ammunition.

Dietz glared over at Ackerson. "Mind explaining to me why we aren't making a break for it, ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING WE HAVE **_NO FREAKIN' BULLETS!_**"

"We'd never make it in time, boy," muttered Ackerson in reply. He had already consigned himself to his fate.

And in a few moments, that fate would be met.

Suddenly, a Shadow burst through the glass wall of the observation deck. The Gravemon suddenly stopped, sensing the new object that had come between them and their prey.

The left prong suddenly opened up, revealing ten black Elitemon with double energy rifles, ten black Gruntmon with energy rifles, and two Huntermon with glowing Fuel Rod Guns.

The policemen boggled as they watched the newcomers rain blue and green plasma upon the Gravemon. Dietz yelled, "What the! MORE freaks!"

The right prong – the prong that faced the policemen – opened up. Out stepped the Spec Ops Commander Huvo Nuvonaree, three more black Elitemon, two more Huntermon, and…twelve humans.

The policemen boggled at the sight of the twelve humans. Ackerson raised an eyebrow and asked, "…are you aliens?"

Tai laughed at that comment. "Nope! We're home-grown humans. These guys just gave us a lift!"

The white-armored Nuvonaree stepped forward and asked, "Which one is in charge here?"

Macarthur stepped forward, his eyes staring straight into the face of the 8'6" Elitemon. "That would be me. Inspector Macarthur…and would you mean explain to me who you are and what's going on?"

"I am Huvo Nuvonaree, Commander of the Special Operations division of the Forbidden City military…and we have come to this world on a Great Journey…however, we couldn't help but notice that you help with this…infestation." Nuvonaree turned around towards the nearest black Elitemon. "Sir, enemy Gravemon on this level have been neutralized. Request permission to investigate the rest of this building."

Nuvonaree nodded. "Granted…but I would appreciate if some of your men went with mine as escorts; I would prefer not to have your officers open fire on my men under notions that we are enemies."

The inspector actually smiled. "Well, you're certainly more hospitable than the other cadre of freaks we've encountered…but unfortunately, we are out of ammo…so taking point would be quite risky."

"So noted." Nuvonaree hopped back into the right prong and hauled out a large, purple case. He set it on the ground, unlocked it, and opened it up. Inside were energy rifles and energy pistols. "Arm yourselves."

Dietz was the first to the case. He immediately dropped his pistol and picked up the large energy rifle, looking at it with admiration. "…sweet…"

By now, the policemen had cleared away…and Jun could finally see the twelve humans.

It was the Digidestined…and Davis was among them.

Jun's eyes met Davis'.

Davis grinned as he said, "Yo. Wassup?"

Jun impulsively rushed toward Davis and delivered him a crushing hug. Davis gagged as he yelled, "AH! AIR! AIR!"

Kari giggled at the sight. _Aw…how sweet._

Matt, however, was not pleased. _Oh, boy…the moment she sees me, she's going to go crazy! I've better hightail it out of here while I can._ He quietly began to tiptoe away as fast as he could. TK silently followed, smiling as he did. _Poor Matt. The curse of being famous. _

Davis' face was starting to turn blue. "Jun…!"

However, he finally heard a small whisper escape her lips.

"I'm not alone…oh thank God, I'm not alone…I'm not alone…"

Davis couldn't help but freeze; the utter despair and sincerity in her voice…what had she gone through? "Jun…are you okay?"

"Not really," answered Jim, who walked up to the Digidestined with a stern look. However, he gave a small smile to his brother. "Nice to see you Joe. You look good, considering."

Joe nodded. "Yeah. You look a bit bushed though."

"That's what happens when your home suddenly goes down the tubes," muttered Jim with a sad look in his eyes. He gazed down at Jun, who had fallen to her knees as tears escaped her eyes. "But she's had it worse though…"

The Digidestined suddenly frowned at the sadness that came to Jim's voice. Sora worriedly asked, "What do you mean? What happened to her?"

Jim sighed. "Actually, it's not what happened to her…it's what happened to Mr. and Mrs. Motomiya."

Davis froze at the mention of 'Motomiya'. "M…Mom and Dad? What happened to them! Where are they!"

Jim paused; he couldn't tell the whole truth like that. He didn't want to bring up another episode of guilt from Jun. "…those Digimon that you just saw? The ones that looked like rotting corpses?"

"They're called Gravemon," interjected Cody.

"Right…well…they got to Jun's parents." He couldn't help but frown at the memory of Jun shooting the two Motomiya parents…because they had asked her to do so. "They're dead."

The Digidestined gasped. Davis' eyes widened out of utter and absolute shock. A terrible tightness gripped his chest as his legs suddenly felt heavy and numb. His vision was dizzy, and he couldn't hear so well anymore. _Mom and Dad…they're…gone…?_

A sudden look of worry crossed Yolei's face. "Oh no! What if…oh man, I gotta find my folks!" Yolei immediately burst off for the stairwell. Taking her cue, all of the Digidestined followed her down the stairwell.

Well, except for Ken, Joe, and Mimi. Jim asked Ken and Mimi, "Aren't you two worried?"

Ken shook his head. "I live in Tamachi. My parents aren't even affected by all that's been happening here."

"And my parents are in New York," replied Mimi.

"Don't be so sure."

Ken and Mimi turned around to see two figures advancing up a different stairway; Gennai, and Joshua Kido. Gennai continued, "The Tachikawas came here from New York the moment they heard you went missing Mimi. They're in this building right now."

"THEY ARE! AHH!" Mimi quickly burst for the stairway and scrambled down as fast as she could.

Meanwhile, Joshua just stared quietly as his two sons. He calmly said, "Jim. Joe."

"Dad," replied the two Kido brothers, their voices calm as well.

Joshua sighed as he fingered the digivice in his pocket. "…I'm sure you have more important things to do now, but I have to say a few things first…and I want to apologize."

This caused Jim and Joe to blink out of confusion. Their dad? Apologetic? Never happened! But it was. Joe confusedly asked, "Apologize for what?"

"For being a lousy dad, that's what," replied Joshua with candidness.

-

/Ruins of Odaiba, 4:27 PM/

Shaun looked around in silence. He was standing in the middle of an intersection that still sat near some buildings that had yet to fall…but they were on the verge of crumbling anyway.

It was almost eerie. The sight before him was almost exactly the same as it had been when Demon had killed all of the Digidestined in the future. 'Almost', because this situation was many times worse.

However, Shaun was calm and even-headed. Why? Surely you would think he would be enraged over what had happened to Odaiba; it meant more had changed in the timeline, and it was all because of his intervention in the past.

Why?

It was because of what Shaun was feeling right now…and he was feeling a sense of finality.

As Shaun walked closer to one of the crumbling buildings, his face was stoic. Everything about this place seemed to carry with them a sense of closure…a sense that everything was coming to an end.

Perhaps it was.

Shaun looked quietly at the ruined building in front of him; part of it had collapsed. A bar had been part of the collapsed part, and a number of alcohol bottles sat amongst the rubble; untouched, but dirty.

Shaun knelt down and picked up a small, twelve-ounce bottle of sake. He quietly opened it up and held it to the air. "Here's to everyone I've met…to everyone I've loved…to everyone I've lost…and to my children…here's to you all." He downed the sake in one gulp.

Now, before anyone screams 'MINOR! UNDERAGE DRINKER!', keep in mind that Shaun's almost six thousand years old. Heck, he didn't even sip one bit of alcohol until he was over five hundred. That's more self-restraint than anyone else could claim to have.

Shaun let the bottle drop to the ground, causing it to shatter into a hundred pieces of glass. He inhaled deeply as the sound of plasma fire, energy explosions erupting in midair, and the unearthly crackling of the fiery typhoon reached his ears.

Then, as a little 'gift'…Nega relinquished all of the memories that he held to Shaun.

Shaun's eyes hardened. His calmness was now replaced by one of rage and absolute fury…but he didn't mind. In fact, he wanted that anger.

Now Demon was going to know all of the pain he had caused him…and then some.

Shaun's emerald eyes stared quietly; on the other side of Odaiba, Demon was fighting Metalgarurumon, Goliamon, Lilymon, Garudamon, and Daemon. "I'm coming for you." Shaun flew off at a leisurely pace; he was conserving his energy for the bout that was to come.

Shaun's long, painful journey was finally nearing its end.

And Demon was going to hear him roar.

-

To be continued…

Next time…

Episode 58: Battle Royale

-

Author's Notes: Yes, Shaun has conceived living, breathing CHILDREN. But with who? You probably have a good guess. How? Read how when Past Journeys comes out! (cackles madly)

But anyhow…I must be serious for a moment.

There are only three episodes left.

Yes. Three.

The Digidestined have braved countless obstacles. They have defeated the Digimon Emperor. They have conquered the minions of UmbraDevimon. They have weathered through the trials of Darkheart. They have vanquished UmbraDevimon and survived the Gravemon…and now, Demon is next.

However, even though many battles will take place next episode, the true highlight will be the coming of the fourth and final enemy…and when he…or she…or IT…reveals its true form, the Digidestined will be in for the fight of their lives.

Zero 2 is near its end.

The ENDGAME is upon us.

(Oh yeah, and please review!)


	58. Battle Royale

Standard Disclaimer: Enter the Matrix…and tell the agents I don't own Digimon. Okay?

Author's Notes: Man. Hard to believe only three episodes are left, eh? Well you'd better believe it; Zero 2 will end with the ENDGAME arc. Episodes 58-60 will be JAM-PACKED, so make sure to set aside some time to read them.

To the reviews!

Dark Qiviut: Sorry man. That's how it goes. All good things eventually come to an end. And what's with 'offending' me? I know Xuanwumon is Ebonwumon in America. I made that change on purpose…plus, I purposefully added the 't' to Baihumon to make Baithumon because I thought it sounded better. And yes, I do plan FAR ahead. And no, I'm not a big Sonic fan anymore…but since my FFnet username is (or was) the same nametag I used on message boards (like SHQ's Mobius Forum and SSnet's Sonic Classic forum), I was reluctant to give it up.

Anime obsessed fan: You'd better believe it. ;) As for Dragomon and the Mind…they show up in future fics…

Anthony1: The final battle and the epilogue will all be included in one gigantic episode: Episode 60. I guess you could think of it as one of those hour-long things, like Law and Order or Monk.

Alforce Zero: That was the side effect of traveling through Milleniummon's time warp; he cannot age physically.

SR71will: I'll try and include as much stuff in Past Journeys as possible…and the one who killed Orochi was the thunder god Susano-O-No-Mikoto.

Dot Cubed: Watch me wrap it up. ;P And as for Dietz…well, I think you'll like what happens in this chapter. ;)

Nightfire04: Thank'ee.

Fallen Angel of Oblivion: (counters AK-47 with RPG) Just wait until the final episode. ;)

Cloud-821: Simple. I did it for the purpose of character advancement (you'll see why in this episode). As for the remaining partners…no. Not within the confines of this fic anyway.

Miracles: Yep. Dragomon gets his own fic to carry out his plan.

BeatlesLover: Yep. Only three.

Bluesv20: The original Digidestined's partners were mentioned near the beginning of episode 55.

Ninetalesuk: Only three…only three…

reviewer: No. This is the first time the Digidestined are facing MarineDevimon. And don't worry…I have plenty of stuff planned after this. ;) By the way, should I call you BobbyNeko? ;P

HevnoAngered: My fic length seemed to fluctuate, believe it or not. Once, it was going to be much shorter…and at one point, it was going to be longer. But now it's going to be an ironclad 60 episodes.

Silver Warrior: (blinks as Silver Warrior collapses, and then dubs him as evil as hamsters) … (puts Hamtaro on SW's head; smiles, then boots him off a cliff)

MajinMewtwo: And here's my reply: flying snake skeletons. Now, in all seriousness, think about this: Apocalymon was only around for two episodes, and he turned out okay. Besides…these last episodes are going to be HUH-YOOJE.

ficmaster: (smiles) I've got SEVERAL fics planned after I finish Zero 2…and at the end of the final episode, I'll give you a summary on a few of them… ;)

Salamon2: (raises eyebrow out of confusion)…uh…okay. I just chose ENDGAME because it sounds good. I think I've already clarified that Dragomon's plan is carried out in a separate fic anyway. O.o;

Digi fan: Not quite…

Begin…the ENDGAME…

-

_The Digidestined have endured much in only two short months…_

_They have defeated the Digimon Emperor._

_They have defeated Darkheart._

_They have defeated UmbraDevimon._

_Now there is only Demon and his Black Generals…_

_Well…not quite…_

-

"Hello everyone, it's Joe. After a little conversation with Azulongmon, we returned to the Real World onboard the _Great Journey_, the warship of the Forbidden City. When we got home…well, it wasn't pretty. Now our partners have gone off to face Demon and his Black Generals, while we're going to try and find our folks and see if they're okay…well, the others are anyway. I've already found my dad."

-

**ENDGAME**: _Part 1_

Episode 58: Battle Royale

-

/Cafeteria, Fuji Television Station, Odaiba, 4:30 PM/

Fear.

It could be a motivator, or a destroyer.

It could be an ally, or an enemy.

It could bring hope, or it could bring despair.

And sometimes…it could bring all of the above at once.

Those were the thoughts running through the Digidestined's heads as they looked through the large cafeteria, searching for their parents and family members.

As they split up to try and find their folks, the Digidestined couldn't help but feel a bit…fearful. Hopefully, they wouldn't find their parents to be in the same boat as Mr. and Mrs. Motomiya.

-

Tai frowned as he and Kari walked amongst the cots. "Man…what a mess. These people look awful."

Kari, however, was feeling smaller and smaller by the moment; the moans and pained cries of the injured and dying. They were tearing at her kind and loving soul…oh, how painful it felt. _…I just hope mom and dad aren't like them…_

A crushing hug. Tai and Kari both gagged as slender arms wrapped around them both, delivering an embrace that belied the tiny appearance of the arms. Oh, those arms belonged to Yuuko Kamiya, by the way.

"My babies…you're okay…" muttered Yuuko as tears of joy ran from her eyes. Behind was Susumu, who was smiling a super huge grin.

Tai and Kari cheered, "MOM! DAD!" as they delivered their own crushing hugs.

Yuuko quickly placed a hand on Tai and Kari's foreheads. "Are you okay? You're not sick are you? Do you have any bruises? Cuts? Anything?"

Both of the Kamiya children sweatdropped; their protective mother was back. Kari reassuringly said, "Mom, we're fine."

Susumu his hand through Tai's super-puffy hair, asking, "So Tai…did you protect your little sister while you were…well, in the Digiworld? Nothing bad happened, right?"

Now, in the past, Tai would've been worried at a question like this. Ever since the infamous incident several years ago where Kari had nearly died from pneumonia under his watch, he had been fearful for Kari's safety. Also, after his mother had slapped him for his negligence…he had been careful with how he answered.

Not anymore though.

Tai smiled as he answered, "Actually…Kari was the one who protected us sometimes."

Yuuko and Susumu blinked out of confusion. "Huh?" Oh, and so did Kari. Huh…?

"I'm serious," admitted Tai. "She saved our butts. If it weren't for her, we'd wouldn't be here right now."

Kari could feel tears welling up in her eyes. _Tai…thank you…_

Susumu suddenly grinned. "Well if that's the case, maybe Kari should watch over YOU, Tai."

Tai facefaulted and sweatdropped at the same time. _Why do I even bother…?_

-

Mimi sighed as she continued to search for her parents. _At least Sora's had better luck…_ After all, she could Sora in the arms of her parents: Haruhiko and Toshiko Takenouchi.

Mimi frowned with worry; her parents had come all this way just because of her. And she knew how long the flight was; she herself had flown over…except it had been from New York to San Francisco and then to Tokyo. _Man…going myself was hard enough. How did they survive it?_

"Mimi?"

Mimi blinked as she turned around to see none other than her mother and father, Satoe and Keisuke Tachikawa. Mimi gasped as she screamed, "MOMMA! POPPA!" She launched herself towards the two and delivered a crushing hug.

Keisuke emotionally muttered, "Mimi…you're safe…thank goodness…"

Satoe, however, immediately yelled, "Oh, I knew coming to Japan was a bad idea! This has place has been nothing but bad luck! As soon as this whole mess is over, we're going back to America!"

Mimi gaped at the suddenness of the question. "But, but but…but I want to stay here!"

"Have you lost your mind? This place is too dangerous! Do I have to spell it out for you?" retorted Satoe. Keisuke kept silent throughout the whole deal.

Mimi frowned. "But momma…I don't care about any of that! I love my friends here! I love this place. Even though America's great and all, my friends make this place so much better! And even though it may sound weird, I MISSED being a Digidestined…so please don't take this away from me! Please, I beg of you! Don't take me home just yet!"

Satoe blinked out of shock. "…you…you're serious about this?"

Mimi nodded as sincerely as she could. "I am."

At this point, Keisuke finally spoke. "Well…that's sort of good news."

"…huh?" said Mimi out of utter confusion.

"Well…we didn't tell you this Mimi, but the bank I work at in New York is seeking to create a Japanese branch in the Shinjuku district of Tokyo…so both Satoe and I agreed that if you wanted to stay, I'd be part of the team to work at the Shinjuku branch," answered Keisuke.

Mimi's eyes suddenly widened out of utter shock. "You…you mean it…?"

Keisuke nodded. Satoe sighed – obviously disagreeing with Mimi's decision – but willing acquiesce. "Yes…we are."

"THANK YOU!" Mimi smiled as she hugged both parents again.

Looks like the Tachikawas were coming back to Japan.

-

Izzy, as he was searching for his parents, was doing some mental calculations.

_Hmm…so many injured people. At the average rate of injuries to deaths in a typical disaster, that would mean there should be less deaths than injuries…but in this case…? Gah, can't think…_ Too much was happening at once, overwhelming even HIS advanced mind. Plus, there was a weird smell in the air: the smell of decay. Then again, that's what happened when you had over two hundred injured people and not enough medical supplies to go around. Izzy resisted the urge to groan at the sight of a man whose face had a set of ragged claw marks.

That's when he got a look around, to see some of the other injured people around him.

There was a man whose right eye was missing…and from the look of the ragged skin around his eye socket, it had been torn out.

There was a female teen who had a number of horrible burn marks along the side of her face and his left arm.

There was a young, sleeping child who had a number of bandages around his gut, hiding some horrible wound.

There was a woman whose entire left arm was missing.

There was also a…whoa, rewind!

Izzy looked back at the woman with the missing left arm…and gaped out of shock when he saw that it was his foster mother – no…MOTHER – Yoshie Izumi. "Oh no…mom!"

Yoshie blinked out sudden surprise when she saw Izzy fall to his knees right beside her cot. "Izzy…"

Izzy couldn't help but feel a bit of bile rise up his throat at the sight of his mother's entire left arm missing from the shoulder down. "Mom…your arm…"

Yoshie smiled lightly at her son. "Oh, don't worry. These things happen…"

Izzy's lacrimal glands started to produce tears…hey, he's the Child of Knowledge. You want me to use a more mainstream method of saying 'he started to cry'? Fine. He started to cry. (Ya happy?) "Mom…I'm sorry…I should've been here to help…"

"Honey…" Yoshie couldn't help but feel peace in her heart, even though her left arm was gone. One of her fears – when Izzy had been growing up – was that whenever he found out the truth about his parents (his REAL parents: the ones that had died in a car accident), he would become distant…and cold. Yet here he was, treating her as any child would treat his own parents. It made her happy. It made her content…and that was all she needed to get over the fact she was minus an arm. She wrapped her one arm around her son. "Izzy…I'll be fine. Honestly…but you can do something for me."

Izzy sniffled. "Yeah?"

Yoshie couldn't help but giggle as she said, "You might want to get off your father."

Izzy looked down…and to his astonishment, he was sitting on Masami's face. He hurriedly backed off. "Whoops! Sorry."

-

/Hallway, Fuji Television Station, Odaiba, 4:40 PM/

TK sighed with some relief. Right now, Matt was reacquainting himself with the other three members of his band, the Teenage Wolves.

Yutaka, the black-haired, blue-eyed support singer and bass player for the Wolves.

Akira, the brown-haired, long-nosed drummer for the Wolves.

And Takashi, the blue-haired, brown-eyed keyboard player for the Wolves.

_Well, at least there's still that part of Odaiba that's still standing_, thought TK with some sadness. Odaiba was in ruins…his home would take many, many months to rebuild. And all the lives that had been lost…

What if…what if his mother was dead? And what about his father?

TK sighed…oh, what he wouldn't give to have his family back together again. Then he wouldn't impulsively think of them as a plural 'mother and father', and instead think of them as a singular 'parents'…or something like that. "Man…I wish we could just be a family again…"

A pair of feminine arms wrapped around him. "Wish granted."

TK gasped; he turned around to see the face of Natsuko Takaishi staring at them. Standing behind her was Hiroaki, who gladly said, "Welcome back to reality."

"MOM!" TK impulsively hugged his mother. His shout caught Matt's attention, who turned away from his fellow band members to see the stoic gaze of his father. "…hello old man."

"Hello Matt," replied Hiroaki with a slight smile. However, he had something in his hands…what was it? Matt squinted…and gaped.

It was a digivice. "Where…where'd you get that!"

Hiroaki chuckled. "Simple…it's mine."

-

/Sphere Observation Deck, Fuji Television Station, Odaiba, 4:43 PM/

"…and that's why I wanted you two to become doctors. I didn't want the same thing happening to you that had happened to me…but I was a fool. Children should not be forced into doing something they do not love…and I did it anyway." Joshua quietly bowed. "Forgive me for my transgressions."

Jim and Joe were, to be blunt, dumbfounded. Joshua had NEVER been one to acquiesce…EVER. Nor had he ever been one to apologize for his actions. What made this all even more surreal was the fact that he had revealed himself to be one of the original Digidestined…and his partner was DemiDevimon, no less!

Joe couldn't help but rub his temples. "Agh…this is too weird…too weird…"

"You can say that again Joe…but," added Jim with a smile. "I think we could get used to it."

This solicited a small grin from Joshua.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the Observation Deck…

"Jun…could you let me go now? I sort of have to get to my partner…he might need some help." Davis grimaced; Jun had yet to let go of him.

Jun said nothing…but she wanted to say something. She wanted to say the truth…even if it meant straining what relationship the last of the Motomiyas had. "Davis…I have to say something…"

Gennai watched on in silence. He knew what she wanted to say…and he was actually curious. _Is she willing to risk what little they have left for the truth?_

"Well? Go ahead and spit it out," said Davis.

Jun sniffled. "Our parents…I…I killed them…"

Davis' eyes widened. "…huh?"

Jun impulsively shouted, "But I had no choice! My parents…they were in so much pain…and they asked me to! _They asked me to!_" The elder Motomiya child broke into tears again. "I had to tell you…because I didn't want you to live with a killer and not know…but please don't hate me…please don't hate me…"

Davis was silent.

Gennai frowned; hearing Jun's voice sound so desperate was heart-wrenching, in a way. In effect, she was blaming herself for her parents' fate. _Well Davis…now what will you do? Which path shall you take? One of no mercy…or one of forgiveness?_

The answer came moments later…when Davis put a hand on Jun's head and patted her soothingly. "Hey, don't sweat it…believe it or not, you _didn't_ kill them. You saved them from something worse than that…so don't worry. Besides, crying doesn't fit you anyway."

For a second, Jun thought her brother had suddenly hitchhiked to China. This wasn't the same brash, egotistical, 'act first, think later' brother she grew up with…but at the same time, she was grateful. "…Davis……thank you."

Davis gave her a goofy grin. "No prob! Now if you don't mind…I have to rally the other Digidestined. Our partners could use some support, and we've got bad guys to beat." He slowly stepped away from Jun – her arms finally letting him go – before shouting, "HOLY ARMOR ENERGIZE!"

Jun shield her eyes at the sudden flash of gold. "Ah!" When the flash faded, and the spots in Jun's eyes faded away, she saw Davis…in the Armor of Miracles. Her eyes enlarged out of utter astonishment at the sight of her younger brother. The glistening armor that adorned Davis' body made him look like a holy deity…or a god, if you wanted to be more blunt. "Wow…"

"I know. Nifty, isn't it?" Then, with a grin, he walked towards the stairway.

Moments later, the shock and awe that had gripped Jun faded when she realized Davis was going to walk around wearing what was, basically, a gold-encrusted bull's eye target. She shook her head with a smile on her face. "Davis you goofball…"

-

/Outside of Fuji Television Station, Odaiba, 4:48 PM/

_CHOOMCHOOMCHOOMCHOOMCHOOM!_

Dietz laughed as he played target practice with his new energy rifle on various pieces of debris. The blue globules of plasma slammed into the metal and rock before burning new holes into them. "Wooha! I love this!"

Then the internal heat hit the maximum level.

Fortunately AND unfortunately, that's when the fail-safe mechanism kicked in. Metal fans on the side flapped open, letting the excess heat pour out via energetic steam. Unfortunately…

"AAAH! HOT!"

…well, you get the picture. After a few moments passed, Dietz cautiously picked up the weapon to find it had cooled down again. "Geez…mental note: do not fire for too long."

"Ya ha ha! You burn yourself!"

Dietz blinked at the sound of that squeaky voice. He turned around to see a black Gruntmon – part of the Spec Ops division – laughing at him. "…what's so funny, shorty? You want me to blast you?"

That changed the Gruntmon's expression. "AH! NO NO! Me come to show you something!"

Dietz frowned. "Why should I go with you? I'm only out here target practicing because Macarthur gave me a break."

"I show you big gun!"

"Sold!"

-

/Tokyo Bay, Odaiba, 4:50 PM/

"Horn Buster!"

MarineDevimon scowled as the orange bolt of lightning careened from MegaKabuterimon's horn and slammed into the water of Tokyo Bay (therefore electrocuting it), which was now pitch-black on the surface for the most part (because everything outside the fiery typhoon is still blue). This was a result of the corruption from Archfiend Castle…however, the castle was now coming under attack in two ways.

Its naval defenders under MarineDevimon's command were being attacked by the trio of MetalAngemon, Zudomon, and MegaKabuterimon.

Also, the castle itself was coming under assault by the Forbidden City Digimon. Twenty Ghosts – the mighty tanks of the Forbidden City's military – had gathered at the docks of Odaiba, and were now firing large plasma mortar bombs into the air. They slowly descended…and then crashed into the sides and the water around Archfiend Castle. Immediately after that, the numerous Specter turrets that had been set up opened fire as well, raining globules of red plasma on the walls of Archfiend Castle.

Of course, a counterattack immediately began. Possessed Tyrannomon and Greymon immediately gathered on the castle's catwalks and retaliated.

"Fire Blast!"

"Nova Blast!"

Red and orange fireballs soared through the sky, raining down upon the Ghosts and Specters. The Ghosts were capable of maneuvering to avoid the fireballs, but the Specters weren't. A good number of the plasma turrets were incinerated by the fireballs, taking the Elitemon and Gruntmon that manned the turrets with them.

The Ghosts and remaining Specters opened fire once more, and the castle's defenders retaliated once more. As the exchange went on, Zudomon was zooming through the water at high speed, his massive legs providing massive propulsion power as he hammered all comers with his mighty hammer.

"Vulcan's Hammer!" Three Ebidramon – Champion Digimon that looked like a cross between a red lobster and a crawfish – howled as they were incinerated by the collision. Zudomon chuckled as he moved onward to the next enemy. However, the surface of the bay had become completely darkened in color, which seeing quite hard.

Suddenly…

"Deep Sea Crush!"

Zudomon yelped as a black substance suddenly surrounded him…and then he howled as it began focusing the water's pressure onto him.

Outside of that black goop, MarineDevimon chuckled. _Yes…the water gives mercy to no one. You think you would be any different!_

At that moment, a sudden ray of white energy tore through the black substance, freeing Zudomon. MarineDevimon gaped out of surprise. _What?_

Meanwhile, above the surface, MetalAngemon was holding the rim of the Gate of Extinction, aiming it for whoever neared.

He saw three possessed MegaSeadramon roaring towards the surface to get him. MetalAngemon sighed; were it not for the Bakemon possessing them – or, in some cases, the Black Gears – they might've been innocent Digimon. But they would eventually be reborn.

Key word being 'eventually'. Still, it was like killing his fellow 'mon…and he was going to regret destroying Digimon this day.

But he had no choice. This was war.

MetalAngemon aimed the Gate for the MegaSeadramon and roared, "RELEASE!"

-

/Ruins of Palette Town, Odaiba, 4:55 PM/

**BOOM!**

Angewomon groaned as she flew through the walls of the amusement park's Mirror House. Moments later, LadyDevimon walked in through the hole.

It took her a moment to adjust; the sight of all the mirrors reflecting her image back upon herself was a tad disorienting. Still, it didn't take the smirk off her face.

"What's wrong blondie? So scared of me that you're reduced to hiding?"

Still silence. No image of Angewomon came onto any one of the mirrors. LadyDevimon ventured further into the Mirror House. "Let's face it; you got lucky the last time we fought on top of Spiral Mountain. But since I've been in the service of Lord Demon, I've been taught much. I've learned how to fully control my own powers…and judging from how poorly of a fight you've been putting up, I'm way out of your league!"

Still no answer. LadyDevimon suddenly stopped. "So if you want to try and beat me…"

**_CRASH!_**

LadyDevimon grabbed the Celestial Arrow with her left hand. She leered over her shoulder to see Angewomon on the other side of a now broken mirror wall, her mouth open with shock. "…then you'll have to learn some new tricks. DARKNESS WAVE!" As she crushed the Celestial Arrow with her left hand, she unleashed a torrent of dark red bats from her right palm.

Angewomon shielded herself with her arms as the bats wrapped around her and thrust her through the wall of the Mirror House, bringing the angel back into the open air once more.

Of course, the bats weren't done yet. In accordance to LadyDevimon's will, the bats slung her into the air before grabbing her again and slamming her into the ground. Angewomon gasped as a lance of pain shot through her body.

When she finally got to her feet, LadyDevimon was right in front of her. The female devil slapped Angewomon across the face twice with her right hand before twirling around to deliver a roundhouse kick to her chin. The female angel gagged as she was sent backwards; she quickly regained control of herself before spreading her arms out. "Heaven's Charm!"

"Not this time blondie! Darkness Wave!" This time, the bats swarmed over the pink halo and DEVOURED it. Angewomon gasped…and then she gasped again – this time out of pain – when LadyDevimon rushed forward and delivered a horrendous knee to her gut.

Not one to give up, Angewomon leapt back and charged up another arrow. "Celestial Arrow!" She pulled the string taut and fired the arrow.

LadyDevimon chuckled. "You just won't learn…METAMORPHO CLAW!" The blood-red claws on her left hand suddenly morphed into a large, razor-edged blade. She sliced through the arrow…and then down at Angewomon.

Silence.

And then, Angewomon's metallic helmet split into two, falling to the ground. Angewomon's blue eyes were contorted into an expression of disbelief. "But…how…?"

LadyDevimon chuckled…and then she grabbed Angewomon's face and slammed it into the ground. To add insult to injury, LadyDevimon stepped on the back of her head. "You don't get it, do you? Lord Demon trained me to become more than just an Ultimate Digimon. He trained me to become a Black General, a commander of his army! I have been able to fully utilize every single ability my body has to offer…and it's clear that you don't have a chance."

Angewomon scowled as she breathed into the rubble. LadyDevimon…as much as she hated to admit it…was stronger than her now. There was no way she was going to beat her…

_No. NO! I REFUSE to accept defeat!_

Until she had met Kari, Angewomon had fought to get ahead in life as Salamon, and then Gatomon. She was a scrapper, and she NEVER gave up. She refused to step down…especially not to a tramp like LadyDevimon!

Angewomon roared as she flapped her wings and ascended into the air; LadyDevimon yelped as Angewomon's ascension caused her to trip and fall on her back. _Why that little…_

Angewomon landed several yards away, forming a Celestial Arrow in her right hand. LadyDevimon chuckled as she morphed her red blade into a red axe. "Defiant little brat, aren't you?"

Angewomon clenched her teeth. _No…I won't lose!_

And then the arrow morphed into a shining sword.

LadyDevimon's red eyes widened. "WHAT!"

Angewomon was a little surprised herself…but apparently, she could morph the energy used to create the Celestial Arrow into other shapes. That energy was malleable. She still had a shot of winning. "Heh…looks like you underestimated my strength…just like you're overestimating yours…" Then, as she leapt up with her blade up high, Angewomon roared, "…YOU **HUSSY!**"

LadyDevimon paled as Angewomon slashed downward. She barely managed to step back in time…barely.

Her mask split in half, letting the rest of her white hair spill out. Her red eyes were widened with shock. "H…how did…?"

Angewomon smirked as she set down several yards away, her Celestial Sword clenched tightly. "That's right…you're nothing more than a hussy…or should I say '_wench'_? Yeah…you're Lord Demon's wench. That's a fitting title for you."

LadyDevimon's face – which was human-like in appearance, save for her blood-red eyes – contorted into one of absolute rage. **_"YOU'LL REGRET THAT!"_** She raised her red axe and charged toward Angewomon.

-

/Ruins of Shinbashi Station, Odaiba, 5:01 PM/

"DEATH ARROW!"

Both of the eyes in Deathmon's hands shot an arrow of dark red energy at his foes. Wargreymon and (Wargreymon) quickly dodged, letting the two arrows rush past them.

Imperialdramon was now the target. Of course, he wasn't going to let the arrows hit him. "Positron Laser!"

The arrows and the laser counteracted each other. Both of them flashed into nothingness.

Both Wargreymon charged forward, claws aimed at Deathmon.

The Black General scowled as he jumped above the two Wargreymon and kicked them in the back. The two Megas stumbled before whirling around to see Deathmon charging another attack.

"UNGODLY EYE!"

Both of the Wargreymon popped their shields into place and used them to block the yellow eye of energy. As they were pushed back, Imperialdramon rushed forward and raised his foot to stomp on Deathmon.

The Black General quickly flapped his wings and jumped into the air. "You are all too weak to defeat me! I may be a Mega like you, but I am a Black General! No matter how long you fight against me, you shall never win!"

"Then let me even the odds."

Deathmon frowned – which was odd, considering he had no mouth – as he turned around-

"TERRA DESTROYER!"

Deathmon yelped as an orb of red energy slammed into him, pushing him down to the ground with a mighty explosion of red.

Wargreymon and (Wargreymon) finally deflected the yellow eye of energy away; when they finally got enough breathing room to look around, they saw a very familiar figure set down in front of them: Blackwargreymon.

The three Wargreymon were silent. After all, the last time all three of them had met like this had been on the field of battle AGAINST each other…in a 2-on-1 fight.

Finally, Blackwargreymon spoke. "I have to say that the greatest pleasure in my past life was fighting against you two on the field of battle. A true fight of warriors…even though we disagreed about the purpose of why we fought."

Both Wargreymon seemed to relax…but they were still on guard.

"Which makes me curious…what would it feel like to fight WITH those I regard with such high respect?" finished Blackwargreymon with a grin.

Wargreymon chuckled. (Wargreymon) loosened up before saying, "Well…I think it would be most enjoyable."

"Yes…it will," finished Blackwargreymon as he turned around to face Deathmon, who was finally getting to his feet. "If he thought three Megas was no challenge…then let us see what he thinks of four."

-

/Sky over Odaiba, 5:05 PM/

Unlike the battles with the Black Generals, the battle with Demon was going…well, a tad poorly.

"ICE STREAM!"

Demon quickly countered Metalgarurumon's stream of frigid energy with a blast of his Chaos Inferno.

"FLAME INFERNO!"

Demon countered Daemon's river of orange fire by redirecting with his hands towards Garudamon, The giant Ultimate groaned as the fiery torrent pushed her downward, causing Daemon to grimace. "Aw fudge."

"FLOWER CANNON!"

"SONIC STING!"

Demon roared, "Demon Flare Attack!" His two fiery red demon's heads countered the green orb and the blue energy spikes that Lilymon and Goliamon launched at him.

"RAAH!"

Daemon charged at Demon, only to have himself kicked away by a fast flip kick from the dark demon lord. Demon laughed loudly as his blue 'doppleganger' crashed in the ruins of Palette Town. "Fools…nothing but a gaggle of fools! I am Lord Demon! I am the commander of the Demon Corps! I have enough strength to destroy even the Mind! You can't possibly hope to stand against me!"

Someone tapped his shoulder.

"Hmm?" Demon turned around-

**_SLUGGOOM!_**

Demon howled as Shaun's armored fist slammed into his face, sending the demon lord backwards by several yards.

Meanwhile, in the background of the scene, a Shadow was flying towards the Fuji TV Station. Futa was the pilot…and the Shadow happened to be one he had landed on earlier. He had just stolen it as soon as all of the troops within it had been deposited in a different part of the city. Hey, it's not like he hasn't done it before.

Anyhow, he was now saying, "Pardon my interruption…but 'sluggoom'? What kind of sound effect is that?"

_(Shut up you Halo reject.)_

Er…anyhow, back to the main event!

Demon scowled as he glared straight into Shaun's emerald eyes. "Who are you?"

"You're a telepath. Read my mind and find out," muttered Shaun bitterly.

Demon did so…then his eyes widened…and then he laughed. "Hmm hmm hmm…he he he he…AH HA HA HA HA HA HA! Well now, this is quite amusing…a TIME TRAVELER. And he comes back to avenge the death of the Digidestined, who all died at my hand…and it was made all the sweeter because YOU let me free!" Demon couldn't help but snicker. "My my, how delicious…I must say, those deaths my future self inflicted sound quite delectable. I must give myself a pat on the back for becoming so ingenious."

"You sound like you're proud," replied Shaun stoically.

Demon's grin turned into a frown. "Perhaps I am…what's it to you?"

"If you know what happens, then you know why I'm here."

"Ah…revenge." Demon sighed wistfully. "The great motivator for your primitive kind."

Shaun's tone became sarcastic. "Oh? Then what of Digimon? Heck, what of yourself? Desire for vengeance against the original Digidestined is what drove you this far."

"…touché," remarked Demon.

Silence.

"Well? Aren't you going to go first?" asked the demon lord.

Shaun sighed. It was time. "If you insist."

Then he charged.

Demon immediately began probing his mind. _Now…what is he going to do first? Ah…a quick punch to the face with the right hand, and then he'll follow-up with an uppercut to the chin. Fool…what's the point of fighting a telepath?_

Shaun threw his right fist forward at Demon's face. Just as he had predicted. Demon quickly brought his other hand up to prepare for the uppercut to come-

POW!

Demon gagged. Shaun had connected with his follow-up attack…but it had not been an uppercut. It had been a very quick kick to Demon's side.

_What…? How did he do that? He must think rather quickly…no matter. He'll slip up sooner or later._

How wrong he was. Shaun, at this very moment, was probing Demon's mind…and, at the last moment, he switched his battle moves.

It was a battle of telepaths…and Demon didn't know it…yet.

-

/Hallway, Fuji Television Station, Odaiba, 5:10 PM/

TK couldn't believe his ears. "Did…did I hear you right…?"

Natsuko nodded. "Yes…you did."

Matt shared TK's expression of shock and disbelief. What he had just heard almost overwhelmed the fact that his dad was one of the original Digidestined (which would, in hindsight, explain how his dad had known that Gabumon was, well, a Gabumon four years ago). After explaining that Hiroaki was a Digidestined, both of their parents had told him something that shocked both of the brothers.

Hiroaki and Natsuko were getting remarried.

TK couldn't help but feel tears of utter joy creep to his eyes. After this whole mess ended, they were going to be a family again… "…we're going to be a family again…"

Hiroaki nodded as Natsuko embraced both of her children. "That's right…we're sorry for what we put you through…" He then smiled as he saw TK return Nancy's embrace…but not Matt. "Still too cool to hug your loved ones?"

Matt smirked as he embraced his mother tightly. "Of course not…when no one else is around that is."

"Pardon me, but I'll have to break up this little reunion."

The Ishidas and Takaishis turned around to see Futa Ishisamee walking towards them, his stride loose and relaxed. Matt walked up to Futa and said, "Futa, you never told us dad was your partner!"

"I had an oath of silence." Futa's eyes then glanced at Natsuko. "Ah…you must Hiroaki's mate."

Natsuko blushed at the term 'mate'. "Um…I guess you could say that. You're Hiroaki's-"

"Partner? Yes." Futa looked at Hiroaki, then back at Natsuko again. "Hiroaki's spoken of you. He's quite fond of you…of course, I'm sure you know that already."

Natsuko smiled as she saw Hiroaki turn his face away to hide the small hint of red on his cheeks. _Yes…I do_. It was sort of weird…to see someone you once thought you hated, and then feel such passionate embers of emotion burning in your heart. It was exhilarating, in a way.

"So, why did you want to interrupt our 'reunion'?" asked TK out of curiosity.

"I simply came to give you Digidestined a lift. Your partners are engaged in battle, and I'm sure they could use some support," answered the golden Elitemon.

Hiroaki's eyes suddenly narrowed. "That's right…you still have enemies to face, don't you?"

As much as it hurt Matt and TK to do it, they nodded. "Yeah," answered Matt. "This won't truly be over until Demon and all of the bad guys are done for."

"…then you should go," said Hiroaki. Natsuko looked at him worriedly, as if asking 'Why do they have to go?' In response, he continued, "My time as a Digidestined has ended. I'm not fit for battle anymore…Futa may be, but I'm past my prime. My story ended 28 years ago when Demon was sealed away…but your story is still being written."

TK and Matt were silent.

"Now go…we'll be waiting." Hiroaki wrapped an arm around his ex-wife's waist. "Both of us."

Matt and TK nodded. They had received a fellow Digidestined's blessing. "Well TK, let's go round up the others."

"Right." TK ran off with his brother down the hall, passing an intersection.

Then, Cody crossed the intersection, unknowing that Matt and TK had just crossed, and vice-versa.

The Child of Humility was silent. He had been searching all over…and he had yet to find either his mother or his grandfather. It was worrisome… _I hope nothing's happened to them._

Suddenly…

"Look! A Warrior Gravemon!"

"Bring it down!"

_CHOOMCHOOMCHOOM!_

Cody frowned at the sound of energy rifles firing from around the next corner. He quickly ran and turned the corner…and then his green eyes widened. "WAIT! DON'T SHOOT HIM!"

The two blue Elitemon and the three red Elitemon in the hall paused as they heard Cody scream. As they turned around, the sight of the Gravemon between them could be seen.

It was Daniel…or what was left him. Even both of his legs had been shot off, he was still trying to move.

Cody couldn't help but feel stunned. His grandfather – a figure of strength, wisdom, and authority – had been reduced to this. All because of the Gravemon.

"There is no hope for this unfortunate soul," said one of the Elitemon. "We have no choice but to destroy him."

Cody's gaze suddenly became impassive…and as he stared straight into the soulless white orbs of what had once been Daniel Hida's eyes, the Child of Humility muttered, "Go ahead…he's not human anymore. He…he would rather die than be like this."

As Cody backed away, the Warrior seemed to calm. It ceased to struggle: Daniel, even though he was a monster, resigned himself to his fate.

The five Elitemon opened fire. Cody remained silent as what remained of his grandfather burned away under the barrage of blue plasma. The lead Elitemon said, "The Gravemon on this level have been neutralized. On to the next!"

The Child of Humility was silent as the five Elitemon ran past him…and then Cody walked into the nearest restroom.

Peeking around the corner on the other end of the hall was none other than Yukio Oikawa. He had witnessed the whole event. _So…that must be Hiroki's son. He looks so like him…he has to be._ Oikawa quietly walked into the restroom…and arrived to find the sight of Cody sobbing against the wall.

Cody sobbed and choked as his tears continued to dribble against the white wall of the restroom. Why? Why was fate so cruel? His father had already been taken away…that had been hard enough. It had been through sheer determination and willpower that he had refused to shed any tears…but his grandfather…he was Cody's bastion of strength and guidance. He was also the last link to his father, in terms of how much Daniel's and Hiroki's life philosophy mirrored each other.

And now he was gone.

And it was too much to bear…he was only a nine-year-old! He shouldn't have been able to last this long without crying…but now that he was, he was going to cry…and cry…and cry…

_Grandpa…what do I do…? What do I do now……I can't make it on my own…_

"Are you the grandson of Daniel Hida?"

Cody sniffled as he turned to see a man in a purple trench coat. The first thing Cody took note of was the patch of burnt clothing around his chest, and the hideous burn wound that sat beneath it. It was terrifying to look at. Finally, Cody mumbled, "Yes…who are you?"

"I am Yukio Oikawa. I was an old friend of your father's." Oikawa especially meant the 'was' part. "I…I saw your grandfather before he was taken by the Gravemon…" As for how he knew the name, remember: Hiroki had told him a lot about his time as a Digidestined. Gravemon included (but sold separately, ZING!).

Cody's eyes widened; this man…this 'Oikawa'…had been the last one to see his grandfather…?

Oikawa knelt down in front of the Child of Humility and said, "He asked me to tell you…that you should remain strong." He quietly held the young boy and placed his face into his shoulder. "Go ahead and cry if you must."

Silence.

Then, Cody pushed himself away from Oikawa. He no longer looked tearful. Rather, he looked serious and stern. "No…I can't cry."

"Why not?" asked Oikawa.

"Because I made a promise not to cry…because my mother needs someone strong to support her without my father and my grandfather here. If I cry, then she has no one strong to hold on to…" With that said, Cody stood and walked towards the restroom door, his sleeves brushing away the tears that had fallen. "By the way…why do you have that burn on your chest?"

Oikawa was silent. Then, with a hint of remorse to his voice, he replied, "It is part of my…redemption. It is my first payment to the piper, so to speak."

"…whatever sins you've committed, I hope you find redemption." With that said, Cody left. Oikawa smiled as the boy exited the restroom. _Strong. Virtuous. So much like Hiroki at his young age…he will become a fine man._

As Cody walked out into the hall, he immediately crossed paths with Anna Hida: his mother.

"Cody…" muttered Anna out of shock as she sank to her knees. "I saw your friend Yolei with her family…so I came to look for you…oh, I'm so glad you okay." Anna fiercely hugged her child.

Suddenly – with a tint of sadness – Cody said, "Grandpa's dead…he was killed by a Digimon…I thought you should know."

The sudden shock of that news offset Anna's joy over the fact her son was alive and in her arms. Overwhelmed by the conflicting emotions gripping her, Anna cried into her son's shoulder. Tears of joy…and tears of sorrow.

_Go ahead mom…go ahead and cry_. Cody remained silent as Ms. Hida cried into his shoulder. She would have to cry for both of them now…because Cody had cried his last.

-

/Outside of Fuji Television Station, Odaiba, 5:21 PM/

"We've been walking for a half hour…where is this 'big gun' of yours?" muttered Dietz angrily. If he was being led on a wild goose chase, then he was going to be mad…because he should've been back on patrol by now. His energy rifle was hanging on to his pants; the top prong of the rifle was slipped through one of the belt loops on the side of his waist.

"There!" chirped the Gruntmon. Dietz looked ahead of the Digimon, peered over a pile of rubble, and saw that the 'big gun' the Gruntmon had mentioned was actually a vehicle…or part of it, at least.

It was made of a magenta-colored metal that was polished to a high sheen. The vehicle itself looked like a flattened dome with two pods on the side and a turret on the back. The dome sat on four discs that emitted blue plasma exhaust. Also, there was a large hole on the rear for forward propulsion. The front of the dome was where the cockpit sat, which closed in upon the driver for protection against snipers. As for the pods, they were like sidecars on the vehicles; one soldier could sit on each pod for extra fire support against enemy infantry (or vehicles if the soldier used a portable Fuel Rod Gun). As for the turret itself, it was basically a purple sphere that stood upon a metallic pedestal; a long, needle-like protrusion extended from the sphere. That was the big gun that the Gruntmon had been speaking of, and due to its design, it could swivel around in 360-degrees horizontally, vertically, and diagonally.

Dietz blinked; there were five of those vehicles gathered in a straight line. Flying overhead was a Shadow dropship; the prongs were open, revealing a full cargo of Huntermon. On every single pod on the Phantoms sat energy pistol-wielding Jackalmon, their green and yellow shields popped into place. "What are those things?"

"Those are Phantoms! Special vehicles for ground operations! Me supposed to man turret on the rear Phantom…but me no feel like it. That's why me want you to take my place!" chirped the Gruntmon.

Dietz frowned. Something didn't feel right about this…but his love for a better weapon overwhelmed that feeling. Besides, it wasn't like anything bad was going to happen…right? "Okay, I'll do it."

He looked around when silence responded. The Gruntmon had left. "Huh? Where'd he go?"

Oh well. None of his business. Dietz quietly crept around the rubble to the rear of the five Phantoms, the shadow of the _Great Journey_ looming ominously upon him. Finally, he got to the behind of the last Phantom and quietly clambered onto it, grabbing the trigger which sat inside the turret's sphere. _Sweet…_

Suddenly, ten Seraphs roared overhead. Then the voice of a black Elitemon piloting the Shadow overhead echoed through the dropship's external speakers. **"Attention! The operation is now beginning! We are now heading straight into the heart of Gravemon-controlled territory, so prepare yourselves!"**

The Elitemon piloting the Phantoms roared in response; their way of expressing their desire to succeed. At that moment, Dietz suddenly realized why that Gruntmon had wanted out; they were about to move out into a battle. _Ah fudge._

So the numbers were like this: ten Seraph aerial fighters, one Shadow dropship with a cargo of fourteen Huntermon on each prong, and five Phantoms with a cargo of five black Elitemon drivers, ten Jackalmon support troops, two black Gruntmon manning the first two turrets, two red Elitemon manning the third and fourth turrets…and Dietz – a human – manning the fifth turret.

Then, the sixteen vehicles charged forward, with Dietz' Phantom bringing up the rear.

_(cue 'Earth City', track 17 on Volume One of Halo 2 Soundtrack. No lyrics, so you'll have to track the song down on your own)_

The five Phantoms charged ahead through a ruined street in single-file. In the air, the ten Seraphs were flying in V-formation, with the Shadow flying right behind them. Dietz looked ahead and saw that they were heading straight into the lion's den.

The last of the Gravemon in the city had gathered in a cluster of buildings that still stood (albeit they were now decrepit and on the verge of falling down anyway). Three infected Megadramon howled as they charged from their hiding spots and charged at the Seraphs.

The Seraphs barrel-rolled to the sides, avoiding the oncoming Megadramon. The Shadow moved to the side, exposing its left prong to the oncoming Megadramon.

The fourteen Huntermon roared as their Fuel Rod Guns glowed green and fired. Fourteen streams of blazing hot green plasma slammed into the front two Megadramon, deleting the two Ultimate Digimon on the spot. The third Megadramon immediately went downward to strike the Phantoms.

Dietz impulsively aimed his turret upward and pulled the trigger. White needles of plasma erupted from the turret, slamming into the Megadramon. The other four gunners immediately did the same. The third Megadramon continued to roar as it was peppered with five streams of white needle-like plasma. The barrage tore off its wings, and it crashed into the ground with a mighty crash. Three Seraphs zoomed downward and finished it off with a shower of blue plasma.

Dietz laughed as the infected Megadramon dissipated into data particles. "BOOYAH! Take THAT!"

By this time, the rest of the Gravemon's attention had been garnered. Five infected Gigadramon charged toward the Seraphs, while ten infected Greymon stampeded toward the Phantoms. The rest were made up of Spores and infected Gazimon, Gizamon, and Gekomon.

The Phantoms broke out of single-file and swerved around. The Jackalmon opened fire on any Gravemon that got near with their energy pistols. The Seraphs flew all around the Gigadramon, getting in potshots whenever they had the chance. As for the Huntermon on the Shadow, they switched between raining green rivers of plasma on ground or aerial targets at various intervals.

Dietz quickly tilted the turret downward, aiming at a large cluster of Spores. The Junsa-cho cackled as they popped like balloons under his devastating barrage of plasma. "Ha ha ha! DIE YOU FREAKS!"

"**_GRAAAGH!"_** roared an infected Greymon that tried to stomp on Dietz's Phantom. The Elitemon at the controls quickly boosted out of the way as Dietz swiveled around and opened fire on the Greymon's ankle. The beast suddenly tripped as the needle-like plasma blasts tore through its ankle and tore it apart, rendering it useless. The Greymon fell to the ground, squashing a number of other Gravemon.

Dietz continued to open fire. These monsters were just like those that had invaded the TV Station. They were merciless killers…and they were going to die. "RAAAH!" Dietz screamed as he fired at another Greymon.

Meanwhile, above, a Gigadramon punched at a Seraph, smashing it – and the Elitemon pilot – to smithereens, but the Ultimate was immediately torn apart by three more Seraphs. The Huntermon roared as they unleashed wave after wave of green plasma upon the enemy below.

A Phantom was smashed into pieces by a stampeding Greymon, who was chasing down the other four Phantoms. It was quickly bombarded by the four Phantoms' gunners, among them being Dietz. The Greymon howled as it fell down, threatening to crush the four Phantoms.

The Phantoms immediately veered left and roared into a multi-story parking lot, avoiding the Greymon's initial crash…but then the shockwave caused the lot's supports to fail…and it began to collapse.

The Phantoms charged ahead for the opposite side of the lot, trying to outrun the crumbling building on top of them. Thrashed cars threatened to fall upon them from above, but they were barely missing.

Suddenly, a piece of debris fell in front of them. Their way out was blocked.

Dietz angrily aimed ahead and roared, "NO WAY AM I GOING TO DIE TODAY!" He unleashed more needles upon the rubble. Taking his cue, the other three gunners opened fire as well, clearing the way.

Finally, the erupted on the other side…and flew into the open air.

The other side of the parking lot teetered on the edge of a crater. Dietz screamed as the four Phantoms fell, their hover thrusters flaring at full power to slow their descent. The parking lot collapsed behind them, sending a torrent of rubble into the air.

The Phantoms slammed into the ground, but their hover thrusters prevented them from crashing. They slowed to a stop, letting silence fill the air.

_(End 'Earth City')_

Dietz sighed with relief; they had made it.

"You're not Gayag."

Dietz looked down to see a black Elitemon staring quietly at him. Apparently, he was referring to the Gruntmon that had 'offered' Dietz this position. The black Elitemon's expression was a mixture of annoyance, surprise, and anger. He hadn't realized a human had been his Phantom's gunner.

Dietz was silent in the face of the Elitemon.

Then, the 8'6" giant chuckled. "Not bad…for a human."

Dietz smirked. "You kidding? I haven't even started yet."

-

/Sphere Observation Deck, Fuji Television Station, Odaiba, 5:32 PM/

Staring through the open hole in the side of the Sphere Observation Deck was Gennai; his eyes glanced at four different battles; the battles against the three Black Generals and the mighty fight between Shaun and Demon. _Such conflict…will this city ever recover?_

Suddenly, he heard voices echoing up from the stairwell.

"Davis you MORON!"

"Yolei, I apologized!"

"YOU STEPPED ON MY BROTHER'S LEG!"

"I know THAT."

"Did you not notice the BANDAGES on his leg! You nearly sent him into shock!"

"He was right on the other side of the door! How was I supposed to know he was there!"

"…fine. Just don't do it again."

"Sheesh…if you're this peeved, I'd hate to see it if you actually cared about your siblings."

"**WHAT WAS THAT!"**

_SLAP!_

"OW! You never talk about em' though! I just assumed-"

"ASSUME THIS!"

**POW!**

"AAAH!" screamed Davis as he was sent flying through the stairwell doors and onto his face. Yolei stomped up moments later, her eyes glaring daggers at the Child of Miracles.

Davis winced as he slowly stood. _Mental note…don't say Yolei doesn't care about her siblings. Sheesh…she's the Child of Caring, but she sure kicks me around a lot._

Behind Yolei was the rest of the Digidestined. Davis had indeed gathered up everyone. Cody sighed as he muttered, "Some things never change."

Gennai sweatdropped. "I see…"

Matt looked quietly at Gennai before saying, "Well, we're going to back up our partners…they could use the support."

Gennai nodded. "Indeed…but how will you get to the battlefield?"

Suddenly, a Shadow lifted up to the Sphere Observation Deck. Futa's voice echoed out of the external speakers. **"I'll give them a lift."**

"Ah." Gennai then stared quietly at the Digidestined. His seemingly closed eyes swirled with thought and questions…now, the Digidestined were about to endure perhaps their greatest test ever. "Dear children…you have suffered through far more than anyone could imagine. You have shed blood, sweat, and tears to try and keep the Digital World safe from evil…so all I can say is this: be careful, and don't die."

Silence.

Then, Tai laughed. "You're acting like we're going to our funeral. Don't sweat it…we'll be fine!"

"Yeah. We're the good guys! And the good guys always win!" exclaimed Davis as jumped outside the hole, floating in the air. Futa maneuvered the Shadow so that its open right prong was pressed against the side of the deck. As the Digidestined hopped on, TK glanced at Kari and said, "Ready to fly?"

Kari nodded. "Yeah." The Children of Hope and Light roared, "HOLY ARMOR ENERGIZE!"

Two flashes of bronze and white light later, and TK and Kari were floating in the air beside Davis. The Shadow's prong closed up, and the dropship flew off toward the bay alongside the Children of Miracles, Light, and Hope.

Gennai sighed as they flew away into the sky, their outlines tinged red by the fiery sky. "So young to have experienced so much. Such is the lot of the Digidestined…wouldn't you agree?"

Behind him stood Joshua Kido and Hiroaki Ishida. Both of them nodded.

"True…but they have endured far more than we did," answered Joshua.

"So that means their story's ending will be quite magnificent," cracked Hiroaki with a smile.

Gennai could only nod. "Indeed."

-

/Tokyo Bay, Odaiba, 5:39 PM/

"DEVIL'S TENTACLES!"

The white, thin arms that extended from MarineDevimon's shoulder blades lashed out at Zudomon. The Ultimate grunted as the Black General's limbs wrapped him up. "Hey!"

MarineDevimon immediately surfaced and turned his attention to the incoming MegaKabuterimon, who was charging another Horn Buster. With a roar, MarineDevimon threw Zudomon into MegaKabuterimon, causing both Ultimates to crash into the bay. "Ha ha ha ha…you can fight all you want, but my naval force will overwhelm you eventually!"

"Want to bet?"

MarineDevimon looked up at MetalAngemon, who was aiming the Gate of Extinction down at him. The Black General frowned as he looked around…and then he gaped.

His entire naval force was gone.

MetalAngemon had destroyed them all with his Gate of Extinction.

"No…it can't be!" uttered the Black General out of shock. The mighty naval power of the Demon Corps had been incinerated!

"Now it's your turn!" MetalAngemon flew away from the Gate as it suddenly began inhaling everything in. MarineDevimon paled as the pull of the thunderous gray realm beyond began pulling him in.

"NO!" MarineDevimon growled as he grabbed the rim of the Gate the moment he was sucked in. The whiplash of the wind slammed into him, but he continued to hold strong. He would not fail.

Suddenly, MegaKabuterimon stuck his head out of the water. "Here's your power bill! HORN BUSTER!"

MarineDevimon grimaced as an electric surge rushed through his body. His muscles went numb…if he was hit now…

Suddenly, Zudomon came out of the water, holding his massive hammer tightly. "Ever wonder what it feels like to taste ChromeDigizoid? VULCAN'S HAMMER!"

MarineDevimon paled as Zudomon threw the hammer upward towards him. _No…this can't be! I can't fail!_

The hammer slammed into him, causing his grip to slip. MarineDevimon howled as he was engulfed by the realm beyond the Gate of Extinction. Without remorse, MetalAngemon closed the Gate and dismissed it.

The Black General MarineDevimon was finally defeated.

Meanwhile, an explosion sounded in the background as plasma mortars from three Ghosts hit one of the pillars that supported Archfiend Castle. Black stone and rock went flying as the pillar exploded…and then the castle began falling.

The denizens within the castle gaped. A Bakemon yelled, "SHE'S GOING DOWN!" More plasma bombs rained upon the castle as it fell into the water, crumbling to pieces in a thunderous collapse. The large rocks and boulders that remained of the castle were continuously blasted by the Ghosts and Specters, becoming pebbles and rubble as a result. The Forbidden City militia wasn't taking any chances; they were going to blast and blast until nothing remained of the castle but ash.

Archfiend Castle was destroyed.

Zudomon sighed as he clambered onto the docks. "Well…that battle's over…"

"Man, that was intense…I feel pooped!" exclaimed MegaKabuterimon as he flew onto the docks and set down. "I sort of feel bad…we destroyed a lot of Digimon today…"

"We had no choice. They will be reborn…but it was either us, or them. Besides, I'm sure they didn't like being possessed," remarked MetalAngemon.

At that moment, Futa's Shadow descended from the air, as did Davis, TK, and Kari. TK yelled out, "HEY! Are you guys okay?"

MetalAngemon smiled as he motioned toward the ruins of Archfiend Castle. "I'll let you answer that question for yourself."

-

/Ruins of Palette Town, Odaiba, 5:46 PM/

LadyDevimon grimaced as she transformed her red axe into longer red claws. "You're becoming a nuisance!"

Angewomon smirked as she transformed her Celestial Sword into a Celestial Whip. "You look mad. Did I upset you…wench?"

LadyDevimon snarled as she charged. "RAAAAAH!"

Angewomon lashed her whip forward, wrapping it around LadyDevimon's left wrist. Without hesitation, LadyDevimon grabbed the whip with her right hand and then slashed through it with her left hand's blood-red claws. Angewomon gaped as she tried to form an axe-

Too late. LadyDevimon's right hand was clutching her neck.

"Heh heh heh…looks like I've got the upper hand again, blondie." LadyDevimon chuckled as her pure red eyes glared into Angewomon's blue irises. "Now DIE." She reared her left hand, preparing to strike.

**_SPLURTCH!_**

Angewomon's eyes widened. So did LadyDevimon's.

A clawed hand protruded from her gut. LadyDevimon tilted her head around…and saw icy blue eyes. "L…Lord Demon…?" She felt a sense of absolute betrayal; Lord Demon had done this to her?

A chuckle. "Sorry…wrong one." Daemon smiled as his hand flared with orange fire. "FLAME INFERNO!"

LadyDevimon shrieked as her body ignited into flames. Her screams died away as she was incinerated into nothing but dust.

Angewomon blinked at the sight of Daemon. "…huh…?" She then slumped to the ground before dedigivolving to Gatomon. "Who…who are you?"

Daemon chuckled. "First things first." Then he did a jig, shaking his butt at Gatomon as he chanted, "You owe me big time, you owe me big time, you owe me big time, fa la la la la!"

Gatomon sweatdropped.

At that point, Daemon dedigivolved into someone that made Gatomon's jaw dropped. "D…DEMIDEVIMON!"

DemiDevimon chuckled. "Surprised to see me, fat cat?"

Gatomon immediately glared daggers at the diminutive Rookie. "WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU DOING HERE!" Then shock set in. "And why the heck did you step in?"

DemiDevimon grinned maliciously. "Let's just say that I have seniority over you…and I have enough material to rub you in the face for years!" DemiDevimon cackled as he flew off toward the television station.

Gatomon scratched her ears confusedly. "What the heck was that all about?"

"I'll explain."

Gatomon turned around to see Kari in the Armor of Light. In the air above her were Davis, TK, MetalAngemon, MegaKabuterimon, and Futa's Shadow. Kari smiled as she knelt down to Gatomon's level. "Joe, Matt, and TK told us a lot before we left the TV Station…I think you'll be surprised."

A minute later, well after they had all set off towards Shinbashi Station, Gatomon's shout could be heard all over.

"**_WHAT?_** HE'S A **PARTNER?** HE'LL NEVER LET ME LIVE THIS DOWN!"

-

/Ruins of Shinbashi Station, Odaiba, 5:52 PM/

"**TRIPLE GREY TORNADO!"**

Deathmon paled as all three of the Wargreymon combined to form a massive twist comprised of orange, black, and blue (remember, (Wargreymon) was colored differently) roared downward and slammed into him.

The Black General moaned as his midsection exploded with pain; he was sent flying backwards by the collision. Blood leaked from the cut in his abdomen, and his body ached.

After the arrival of Blackwargreymon, the battle had taken a major turn for the worse. Blackwargreymon was an absolutely merciless opponent, and the other two Wargreymon had become more aggressive. As for the Imperialdramon, he had hung back to rain laser blast upon laser blast upon him.

Deathmon sighed as he sagged against the ground; he was utterly spent. He couldn't fight anymore…he had failed. _Lord Demon…forgive me._

A chirp.

Deathmon blinked as he looked to his left with the eye on his left hand…and to his shock, he saw a Spore scrambling towards him.

It was the last Spore in Odaiba…and it had chosen him to be its host.

Deathmon couldn't find the will to scream.

Of course, he had plenty reason to do so when its penetration tentacle jabbed into his spinal cord. Deathmon howled as his body burst into data…and then it reformatted upon itself, becoming a Gravemon Warrior.

Deathmon's skin was now sickly greenish-white, and the dark gray bone on top of his head had a number of sensory appendages growing out of it…and all three of his eyes were gone.

Deathmon roared as he charged at the four Megas with incomparable speed.

"WHAT THE?" Wargreymon groaned as Deathmon slammed his foot into his gut. He then charged down at (Wargreymon). He popped his shield into place just before Deathmon used his shoulder as a battering ram, sending (Wargreymon) crashing into the ground.

Blackwargreymon roared as he aimed his claws for the infected Deathmon, but it was for naught. Deathmon quickly moved to the side in midair and slammed Blackwargreymon in the back with his foot. With a primal roar, Deathmon then set his sights on Imperialdramon.

"You think you can take me? POSITRON LASER!" Imperialdramon fired his blue and red laser at Deathmon, but the infected Mega continued to charge through it. Now that Deathmon had been infected by the Gravemon Spore, pain was meaningless, and his strength was enhanced. Deathmon wasn't going to let a mere Positron Laser kill him.

And it seemed to be that way as Deathmon charged through the Positron Laser and toward Imperialdramon. The dragon Mega scowled as Deathmon continued to charge. "You think you're a tough guy, eh? You think you can beat me! Well here's a news flash: I CAN'T LOSE, **_AND I WON'T!"_**

Then…Imperialdramon ascended to the next level.

**_"Imperialdramon…Mode-Change to…"_**

As Imperialdramon continued to fire, his entire body was consumed by golden light…and he suddenly grew. When the light faded, Imperialdramon could be seen…except now, he was a 100-foot tall biped. His gargantuan feet had three golden claws protruding from them, and black armor covered his legs, torso, shoulders, and forearms. His knee joints were covered with spiky gold, and the armor around his hips was pearly white. A flattened version of Imperialdramon's helmet adorned his breastplate, and his shoulder pads were rimmed with gold lines and golden spikes. His wings were still pearly white, but his tail was longer and more lithe than before. His muscular blue skin could be seen on the upper arms and hands, and golden claws protruded from the black gauntlets that covered his forearms. His helmet was smaller and more humanoid in appearance, and it was now made of pure white metal. A band of gold crossed his forehead, and three golden spikes protruded from it, with the center one being the largest. Finally, the cannon that was once on his back was now on top of his right gauntlet…and it was still firing the Positron Laser. Except now, it was more powerful.

**_"FIGHTER MODE!"_**

Deathmon snarled as the force behind the Positron Laser suddenly increased…and he was soon being pushed back.

Imperialdramon chuckled as he increased the power behind his Positron Laser. "Well? You're a Gravemon, aren't you? Feel like a tough guy now? HUH?"

Wargreymon blinked out of confusion. "What's his deal?"

(Wargreymon) sighed as he shook his head. "Power's going to his head."

Soon enough, Deathmon couldn't take anymore. He was simply incinerated by the Positron Laser.

The last of the Black Generals had been defeated.

"Hooah! I feel great!" happily exclaimed Imperialdramon. In his Fighter Mode, he seemed like an absolute monster to the smaller trio of Wargreymon below him.

Blackwargreymon chuckled. "He enjoys his new strength…" Then he sighed. "This battle is won. I must be off…" He tilted his head back towards the other two Wargreymon. "It was a pleasure fighting by your side. Perhaps we can do it again in the future."

"Wait, where are you going?" asked Wargreymon.

Blackwargreymon quietly answered, "To my partner," before taking off towards Fuji Television Station.

(Wargreymon) smiled. "Looks like he found his partner."

"HEY!"

Imperialdramon, Wargreymon, and (Wargreymon) looked up to see Davis and the others hovering over them (with the exception of Zudomon, obviously). Davis eagerly yelled, "When'd you get so big!"

Imperialdramon jokingly replied, "I guess I hit a growth spurt!"

-

/Sky over Odaiba, 6:00 PM/

Demon was now beyond infuriated.

No matter what he had done to predict Shaun Kamiya's moves – even reading his mind to find out every move he was about to do – Shaun always seemed to have the upper hand. He would always change his moves before executing them, seemingly on the fly. Demon's fighting rhythm was consistently being thrown off…and his attacks were missing because of the boy's speed. By this time, their fight had moved closer towards the edge of the fiery typhoon that had surrounded Odaiba…and oddly enough, none of the other Digimon interfered.

But they had a reason; this was Shaun's fight, and his alone.

_There is a trick being played here… I must find it_. Demon charged forward and threw a fast punch. Instead of ducking like Demon thought he was going to do, Shaun grabbed the demonic Mega's arm and threw him…straight through the fiery typhoon.

Demon emerged on the other side, his body feeling the heat of the flames. No matter. He could endure the flames that he himself had brought to the surface.

_Chuu……_

Demon arched an eyebrow out of confusion. _What is that sound?_

He turned around…and saw dozens of missiles flying straight for him. _WHAT!_

Unbeknownst to Demon, a massive force had been sitting in Tokyo Bay for quite some time now: the US defensive force. The _Shreveport_ had been the first to arrive…and following it had been two aircraft carriers, six destroyers, and four cruisers.

The _Nimitz-class_ aircraft carriers _USS Ronald Reagan_ and _USS George Washington_. They had just fired all four of their _Sea Sparrow_ missile launchers.

The _Arleigh-Burke-class_ destroyers _USS Roosevelt, Mason, Higgins, O'Kane, Hopper_, and _Ross_. They had just fired four _Tomahawk_ cruise missiles each. Since Demon was relatively close to the ground, they had been used.

The _Ticonderoga-class_ cruisers _USS Port Royal, Vicksburg, Monterey_, and _Normandy_. They had just fired one SM-2 missile each.

And the thirty F-16s that had been on patrol had turned, targeted, and fired upon Demon with two Sidewinder missiles each.

Demon was too surprised to even move. All of the missiles hit him dead-on.

**_KABOOM!_**

"OOMPH!" Demon grunted as the explosion sear and incinerated his robes, propelling back into the confines of the fiery typhoon.

Meanwhile, onboard the flight deck of the _USS Ronald Reagan_, General Wesley – the Commandant of the Marine Corps – suppressed a smile as he watched the strange demon disappear under the explosive firepower of the missile barrage. _Hmm…just one? What if there's more…?_

Wesley remained silent. Either way, they couldn't do anything until that blasted typhoon disappeared.

-

Shaun arched an eyebrow at the sight of Demon. "Well…you look like you just got mugged."

Demon scowled as he tore away at the tattered remnants of his robes. He was now unleashing his full power once more. "You know…it just occurred to me…that you're also a telepath."

Shaun chuckled. "Took you long enough."

"I know. I'm ashamed that it took so long for me to figure it out…but no more. I will not let myself be humiliated any longer by a mere human." Demon's palms glowed with blue hellfire.

Shaun smirked. "Come on Demon…even if you know I'm a telepath, we'll just end countering each other endlessly. We'll know each of our opponent's moves, and we'll always counter. We won't even be able to touch other."

Demon grinned maliciously. "I know…which is why I'm going to rely on a simple strategy: ATTACK!" Demon roared as he threw both of his blue fireballs at Shaun. "CHAOS FLARE ATTACK!"

Shaun's eyes widened as he quickly dodged to the side, but Demon suddenly appeared right in front of him. _He's fast!_

"You don't know the half of it." Demon then slammed his fist into Shaun's gut before roaring, "DEMON INFERNO!" Red fire erupted from his palms and roared downward at Shaun.

The Child of Wisdom quickly dodged to the side only to have Demon appear behind him and ram his foot into his back. By the time Shaun turned around again, Demon was upon him. Shaun barely got his arms up in time before Demon slashed and punched at him furiously.

Shaun grimaced as Demon threatened to overwhelm him. Even WITH all of his memories at the forefront, Demon was now employing a surprisingly effective strategy: not thinking. Demon was now fighting like a berserker, letting his body act for him. It was now all instinct for the demonic Mega…and that was bad news for Shaun.

Because now, telepathy wouldn't work. His entire battle plan had hinged upon that little ability…because without it, Demon would easily overwhelm him with his superior strength and speed.

"RAAAAGGHH!"

Shaun gagged as Demon elbowed him in the ribs, paralyzing him with pain. The demon followed up by slamming both fists into Shaun's back, sending the Child of Wisdom crashing down into the street far below.

Shaun grimaced as tried to stand…but then he was grabbed from behind by Demon. The Mega's massive hand was easily as large as his head…which was easy to see, considering Demon was holding Shaun's head.

Demon snorted. Then he slammed Shaun, headfirst, into a pile of a rubble that stood in front of him. "Pathetic." Slam. "You've come all this way to try and change history…" Slam. "Pity that you've proven to be too weak." SLAM. **"You'll never compare to me!"**

SLAM!

Shaun gagged as blood ran from both his nostrils and his mouth. Demon then tossed him aside like garbage. The Mega snickered as he stepped slowly toward Shaun. "And now…your journey ends with your death."

Shaun grimaced as he slowly stood to his feet. "No…I won't lose…I CAN'T lose…not after everything I've been through…I WON'T LOSE TO YOU!"

Demon grinned. "What makes you think you can win?"

Davis suddenly set down beside Shaun. "That would be us."

Demon frowned as TK and Kari – with Gatomon atop her head – set down as well. Futa's Shadow set down near the ground, letting Tai, Sora, Matt, Mimi, Izzy, Joe, Yolei, Ken, and Cody jump out. The Shadow immediately flew back upward and towards Fuji Television Station as the other Digimon – including those that had been staying out of the fight between Shaun and Demon – stepped in front of the Digidestined, joining Shaun's side.

Imperialdramon: Fighter Mode.

Wargreymon.

Metalgarurumon.

Garudamon.

Lilymon.

Zudomon.

MegaKabuterimon.

MetalAngemon.

Goliamon.

(Wargreymon).

Demon snarled. "So…you all seek to face me." Demon chuckled as his wings flared open. "Then I shall oblige you…and GIVE YOU YOUR DEATHS!"

"On the contrary, you have a different purpose."

Demon turned around to see a figure standing upon a road's causeway, which still stood.

All of the Digidestined recognized the figure. "PIEDMON!"

Demon's eyes narrowed. "Piedmon…I've heard of you. Shouldn't you be dead by now?"

'Piedmon' chuckled. "There was a change…and technically, I am dead. But then again, I'm not Piedmon."

"Oh? And why are you here? To face me?" Demon laughed as he boasted, "You dare to think you can fight me and win!"

"No. I plan to kill you," candidly replied Piedmon as he aimed his palm at Demon. _"SOUL BANISHMENT!"_

An invisible force slammed into Demon. His blue eyes suddenly widened as his body fell to the ground, limp as a wet noodle. The body burst into particles…particles that Piedmon eagerly absorbed.

Everyone stared in shock. Demon had just been defeated…just like that. No flashy explosion. No super-duper attack. Just like that.

Shaun growled as he stared at Piedmon. Even though he was somewhat grateful that Demon was dead – something that hadn't fully hit him yet – the fact that Piedmon had done this was more than enough to trouble him. "What did you do to him? How did you do that?"

Piedmon chuckled. "The climax has come…and the puppet-master reveals himself at last." His body burst into black smoke that swirled around itself, becoming a cloud of sorts…and then a face appeared in the smoke.

Everyone that had been part of the Digidestined four years ago gasped. Shaun's eyes narrowed. Gatomon's fur stood on end as she hissed, **_"YOU."_**

"Glad to see you remember me," spoke the face of Myotismon.

-

To be continued…

Next time…

Episode 59: Last Stand of the Digidestined

-

Author's Notes: So…much…stuff…

Anyhow, Myotismon is the final bad guy…but season 02 ended like this.

MaloMyotismon: NU! YOU NO SCARED OF ME! I BE WEAK AND CRY LIKE BABY! WAHH!

As you can see, I thought the final battle stunk. But this time…oh this time there will be a battle to end all battles…

Because next episode…Myotismon explains his plan…and it is the same plan he has had for four years…

See you soon…and please review…


	59. Last Stand of the Digidestined

Standard Discalimer: CLONES! EVERYWHERE! THE END IS NIGH! I DON'T OWN DIGIMON! YARGH!

Author's Notes: Oh dear. It seems my disclaimer has gone mad. O.o Oh, and with this episode, Zero 2 surpasses the coveted 500,000 word milestone (a mark only surpassed by Digimon 02: Endgame). WONGA.

To the reviews!

Anthony1: Really? I always planned for Myotismon to be the final bad guy, if only because I feel they did the character a great injustice in the show. Even in NDE, Myotismon was going to be the final bad guy.

Dark Qiviut: Man, you shouldn't worry about offending me. I take criticism very lightly (read my response to ReaverOfFate's review of episode 18 at the beginning of 'The Fall of UmbraDevimon' to see an example), and my feelings are not that easily exploited. I stand by my work, and if people don't like it, I take it in stride. I can't please everyone; it's just a fact.

And one more thing; I'm not going to let up on the 'picking on Davis' aspect. It won't be as prominent in these episodes (considering all the fighting), but it's one of the prime means of interaction between Davis and Yolei. And let's be honest; have I picked on him any more than the show did?

Anime obsessed fan: Nope. I have nothing planned for Diaboromon/Armagemon at all. And no Tamers references…yet. ;)

Miracles: Nope…NOT MaloMyotismon. Well, sort of.

Ninetalesuk: True that; that's one part of season 02 that I'm not deviating from.

Digi fan: Yes…but even Shaun shall be surprised by what Myotismon has in store for the Digidestined…

BeatlesLover: Watch your mouth! (stuffs soap into BL's mouth)

Dot Cubed: No, the typhoon isn't gone…yet.

Salamon2: Hmm. I'll have to employ this Bureau of Censorship eventually… ;P

Bluesv20: (chuckles) Who ever said I only had ONE fic in the plans? ;)

SR71will: OOH! SHINY! (grabs Sonikku Blade, swings it around…and then realizes he sliced BlackMeggidramon into pieces) …whoops. O.o;

ficmaster: Actually, I have a justifiable explanation for that…because Myotismon has an ace up his sleeve that even DRAGOMON doesn't know about. And don't worry about offending me; I stand by my things. Beside, Demon wasn't destroyed by the Soul Banishment; his SOUL was. More explanation in this chapter.

Nightfire04: Is it a 'good' hate or a 'bad' hate?

bobbyneko: I noticed a new entry on the list that shows how many people have me on their 'Favorite Authors' list. I checked the new guy's link (yours) and your bio said that you were the one known as 'reviewer'. And now you know. ;)

Cloud-821: Because I always liked Myotismon (he's my favorite villain), and I felt season 02 did him a great injustice (especially that final battle…PUKE.).

HevnoAngered: (can't decipher the review…so the author just nods) Er…okay? O.o; But I DO have plans for Etemon… ;)

Let the ENDGAME continue…

-

_The Digimon Emperor._

_Chimeramon._

_UmbraDevimon._

_The Gravemon._

_Darkheart._

_The Demon Corps._

_Demon._

_All have fallen. In the grand scheme of things, only two remain._

_Dragomon, who has resigned himself to waiting…_

_And the fourth enemy: Myotismon._

-

"Hello everyone, it's Shaun. The battle against the Demon Corps fully went underway as the battles against the Black Generals and Demon himself began. After the Digidestined reunited with their families…well, those who could anyway…they all went out to support their partners in their battles. As the members of the Forbidden City military continued to hunt down enemy Digimon within Odaiba, I fought Demon as hard as I could…but once he found out about my telepathic power, he went all out. Before he could kill me, the others arrived to fight him…but then Piedmon of all Digimon showed up and seemingly defeated Demon in one fell swoop. And then he revealed himself to be none other than Myotismon…"

-

**ENDGAME**: _Part 2_

Episode 59: Last Stand of the Digidestined

-

/Dragomon's Palace, City of Cthulu, Dark World, 6:10 PM/

Dragomon sighed. "The third enemy has fallen…"

He tipped over the Demon piece on the chessboard, which dissipated into smoke immediately. The smoke then materialized into Myotismon, who faced all thirteen Digidestined…and Kari was once again the tallest of them all. Off to the side was a figure shaped like the _Great Jo_urney. It represented all of the Forbidden City Digimon…and on a different chessboard sat numerous figures shaped like human ships. It represented the human presence outside of Odaiba.

"And the fourth has taken his place…but his arrival troubles me…" The fact that Myotismon had come wasn't what troubled him; he had foreseen his arrival anyhow. What troubled him was his apparent abilities…the ability to utterly send souls into oblivion was something new. And he felt strangely worried about what Myotismon had in store…

"This should be quite…intriguing…"

-

/Ruins of Odaiba, 6:11 PM/

Shaun frowned as he stared straight into the face of Myotismon. Although he knew that Myotismon had ended up being the final villain of the new Digidestined, his method of revealing himself was…troubling.

For one thing, Myotismon had seemingly killed Demon with one blow. Which was impossible…it had to be. Myotismon was a mere Ultimate. Demon was a Mega that had been powered up by Ken's Dark Spore, as well as the territory corrupted by Archfiend Castle. It didn't make sense…

Not unless…unless something had changed. Again.

Myotismon chuckled as the black smoke that surrounded his face swirled around him. "Heh heh heh…that demon's taint is disappearing. Now that his soul and his castle have been obliterated, the territory he corrupted is slowly self-purifying…good. The air reeks of his stench."

"**WHY ARE YOU HERE?"** roared Gatomon, her fur completely standing on end.

"And more to the point, why are you alive? We toasted you four years ago!" exclaimed Tai.

Myotismon laughed heartily. "Naïve children…you still underestimate me, even after all this time."

"How? Last I recall, YOU were the one biting the dust," quipped Zudomon. Joe then added, "Score one for Zudomon."

Myotismon laughed again. "Do you really think my plan ended when you destroyed VenomMyotismon four years ago? Silly children…I prepared for EVERY eventuality. Even my destruction…"

This actually silenced the Digidestined. How could Myotismon's original plan still be underway, even after four years had passed? Shaun was silent as well; he had a feeling that this plan entailed something bad.

Myotismon stared quietly at Gatomon. "Gatomon…I'm sure you remember our little 'excursion' to sector 01-000-OMEGA over four years ago, correct?"

Gatomon frowned as she bitterly replied, "Yeah, I remember…"

-

/Flashback/

/01-000-OMEGA, Outside the Cave, 5:12 AM, Four Years Ago/

A number of Dokugumon and Gazimon patrolled the immediate vicinity near the End of the World in silence. Dawn was near; the sky was already starting to morph from sheer blackness to dull blue. A wooden carriage also sat in the sand…except the horse was a Devidramon and the one at the reins was Phantomon. Situated into the bottom of the End of the World's western cliffs in this sector was a small cave…and a familiar Champion Digimon was sitting in front of the cave.

Gatomon yawned as she looked back at the cave in silence. Lord Myotismon had been in there for the past hour now…what had been taking him so long?

_I hope he didn't run into any trouble in there_, thought Gatomon with a frown. Then again, she wouldn't mind if he got a nasty bump or two; it would be good enough payback for the scars on her paws.

Footsteps.

Gatomon turned around to see Myotismon walking silently out of the cave. In his left hand was a small wooden case about as large as a CD case, except five inches tall. Gatomon stood up and asked, "Did you find what you were looking for? Did you find a way to enter the Real World using the wormholes?"

As a nearby group of Gazimon was engulfed by a sudden wormhole, Myotismon quickly replied, "No…but I found something better." He then glanced at the cliff behind him. "The sun shall rise soon. We must return to the castle. Come Gatomon."

"Yes, Lord Myotismon," studiously replied Gatomon as she got into the carriage behind Myotismon. Phantomon slapped the reins, causing the Devidramon to take off into the air. The carriage disappeared, retreating along with the night.

/End Flashback/

-

"What's your point? How does any of that deal with your plan?" asked Gatomon irritably.

Myotismon chuckled. "I'm actually surprised you bought my little cover story. Wormholes are phenomena unique only to the OMEGA sectors. The data that makes up those sectors is loose and easily diverted…that's why data from those sectors can mix with the data of other sectors, thus forming a data stream that connects them. That forms a wormhole…and were it not for the presence of the Forbidden City and the Fortress Wall, 11-011-OMEGA and 11-010-OMEGA would also have wormholes. Trying to take control of those wormholes is an impossible and foolhardy endeavor."

As Myotismon continued his explanation, the gears in Izzy's head turned. _So…the Forbidden City and the Fortress Wall prevent wormholes? Maybe its because they help solidify the data around them, preventing the data streams from ever forming…hmm, interesting…_

But those thoughts don't pertain to the actual plot, so onward!

"Your point?" sarcastically muttered Yolei.

"I actually went to that cave for two reasons. The first reason was because of the key cards I eventually used to enter the Real World. My castle was once the main base for the Order, and that cave held another base; one used for research purposes by that old group. The cards were the key to the system in my castle that would open portals to other worlds, and I needed to research them before continuing my plan." Myotismon then grinned as he stared at Gatomon. "And the second was more for fallback purposes than anything current…but it was necessary. I take no chances."

Ken suddenly frowned. "Wait…what are you talking about?"

Myotismon grommed. "I once lived in the Dark World, just like all Dark Digimon…and I have a keen sense for the water of the Dark Ocean. I could sense that crystallized mass of Dark Ocean water from my castle…and that was my second objective."

Imperialdramon scratched his head out of confusion. "I don't get it. Why were you so hyped about a big icicle?"

"Dark Ocean water is an incredibly good preservative…but only if it's in a solid form…like that crystal."

Goliamon blinked. "And why's that important?"

Myotismon smiled. "I'll tell you."

-

/Flashback/

/01-000-OMEGA, Inside the Cave, 4:27 AM, Four Years Ago/

Myotismon grinned as he stared at the large black crystal with pleasure in his eyes. "Yes…this is perfect. Absolutely perfect."

This crystal would serve him just fine. Without hesitation, Myotismon held his palm out towards the crystal, placing it upon the hard surface. The Ultimate Digimon grunted as a small stream of data poured out of his palm and entered the watery innards of the crystal.

He had just transferred part of his data core – his essence, his very soul, so to speak metaphorically – into the crystal…and it wasn't going anywhere.

"Perfect." Myotismon then walked away. "Now to find those cards…"

/End Flashback/

-

"What are you getting at?" asked Wargreymon.

"On that day, I transferred part of my essence into the crystal. It was my fallback option in case I should ever be destroyed…and when I, as VenomMyotismon, was destroyed, I had to use it." Myotismon chuckled as he thought back to what happened. "Just before my entire body was destroyed, I transferred my soul and mind to the fragment of data inside the crystal. Even though a majority of my data – and therefore, my power – was lost to Digital Limbo, my soul and mind lived on."

Mimi frowned. "I don't get it though. Why wouldn't you tell Gatomon or anyone else about your real reasons for going into that cave? It's not like it would be that much of a bother to do so."

"Once again, your naivety shows itself," retorted Myotismon.

"HEY!"

Ignoring Mimi's indignant response, Myotismon's head continued speaking. "I didn't tell anyone because I knew that if I ever had to utilize my fallback option, then that would mean that I had fallen. Anyone who despised me would immediately try to glean any information they could from my former servants so that they could find the crystal and destroy it. Of course, I hadn't foreseen Gatomon being the Eighth Child's partner…so I was doubly glad I never told her."

Shaun scowled. Myotismon, although he had not been the greatest enemy of the older kids, he was by far the most cunning and intelligent of them all…and that was what had made him the most dangerous one. Although not as big a threat as the Dark Masters or Apocalymon had been…his potential was far, far greater.

"But that still doesn't explain how you're back!" exclaimed Metalgarurumon.

"Or how you used the nifty technique to beat Demon," added (Wargreymon).

"Or how the heck that black water crystal thingy even got into the cave!" finished MegaKabuterimon.

"Due to the weak data bonds in the OMEGA sectors, wormholes weren't the only side effect. The barrier between the Digital World and the Dark World is weak there…and data being swapped between the two is common. As a matter of fact, 01-000-OMEGA was the point from which so many Dark Digimon exited the Dark World and invaded the Digiworld, thus starting the Great War."

_I remember that_, thought Shaun bitterly. THAT had been a busy time (refer to episode 37 for more info).

Myotismon continued on. "Since the barrier was so weak, the fact that a crystallized portion of the Dark Ocean existed inside that cave wasn't surprising. I just took advantage of its presence…and as for my technique, the Dark Ocean water purified my dark data as I sat in there for four years. As time passed, I did not linger; I worked hard to increase the power of what little data I had using the dark characteristics of the water. In time, I mastered two techniques: Soul Transfer and Soul Banishment. All I had to do then was wait until a suitable host arrived…and until Piedmon arrived, no one had come."

"Wait? You're saying…that that wormhole that sucked up Piedmon during Puppetmon's crazy obstacle course ordeal sent him to you?" stated Sora out of disbelief (read episode 40 for more info).

Myotismon grinned. "Yes…I immediately used Soul Transfer to transfer my data and soul into his body, while transferring his into the crystal. I immediately smashed the crystal after I took over Piedmon's body…and from that point on, I began absorbing what data I could to increase my power." Myotismon couldn't help but remember fondly how he had absorbed the data of a MetalSeadramon and several other Digimon before Devimon…it had been quite delectable absorbing their life force.

"But that still doesn't make any sense!" yelled Shaun angrily. "Demon was one of the toughest Digimon around…and you couldn't have been able to beat him just like that! Whiz, snap, boom, just like that! It's just not possible."

Myotismon chuckled. "Fool…my Soul Banishment only obliterates the target's soul. If left unchecked for too long, the body – which still contains its life force – would create a new soul for the body, and I'd have to start the process again…and despite appearances, that technique saps quite a bit of power. That's why I had to absorb Demon's data and life force quickly."

"But what's the point of it all?" pointedly said TK. "What are you trying to do, digivolve to Mega again? We beat VenomMyotismon before, and we can beat him again!"

Instead of a grimace like the Digidestined expected…they got a laugh. "Fool…you really think that lumbering brute of a Digimon was what I really wanted?"

Silence gripped the Digidestined…and finally, Shaun asked the question Myotismon wanted to be asked. "You have a higher form."

"Bingo. That's why I wanted to feed on the life force of the humans at the Convention Center…that would've given me the last boost required to send me straight to my true Mega form…but I was foiled. No matter…I still was able to come back…which brings me to the last phase of my plan." Myotismon then turned his gaze to Ken. "You Ken…you were the one who created the last necessary phase of my plan."

Ken scowled. "That dark crystal I found in that cave…you were the one who spoke to me."

"Correct…I gave you the necessary knowledge to construct the Control Spires, as well as your base's Synthesizer Room. The Control Spires' ability to amplify your Dark Digivice's power was only its secondary power…the primary power of the Control Spires was a simple one: the weakening of the barrier between the Digital World and Digital Limbo."

Everyone blinked. "Digital Limbo? Why?" asked Lilymon.

"Because the rest of my data still sits in Digital Limbo, and I need it to completely digivolve to my greatest form…it is the final key to my power…" Myotismon chuckled as his eyes gazed upward into the sky. "But without the Control Spires, I wouldn't have been able to pull my data from that realm without risking the loss of all the data I had gathered. But thanks to Ken…I can retrieve my data. And UmbraDevimon unknowingly increased their power when he transformed them into Dark Obelisks…so that was a bonus."

Ken grimaced. Once again, the exploits of the Emperor continued to haunt him.

"And now, I achieve my full strength!" A pale blue portal appeared in the sky above him…and a large cluster of black 0s and 1s flew from it before the portal closed. "Yes…yes…."

Shaun frowned as he stared at the data cluster. Something was odd about it…he could've sworn he had seen a spherical object inside it….

Myotismon cackled as the data cluster merged with him…and then he roared, "My plan has finally come to fruition! **Behold the true goal of my grand plan!"** Myotismon's face dissolved into dark smoke…and as the fiery typhoon continued to roar, Myotismon roared loudly.

**_"Myotismon…"_**

The black smoke then enlarged…and began to take shape.

**_"Mega-Digivolve to…"_**

-

/Bridge, _Great Journey_, Sky over Odaiba, 6:26 PM/

"Noble Hierarchs! Scanners are picking up a new power signature!"

The three Prophets turned their heads to one of the black Elitemon manning a station on the bridge. Battalion Commander Vula Tusa'lamee stepped over to the station and said, "What is the strength of this signal?"

"Just look at it…" replied the Elitemon. Vula frowned as he stared at it…and then he gaped. "Impossible…"

"_What seems to be the trouble, Commander Tusa'lamee?"_

Vula tilted his head back towards the Hierarchs. "This new signature has taken the place of the one known as Demon…and its much greater."

"_By how much? What is the strength of this new entity?"_

Vula was silent…and then he answered. "Class 'Z' threat."

The Hierarchs paled. Absolution retorted, **_"Impossible! The highest threat ever accorded was that of the wretched Time Demon, and his threat class was only that of an 'S'!"_**

"_There is no other explanation though…"_ Reality sighed as he stared straight into the golden Elitemon's eyes. _"Charge the ship's weapons. Prepare to fire on my command."_

"Yes sir."

-

/Ruins of Odaiba, 6:28 PM/

By now, the smoke had shifted into a form over fifty feet high…and when the smoke finally faded, the new form of Myotismon could be seen. His entire body was covered light gray armor of sorts, with a large number of strange markings. His lithe legs were covered by relatively thin armor, but the armor on top of his kneecaps looked similar in design to Piedmon's facemask, save the heart designs. A design that looked like a purple pod with blood-red teeth marked the back of his calves, and the tough, angular armor that covered his waist look liked it had black, beady eyes. He had a 30-foot-long tail that was covered by segmented armor, and his torso was also covered by the segmented armor. His breastplate was thick and bulky, and the lower half was colored purple, with the center having a red image that looked like a bat: Myotismon's trademark symbol. His shoulders looked like big, simplistic heads with a mouth and eyes; the right one possessed three red eyes, while the left possessed three white eyes. Bloody fangs protruded from the wide lips of these shoulder heads, and his relatively small arms protruded from their bottom. Thick, gray gauntlets covered his arms; the top tip of the gauntlets had angular purple markings, and they also possessed three eyes: red on the right and white on the left. His five, purple fingers ended in red protrusions that looked like curved, oblong pods. Attached to his shoulder blades was a large piece of purple armor that looked like a cross between a flowing cape and wings; the center part of the strange piece of armor had spikes protruding from it, and the same facemask design that adorned his kneecap plating adorned the front of it. The bottom of the armor piece was colored blood-red, and a large number of holes that looked like skin pores could be seen on the bottom. And finally, there was the face; still wearing his trademark red eye mask, but now there were no pupils to be seen; only yellow eyes. His blonde hair was now shaggy like a mane, and his perfectly white – and perfectly sharp, for that matter – teeth could be seen in his malevolent smile, complete with vampire fangs…and then, Myotismon's ultimate form roared.

_**"BELIALMYOTISMON!"**_

The now-named BelialMyotismon cackled as he glared down at the Digidestined. "Now your doom is assured!"

Silence.

Then, Imperialdramon boasted, "Come on; you can't be any tougher than other chumps we fought!" The tall biped then raised his massive foot. "I'll squash you!"

With one swift movement, BelialMyotismon was in Imperialdramon's face. Davis' partner gaped as BelialMyotismon said, "Boo."

Then he whirled around, smacking Imperialdramon in the face with his tail.

"OOF!" grunted Imperialdramon as he was sent crashing into the ground by the collision. BelialMyotismon set down where he had stood moments later, a malicious grin on his face. "Any other comers?"

(Wargreymon) was next. With claws extended, Shaun's partner roared toward the vampire…only to have his body gripped by BelialMyotismon's large right hand. "Too weak."

Shaun, meanwhile, was frowning. There was no way BelialMyotismon should've been this strong…there was no way. Even though he was a powerful Mega, he had been defeated relatively easily by the trio of Imperialdramon, Silphymon, and Shakkoumon (the alternate DNA form of Cody's and TK's partners, except it had been a fusion of Ankylomon and Angemon…but of course, due to the changes in the timeline, he didn't exist anymore)…but not this time, apparently. Something had changed about him.

(Wargreymon) growled as he tried to struggle. "Why are you so strong? You're only a Mega, like me and Imperialdramon!"

BelialMyotismon laughed as the red pods on the tip of his fingers suddenly sprouted…mouths. Fang-filled mouths. "Fool. Demon and XeedMilleniummon were both Megas, yet who was the stronger?"

That statement suddenly filled Shaun with dread…there was no way! Just no way! "It can't be…he can't be stronger than XeedMilleniummon…can he…?"

"You are correct," replied BelialMyotismon as his eyes shifted toward the Child of Wisdom. "Why else do you think I coveted this body? XeedMilleniummon may have been the greatest threat the Digital World ever knew, but he could not contain his power. It radiated from him in droves, affecting the environment around him. But this body…it is perfectly designed for utilizing and containing even the highest levels of power. That's why I went through so much painstaking measures to make sure I achieved this level…and now that I have reached this level, it is time to begin the torture."

BelialMyotismon's five fingers suddenly bit onto (Wargreymon)…and to the shock of everyone, white, worm-like tongues came out of the fingers' mouths by the dozens, slowly entering (Wargreymon's) body.

BelialMyotismon chuckled as (Wargreymon) gagged out of pain; the worms began to poke through his skin at various spots. "How does it feel? To be torn apart from the inside? Does it feel torturous? I hope it does."

(Wargreymon) was short on breath. Such pain…such agonizing pain…the Mega strained to look at Shaun, even as the worms began to slice through his throat. His voice was strained…and it came out as a choked whisper. "Sorry…….Shaun….I…tried…"

Then the body burst into data.

"(WARGREYMON)!" screamed the Digidestined. Shaun was silent, his emerald eyes wide with disbelief.

The worms retreated into BelialMyotismon's fingers…and all that remained of (Wargreymon) was an orange orb; inside was (Agumon), glowing orange. "Behold…the soul. I've destroyed the body, but I kept the soul…because the body can be reborn…but this is the actual spirit of that Digibrat's partner. If I were to, say, crush this…then he would cease to exist." Then, BelialMyotismon crushed the soul orb. "Oops. Looks like I crushed it. Now he truly is dead…heh heh heh…HA HA HA!"

"…you…monster…"

BelialMyotismon glanced over at Shaun, who was trembling with rage. "You monster…how dare you…how dare you…" His rage, which had once been reserved only for Demon, now had a new target: BelialMyotismon. The death of his partner – one of the few constants in Shaun's life over the years – had been too much. Then, with murderous intent, Shaun charged toward BelialMyotismon. **_"I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!"_**

BelialMyotismon chuckled as Shaun charged at him. "Suicidal fool. Very well…if death is what you desire…then you shall have it! HOWLING DARKNESS!" BelialMyotismon opened his maw, and a thin stream of dark energy – no more than six inches in diameter – erupted from his gullet. The stream emitted a strange, unearthly howl as it rushed toward Shaun.

Then they collided.

At first, Shaun didn't feel anything. All he could feel was an immense jolt as the Howling Darkness attack slammed into his abdomen, stopping him in midair immediately. Then, there was a strange numbness creeping onto his gut…and then, he felt a burning pain and a cold chill grip his abdomen at the same time.

He didn't need to look down to know that the energy stream had torn straight through him, leaving a hole six-inches in diameter in his gut. Blood leaked from it…and then the pain finally registered in his brain.

As the stream began pushing Shaun backward at high speed, he screamed. His scream was drowned out when his body collided with what remained of an apartment building, kicking up a cloud of dust and ash in his wake.

The Digidestined's eyes were wide with shock.

BelialMyotismon merely chuckled. "Now…who's next?"

-

/Dragomon's Palace, City of Cthulu, Dark World, 6:37 PM/

"**WHAT?"** roared Dragomon as he stood out of sheer shock.

The power that he could sense now from BelialMyotismon…it was chilling his very core. He could not only sense it; he could sense it in DROVES.

"This can't be…how could he be capable of such power? I should've been able to foresee this…how…?" Dragomon was utterly shocked; Myotismon shouldn't have been able to sneak under his nose in such a fashion. He just couldn't have.

He was the Lord of the Dark Ocean. He saw all…so how could he have missed this?

-

/Outside of Fuji Television Station, Odaiba, 6:39 PM/

Dietz smiled as he hopped off the back of the Phantom. The adrenaline in his body still ran high from the absolutely intense fight he had just been part of. _Heh heh…they may look ugly, but fighting with THESE guys ain't that bad. Maybe I should enlist._

As he entered the Television Station, he came face-to-face with Ackerson, Himuro, and Macarthur. _…there is no way my luck is this bad._

Himuro calmly roared, "Mind explaining WHAT you were doing with those monsters?"

Dietz quickly retorted, "I was out killing some of those monsters that attacked the station earlier. Wiped them away."

Ackerson sighed as he rubbed his temples. "Boy, you're only giving us a headache…"

"Going with those creatures was reckless Dietz," sternly said Inspector Macarthur. "Even if they did try to destroy those monsters that invaded the station earlier, we have no idea what their motives are."

"But they gave us weapons! They sure acted nice enough," countered the Junsa-cho.

"We don't know if it was genuine. For all we know, it was just a cover for whatever they really want…I mean, who suddenly appears out of nowhere with a huge warship and offers help like that?" The logic behind Macarthur's words was reasonable…but Dietz was inclined to disagree.

Dietz groaned. "With all due respect sir, do we have any other option right now? Our help from America has been postponed by that typhoon, and if it weren't for those guys up THERE," To emphasize, he pointed upward at the _Great Journey_. "Then we would be dead right now!"

"True, but think about this; as of ten minutes ago, Ilene and the other police watching from on top of the television station haven't seen any other monsters. Aside from our new 'friends', there are no more creatures," countered Ackerson.

"Except for one."

The four policemen turned around to see Spec Ops Commander Huvo Nuvonaree walking towards him. A Shadow sat a few dozen yards behind him, and a load of Spec Ops troops were about to return to the _Great Journey_. Huvo stopped a few feet in front of them, his body towering over theirs. "Our ship's scanners have picked up an enemy creature of immense power…one more powerful than any that has invaded your home before."

Silence was all that the Elitemon got in reply from Himuro, Ackerson, Macarthur, and Dietz. Well, Dietz let out a hearty expletive to show his displeasure, but that's about it.

Nuvonaree then stared straight into the eyes of Ackerson, Macarthur, and Himuro. "You show displeasure at the fact we're here, and you do not believe we have honorable intentions. Understandable. But let me ask you one thing; is the alternative any better?"

The police officials were silent as Huvo walked away and got onto the Shadow. Moments later, it ascended into the air and took off for the _Great Journey_.

In the end, they had no choice but to agree with him.

-

/Ruins of Odaiba, 6:45 PM/

"Pandemonium Flare!"

Goliamon and Garudamon ducked as a tongue of black fire roared overhead. Goliamon angrily yelled, "Man! This guy's packing some serious heat!"

BelialMyotismon chuckled; his right shoulder's mouth was opening, revealing a saliva-filled maw that was crackling with black fire. "Now for the other salvo!" The right shoulder closed, and then the left shoulder opened up to reveal an inferno of black flame. "Pandemonium Flare!" The stream flew straight toward a different pair of targets; Wargreymon and Metalgarurumon.

"WOAH!" The two Megas quickly dodged to the side. Metalgarurumon angrily yelled, "We can't dodge that kind of firepower forever!"

"We need to DNA Digivolve!" exclaimed Wargreymon as he quickly ascended upward to avoid another stream of the black fire. Metalgarurmon nodded. "Right!"

Wargreymon…Metalgarurumon…DNA-Digivolve to……Omnimon!

The mighty DNA Warrior quickly flew upward and aimed his cannon at BelialMyotismon. "Eat this, you punk! SUPREME CANNON!"

BelialMyotismon immediately used his tail to whip the orb of energy, sending it flying towards Imperialdramon.

Instead of panicking, the mighty draconic biped aimed his cannon for the orb. "I've been waiting for this! Counter Charge!" Instead of firing a Positron Laser, the cannon on Imperialdramon's right gauntlet _sucked in_ the orb. The extra energy was used to form a SECOND cannon on top of Imperialdramon's left gauntlet. He aimed both for BelialMyotismon and yelled, "Davis once told me about a movie called It Takes Two! Let's see if the same applies here! **DOUBLE POSITRON LASER!**" Both cannons fire a blue and red laser at BelialMyotismon.

The Dark Digimon laughed as the two lasers came down upon him. "It'll take more than two, and I'll show you why! Pandemonium Flare!" Both shoulders opened up, and they spew forth two streams of black fire. However, they both combined into one massive river of black flame that overwhelmed the two Positron Lasers.

"WHAT?" yelped Imperialdramon as his two lasers were overwhelmed. A pained yell escaped his lips as the black river of fire crashed into his body, pressing him down into the ground.

BelialMyotismon grinned. "Here's a little line that's usually reserved for goodie-goodies like you; the bigger they are, the harder they fall."

"VULCAN'S HAMMER!"

"METALLIC ANGEL STAFF!"

BelialMyotismon turned around to see Zudomon and MetalAngemon throw their respective weapons at him. The demonic vampire grinned as he roared, "You just wasted good weapons! Crimson Mist!" The pores under his purple armor piece suddenly expelled a large cloud of blood-colored mist. The mist immediately swirled and fell upon the hammer and the staff. When the mist dissipated, all the remained of the weapons were melted blobs of metal.

Zudomon sweatdropped. "Well…this is new."

"Everyone! Don't let BelialMyotismon's Crimson Mist touch you!" warned MetalAngemon.

"Don't sweat it!" yelled Davis as he charged into battle. "Eat THIS! MAGNA PUNCH!"

_SLAM! _

**CRASH!**

Davis' eyes went dizzy as he lay headfirst in the rubble; a result of BelialMyotismon's counter-punch. "Okay…a head-on charge is not a good idea…"

Further away – near where the Digidestined had congregated – Gatomon grumbled as she got to her feet. "I have to fight…it's time for payback…!"

Kari sighed as she knelt down beside Gatomon, her Armor of Light shimmering in the dirty air of Odaiba's ruins. "Gatomon…you're too tired to fight. I understand that you want revenge…but you've just finished your fight against LadyDevimon."

"I won't be tired after TK gets through with me." Gatomon turned her stern gaze to the Child of Hope. "Use your armor's power of rejuvenation. Fix me up."

TK looked at Kari once. The Child of Light nodded back, giving him the go-ahead to rejuvenate Gatomon. "Okay. Here goes." TK calmly held his hand out, which glowed with a bronze sheen. Gatomon stretched as her energy slowly returned.

When the glow faded, Gatomon stood up and rotated her head a few times. "Ah! Feel as if I've taken a catnap! Alright Kari, let's digivolve!" Kari nodded. "Right."

Gatomon digivolve to……Angewomon!

The light emanating from Angewomon attracted BelialMyotismon's attention immediately. The Dark Digimon scowled as he glared at Angewomon. "Well…if isn't the female angel. You destroyed me as Myotismon, and you helped enable the Children of Courage and Friendship to warp-digivolve when I was VenomMyotismon…I must say, you've been quite a thorn in my side."

Angewomon smirked. "Glad you think of me so highly." She held her arms above her head, forming a pink halo. "Heaven's Charm!"

BelialMyotismon laughed. "Thinking to charge up again? You're awfully unoriginal."

"Perhaps. But two things have changed. For one, I have more friends to charge me up!" Angewomon glanced at everyone. Now was the time.

"Positron Laser!"

"Supreme Cannon!"

"Sonic Sting!"

"Gate of Extinction…RELEASE!" Just to clarify, MetalAngemon immediately closed the Gate after unleashing part of its power.

"Wing Blade!"

"Flower Cannon!"

"Thor's Lightning!" Without his Vulcan's Hammer, Zudomon was forced to resort to his weaker secondary attack.

"Horn Buster!"

"Magna Ray!"

"Equis Beam!"

"Sword of Heaven!"

Angewomon let all of the energy congregate inside her pink halo…and the white energy within formed…a large cannon made entirely out of light. "And two, I don't just use an arrow anymore! CELESTIAL CANNON!"

_CHOOM!_

BelialMyotismon's eyes widened as the crackling orb of holy energy roared toward him and collided with his chest. He gasped, as though his body were burning out because of the energy. "No…this can't be! After all my planning…I could lose so easily? No! **_NOOOOOO!"_**

Angewomon smiled. Davis whooped, "Yeah! We got him!"

"Heh heh heh…just kidding." BelialMyotismon then grabbed the orb and held it lightly in one hand.

All of the Digidestined were silent. The Digimon's feelings of jubilation were cut short. The looks on everyone's faces consisted of shock, disbelief, and despair.

BelialMyotismon chuckled as he lightly juggled the holy orb in his right hand. "You really expected me to lose so easily? It was nothing but a play. An orchestrated strategic move…and as for the purpose? Well…I'm enjoying the looks on your faces, for one." Now that the light that the orb had been giving off was now contained, BelialMyotismon's chest could be seen…and there was no mark. Not one.

"Rrr…you really think you can stop us forever?" retorted Angewomon. "We'll destroy you eventually!"

BelialMyotismon smiled. "You really think you have a chance? Then let me demonstrate how far ahead I am." He clenched the holy orb tightly; moments later, it transformed into a black orb of unholy dark energy. And then…it grew. "Now…let the shadows of darkness blind you."

Then, he thrust the orb into the ground, and it exploded with tremendous force. A black cloud immediately coated the immediate area around them; the shockwave forced the Digimon away…but it didn't affect the Digidestined at all.

Sora grimaced as the cloud of darkness shrouded her vision. "Tai! Where are you! What's going on?"

"Over here!" yelled Tai. But to them, all they saw was darkness.

Kari felt a strange chill overtake her. "Oh man…I have a bad feeling about this."

"Don't walk around. You might trip and fall," cautiously warned Cody.

Ken's voice echoed out of the darkness. "Where did everyone go? Hello?"

"Ken! I'm over here!" yelled Yolei.

_"Hmm hmm hmm hmm hmm hmm hmm…"_

"Who's laughing?" asked Davis.

"It's Myotismon!" yelled Joe.

_"Correct…and now, in the darkness, your fears are in the clear, plain as day. I can see them from a mile away…"_

"What…what are you getting at?" asked TK.

"_I shall show you…"_ Suddenly, in the darkness, four sets of three eyes glowed. The two right sets glowed red, while the two left sets glowed white. Those were the eyes on BelialMyotismon's shoulders and gauntlets. _"Behold…my **Gaze of Despair**…"_

In the darkness, the only thing the Digidestined could see were the eyes…and their bodies urged them to look at the light…because, deep down, all humans were scared of the dark.

They all looked at the glowing eyes. Mimi muttered, "I…can't look away…"

_"Yes…you can't turn away, can you? My eyes are the only source of light in the darkness…but the darkness is calm, and soothing…while the light will sting and blind you. And now that you have fallen under my spell…your worst nightmares will come to be…"_

An invisible force slammed into the twelve Digidestined. Their eyes went wide, and they slumped to their knees.

Finally, the darkness subsided…and the Digimon stepped forward, only to see that their partners were on their knees, with blank stares on their faces.

Omnimon scowled as he glared at BelialMyotismon. **_"What did you do to them?"_**

"They're living out their nightmares now…but while they have their own fun, let's have our own." The worm-like tongues suddenly erupted from BelialMyotismon's fingers, wrapping around the nine Digimon and pulling them within one hundred feet of his position. "Now…let's battle in a more suitable arena."

A great upwelling of darkness poured out of the ground in a one hundred meter radius, pushing the mass of land that held the nine Digimon and BelialMyotismon. Finally, the large platform of land halted…two miles above in the air. Higher than even the fiery typhoon that had been summoned by Demon.

BelialMyotismon chuckled. "And let's get rid of that nasty typhoon…it's a bit of an eyesore, and it gives off more light than I care to have."

With a mere thought, BelialMyotismon projected his power downward, forcing away the flames of Hell that Demon had brought to the surface of the Earth. At this height in the sky, they were above the clouds…and the evening sky could be seen.

Night was upon them…and in the darkness, BelialMyotismon was strongest.

BelialMyotismon grinned as the tongues of his fingers released the Digimon. "Now…let's play."

-

/Sphere Observation Deck, Fuji Television Station, Odaiba, 7:00 PM/

Gennai frowned as the fiery typhoon suddenly vanished. "Hmm…puzzling…"

Hiroaki also frowned…but it was because he was staring at the dark stream stretching up into the sky. "I wonder what's causing that…?"

"I'm more concerned with that."

Gennai and Hiroaki turned around to see Joshua staring out the window on the opposite side of the room; his eyes were staring at Tokyo Bay, which held the American fleet. "Someone mind telling me what American ships are doing here?"

"I would imagine that the Japanese government, in light of everything that's been happening, called upon the United States for help," postulated Gennai. "They just haven't been able to intervene until now…"

"Which is exactly why I'm worried. Think about it: what do you think they're going to do about THAT?" Joshua then pointed his finger at the _Great Journey_.

Hiroaki and Gennai sweatdropped. "Good point."

At that point in time, DemiDevimon flew in through the hole in the deck's wall. Also, Futa swung in from above; he had docked his Shadow on top of the Observation Deck.

DemiDevimon groaned as he stared at the three humans staring outside the window. "Feh. Wouldn't you know it? We all go fighting for our lives against my former employer and co-workers, and when we come back expecting a parade, we get diddly-squat! Gee, thanks for the gratitude."

Joshua smiled. "Glad to see you're safe as well DemiDevimon."

-

/Bridge, _Great Journey_, Sky over Odaiba, 7:03 PM/

"Puzzling. A fleet of ships gathered in the bay…"

Wisdom stared quietly at Vula Tusa'lamee. _"What are you mumbling about?"_

The golden Elitemon stared quietly at the Prophet of Wisdom. "That circular barrier of fire has faded, and now our scanners have picked up a fleet of foreign ships gathered in the bay."

"_Are there Digimon onboard?"_ asked Reality.

"No. Scanners have verified all life forms to be humans. However, they are packing formidable offensive weaponry. I hypothesize they had come to neutralize the enemy Digimon, but that fiery barrier prevented them from doing anything."

"**_Hmm…perhaps they might be willing to form an alliance,"_** speculated Absolution. **_"After all, we must strive to preserve the beauty of the world of reality…and what better way to do so than to ally ourselves with the dominant species of life on this world?"_**

"_True…very well then."_ Reality tilted his head to the Grand Praetor, who stood in the shadows of the ship's bridge. _"Nola Kusulumee."_

"Yes, noble Hierarch?" replied the Grand Praetor as he knelt down.

_"Prepare a team of Elitemon and Gruntmon to take down to the surface. We shall send a transmission to the fleet's command ship and notify them of our upcoming arrival…hopefully, they will agree to speak with us."_

The Grand Praetor nodded. "Yes, noble one. I will obey."

Reality then glanced at Vula Tusa'lamee. _"Keep the plasma turrets charged. We will fire on the Class 'Z' threat when the time is right."_

"Yes sir."

-

/Flight Deck, _USS Ronald Reagan_, Tokyo Bay, 7:07 PM/

The Commandant frowned.

The fiery typhoon had vanished…and it revealed an utter and absolute MESS.

The entire district of Odaiba was all but leveled. There was a column of what looked like black smoke soaring upward to a point even higher than the fiery barrier had gone. A number of fires lingered in parts of the district…oh, and there was a large, purple airship floating in the sky.

It made him wary. It was like an alien spacecraft…had it been the one responsible for all that had happened? No…if he remembered correctly, only two armies of monsters had appeared in the beginning. This airship had appeared AFTER the fiery typhoon had come into being.

But still…what were they going to do about it? Was the ship hostile…or friendly?

"General Wesley, sir!"

The general turned around to see one of the carrier's naval officers walk toward him. "At ease, son. What is it?"

"Sir! The captain wanted me to notify you that a transmission was just sent to us. The transmission claimed that it was sent from that foreign ship above us."

Wesley frowned; the ship had already sent them a message? "What did they say? Make it short."

"Sir! The message claimed that the ship was sending down a vessel full of unknown entities calling themselves 'Elitemon' and 'Gruntmon'. They said they were sending them as escorts for their 'Grand Praetor'."

"Grand Praetor…" Wesley looked up at the vessel and saw that there was indeed a ship coming down towards them. It was U-shaped, and it advanced at a slow pace…as if it were giving them time to answer their message. _I wonder if this Praetor of theirs is an emissary…_ The possibilities abounded.

"What should our response be sir? Our missile batteries and anti-air guns are aimed upon the vessel, and the F-16 patrols are ready to turn around and target them as well. Should I tell the captain to give the order?"

"No," sternly replied Wesley. "We will not fire on them unless they open fire first. Get some lights up here, and have four Marine fire teams up here in full combat gear. If they want to talk, that's fine. If they want to fight, then we'll blow them out of the sky. Hop to it."

"Aye, sir!" The officer immediately ran for the bridge as the dropship – the Shadow – loomed closer towards them. Within less than a minute, two pairs of floodlights shined down on the flight deck, illuminating the landing zone. Four fire teams of five Marines – wearing full combat fatigues – came up from below deck just as the Shadow began descending towards the flight deck. Two fire teams gathered on each side of the Shadow's prongs as General Wesley stared at the vessel quietly.

The Marines aimed their M-16s as the prongs opened. Out of the right prong came ten red Elitemon, each one holding an energy rifle. Out of the left prong came ten red Gruntmon, each one holding an energy pistol. Finally, out of the cockpit of the Shadow came the Grand Praetor: Nola Kusulumee.

The Marines kept the weapons aimed on the strange creatures as they walked towards General Wesley. Nola walked in the front of the two single-file lines; the right line consisted of the Elitemon, while the left line consisted of the Gruntmon.

General Wesley tried to remain calm at the sight of the strange creatures standing no more than five feet away from him. Even though he had armed assistance in the form of twenty Marines, he couldn't but feel slightly intimidated in the face of the 8'6" being with the large helmet standing in front of him.

Finally, the Grand Praetor spoke. "I am Nola Kusulumee, Grand Praetor of the Forbidden City. I hail from the _Great Journey_, the mighty vessel you see in the sky. Our intentions are peaceful…but I'm sure I'll have to convince you, won't I?"

"That would be correct," replied Wesley. "You may bring two escorts with you into the Captain's Cabin…we're going to be talking about a few things. But first, I'll ask you some questions to think about on the way there; where'd those monsters come? Where did YOU come from? Why did those monsters come? Why did YOU come? Think about it on the way up."

Nola remained silent as he motioned for two red Elitemon to follow him. General Wesley led the way, with three Marines escorting the General; two beside him, guns aimed at the Elitemon, with the third behind the group.

The seventeen other Marines moved in front of the door in a semi-circular formation and kept their guns aimed at the eight Elitemon and the ten Gruntmon still outside.

Now the negotiations would begin.

-

/Ichijouji Apartment, Tamachi, 7:16 PM/

Keiko Ichijouji stared with worried eyes through her apartment window at the ruins of Odaiba. Taking off from the _USS George Washington_ were five H-92 SUPERHAWK helicopters: large, gray helicopters made by Sikorsky, a technologies company. In this case, it was being used as a medical helicopter…and judging by the way they were heading for the Fuji Television Station, they were going to be used to airlift injured people to the nearest hospital in Shinjuku.

For some reason, she couldn't help but feel worried…even though Ken was in a different world, she couldn't help but feel he was somehow IN there…as though he had come back.

"You okay?"

Keiko turned around to see Kazuma, her husband. "Yes…I'm just concerned for everything that's going on over there."

Kazuma nodded as he stared at the ruins of Odaiba. Silence drifted through the room…and then Kazuma asked, "Do you think Ken's in there too?"

Keiko nodded. "Yes…I can't help but feel that he's in there…somewhere…"

She had no idea how right she was.

-

/Ruins of Odaiba, 7:18 PM/

Rubble moved aside as Shaun dug himself out. The Child of Wisdom grimaced as he stood; his blue armor was caked with dirt and dust, and the place where he had fallen was stained with blood.

Speaking of which…why wasn't he dead? He'd been bleeding for the last half-hour…why wasn't he dead? It had to be the Armor of Wisdom…its power had to be what was still keeping him alive…but even it wouldn't be able to keep him alive for long at this rate.

_Agh…I feel so heavy…_ Shaun glanced over where the battle had been and saw three things.

One: the fiery typhoon was gone.

Two: a massive column of dark shadows stretching up into the sky.

Three: the twelve other Digidestined were on their knees, sitting silently.

_Huh…? What happened to them?_ Not waiting to find out, Shaun immediately gazed into their minds. 

-

Tai blinked. _Huh? Where am I?_ He looked down and saw that he was in the body of a little kid. _HUH? WHY AM I LITTLE?_

He looked around, finding himself to be on a playground of sorts. "What…where am I?" His voice was also different; changed to go along with his form as a little child. He looked behind him…and saw Kari lying on the ground…and she was little too. "KARI!"

Tai quickly stumbled over to his little sister and felt for a pulse.

Nothing.

She was gone.

"Kari…" mumbled Tai out of disbelief. It couldn't be…it was just like time…but now she had actually died…why…?

"YOU IRRESPONSIBLE LITTLE BRAT!"

Tai turned only to have his mother slap him across the cheek, sending him into the ground. Tai winced as Yuuko stepped over towards him, hateful rage evident in her eyes. "How dare you…your negligence killed Kari! HOW DARE YOU?"

"Mom…I'm sorry…" muttered Tai, both apologetically and out of self-defense.

Yuuko scowled as she raised a knife. "You'd better be sorry…because now…**_YOU HAVE TO BE PUNISHED!_**"

As Yuuko plunged the knife into Tai's chest, the young boy screamed.

-

The rain poured heavily on the city streets. Sora was right in front of a small building with glass doors, her body soaked to the bone. Sora pounded on the glass door as hard as she could. "LET ME IN!"

No matter how hard she pounded, no one inside would answer. Everyone inside the building was having a small party of sorts, complete with snacks, drinks, and cake…and all the people there were people she knew.

Toshiko and Haruhiko Takenouchi, her parents, were in there at the punch bowl.

Tai Kamiya, her boyfriend, was munching on a mouthful of chips.

The rest of the Digidestined, her wonderful friends, all partying away.

And they were ignoring her cries to be let in. As the rain began to flood the streets, Sora cried, "PLEASE! DON'T LEAVE ME OUT HERE!"

Toshiko suddenly looked in her direction…and then looked away, as if she hadn't seen anything.

Sora gasped silently; she was out here in the freezing rain, crying out to be let in…and her mother had just ignored her.

It was if…as if she didn't exist…or worse…as if she had been abandoned and left alone.

_No…I don't want to be left alone…please, let me in!_

Her thoughts were lost to time as a wave flooded over her, submerging her into the inky darkness of the water.

-

On top of a plateau, screams be heard.

"AAAAH!" Matt clutched his head tightly; the voices inside would not let up. "GET OUT OF MY HEAD!"

"It's your fault…" spoke the voice of his father.

"NO!"

His mother spoke next. "It's because of you that we divorced."

"LIAR!"

"Why big brother?" spoke the voice of an eight-year old TK Takaishi. "Why'd you have mom and dad split up? Why? You broke our family apart…why big bro?"

"I DIDN'T DO IT!" Matt screamed as he ran blindly around, his eyes beginning to tear. _I didn't break our family up…stop making me feel so guilty!_

"Your fault…" spoke all three in unison.

_I DIDN'T DO IT!_

"Your fault…"

"**STOP!"** screamed Matt as he inadvertently fell off the edge of the plateau, falling down to the desert floor below.

SNAP!

Matt's body snapped in half. He was killed instantly by the fall.

Then, his soul suddenly drifted out of the body. "Huh? I'm dead?"

"Yes."

Matt turned around to see a figure in black robes. That figure held a scythe. "Are you the?"

"Angel of Death? The Grim Reaper? Yes. And it's time to meet your own personal Underworld." With that said, a door appeared in the ground...and it opened up to reveal...girls. Tons and tons of girls.

And the moment they saw Matt, they screamed, "IT'S MATT!"

"AAAH!" screamed the Ishida boy. It was all of the fangirls he had; after all, he was a rock star. "No way...you can't be serious."

"Oh, but I am..." The Grim Reaper then removed his hood...revealing that 'he' was a her. Jun Motomiya to be precise. "And you're going down!" She smacked him with her the broad side of her scythe, pushing Matt in.

**"NOOO!"** screamed Matt as he fell down into the abyss of feminine wiles. Jun happily screamed, "BANZAI!" before jumping in as well.

The door closed behind her.

-

A lone tower sat in the middle of nowhere. The moon shined brightly in the night sky…and inside that tower – which had only one window – sat Mimi Tachikawa, in a pink princess's dress.

She groaned angrily. "Isn't my prince supposed to be here by now? Ah, Prince Matt…ah…"

"Mimi!"

Mimi's eyes brightened as a ladder clattered against the side of the room's lone window. "My prince has arrived!"

The one who owned the ladder finally jumped into the room…and to Mimi's horror, it wasn't Prince Matt.

Rather, it was two Digimon. The larger one was three feet tall, and its body looked like yellow 'sludge' with tiny arms. The mouth was wide and toothy, and a long tongue protruded from the mouth. Three black bands of leather covered each arm, and the Digimon's orange eyes had a vacant and somewhat stupid look to them. The smaller Digimon stood upon the larger one's shoulder, and it looked like a pink mouse. The right eye was red, and the left eye had a slightly lazy look to it. Oh, and they both wore golden crowns.

"Prince Sukamon!" spoke the larger Digimon, and his voice sounded appropriately dumb for the character.

"Prince Chuumon!" spoke the little mouse, and his voice was scratchy and annoying. The two got a dreamy look to their eyes as the spoke, "Now give us a kiss!"

"AAAH!" shrieked Mimi as she ran through the wall of the tower and into the desert beyond. However, Sukamon and Chuumon quickly gave chase, with Sukamon's body bounding great distances in the air.

Mimi gasped as she ran as fast as she could. Not these two again…they're the most disgusting beings on the face of the planet! Why are they after me?

Suddenly, the ground around her was bombarded by pink 'sludge', courtesy of the laughing Sukamon. Mimi shrieked. "EEW! GROSS! STOP!"

She suddenly tripped on the rim of her dress…and the moment she flipped over to try and get up, Sukamon landed on her chest. The two Digimon giggled with glee as they cheered, "Now pucker up!" They puckered their lips and leaned downward.

Moments later, Mimi's scream echoed throughout the night.

Now before we continue on, I must note why I put apostrophes around sludge…because I was saying (er, writing…typing?) 'sludge' sarcastically. Why? Because it isn't sludge, no matter what the dub would have you believe.

That's because it's POOP! FECES! DUNG! CRAP! NUMBER TWO! DROPPINGS! STOOL! IT'S NOT SLUDGE! IT'S **FECAL MATTER! _WONDERFUL, FANTASTIC FECAL MATTER!_**

…

AND IT'S PINK!

…er…onward!

-

Joe gulped as he stared at the open chest of the man on the table in front of him. Around him were other surgeons…and behind him was none other than Joshua Kido, dressed in surgeon's clothing. So was Joe.

"Well son, time to see how you perform your first surgery. Don't screw up," calmly spoke his father.

Joe gulped as he held a scalpel in one hand. _Oh dear…oh no, oh God…this can't be happening._ Joe had many phobias…but one of the major ones was disappointing his father. That's why he had not been one to complain – openly – against his father's wishes to get him involved in the field of medicine, doctors, and surgeons.

But now, he was performing an operation on a live subject…and all the blood…

Another one of Joe's phobias was hemophobia: the fear of blood.

"**BLUURRGGH!"  
**

"DR. JOE KIDO! YOU JUST THREW UP IN HIS LUNG!"

-

Izzy banged his head on his pineapple laptop's keyboard repeatedly. "I can't even remember how to turn this thing on…"

Pretty self-explanatory: loss of all computer knowledge.

-

TK looked around quietly. Where was he?

"HAND OF FATE!"

TK blinked; that was Angemon! He whirled around-

"DEATH CLAW!"

He turned around just in time to see Angemon's chest explode in a flash of red blood; Devimon's hand had plunged straight through it. Even though he had a burn mark on his shoulder from Angemon's Hand of Fate, it was nothing in comparison to what he had just done to the angel.

And then the angel burst into data.

_**"ANGEMON!"**_ screamed TK.

"Heh heh heh…I told you that I would win." Devimon chuckled as his laughter echoed through the sky.

TK grimaced with agony as he fell to his knees; he had failed to save Angemon again.

-

Kari blinked; she felt cold and clammy. _Where am I?_

"Where you belong."

Kari suddenly realized she was being held captive by Dragomon; his chest was split open, revealing a black mass of pulsating tissue…and strands of that tissue were wrapped around her, chilling her very soul. The Child of Light froze. "No…how did?"

"Simple. It's destiny…now the darkness and the light become one." With that said, the tissue of Dragomon's body slowly pulled Kari in.

"No…stay away!" Kari's body began to glow…but unlike last time, it wasn't deterring Dragomon. "NO! **STOP!**"

The light vanished as Dragomon's chest closed over her.

She was one with the darkness.

-

Ken frowned. All he saw was darkness in every direction. _Hmm…where is everyone?_

Suddenly, three figures appeared far off in the darkness. It was hard to make them out, but he could tell whom they were.

Wormmon.

Yolei.

And Sam.

Ken's eyes widened. _Huh? What's going on?_

As they neared him, Ken finally could see them up-close.

They were in chains, and they were pulling a chariot of some sort. Their faces were mixtures of sorrow and pain…and their backs were lined with bloody lashes.

_SLAP!_

Yolei winced as a whip slashed her back. She had experienced too much pain to even feel much of a sting anymore.

Ken's mouth was wide open in horror. "Who…who's doing this?"

_It's simple…_

The familiar voice of the Emperor rang out through Ken's head. "YOU!"

_Wrong. I'm not the one holding the reins, nor am I holding the whip._

"Then…who?"

_Look down._

Ken did…and he suddenly realized that his hands were gloved. He was wearing the garments of the Digimon Emperor. His right hand held three sets of reins…and his left hand held a bloody whip.

_The one who did it is YOU!_

"**NOOOOOO!"**

-

Yolei blinked out of absolute shock. "No. Freakin'. WAY."

She was suddenly sitting in a classroom…and every single classmate of hers looked like Davis.

And they were all staring at her.

The teacher walked in, and he too looked like Davis, albeit a few inches taller. "Okay class, now today's subject is going to be on the topic of 'vengeance'."

All of the Davis-clones grinned with glee. Yolei gulped. _I don't feel good about this…_

"For all the times she picked on me, it's time to exact VENGEANCE on Yolei Inoue. Class…GET HER!" At the command of the teacher, the class obeyed.

"**YAR!"** roared the Davis look-alikes.

"WAAH!" yelped Yolei as she was buried under a pile of Motomiyas.

-

Cody rocked up the side of the mountain, and sweat was pouring down his face in droves. On his back was a gigantic boulder…and on top of that boulder were the corpses of his father and grandfather: Hiroki and Daniel.

The boulder was a representation of his mature lifestyle…and the corpses of his two ancestors were representations of his dedication and devotion to that lifestyle. It was his promise. It was his oath.

But he was only a child…and he was frail…and he was prone to breaking…

Cody grimaced as one horrible thought came to his mind. _I…can't…do it…it's too heavy…_

He fell to his knees…and the boulder fell off, taking the corpses with it. Cody could only cry out in shame as the boulder fell all the way down to the bottom of the mountain.

That mountain was called Life.

And now he would have to start over from the beginning…and pull the boulder back up…and if it fell again, he would have to go down and start over.

-

Davis paled at the sight before him.

Tokyo was in ruins. Darkness covered the sky. Fire ringed the horizon. A hill of human bones sat ahead of him…and on top of that boney hill sat none other than Darkheart – Normal Mode – sitting on a throne made of blackened bones. Sitting beside the throne was Kari Kamiya…but she was dressed in rags…and her eyes had a distant gaze to them…

Darkheart smiled. "Welcome to the new world."

"You…you did _this?_" yelled Davis out of anger and disbelief.

Darkheart laughed. "Exactly…and it was quite an enjoyable experience. Isn't that right Kari?"

Kari lifelessly replied, "Yes master."

Davis felt a horrible pain grip his soul. To hear such lifelessness emanate from such a kind, gentle soul…it hurt him to no end. He growled as his teeth gritted against each other. **_"What did you do to her?"_**

Darkheart smirked. "I broke her. Just like the others. I remade them the way I wanted them to be made. For instance, I made Kari into my personal slave-girl." He brushed her hair, causing Kari to coo…but there was no life to it. It was just an act, and nothing more. It infuriated Davis Motomiya. "I made Tai into a general. I made Mimi into the personal cook for my forces…but of course, there were some who tried to resist." He then tapped the side of his throne. "I burned them alive…and made a throne out of their bones."

Davis howled. "YOU MONSTER! **YOU'LL PAY!**"

"Wrong…for you see, little Davis, this world is not only a reality…it is a prophecy.." Darkheart stood up and aimed his arm for Davis. "When I break out of my prison, I will be the end of everything. I will do as I please, and no one will be able to stop me…not even you. You know why? Because when I break out, I'm going to turn you into me." He then converted his arm into a cannon. "Until then…die. MAGNA CANNON!"

Davis could only scream as the flesh was torn from his bones and his body turned into ash.

-

And the worst part about these nightmares…when they died within them, they only started over again…and they kept going…and going…and going…

The suffering would not stop…not unless someone intervened.

-

/Ruins of Odaiba, 7:25 PM/

In the span of seven minutes, Shaun had gazed into all of their nightmares. _So…they're all experiencing their worst fears. Huh…in the previous timeline, BelialMyotismon subjected them to their greatest desires. Guess he wasn't feeling so kind this time around._

Nonetheless, he had to break them out of it…and his telepathic powers were the key. He had to break them out of their spell if BelialMyotismon were to be defeated. _Okay…here goes._

Then, he sent a telepathic message to all twelve Digidestined.

'_Yo. This is reality calling. Since I seem to be getting an answer machine, I'll leave a message; your partners are in a battle against BelialMyotismon, and are most likely getting thrashed. I understand you're under some kind of spell, and that's understandable. However, there's no time to wallow in your own misery…so here's a wake-up call from reality: **WAKE UP!**'_

Everything except the last bit was the equivalent of Shaun's voice interjecting into the nightmares. The last bit was the equivalent of their minds getting a swift kick.

All of a sudden, the twelve Digidestined's eyes snapped open in unison. They gasped for breath as the horrible reality of their fears disappeared. Shaun smiled. _Good…_ Then he leaned back against the rubble. He was too tired to move.

Tai felt his chest worriedly. "Oh man…oh thank goodness…oh jeez…" He stared over at Kari. She was just fine.

"Man…what happened?" muttered Matt out of shock.

"I think BelialMyotismon's Gaze of Despair subjected us to our greatest fears," replied Izzy. Since his greatest fear was more superficial, he wasn't as exhausted. "At least we're okay now."

Joe moaned, "Speak for yourself. I threw up in a guy's lung."

"Yeah? Well Sukamon and Chuumon threw FECES at me! And then they **_KISSED_** me!" roared Mimi.

"Ouch. Harsh," jokingly said Matt.

"Hey…is everyone okay?" asked Ken, his eyes staring momentarily at Yolei.

Everyone slowly nodded. Despite the emotional scars, they were fine. "Yeah…we're just fine," answered Davis.

_CRASH!_

Everyone yelped as a figure fell at high-speed from the sky and crashed into the ruined earth near them. When the smoke cleared, MetalAngemon was visible…and he was injured badly. He could barely sit up.

"METALANGEMON!" As the Digidestined gathered near his side, the DNA Warrior choked out, "We're…losing…" And then he dedigivolved to Patamon and Armadillomon.

Kari frowned as she stared up into the sky, her sword limp in her right hand. "What's going on up there…?"

No one had an answer. All TK could do was hold Patamon gently…and be grateful that he was still here.

-

/Battlefield, Two Miles Above Odaiba, 7:31 PM/

"FLOWER CANNON!"

BelialMyotismon slapped the orb away with the flick of his tail. Then he followed up with a strong punch to Lilymon's body that sent her crashing into the ground. The dark Mega smiled as Lilymon dedigivolved into Palmon. Beside her were the unconscious Biyomon, Gomamon, and Tentomon; he had already bested Garudamon Zudomon, and MegaKabuterimon. He had also just sent MetalAngemon soaring towards the ground. "Heh…five down."

He turned his gaze towards his remaining combatants: ImperialDramon, Omnimon, Angewomon…wait. Where was Goliamon?

He felt hands grab his tail. BelialMyotismon tilted his head around to see Goliamon grabbing his tail, trying to flip him over. The dark Mega chuckled. "Heh. Fool…not even your great strength compares to mine!"

With a flick of his tail, BelialMyotismon sent Goliamon flying. The DNA Warrior screamed as he collided with Angewomon. The two Digimon grunted as they crashed into the ground, dedigivolving into Hawkmon, Wormmon, and Gatomon.

Now only Imperialdramon and Omnimon were left. Omnimon grumbled. "Great. Got anything left?"

"I'll try my ultimate attack…but I doubt it'll stop him. But maybe it'll give me enough time to grab the others and get out of here," replied Imperialdramon.

Omnimon nodded. "Gotcha. You charge it up, I'll distract him." Omnimon charged toward BelialMyotismon as Imperialdramon charged up his ultimate attack.

"SUPREME CANNON!"

BelialMyotismon chuckled. "Howling Darkness!" The thin stream of dark energy completely split the orb of white energy apart. Not one to be deterred, Omnimon extended his sword. "TRANSCENDENT SWORD!"

"Crimson Mist!" countered BelialMyotismon. Omnimon immediately stopped his advance and recoiled, but it didn't stop his blade from melting in the mist. To end his attack, BelialMyotismon roared, "Pandemonium Flare!"

Omnimon howled out of pain as a stream of black fire from the right shoulder hit his body. When the flames faded, only Agumon and Gabumon could be seen.

BelialMyotismon laughed. "Ha ha ha! Now it comes down to one!"

"I've still got one last ace up my sleeve."

BelialMyotismon turned toward Imperialdramon and saw that the biped had transformed his entire right arm into a black cannon. The barrel at the end of the cannon was crackling with golden energy. "EAT THIS! **_GIGA DEATH!_**"

The orb that was launched from the end of the cannon was a large golden orb crackling with white and blue electricity. The power within it was twice as powerful as the mighty Mega Death attack…and BelialMyotismon grabbed it with one hand. "You don't understand, do you? I am BelialMyotismon. I have more power than even XeedMilleniummon! Even the Guardian Beasts are weak compared to me! What makes you think that would stop me?" He then crushed the orb…but when he finally looked around, he saw that Imperialdramon was gone.

So were the other Digimon.

"Heh. How wise…fleeing in the face of death. Cowardly, but wise…and now that that little annoyance is out of the way, I can cover the world with darkness." BelialMyotismon then held his hands up as a great orb of darkness began to form. "Once I complete this orb, I will subject this earth to a never-ending eclipse…the sun shall not subject its light upon this realm again."

-

/Ruins of Odaiba, 7:37 PM/

Imperialdramon grimaced as his feet landed on the ground. As he set the other Digimon on the ground, Davis looked up and yelled, "What happened?"

Imperialdramon grimaced. "He was…too…strong…" Then he dedigivolved to Veemon before lapsing into unconsciousness.

Silence drifted through the air. Everything seemed truly hopeless now.

"That's it. We're doomed," muttered Joe.

Cody sighed. "I'd hate to say it…but the odds are against us."

Yolei groaned irritably. "MAN! If only I were as tall as that jerk, then I'd teach him a lesson! But I can't…he'd beat me up anyway…" Yolei sighed dejectedly.

"Come on!"

Everyone looked toward Davis. His golden armor shined as he gazed upward at the two-mile high column of shadows. "We can't just give up! We have to beat him!"

"Be realistic Davis; BelialMyotismon is simply too powerful. He claims he's more powerful than XeedMilleniummon, and I don't doubt him," countered Ken.

"But XeedMilleniummon was beaten!" retorted Davis.

TK uncharacteristically muttered, "It took a fusion of two Digidestined, (Wargreymon), Cyberdramon, the four Guardian Beasts, and Siara to beat XeedMilleniummon…we don't have that kind of strength." He was without hope…but then again, he had just relived his greatest fear multiple times. And that greatest fear was a particularly gruesome one at that.

Davis angrily clenched his fists. "I don't believe you guys! Are you just going to give up? We're the Digidestined! We can't give up! If we give up, then this world's doomed!"

Silence.

Tai stepped forward, a smile on his face. "I knew giving you the position of leader was the right idea. You've made all goggle-boys proud."

Everyone else besides Davis sweatdropped.

Davis just smiled. "Right! I mean, we've beaten UmbraDevimon! We've beaten the Digimon Emperor! We've beaten Darkheart! Even the older kids have tough guys who seemed impossible to beat, like the Dark Masters or Apocalymon! We can still win! We just need to stick to it…because if we split up now, then everything we've fought for will be for nothing."

The reason behind his words was undeniable: if they failed now, then their world would be subjected to an age of darkness unlike any ever seen before. And the drive and determination Davis put behind those words…it was contagious.

Kari smiled. "Davis is right…we can't back out now."

"Because if we do, then everyone dies…just to be blunt about it," pointed out Matt.

Mimi cringed. "I don't want everyone to die!"

"Then we can't lose," sternly said Cody.

"…we can't." TK calmly set Patamon down on the ground, the Armor of Hope beginning to glow on his body. "We can't lose…and we won't." His hope was returning…all because of Davis' words.

That was the mark of a true leader: one who can rally the fallen.

Davis held his armored hand out. "One for all and all for one…right Digidestined? We won't lose. Not if we stick together."

The other Digidestined smiled as the held their hands forward, touching Davis'. "Right!" They were now united…and they were going to stick through to the bitter end.

Their hearts were one.

Light began to emanate from their chests.

Everyone blinked. "What's happening?" yelped Yolei.

The Crests suddenly appeared on their chests.

Tai's Courage.

Matt's Friendship.

Sora's Love.

Mimi's Sincerity.

Izzy's Knowledge.

Joe's Reliability.

TK's Hope.

Kari's Light.

Yolei's Caring.

Ken's Kindness.

Cody's Humility.

And Davis' Miracles.

All of the Crests then moved onto Davis' chest. "Huh…?" muttered the Child of Miracles, confused by this turn of events.

A flash of insight suddenly hit TK. "The power of the Armor of Miracles…to absorb the power of others. Davis…our power's being transmitted to you."

"I don't think it's just our Crests," interjected Izzy. "Anyone else feel a bit weird?"

"Now that you mention it…yes," muttered Tai.

Suddenly, the Digidestined glowed with light…and they merged together.

You see, even though they didn't realize it, their hearts were united with one purpose: the defeat of BelialMyotismon. To fight him to the bitter end for their loved ones and the Real World.

The Armor of Miracles responded by synchronizing the Crests' powers together…and then becoming one with them, as well as the Digidestined who possessed the Crests.

This was not just a simple absorption, a la Darkheart. When Darkheart had absorbed the Digidestined, he merely siphoned their powers by force, corrupting the power for his own use. It was crude…and relatively inefficient.

But this time…this was all of the Digidestined becoming one. All of the power of their Crests were combining together, and their powers were being fully utilized.

As a result…Davis leapt straight to Stage 5.

When the light faded, the being had grown to a height of fifty feet. His entire body was covered by shimmering gold armor that glowed with a rainbow tint. The armor was angular around the shoulder pads and the waist, but the armor around his legs, torso, and arms was smooth and curved. At the joints – such as the knees or the elbows – the armor was segmented so finely that the lines were no more than a millimeter apart. On his golden breastplate were the images of all twelve Crests; the Crest of Miracles was the largest, and the eleven others revolved around it in their respective colors. Pearly white angel's wings – each one thirty feet long when fully extended – extended from his shoulder blades, and they glowed with a golden aura. Attached to his waist were two golden hilts holding swords fifteen-feet in length. The swords were made of diamond, and the hilts were made of jade. Also, tiny angel's wings extended from the hilts. The helmet was golden like the rest of the armor, and the 'V' on the front of the helmet was large and elongated. The face of Davis could be seen…but his eyes were shifting between all the colors of the Digidestined's eyes.

"Stage 5…Holy Knight mode…" spoke the new being. He spoke in all the voices of the twelve Digidestined. He looked down at himself out of slight awe. "We have become one…the Digidestined combine to form the Holy Knight…" He then smiled. "Digiknight…yes. We are the Digiknight."

He then stared upward into the sky. "And now, we will bring about the end of BelialMyotismon." With the flap of his wings, the Digiknight took off into the air.

-

/Battlefield, Two Miles Above Odaiba, 7:45 PM/

"RAAH!" BelialMyotismon thrust the massive orb of darkness into space. It would keep on moving until it was directly between the sun and the Earth…and it would prevent the sun's light from reaching the planet. "Yes…eternal night. Eternal darkness…a perfect world for me to rule."

At that moment, the Digiknight ascended to his level and landed on the edge of the battlefield. "Hello BelialMyotismon."

BelialMyotismon blinked. Had he heard more than one voice. "Hmm? Who are you?"

"I am the twelve Digidestined of Odaiba, combined into one…I am the Digiknight. And I will destroy you," responded the mighty superhuman.

BelialMyotismon blinked…and then he laughed. "Ha ha ha! Another fool steps up to the table…very well. I shall fuse the very futility of this battle into your bones."

"No…we shall bring about your destruction." Then, the Digiknight pointed a finger at the dark Mega. "BelialMyotismon…_THIS **ENDS** **NOW!**_"

-

_**TO BE CONCLUDED… **_

_**NEXT TIME…**_

Episode 60: The End of All Things

-

Author's Notes: First off; the name change. In Japan, MaloMyotismon was called BelialVamdemon. Why the name change?

Well, I know Malo means 'bad' in Spanish…but whenever I hear or say MaloMyotismon, I think of…mayonnaise.

That's right. Mayonnaise. BAD IMPRESSION.

But BELIALMyotismon…Belial is the name of Satan's form when he comes to the Earth during Armageddon! THAT is a good impression for a bad guy.

But anyhow…

This is it.

The final episode is up ahead.

The Digidestined have combined to form the Digiknight…and he is the last hope against BelialMyotismon. In the next episode, the mother of all battles begins…BelialMyotismon reveals the secret to his great power, and the fate of both worlds will be at stake. Also, all of the plotlines will be resolved.

What of the Guardian Beasts?

What of the original Digidestined?

What of the Forbidden City Digimon?

What of the Great Journey?

What of the United States of America?

What of UKHoneyB's cameo?

Don't worry…all of that will be resolved. I will not set a deadline on the next episode, because I'm going to put everything I want to put into the next episode. If it takes longer than three days to update, don't worry.

The ENDGAME ends in the next episode…and so will Zero 2…

See you soon…and please review…

(2/10/2005) UPDATE: Added more to Matt's biggest fear for comedic value. ;)


	60. The End of All Things

Standard Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon…and this will be my last time saying it, so savor it.

Author's Notes: The final episode is here! It's been a WONDERFUL time writing this story. It all began in late 2003…and it ends in early 2005. Just in time for Spring!

Just a note; I added a little more to Matt's biggest fear in the previous episode. Look at it again if you missed it!

To the (final) reviews!

Silent Kill: Welcome to Zero 2 SK! I'm glad you've managed to make it before the finale. And no need to apologize; some people don't make it here at the beginning. Heck, in the beginning it was practically only Anthony1 reviewing. ;)

I'm glad you find my story to be so well done…and no, I don't mind you trying to get some literary pointers from my story. After all, reading other books helps the writer…that's how it's been for me (points to a massive collection of Tom Clancy and Michael Crichton novels). Besides, I was once a crappy writer (to see what I mean, look through my old Digi-fic 'The New Digi-Episodes'; I started that four years ago, and it is utter CRAP. But hey, you've got to start somewhere.). And in terms of the Taiora and Mimato pairings, I just think about it realistically; they're still teenagers. No need to make everything about the romance super-heavy, or angsty, or adult-like. Just making it fitting for the people involved.

But still, I'm glad this story rocks your world. Good luck on your Cold War Digimon story! (grabs a pair of mittens) In terms of Tom Clancy novels, I suggest the _Hunt for Red October_ and the _Red Rabbit_, as both are set in the later years of the Cold War.

By the way, on your profile's bio, when you say Yuko Haruk-ahh…do you mean Yu Yu Hakusho? Just trying to clarify. And one more thing; I ALWAYS check for reviews. So when you review, take your time and say all you want to say.

Anthony1: One indeed. And no…(Wargreymon's) not coming back. His soul was obliterated.

Alforce Zero: Thanks! Nice to see I surprised you with the coming of BelialMyotismon. And yes, MaloMyotismon reminds me of mayonnaise. The FIRST time I heard MaloMyotismon in the show, I immediately thought of the white gooey stuff that comes on hamburgers and sandwiches.

Anime obsessed fan: Well, I do intend to do some more character development in this chapter…the final episode encompasses both the final battle and the epilogue.

Cloud-821: I can't really take credit for MaloMyotismon's new name; I just replaced 'Malo' with 'Belial' from his Japanese name: BelialVamdemon. And no, I will not rewrite the other seasons; 02 and 01 are the only seasons I completely watched, and I'm not going to alter 01. As for Past Journeys…well, that won't begin until after FFX-3 ends. But don't worry…you'll still get your Digimon fix… ;)

Dark Qiviut: (blinks) Really? Wow. I honestly thought the show did it more than I've done. (shrugs) Oh well. But still, I think it serves as an important character interaction tool between Davis and Yolei, for comedy purposes if nothing else. However, Davis WILL get revenge…sooner than you think. ;) And what's with the apologizing? Man…you have got to stop worrying about offending me. Okay? Please. Being apologetic is nice and whatnot, but don't overdo it. Okay?

More word counts? Very well.

Episode 58: Battle Royale (12,551)

Episode 59: Last Stand of the Digidestined (13,241)

Episode 59 is now the new second largest episode, and episode 58 is now the fourth largest. No 20,000+ word episodes yet.

And as for cliffs…well… (boots him off a mountain) Don't have to use cliffs all the time. ;P

SR71will: Nope. I'm saving him for a future fic.

UKHoneyB: Um…was your review eaten halfway down? O.o; Oh, and thanks for listing my story on your new Livejournal page. Appreciate it.

ficmaster: …you're morbid, you know that? o.o;

Nightfire04: Actually, Darkheart's fifth form DID appear. That was the Dark Angel mode. The Holy Knight IS the equivalent of the Dark Angel in terms of stage number. Darkheart failed to achieve his sixth form (which he would have if Siara and Blackwargreymon didn't stop him in episode 53)…as for Davis' REAL sixth form…well, there's always future fics. ;) And I'm glad I've made BelialMyotismon into a likeable villain for you.

generic reviewer: What's with the men in white suits?

Bluesv20: Well, Shaun isn't dead, but he didn't fuse with the others to form the Digiknight; he's still lying in a pile of rubble. As for (Wargreymon), he will eventually be reconfigured…but he won't be the same, since his soul was destroyed by BelialMyotismon.

BeatlesLover: Really? What'd I say? Was it the 'crap' thing? I don't treat it as a bad word, but I know people do…but I put it in the previous episode because it fit my mini-rant about 'sludge'.

HevnoAngered: Good!

bobbyneko: Glad you've enjoyed this story.

Dot Cubed: Excited, aren't you?

Ninetalesuk: Of course, I can always pull the 'canon' tag on you… ;)

Chigy: Yo! Welcome to Zero 2 Chigy. And who said I only had ONE sequel in mind…? ;)

irish vampire: (shrugs) I don't know WHERE the idea came from. I just thought it would be suitable for the final battle.

Salamon2: Um…how about both colors? O.o;

FusionSonicX: Cool! I have a legacy! ;D

Begin…the end…

xxxx

_It has begun._

_The final battle is upon us._

_The Digiknight versus BelialMyotismon._

_This is the beginning of the end…_

_But not all ends are happy ones…_

xxxx

"We are the Digidestined. We have become one, forming the Digiknight. There are no words left. There is only the final battle. We have suffered much as Digidestined, but we have no regrets. Now, with our home in ruins, and the darkness of night out in full force, we seek to destroy BelialMyotismon. And even if he is more powerful than XeedMilleniummon…we'll win anyway. Failure is not an option."

xxxx

**ENDGAME**: _Part 3_

Episode 60 

Final Episode: The End of All Things

xxxx

/The Nexus/

Azulongmon sighed with relief. "It is good to see you again, fellow Guardians."

The three massive Digimon nodded out of concurrence.

The one to the front of Azulongmon was a tiger that stood at fifteen feet tall and twenty feet long. His body was muscular, and his fur was pearly white with blue stripes on his back, arms, legs, and tail. Thick bracelets made of pure iron adorned his legs' ankles, and an iron bracelet that had four spikes sticking out of it covered his tail. His front paws were covered by blue plates of metal that were rimmed with silver; two silver Chinese characters adorned the plates: the right one was the character for 'white', while the left one was the character for 'tiger'. His paws were thick and large, and each paw had three claws of iron protruding from them. Three spikes of iron protruded from his upper spine, and the fur around his neck was furry, almost like a mane. A blue mask with bolt-like yellow markings covered his face, and part of the mask protruded several feet backward by his cheeks, almost like spikes. His teeth and fangs were razor-sharp, and his four red eyes glimmered with both contained ferocity and immense honor. Finally, twelve yellow Digicores swirled around his abdomen. He was Baithumon, the White Tiger of the West…and technically, the most physically powerful Guardian Beast of them all.

The one to Azulongmon's right was a mighty phoenix that was fifty feet in height and sixty feet long from beak to tail. His entire body was covered by slim red feathers looked like skin when seen from a distance; they were that fine. However, there were some variations at various spots. He had four pairs of wings; one pair protruding from his sides, one pair protruding from his chest, one pair protruding from his shoulders, and one pair protruding from his back. Every pair save for the back pair had flame-like markings on the fronts of their wings, while the back pair had flame-colored stripes across the ridges of the wings. His sides pair had three iron claws etched into them, and his chest pair looked very tiny in comparison to the other pairs of wings. His long, lizard-like tail had flame-like strips running across them, and the ridge of his tail was lined with tufts of red feathers. His neck was lined with black hair, and his head was adorned by a red facemask that had tips that appeared flaming hot. Yellow feathers protruded from the back of his head, and his beak was black in color. Four red eyes peered out of the facemask, and they were filled with quiet fury and a capacity for rage. Finally, six red Digicores hovered around his neck, and six Digicores hovered around the tip of his tail. He was Zhuqiaomon, the Red Phoenix of the South…and he would fight longer and harder than any of the Guardian Beasts because of his willpower and his ability to hold a grudge.

Finally, the third figure that sat to Azulongmon's left was a gigantic turtle whose full height was seventy feet, and his length was fifty feet, with his width being thirty-five feet. His skin was pale yellow in color, and white scales covered the bottom of his body. His defining feature was his head. Or should I say TWO heads. The top of the right head was covered by spiky brown armor, revealing his red eyes, cheeks, and mouth. A smooth helmet of brown armor covered his entire left head – save for his lower jaw – and red eyes gazed out of the eyeholes. Growing out of the back of his brown shell was a tremendous tree with thick green leaves. Vines dangled out of the branches, and his pale yellow tail was short and spry. Finally, twelve white Digicores swirled around the trunk of his tree. He was Xuanwumon, the Black Turtle of the North…and he was the wisest of the Guardian Beasts.

And all the while, Siara, their Messenger, floated between them all.

As a yellow haze swirled around the Nexus, Zhuqiaomon – with a gruff and deep voice – bellowed, "I still don't understand how our seals were found so easily."

"Azulongmon already explained that Siara was the reasons," replied Xuanwumon's left head. The right head immediately said, "Siara said that she was able to sense our souls in Digital Limbo, and she directed Azulongmon to each and every one. No biggie." Both voices had an old quality to them, and they had a bit of an Irish tint.

"That's not what I mean," grumbled Zhuqiaomon. "Even if Siara is made from our Digicores, there was no way she should've been able to track our souls through Digital Limbo."

"That is true…" replied Siara with a calm tone. "I should not have been able to find your souls so quickly…nor should I have been able to actually track the seals through them. That's something that should not be possible…"

"But it was," pointed out Baithumon, his voice deep and majestic. "And that is what troubles you, correct Zhuqiaomon?"

Zhuqiaomon grunted. "Yes…it is. It can only mean that the barrier around Digital Limbo is weakened…and that's troublesome."

"Indeed it is," replied Azulongmon. "As for why the barrier has weakened, I have sensed a certain disturbance in the Digital World in a variety of locations: all on the continent of Server."

Xuanwumon's left head said, "Perhaps it is those strange lil' black towers we saw when we were on our way to free Baithumon?"

"I would think so as well," concurred Zhuqiaomon. "They bear the resemblance of a devil. What more do you need?"

"There is also the matter of the Real World; dark energy is emanating from that world in droves, and it's keeping the Digiports between the two worlds shut tight," said Azulongmon.

"Who could be giving out that dark energy? Demon?" asked Siara.

Baithumon shook his head. "I do not think so…I know how strong Demon can be. He is incapable of such power."

"Then…who? Who could have the guts to take the Digiports and close em' up real tight?" asked Xuanwumon's right head.

Azulongmon sighed. "That…I do not know. However, it would have to be a being of great power to keep US out."

Zhuqiaomon frowned. "All I know is that the only one to actually surpass in power when we were at full strength was Milleniummon and his digivolved forms…so who else could it be?"

Silence.

"For the sake of all worlds, I hope it isn't him," muttered Baithumon.

He was correct; it wasn't XeedMilleniummon.

It was someone far, far worse.

xxxx

/West Wing, White House, Washington D.C, United States of America, 6:50 AM/

In Washington D.C, the sun was just rising on the East Coast.

Right now, President Jonathon Yates yawned as he walked through the halls of the White House, his green sweatpants and white shirt covered by a dark blue bathrobe. His salt and pepper hair was slightly wet; a sign that he had just taken a shower.

As he walked towards the nearest window, he sighed. Last report he had heard from the Commandant, the fiery whirlwind had still been blocking any progress into Odaiba. By now, the media had gotten wind of the US fleet in Tokyo Bay, and they were having a field day with the story. A lot of news outlets genuinely believed that America was there to aid the Japanese. However, some media outlets – desperate to get a hit on the president's reputation – had decided to say that the American fleet was there to prepare for an invasion of Japan. The more outlandish conspiracy theorists were spouting off that the fleet had even been the ones to bring that typhoon of fire into existence, even if it was clearly false. Still, the media was the media. And the press conference he had held yesterday to talk about the incident in Odaiba had worn him out. Such was the life of the POTUS (President of the United States).

Even so, Yates was worried; he wanted to know what was going on. Oh well. A large pile of reports would be waiting for him on his desk in the Oval Office when he got there. Perhaps Wesley had sent him one concerning their current status in Japan.

With a sigh of both content and weariness, the president pushed aside the curtains in front of a window and gazed eastward across the city skyline…and then he frowned.

There was an eclipse.

A dark orb was sitting right in front of the rising sun; the only light was a thin white rim around the black sphere. The president couldn't help but feel astonished. _This isn't right…there wasn't supposed to be an eclipse today! What in God's name is going on?_

xxxx

/Battlefield, Two Miles Above Odaiba, 7:55 PM/

BelialMyotismon chuckled as he silently walked in circles around the Digiknight. Ever since he had arrived the Digiknight had not attacked.

And neither had BelialMyotismon. He was still taking his new opponent's measure.

"So…you call yourself the Digiknight? You don't seem so knightly to me," mocked the mighty Dark Digimon.

Digiknight said nothing.

"A fusion of the twelve Digidestined…what of the one I put a hole in? I don't sense his presence. I wonder why?" asked the Dark Digimon sarcastically.

No response.

"What's the matter? Gatomon got your tongue?" BelialMyotismon chuckled as he stared straight into the Digiknight's color-shifting eyes. "Or is it that you're too scared to move? Has the fear gripped your bones, rendering you helpless? You know it has…because deep down, you KNOW that I can't be beaten."

Finally, the Digiknight responded. "I could say the same about you." Then his right fist flared with an orange aura…as did the Crest of Courage on his chest. **"COURAGEOUS PUNCH!" **

_SLAM!_

BelialMyotismon grunted as the Digiknight slammed his right fist into his chin. However, this was no ordinary uppercut; an orange aura had coated the Digiknight's fist, and it caused a burn mark to form on the vampire lord's chin. With a graceful flip, the Dark Digimon landed on his feet. "Hmm. Interesting."

"And I wasn't standing there for no reason; I was simply contemplating how best to kill you." The twelve Crests on the Digiknight's chest then glowed in their respective colors. "As you can see, I have twelve _unique_ attacks complimenting my regular repertoire…I was simply trying to figure out which one to use." The aura disappeared from the Digiknight's fist.

BelialMyotismon scowled. "Impudent brat. You'll be eating your own words soon."

The Digiknight chuckled as a golden aura coated his feet. "I'd rather not. I'm on a special kind of diet…and here's the first course! MAGNA KICK!"

BelialMyotismon quickly raised his left arm, blocking the first kick. Then, he used his tail to grab the Digiknight's left leg, stopping the second kick. Without remorse, the Dark Digimon slammed the Digiknight into the ground. As the Digiknight leapt to his feet, BelialMyotismon roared, "CRIMSON MIST!"

As the acidic mist roared toward him, a light blue harmonica with the Crest of Friendship on it appeared in the Digiknight's hands. "Heh…you should calm down." Then he placed his mouth on the harmonica as the Crest of Friendship on his chest glowed. **"Friendship Blues."**

The Digiknight then played the blues. As he did, an icy wind blew from the holes in the harmonica, blowing the Crimson Mist away. BelialMyotismon crossed his arms as the icy wind blew across his body, creating a frigid coating of frost on the front of his arms and legs. "Hmph. The chill of ice is nothing compared to the deep cold of the shadows…but let me demonstrate its heat! PANDEMONIUM FLARE!" His right shoulder opened up as black flames erupted from within.

"Heh. You want heat? Let me show you the **Flames of Love!**" The Digiknight held his palms out as the Crest of Love glowed on his chest. Red flames erupted from his palms, slamming into the lone stream of black fire.

BelialMyotismon chuckled as his Pandemonium Flare and the Flames of Love negated each other. "It'll take more than that!"

"I know." The Crest of Sincerity glowed. **"Sincerity's Flower!"** At that moment, a flower with pink petals and vine-like sepals erupted from beneath BelialMyotismon; he was now sitting inside it as it closed over him like a mouth. Then, small pores in the petals expelled a pink pheromone.

BelialMyotismon coughed as he inhaled some of the pheromone. "Poison…you think I would be so easily thwarted? Crimson Mist!"

On the outside, one could see red mist leaking out through small cracks between the petals. Then, the flower completely melted away, revealing BelialMyotismon as the red cloud dissipated.

The Digiknight was immediately upon him. The Crest of Reliability was glowing gray on his chest. **"TIDES OF RELIABILITY!"** Gray streams of high-pressure water erupted from his palms, showering BelialMyotismon in a shower of H2O.

Suddenly, BelialMyotismon's hands broke through the streams and latched onto the Digiknight's hands. Then, the fingers' mouths opened and bit into the superhuman's skin.

The Digiknight gaped as his water attack ceased, revealing a wet, yet happy BelialMyotismon. "Now I shall tear you apart and crush your soul…" Even then, as they spoke, the sight of the fingers' worm-like tongues could be seen squirming through his hands and into his armored arms.

At that moment, the Crest of Light glowed brightly as he yelled, "**BURNING LIGHT!**"

BelialMyotismon yelped out of surprise as pure light rushed through the Digiknight's veins, burning the tongues to pieces. BelialMyotismon let go and leapt back before the burn could reach him.

As the Dark Digimon landed, the Digiknight pulled out both of his swords. "Swords of Virtue."

Seeing where this was going, BelialMyotismon obliged the Digiknight by forming a long, blade-tipped rod made of shadows in his hands. "Glaive of Darkness." The vampire lord twirled his glaive around before charging.

So did the Digiknight.

xxxx

/Outside Fuji Television Station, Odaiba, 8:04 PM/

Ackerson sighed as he watched American medics carry injured civilians out through the station and towards the five SUPERHAWK helicopters that had set down outside. He was currently sitting on top of a pile of rubble, his old Winchester rifle and newly acquired energy rifle sitting beside him. As the stars of the night sky shined down, giving what little light they could in the darkness, the Junsa-bucho sighed again. _Man…_

"You okay?"

Ackerson tilted his head to see the female Junsa-cho: Miyuki. Her uniform was caked with grime and dust, and her energy rifle was held limply in her right hand. Ackerson muttered, "Nah…just concerned about the civilians."

Miyuki knew Ackerson was lying. She had been on the force for several years now, and she had worked with Ackerson quiet often. The police sergeant was tired…she could tell. He was tired of all the fighting. Tired of all the death. And he was just plain tired of all the flat-out _weirdness._

Well, at least his excuse was valid. Miyuki asked, "Might I inquire further?"

Ackerson sighed again. "Well…over two hundred people have died from their injuries already, and we've got over seven hundred people that need to be air-lifted out of here…and five helicopters isn't going to cut it. Sure, they can probably fit about ten to twenty people each…but they'd have to make repeat trips…and by the time they get back, the fatally injured people and those with infections will have died. It's just all messed up…"

Miyuki nodded sorrowfully. "I know…this whole incident's messed up."

"What seems to be the trouble?"

Ackerson and Miyuki turned around to see a black Elitemon staring at them. The tall warrior was leading a group of Ultimate-level Jackalmon on patrol. Ackerson scowled. "Nothing that concerns you."

The Elitemon was silent. Then, he said, "You may have a negative opinion of our kind, but if something concerns my kind, I won't hesitate to accept outside help…that is, if no other option was available. Wouldn't you agree?"

Ackerson frowned; the creature's roundabout logic was true. Ackerson wanted to help the wounded…but his distrust of the new creatures was interfering with that desire…and that was a problem. Distrust could wait. The injured could not. "Fine then…I'd like any help you can offer."

The Elitemon smiled as he activated his personal com-link.

Five minutes later, thirty Shadows set down outside of the Fuji Television Station. Blue Elitemon hopped out and began carefully placing injured people onto the prongs of their dropships, much to the shock of the medics working on evacuating the injured.

Ackerson sighed once more as he watched the black Elitemon he had spoken to explain the situation to the H-92 SUPERHAWK pilots. Miyuki calmly said, "Don't sweat anything. This is a better method anyway."

The police sergeant's eyes gazed upward as the Shadows and the SUPERHAWKs lifted off into the air. "…I certainly hope so…"

He couldn't shake off the bad feeling he had…something bad was going to come of working with these creatures.

He was sure of it.

xxxx

/Battlefield, Two Miles Above Odaiba, 8:10 PM/

"HOWLING DARKNESS!"

"**SHIELD OF HOPE!**"

BelialMyotismon's line of unholy energy bounced off of the bronze-colored energy shield that had suddenly surrounded the Digiknight.

"Blast it!" cursed the Dark Digimon. "You'll die for this continued outrage!" BelialMyotismon leapt into the air and hovered in place. He lashed out with his tail, which stabbed at the Digiknight with frightening quickness.

"**Protection of Kindness!**" The Crest of Kindness glowed with a violet hue upon the Digiknight's chest, and a violet aura coated his gauntlets. He quickly moved his arms around with equally frightening quickness, blocking every single jab from BelialMyotismon's tail.

Feeling annoyed, the vampire lord slammed his tail into the ground, creating a fissure that caught the Digiknight off-balance. With a loud roar, BelialMyotismon's shoulders opened up. "Pandemonium Flare!"

Two streams of black flame erupted from the Dark Digimon, rushing towards the Digiknight. Suddenly, the Crest of Caring flared dark red on his breastplate, and large, double-edged claws protruded from his gauntlets. "**Caring's Claws!**"

The Digiknight sliced through the streams of fire with his claws. He finally connected with BelialMyotismon moments later, slicing at the vampire lord's chest. The Dark Digimon leapt backwards, lashing at the fusion warrior with his tail again.

The Digiknight grimaced as the tail slammed against his cheek. When he got back to his feet, BelialMyotismon was forming a whip made of shadows.

Suddenly, the Digiknight extended his gauntlets forward, creating two Magna Guns.

BelialMyotismon chuckled. "You think that will be enough?"

Then, panels opened in the sides of his gauntlets, revealing miniature missile launchers. Then MORE panels opened in the sides of those launchers, revealing tiny pistols that would shoot energy needles.

BelialMyotismon blinked.

The Digiknight smiled.

And then BelialMyotismon chuckled. "Very well…I shall counter accordingly."

BelialMyotismon's shoulders opened, revealing a large pool of black fire. His mouth – and the mouths of his fingers – flared with dark energy. The red eyes of the three mask-like designs on his kneecaps and purple armor piece flared brightly. The pores on the underside of his purple armor piece suddenly 'grew' dark cannons.

The Digiknight blinked.

BelialMyotismon smiled. "Draw."

They both roared.

"**_MAGNA BARRAGE!" _**Golden bullets, gold-tipped missiles, and golden energy needles lanced toward BelialMyotismon.

"**_DARKNESS BLITZ!" _**Black fire, dark energy streams, red lasers, and shadowy orbs roared towards the Digiknight.

Moments later, a massive explosion sounded, lighting up the night sky.

xxxx

/Captain's Cabin, _USS Ronald Reagan_, Tokyo Bay, 8:16 PM/

"Hmm…very interesting," muttered the Commandant.

The _USS Ronald Reagan's_ Captain's Cabin was relatively large in comparison to those of destroyers or cruisers. It was a replica of the White House Red Room, although nowhere near as lavish or grandiose. It was thirty feet long, twenty feet wide, and the ceiling was nine feet tall. The walls were made of polished red oak, and the floors were covered by one gigantic rug that had tan ring and red, green, and brown flower designs. A number of lamps sat on polished wooden tables in the corners of the room, and miniature light posts stuck out of the wall, made of polished metal colored gold. Four red couches made of comfortable material sat on the four sides of the room, and golden fern designs adorned them. On the walls were pictures of the late president Ronald Reagan (God bless his soul), those of the carrier, and a few personal pictures by the current captain: James A. Symonds. White halogen lights were affixed to the ceiling, and they added more light to the room. Situated in the center of the room was a large wooden table made of pine; obviously, it was intended for meetings between the captain and the ship's officers.

And right now, General Wesley was sitting on one side of the table; his three Marine escorts were right beside him, M-16s aimed at Nola Kusulumee and his two red Elitemon bodyguards on the opposite side.

And the Grand Praetor had just explained everything: where the invading monsters had come from, where he and his kin had come from, and WHY they had come. The Praetor had spoken of the Digital World, the Forbidden City, and of the various Digimon that had invaded Odaiba earlier. He had even spoken of the Gravemon and the Great Journey…both the ship and of the actual journey.

Needless to say, the Commandant was honestly dumbfounded. He was surprised…and he was absolutely flabbergasted as to why he believed it all.

Then again, after all that had happened, he wasn't going to disbelieve anything…after all, the things that the Grand Praetor were saying actually clarified some things that he knew…things that only a few knew…classified things…

Nola Kusulumee leaned back against his chair, his eyes staring quietly into the eyes of the general. "Is there anything else you wish to speak of? I believe I've answered most of your questions. I've made the intentions of my kin clear. We are your allies."

"I don't doubt that anymore…but when you spoke of these 'Gravemon' and your city, you mentioned something called 'Digidestined'. What is a Digidestined?" asked the general.

"The Digidestined are a group of children. Children of Destiny…that is their full name…and they are humans like yourself."

The Commandant raised an eyebrow. "Really? Who are they exactly?"

"Children who are chosen to defend the Digital World from darkness. As a matter of fact, last I heard, they were fighting the Class 'Z' threat I told you of," replied Nola.

"Ah…that. The one who 'can annihilate this world if it pleased', quote-unquote. Pardon me if I'm full of disbelief, but what can children do?" The general's tone was dripping with sarcasm.

"They are blessed with powers that defy imagination. It would surprise you how often they can pull a rabbit out of their hats, so to speak."

The Commandant nodded…and then he sighed heavily, whispering, "So it is true…" He then stared straight into the Praetor's eyes. "I assume that you've heard of a phrase called 'classified intelligence'."

"Most certainly."

"Good. Marines. Leave us."

Nola knew where this was going. With a short, stern grunt, it gave his two bodyguards that sign to leave. The two red Elitemon quietly walked out, escorted by the three Marines.

Fifteen seconds later, General Wesley spoke again. "What I'm about to tell you cannot leave this room. It is classified American intelligence that is ears-only, do you understand?"

The Grand Praetor nodded. "Yes. I'm well aware of the secrecy involved with classified information. Please…continue."

The Commandant sighed. "Many years ago, my country – the United States of America – was locked in a 'Cold War' against an enemy country known as the Soviet Union. Unlike a traditional war, the Cold War was fought with information, spies, and threats. The higher-ups in the American government and Department of Defense agreed that we needed to find a way to monitor communications to find information that would pique American interests, both beneficial and harmful. And thus, Project Echelon was born."

"Project Echelon?" asked the Praetor confusedly.

"Using a vast network of state-of-the-art monitoring equipment and the incognito sharing of intelligence with other allied countries, America was able to monitor any and all communications going through satellites, phone lines, and computer networks all over the world. That is the basis of Project Echelon…and soon after the project began, we encountered a strange signal unlike any ever encountered before. We called it the X1."

"Go on," said Nola.

"X1 exhibited qualities that had never been exhibited by a communications signal before. Normally, a signal goes one-way. It is sent and then received, the information it contains is decoded and delivered, and that's it. However, the X1 signal defied all the rules. It went back and forth in the networks, it couldn't be deciphered…and occasionally, it would leap OUT of the networks and out of Echelon's jurisdiction. It was as if it left our world completely…and as time went on, we encountered more and more of the X1."

Kusulumee said, "I take it your superiors were displeased by the X1?"

"I was still a soldier in the Corps when Echelon was introduced. X1 presented a problem because our intelligence community had no way of tracking it. We had no way of identifying what it was or where it had come from. It worried us because we had thought that the Soviet Union had developed a new kind of communications cipher that couldn't be decoded. That couldn't be cracked. That couldn't be tracked. It had the Echelon figureheads in a tizzy."

"I see…I assume you devoted most of your resources to finding out what this X1 signal was."

Wesley nodded in response. "Yes. Project Echelon was an initiative of the NSA, the National Security Agency. So the NSA, using the limitless funds of its 'black budget', began researching the X1 and everything about it. After about four years of relentless attempts to decode the signal, we made headway in the early 1970's."

"You cracked the signal?" asked the Praetor.

"No. The signal cracked **_us_**. All of a sudden, while we were monitoring one of the X1s, a message played out over all of the loud speakers in headquarters of the Echelon system."

"Where is this Echelon system?" asked the Praetor.

The Commandant chuckled. "Sorry. That's something I cannot declassify at all. I'd be accused of treason."

"I see…what was the message?" asked Kusulumee.

"It was this: _Hi! Who are you? My name's Terriermon._" The general paused. "Sound familiar?"

A nod. "Yes…Terriermon is a type of Digimon. Rookie level."

"Well, before we could find a way to respond, the 'Terriermon' X1 leapt out of the network and out of our jurisdiction. However, in the short minute between the X1's message and the time it leapt out of the network, we managed to copy its communication channel onto our systems. That channel was analyzed under severe scrutiny." The Commandant paused to sigh. "It was extraordinary…that channel was complex. Infinitely more complex than any thing we had come up with at the time. It was operated on a frequency that was unknown to us…but we had a lead."

"You tried to use that channel again?"

The general shook his head. "No. The NSA instead focused on creating a program that would allow us to create our own channels, using the frequency that the Terriermon X1 had used. We hoped that frequency was universal…and it was. Once the program was completed three months later, we could finally decipher the X1 signals and see the information within. However, all we got were more messages from confused and bedazzled entities much like the Terriermon."

"So how did the Terriermon speak with you first anyhow? Was it aware of your Echelon?"

"I don't think so, personally. The general consensus is that our continued persistence in trying to find out what the X1 signals were had been making our presence more passively aware to the signals themselves. So it was only a matter of time until one of the X1s tried to communicate with us."

The Praetor paused for a moment to think. _So the humans have been aware of us…I wonder how much they were aware of?_ "Then what?"

"As time went on, and our Echelon system became more sophisticated, the X1s became more than simple signals with messages; we were actually deciphering actual characteristics of their data. They were creatures unlike anything we had ever seen before; they looked like monsters and beings from fairy tales. In time, we began identifying the X1s by another name: Wild Ones. Or ETs, as a joke."

"And?"

"At that time, it was the early 1980s. Virtual reality technology was the newest thing, and we sought to integrate it with our Echelon systems. So by combining a VR feedback system and the program used to decipher and communicate with the Wild Ones, we could actually SEE what we were talking to. Now keep in mind that back then the VR system was small stuff; simple colors and rudimentary geometric shapes, nothing special…but still, it was quite a stir with the higher-ups. For the first time, we could see the world in which these Wild Ones lived in. It was quite exciting."

"Who did you first encounter?" asked Nola.

"The first Wild One we spoke to was in close proximity to another one…and we were quite surprised to find that one of them looked like a male teenager."

The Praetor blinked out of surprise. "You must have encountered a Digidestined."

"That's not all. The other Wild One was a golden creature matching your physical profile."

The Praetor immediately scowled. "Outcast…"

"You KNOW of that Digimon? Personally?" asked the Commandant, a look of slight disbelief in his eyes.

"Yes," muttered the Praetor with some distaste. "His name is Futa Ishisamee. He was once a famed Battalion Commander of our military of unequal skill…but when that teenager came, Futa left. He was the boy's partner…and he defied the prophecy of Omniscience when he entered this world with him."

The Commandant frowned; this was a rare opportunity. This Praetor knew of the Digidestined personally…and now he had offered a way for him to ask of them. "This teenager…you're positive he was a Digidestined?"

"Yes. His name was Hiroaki Ishida…and he was one of five at that time."

"Really? What were their names?" asked the general.

"Hiroki Hida. Teela Yamaki. Joshua Kido…and Miranda Akiyama. I believe those were their names…" The Elitemon sighed. "I shouldn't be dwelling on the past. It interferes with thought."

"I couldn't agree more," replied the general. "Anyhow, before we could speak with the boy and his golden partner, we lost contact…because our channel was cut."

The Praetor raised an eyebrow. "Your channel to the Digital World was ended by an outside force?"

"Yes. It became an everyday occurrence. Every time we tried to communicate with the Wild Ones' X1 signals, we were blocked off. We were dealing with an entirely different beast…fortunately, the continued blocking of our channels allowed us to identify the new signals. We dubbed these signals as 'X2'. The X2 signals were actively preventing us from contacting the X1 signals."

"Ah…I think these X2 signals were actually the Order," interjected Nola.

"Order?"

Nola quickly said, "I told you of the Guardian Beasts, correct?"

The general nodded.

"The Guardian Beasts decided that, after the original Digidestined defeated their last true enemy – a Digimon called Demon –, they needed a way to control the continued surveillance by humans upon the Digital World."

Wesley was genuinely surprised. "So these Beasts were AWARE of Echelon's observation of the Wild Ones?"

"Yes. So they opened tiny Digiports to this world, and they brought a number of homeless humans to the Digital World. Since these young adults were poor, homeless, and in poverty, all seventy of them accepted the Guardians' proposal. They were all imbued with special talents that would allow them to safeguard the Digital World from the technology of humankind."

The general nodded. "I see…" This was quite interesting; the X2 signals that had been a thorn in the side of the Echelon system had actually been humans? _The Echelon figureheads are going to be interested in this._ "Okay, well that explains a bit…but eight years ago, strange events happened."

Nola Kusulumee suddenly remembered what happened eight years ago: the coming of the Time Demon known as XeedMilleniummon. "I remember. A time-traveling Digimon by the name of Milleniummon came to our time from the future to destroy the universe."

"A **_time-traveling_** Digimon?" asked Wesley out of sheer disbelief. Nola nodded in response. The general was honestly shocked; he had been told of Digimon that could destroy the world…and now there was one who could travel through time? Digimon were suddenly transforming from a strange occurrence into a major interest.

"XeedMilleniummon's power was so great that his mere presence caused the spatial and chronological barriers around the Digital World to warp. It changed to where a day in the Digiworld equaled one minute here."

The Commandant's eyes narrowed. "I see…that explains a lot. Eight years ago, at the time of the Highton View Terrace 'bombing'," He said it sarcastically, because he – save for those who witnessed it personally – was one of the few who knew exactly what happened. "The X1 signals began moving at an exponentially greater rate of speed. They were going so fast that we couldn't track them at all…we thought the X2 signals had done something to throw us off the trail of the Wild Ones, but this explains a lot. They were simple moving on a faster plane of existence than ours…but apparently, that isn't happening anymore."

"Correct," nodded Nola. "After the battle against the Digimon known as Apocalymon in the sky – after the event you call the Odaiba Fog Incident – the Digital plane realigned itself, becoming connected to the plane of existence this world ran on once more."

"That would explain why we were suddenly able to contact the Wild Ones once more four years ago…and the X2 signals are practically non-existent anymore."

The Praetor explained. "The Order is a shadow of its former self. There is only one member left that is still alive, and he is an old man."

"Ah…" The Commandant sighed. "Well, after what happened four years ago, we shifted our focus from communicating with the denizens of the Digital World to trying to figure out a way INTO that world…because after that, we could find a way to close the channels through which they came through, thus halting anymore invasions like the one that occurred here in the past couple of days. However, we've been largely unsuccessful…and now we have this mess to deal with."

"Fortunately, that is what allies are for, are they not?" Nola Kusulumee smiled as he stared at the Commandant. "You seem like a smart man, General Wesley. Who is your country's leader?"

"Our country's current leader is President Yates," answered the general.

Nola nodded. "I'm certain the Hierarchs would like to meet him…perhaps after this ugly business, they could meet. Until then…" Nola then bowed. "Allies?"

The Commandant was silent for a few moments. Then, he nodded with a small smile. "Allies."

The Grand Praetor smiled as he left the Captain's Cabin.

After fifteen seconds passed, Wesley reached into the coat of his green uniform and pulled out a small speaker smaller than a dime, and just as thin. "Did you get all of that Mr. Bishop?" A calm, smug voice replied moments later.

**"Yes. It was very enlightening…now we have five to add to the list of known Digidestined. That brings the grand total to seventeen: Tai and Kari Kamiya, Matthew Ishida, Takeru Takaishi, Mimi Tachikawa, Sora Takenouchi, Yolei Inoue, Davis Motomiya, Ken Ichijouji, Joe Kido, Izzy Izumi, and Cody Hida, plus the five new ones…excellent. Good work general…you've given me lots of new material. The Echelon team sends their regards."**

The general nodded…but there was a hint of sadness in his eyes. "Roger that."

xxxx

/Cockpit, Shadow, En Route to _Great Journey_, 8:35 PM/

As the Grand Praetor quietly piloted the Shadow toward the mighty warship, he spoke. "Did you get everything?"

A voice came over the speakers inside the cockpit: the voice of Vula Tusa'lamee. **"Yes. The bug we planted inside your helmet worked perfectly. The Hierarchs were quite surprised as to how much the humans knew of the Digital World, and how far that had proceeded despite being limited by the Order."**

"As was I. The man was clearly knowledgeable…and this 'President' he spoke of…"

**"I know. The Hierarchs have agreed to meet him once BelialMyotismon has been destroyed."**

Nola blinked. "Who?"

**"The Class 'Z' threat was identified as BelialMyotismon while you were on that vessel. Our turrets are still aimed at him…I'm still waiting for the Hierarchs order to fire."**

"Roger. I'll be onboard the _Great Journey_ soon." Nola cut off the com-link as he concentrated on piloting the dropship. His mind momentarily turned to thoughts of the Digidestined.

How were they faring right now?

xxxx

/Battlefield, Two Miles Above Odaiba, 8:37 PM/

"Courageous Punch!"

BelialMyotismon grunted as he blocked the orange-colored punch with his gauntlet. The vampire lord's shoulders opened up immediately. "Pandemonium Flare!"

The Digiknight grunted as the flames pressed him back. With a quick flap of his wings, the Digiknight ascended above the flames as his arms crackled with purple electricity. "**Bolt of Knowledge!**"

The Dark Digimon grimaced as purple electricity slammed into his body, momentarily freezing him in place. Of course, he was quickly on the move again. "You think a large bag of tricks will be enough? The tricks will have to work if you're to succeed!" The evil Mega grinned as his shoulders opened up, revealing pale blue vapor. "Like this one…MIST OF THE PAST!"

The pale blue mist floated into the air, coalescing into four distinct parts…and those parts became four familiar figures.

Devimon.

Demon, sans clothes.

Myotismon.

And the last one stood at a staggering 200 feet. The legs were thick with muscle, and they were covered with gray fur from the waist down. The pale feet had three claws colored violet, and the fur around his legs were had white slash mark designs crisscrossing them. Around the knees, three red designs that looked like sharp fangs were visible; on the fur over his pelvis were four red eye markings. His upper body was covered by red, bone-like armor, as were his long, elongated arms. Black leather bands covered the upper part of his forearms, and the backs of his hands had yellow bat marks. His fingers were long and gangly, and red spikes protruded from his small shoulders. Massive wings jutted out of his shoulder blades – each one easily over seventy feet long – and the black, leathery skin that they were made of was tattered and riddled with holes. His long, gray tail was segmented, and two red horns curved out and upward from his temples. His long, blonde hair was unkempt, and a red eye mask covered his pupil-less eyes. It was VenomMyotismon: the inferior Mega form of Myotismon.

BelialMyotismon chuckled as his body dissipated into a cloud of black bats. "Hope you enjoy the show…" Then the bats flew about, leaving the Digiknight to deal with the four old enemies.

Myotismon quickly flared his cape open. "Grisly Wing!" Black bats stormed out of his cape, swarming towards the Digiknight.

The Digiknight scoffed. "Please." The light blue harmonica appeared in his hands once more. "Friendship Blues."

The bats were blown away by the icy wind, freezing in midair before crashing on the ground.

"TOUCH OF EVIL!"

The Digiknight tilted his head around to see Devimon charging for him, his right hand's index finger glowing red. The superhuman didn't even flinch as Devimon stuck his finger into the back of his armor.

Then, the Digiknight – with a casual ease – said, "Burning Light." Devimon soundlessly howled as the light burned away at him, vaporizing him on the spot.

"Demon Inferno!"

"Crimson Lightning!"

The Digiknight turned his eyes forward again to see a stream of red hellfire and a whip made of blood-colored lightning slam into him. Moments later, VenomMyotismon roared as multicolored energy erupted from his eyes, slamming into the Digiknight as well.

When the dust faded, the Shield of Hope could be seen. The Digiknight dismissed the shield before slamming both of his hands together. "**ROCK OF HUMILITY!**"

Suddenly, a massive boulder that had Cody's figure stenciled on it appeared in midair, just as the Crest of Humility glowed dark green on the Digiknight's chest. Myotismon grimaced as the boulder fell upon him, pressing him into the ground. As the Ultimate Digimon grimaced under the full weight of the boulder, the Digiknight mocked him. "How does it feel Myotismon? To feel the shackles of a self-imposed weight? This is the weight of character…a weight that Cody has carried for most of his life. Even he's proven to be stronger than you…you worthless MONSTER!"

Myotismon howled as the boulder crushed him. When the Rock of Humility faded, Myotismon was gone.

"APOLLYON CRUSHER!"

The Digiknight looked up to see a massive gray orb of energy rushing toward him, courtesy of the demonic Mega: Demon. With a scowl, the superhuman yelled, "Sincerity's Flower!"

The flower materialized above the Digiknight, swallowing the Apollyon Crusher orb before exploding from the inside. The Digiknight roared through the haze, his swords drawn. "Sword of Virtue!"

Demon gagged as the Digiknight plunged both swords into his chest…and the superhuman tore through the demonic Mega with ease.

And then there was one. VenomMyotismon snarled as he roared, raising his foot to stomp on the Digiknight.

The Digiknight immediately slashed both swords at a lightning-fast speed. In a split-second instant – so quick that normal eyes could not witness it – the two swords grew to over seventy feet in length.

The seconds passed. VenomMyotismon was still. The Digiknight sheathed both of his fifteen-foot long swords.

Then, VenomMyotismon fell apart into four pieces; he had been sliced apart at the chest in an 'X' pattern. The massive Mega dissipated into nothingness moments later.

The Digiknight chuckled. "Come on! Those weren't even as strong as the genuine articles! If you're going to try and destroy me through others, at least get it right!"

**_SHICK!_**

**"AAAGGH!"** howled the superhuman as a gray tail impaled his right shoulder. A malevolent chuckle echoed through the air as the Digiknight tilted his head around. The tail of BelialMyotismon could be seen sticking out of a large conglomerate of black bats.

"Fool…" spoke BelialMyotismon as the rest of the bats reformed into his true form. The Digiknight hung limply in midair as the vampire lord said, "That was the whole point of my little 'trick': confusion. You focused on the four weaklings while I moved in for the kill…now DIE. CRIMSON MI-"

The Digiknight quickly kicked BelialMyotismon in the chest, halting the Digimon in mid-sentence. The superhuman pulled the tail out of his shoulder by force – causing the Digiknight to groan painfully – before flying backwards. His right arm dangled by his side as he roared, "Caring's Claws!" The dark red claws extended from his left gauntlet. The Digiknight frowned as he glared at BelialMyotismon.

The dark Mega chuckled as cracked his knuckles. "You're making this too hard on yourself. Glaive of-"

**CHOOM!**

The Digiknight yelped as BelialMyotismon vanished in a massive laser of purple energy. The Digiknight blanched at the sight. **"_WHAT THE HECK?_"**

xxxx

/Bridge, _Great Journey_, Sky over Odaiba, 8:44 PM/

"Direct hit!" roared the black Elitemon manning the weapons station.

"Excellent," said Vula Tusa'lamee. He turned towards the three Hierarchs and said, "BelialMyotismon has been struck."

"_Well done commander. What is the status of the target?"_ asked the Prophet of Reality.

"Unknown," replied a black Elitemon manning the scanners. "Ship scanners will be have data on the target's condition in twenty seconds."

Absolution smiled. **_"That fool. BelialMyotismon may be more powerful than the Time Demon, but we will not let the world of reality be tainted any further! We are on the Great Journey…and we shall do what we can to make this sacred world whole once more!"_**

Wisdom was silent. For many years, he had been one of the three Hierarchs, enforcing the words and rules of their ancestors upon the Forbidden City and its denizens. All because of their faith in the Great Journey to the world of reality…and now that he was here…he was beginning to wonder why they had wasted so much time waiting for it.

"Target's status confirmed. Target…is still alive," moaned the black Elitemon.

Vula's fists clenched. "Curses."

xxxx

/Battlefield, Two Miles Above Odaiba, 8:46 PM/

The Digiknight blinked as the smoke cleared. BelialMyotismon stood there – his body slightly charred – and he looked PEEVED. "Pardon me." He tilted his head downward and roared, "HOWLING DARKNESS!"

The stream of dark energy roared downward…and it gutted through the _Great Journey_ at a precise spot. A blue explosion erupted from the innards of the ship.

BelialMyotismon smiled. "Good. Now…where were-"

"MAGNA PUNCH!"

**_SLAM!_**

BelialMyotismon grunted as the Digiknight slammed his glowing left fist into his face. "You're going to regret that!"

xxxx

/Bridge, _Great Journey_, Sky over Odaiba, 8:47 PM/

Red lights flared throughout the bridge as alarm klaxons blared loudly. Kuvo Hutalamee – the Chief Honor Guard – protectively braced himself against the three Hierarchs as the ship shook. Vula roared, "STATUS!"

"Reactor was hit by a precise beam. Main reactor is now in operable. Switching to backups!" responded a black Elitemon.

In moments, the ship's shaking began to lessen…and within a minute, the ship had stabilized. The klaxons blared a little less loudly, but the red lights still glowed brightly.

"Backup reactors fully initialized. Power is being rerouted from weapons batteries to ease the load on the backups," said the black Elitemon.

Vula nodded. "Good work." He turned towards the Hierarchs. "I'm afraid we cannot attempt another shot like that. If he hits us again, we may very well crash."

The Chief Honor Guard scowled before turning to the Hierarchs. "Noble ones…if I may say so, your safety is being threatened here. Perhaps we should retreat; we cannot do anything more here."

"_I have to concur with Hutalamee,"_ said Wisdom. _"Our warship may be strong, but it is nothing compared to BelialMyotismon!"_

"_Very well. Commander, retreat to a safer distance."_

Vula nodded. "Yes, noble one."

With that said, the _Great Journey_ turned around and slowly flew eastward – over the US fleet, which did not fire under the Commandant's orders – away from Odaiba.

xxxx

/Outside Fuji Television Station, Odaiba, 8:50 PM/

Dietz grumbled as the _Great Journey_ flew eastward, out of his sight. "Man…" His eyes then turned upward, staring at the large column of shadows that stretched upward for two miles. Atop that column, Dietz could see flashes of energy and the silhouettes of two combatants. _What's going on up there?_

Frustrated over his inability to do anything right now, the Junsa-cho angrily kicked a piece of rubble.

**CLONG!**

"OOOOOWWW!"

Unfortunately, that piece of rubble was a metal beam that weighed over a thousand pounds. As the policeman grabbed his foot, a curse escaped his lips. When the pain subsided, he sat down atop a large rock. "Man…I hate this…"

Even though he was a senior policeman, Dietz felt…unfulfilled. In the weeks leading up to October the 25th, he had become sort of disenchanted with his job. He had started to wonder…what actual good was he doing? He'd arrest the crooks, sure…but then the lawyers would argue and verbally swindle the crooks back onto the streets. It was sort of like going up against nature; as the criminals were getting more and more sympathy, the policemen were getting more and more flak. So he started losing a bit of his professional edge; becoming more of his laid-back, naïve self when he was on the job. That's the way it went.

But then Monday had rolled around…and the monsters had shown up.

Even though so much death and destruction had occurred, Dietz couldn't help but feel that he was actually doing some good. He wasn't just being a police officer anymore; he was someone who was fighting to protect the lives of others in REAL fighting. That just didn't happen anymore…and now that all of this was happening…he had gotten used to it.

But what if it all…stopped? What if all the havoc was ended? What if everything went back to normal?

Would he be able to adapt?

"I don't think so…" muttered the Junsa-cho to himself out of frustration. He wouldn't be able to go back to the way things were. He wanted things to remain chaotic. He wanted to remain as a protector of lives…an ACTUAL protector. He wanted everything to stay like it was.

But that was wrong. People didn't want things to remain so chaotic. They wanted order…not chaos. Which meant things would get boring again, whether he liked it or not.

"Man…this sucks." Dietz angrily kicked another rock.

"You seem perturbed."

Dietz whirled around to see a golden Elitemon staring at him. "Who are you?"

"My name is Futa Ishisamee. I am simply out here to get a better view of the battle…and I couldn't help but notice your…little anger session. Now what troubles you?"

Dietz sighed as he looked up at the large Digimon's face. "Well…I know all of this stuff is bad for everyone…but part of me wants it to stay like this. I mean…I love all of the newness of everything! It's not monotonous or boring! I mean…well, you get it?"

Futa nodded. "Yes. I do."

"Then I guess you know how much of a pain adapting back to normalcy would be…" Dietz sighed as he stared at Tokyo Bay; the _Great Journey_ was now nothing more than a purple dot in the sky. "I'm considering signing up with those guys…"

Futa was silent before turning his back to the young Junsa-cho. "Nothing wrong with stowing away, is there?"

Dietz's eyes widened as he whirled around; Futa walked away silently. "Wait! What do you mean?"

"There's a Shadow nearby. You can probably get on if you ask nicely…but take heed; after the war that has gripped Odaiba, Digimon will be known by humanity as a whole. Some will not appreciate the idea of another sentient species…so being associated with Digimon might not be a safe endeavor. But do what you will." With that said, Futa walked back towards the television station, leaving Dietz alone.

The Junsa-cho was silent…and then he stared up into the star-filled sky. They twinkled in the darkness, providing little light…but that was sort of like the decision he was making, wasn't it? He should aim for the light…even if a sea of darkness surrounded it.

He would aim for what was right by him…and he made his decision.

As Dietz ran off, a pair of worried eyes watched him from afar.

"Take care of yourself kid…" whispered Ackerson to himself. He then turned back toward the station.

The black Elitemon roared, "Move! The Hierarchs want us to report back to the ship immediately!"

All of the Shadows that had not been used to evacuate injured people had been ordered to return to the _Great Journey_. And right now, the black Elitemon in charge of a group of five blue Elitemon, ten orange Gruntmon, and five Champion-level Jackalmon was getting all of them back onboard the dropship.

Once all of the soldiers were in their seats, the black Elitemon turned toward the cockpit. As he hopped in…

"Hey!"

The Elitemon blinked as he tilted his head to see a human in blue running towards the Shadow. In his hand was an energy rifle. "State your business, human!"

"Well …mind if I catch a lift?" asked the Junsa-cho, who was slightly breathless.

The black Elitemon snorted. "I'm afraid dropping you off at your destination will not do. I have orders to return to the warship, and I can't spare a second ferrying you to a different part of the city."

"You misunderstand!" yelled Dietz. "My destination…IS that ship."

The black Elitemon's eyes widened out of surprise. This human wanted to leave his home…and come to the Great Journey? _Then…he would willingly join us?_ It was interesting…a human that wasn't a Digidestined deciding to come along. Finally, the black Elitemon said, "State your name."

"Dietz."

The Elitemon smiled. "Roto Jyusinaree. Get onboard."

Dietz smiled as he eagerly jumped on one of the empty seats in the right prong. The prongs closed up moments later, and the Shadow took off into the sky.

He was leaving his home…he was leaving Odaiba for a new life. Dietz was now on a journey of his own.

xxxx

/Battlefield, Two Miles Above Odaiba, 9:00 PM/

"TIDES OF RELIABILITY! FLAMES OF LOVE! BOLT OF KNOWLEDGE!" The Digiknight spread all five fingers on his left hand, and streams of gray water, red fire, and purple electricity erupted from them as the Crests of Reliability, Love, and Knowledge glowed.

BelialMyotismon twirled his Glaive of Darkness at high speed. The five streams of water, fire, and lightning were deflected by the glaive…but suddenly, a glowing foot broke through the glaive. "WHAT?"

"MAGNA KICK!"

BelialMyotismon grunted as the glowing foot of gold slammed into his face, sending him backwards by several dozen feet. The Glaive of Darkness, now broken, dissipated into smoke as the vampire lord roared, "ENOUGH!"

The Digiknight chuckled as he flapped his wings, ascending high into the air above BelialMyotismon. "What was that? 'Enough'? BelialMyotismon…we've been fighting you for almost three hours now. I'm still kicking…and I don't think you have what it takes to do me in."

"That's what you think." BelialMyotismon then snapped his fingers. And then a gigantic black orb appeared in the air below the Dark Digimon and to the side of the column of shadows.

"WHAT!" yelped the Digiknight out of shock. The orb was MASSIVE; easily a mile in diameter. "**WHAT IS THAT?**"

"It is the sphere of darkness that I used to block out the sun. I created it so that it would grow over time in the deep abyss that is outer space…and eventually, it would've grown as big as the Earth itself, completely shrouding this planet from all traces of the sun's light." BelialMyotismon chuckled as the orb pulsed with black energy. "The sun…the most powerful source of light that this planet knows of. You humans' pathetic attempts to emulate it have failed…not one of your artificial lights can dwarf the sun's. And my orb completely blocks it out…so no matter what you can do Digiknight, this sphere will CONSUME YOU! **_DARK ECLIPSE!_**"

And the orb rocketed toward the Digiknight at high speed.

The Digiknight couldn't help but blanch at the sight of the massive orb of darkness rocketing towards him. It was enormous…unparalleled in its size. It could easily consume him.

But he was going to let that happen. He would not fall to this monster. Not a chance.

Failure was not an option.

"**HAAAAAA!"** The Digiknight yelled loudly as his the Crest of Miracles glowed brightly on his breastplate. His entire body was covered by a golden glow as the image of the Crest of Miracles appeared in the air in front of him, growing to the size of about one hundred feet. Also, the injury on his right shoulder glowed as well. "**_GRAND MIRACLE!_**"

The large image of the Crest of Miracles streaked downward, leaving a ghostly aura trail in its wake. Seconds later, it crashed into the Dark Eclipse orb.

And then it thrust through the surface of the orb…and burst out through the other side.

BelialMyotismon's eyes widened as the Grand Miracle attack rushed toward him; the Dark Eclipse orb was already dissipating into nothingness. _What…? That little trinket completely tore through my Dark Eclipse…? Impossible!_

Wrong. Possible.

BelialMyotismon howled as the Grand Miracle crashed into him, pushing him downward through the ground of his makeshift battlefield…and it continued to push him down through the column of shadows.

The Digiknight smiled as the howls of BelialMyotismon echoed through the air, even as the large column began to dissipate and the battlefield shattered into pieces.

He then began descending downward towards Odaiba.

And as this was happening, the President – who was in a completely different hemisphere – was wondering why it had suddenly gotten so bright.

Small world, ain't it?

xxxx

/Sphere Observation Deck, Fuji Television Station, Odaiba, 9:09 PM/

Futa silently ascended the stairway to see Gennai, Hiroaki, Joshua, and DemiDevimon staring out the hole in the wall at the column of shadows. "How is the battle going?"

"What do you think numnuts!" snappily retorted DemiDevimon. "That battle's TWO MILES UP! We can't see worth jack!"

Futa chuckled as he walked to Hiroaki's side. "I'm glad to see that your rude, yet sarcastic wit is intact after all these years."

"Perhaps," dryly replied Joshua, a small grin on his face. DemiDevimon merely scoffed. "Whatever."

Hiroaki turned to Gennai and asked, "What's your opinion of how the battle's going?"

The old man shrugged. "Beats me."

"How is everything?"

The three men and two Digimon turned around to see Natsuko, Jim Kido, and Jun Motomiya walk away from the stairwell towards them. Natsuko, again, asked, "Well?"

Hiroaki shook his head. "We don't know anything yet."

Jun grimaced. "Man…I hope Davis and the others are okay…"

"Hey…they'll be okay. Remember: faith," reminded Jim as he embraced her. Jun immediately smiled. "Right."

A throat suddenly cleared itself. Jim and Jun tilted their heads to see Joshua. "So Jim…is she your girlfriend?"

Jim and Jun immediately blushed.

DemiDevimon chuckled as a perverted smirk came to his lips. "Heh…have there been any _saucy_ bits yet?"

"Quiet you," muttered Futa as he clenched his fist tightly. DemiDevimon retorted by sticking his tongue out. Futa responded by growling menacingly at the Rookie.

"Well…" Jim gulped as Jun clutched his hand tightly. "Sort of…yeah…I guess…"

Joshua was silent. Then he smiled. "Well done. Took me longer to get a girlfriend myself." With that said, Joshua turned around to face the shadowy column once more.

Hiroaki leaned back and spoke at the three. "He's not one for talking."

Natsuko giggled as she gingerly rubbed her left forearm's cast. "I've noticed."

"Hey, what's that?" asked Jun as she curiously pointed at the shadowy column.

Sure enough, a gray figure could be seen plummeting through the shadowy column. As the figure continued to fall, the column of darkness began to dissipate. Moments later, the figure crashed into the ground with a thunderous boom.

"Who is that?" asked Natsuko.

Futa huffed, a scowl present on his features. "The enemy."

Less than ten seconds later, a golden being with angel's wings and a rainbow aura drifted down from above.

Everyone looked at the figure with a measure of awe. "Who is that…?" muttered Jim.

Jun recognized the golden armor on the being. _…Davis? But…how'd he turn into that?_

xxxx

/Ruins of Odaiba, 9:15 PM/

BelialMyotismon grimaced as he struggled to get to his feet. "Rrr…blast you…"

"That Grand Miracle attack was pretty nifty," said the Digiknight as he slowly walked over to BelialMyotismon. He was rotating his right arm around: the injury was gone. "Not only did it kick your butt, but it healed me too. Now you're on your knees, and I've been rejuvenated…just give up now."

BelialMyotismon was silent…and then he stood, revealing that the armor over his chest was cracking. And then he chuckled. "Heh heh heh…you truly don't understand, do you? I still have an ace up my sleeve…I haven't gone to my full potential yet."

"Liar," retorted the Digiknight.

BelialMyotismon smiled malevolently. "Am I?" He then tore off several pieces of his gray armor, revealing the pale skin of his muscular chest…but that's not what got the Digiknight's attention.

It was the orange orb that was embedded in his sternum. "What the…?"

"Behold: the very object that I truly wanted my data for. When my body was destroyed four years ago, this orb went with it…but it is back in my possession."

"What the heck is it?" asked the Digiknight out of confusion.

BelialMyotismon chuckled as his tail impulsively twitched. "This orange orb is actually a Digicore…and within is a Digimon that used so much of his own power that he sealed himself away in it until his power would become fully replenished…but I found him like this before he could fully return to his true form. Within THIS, dear Digidestined, is the creator of the Guardian Beasts…the Guardian God: **_Huanglongmon_**."

"Huanglongmon?" asked the Digiknight out of confusion.

BelialMyotismon grinned. "You need a little history lesson…very well then. I shall assume the role of teacher." BelialMyotismon stepped backward as he stared straight into the Digiknight's eyes. "Many years ago, when the Digital World was still in its infancy, it was split into two realms: the Realm of Serenity…and the Realm of Darkness." He tapped the orb on his chest. "Huanglongmon was the first Digimon born in the Realm of Serenity. He was born with great might…greater than that of XeedMilleniummon, or even myself. He took it upon himself to protect the Realm of Serenity, and he dubbed himself the Guardian God."

"What of the Realm of Darkness?"

"The Realm of Darkness was where Dark Digimon ruled…and the first four to be born there were the four Dark Lords: Apocalymon, Lucemon, Demon, and Dragomon. The two realms were at constant war with each other, and Huanglongmon fended off assault after assault from the armies of the Dark Lords. However, as often as the Dark Lords fought Huanglongmon, they just as often fought each other for control and power."

The Digiknight chuckled. "Just like that old saying: no honor among thieves. I guess it also applies to Dark Digimon."

"Even so, the four Dark Lords finally made a pact to strike Huanglongmon at the same time. At the dividing line between the two realms, Huanglongmon fought the four Dark Lords and their armies. The battle cost both sides heavily…but Huanglongmon was on the edge of his rope, and the four Dark Lords were making a final assault…so the Guardian God used his last resort."

"What resort would that be?" asked the Digiknight.

"He used all twelve of his Digicores. He sent four of them into the Realm of Serenity…and from those Digicores, the Guardian Beasts would hatch. They would carry on Huanglongmon's duties. Seven other Digicores were used to split the two realms apart. The Realm of Serenity became the Digital World that you know today, and the Realm of Darkness became the Dark World. Now that the two realms were split apart, the Dark Lords in the Dark World could not come to the Digital World. As for the last Digicore…Huanglongmon sealed himself inside it as the two worlds split apart. He planned for his Digicore to remain hidden in the nexus between the two worlds until his power fully rejuvenated…but not all things go as we plan, isn't that right?"

The Digiknight frowned. "If what you say is true…then how come you have the Digicore?"

BelialMyotismon grinned. "You see, even though the four Dark Lords were the major beings of power in the Realm of Darkness, I was among the smaller players who tried to take larger pieces of the villainy pie. However, after Huanglongmon sealed himself away, the four Dark Lords went all-out against each other for years on end. Lucemon was the first to die; he went head-on against Dragomon, and lost against the Dark Ocean master. Apocalymon, on the other hand, used a great fraction of his power to break through the barrier between the Digital World and the Dark World. A large number of Dark Digimon – myself included – fled behind him through the hole he left in the barrier. The nexus was like an interminable barrier of fog…but as you know, I managed to make my way through…but not without inadvertently running into a little trinket hidden in the mists."

"Huanglongmon's Digicore," answered the Digiknight.

"Yes…but I couldn't afford to let anyone find out that I had it. I fused the Digicore with my own data…waiting for the day its power would be fully rejuvenated. I began my planning then…all of my planning came forth because of this Digicore." BelialMyotismon chuckled as he fingered the orange Digicore. "This entire time, I've only tapped into miniscule pieces of its power…but you've forced me to use it all."

The Digiknight's eyes suddenly widened. _No…if he does that now…_ "NO! WAIT!"

"TOO LATE DIGIBRAT! **_YOUR DOOM IS ASSURED!_**" With that said, the orange Digicore flared with black energy as BelialMyotismon began growing…and growing…and growing.

The Digiknight paled as he impulsively backed up; BelialMyotismon was becoming something else now…no; he was merely unleashing his full power: the power of the Guardian God.

BelialMyotismon grew to a massive height of four hundred feet. His body was bulging with muscles, and it was reptilian in structure. Black scales of obsidian armor covered his entire body. His hulking, stout legs were covered by spherical armor, and they ended in three spiky toes. His arms were over one hundred feet long, and they were covered by ridged obsidian armor. Three curvy spikes stretched out from his shoulders, a set of black spikes ran down the ridge of his spine to the tip of his thick, spike-covered tail. Tiny, scale-like spikes covered his elongated, seventy-foot long neck. His head was covered with a number of obsidian spikes, with the longer ones being near the ears and the back. Four red eyes glared menacingly at the Digiknight, and his fanged mouth was contorted into one of hatred. The orange Digicore that had held Huanglongmon's power was still situated in his sternum, although now it had grown to its true size: twenty-feet in diameter. Finally, the face of BelialMyotismon was peering out of the beast's forehead.

BelialMyotismon's face laughed heartily – the larger, draconic face made no movements – as he flexed his arms. "Yes…YES! I knew going through all of that hard work for this body would be worth it! And now look: my body is that of Huanglongmon's, the most powerful in the universe! No one can stop me now…" Then he bellowed loudly, his voice reaching up into the heavens. **_"NO ONE!"_**

xxxx

/Dragomon's Palace, City of Cthulu, Dark World, 9:26 PM/

"No…it's impossible…" Dragomon stuttered as he stood out of sheer shock, his red eyes staring at the chessboard quietly.

He was afraid…he was afraid. Fear: an emotion he had not felt in EONS. The last Digimon he had TRULY feared…had been Huanglongmon, the Guardian God. He had been an unstoppable beast during the times when the Dark World and the Digital World had been one…

Dragomon had never been able to track down the Digicore that had held Huanglongmon…he had merely assumed it would be lost forever in the foggy and endless abyss that was the nexus between the Digital World and the Dark World.

But now he understood why…Myotismon had hid it within his body by assimilating the Digicore. He had merely consumed it, without actually accessing its power. He had waited…waited until he could have a body that could contain its power.

And now he had one.

Dragomon slumped back into his throne silently. "No one can stop him now…"

xxxx

/Apartment, Shinagawa, 9:28 PM/

In an apartment building of Tokyo's Shinagawa district, a woman of 40 – whose shapely image belied her age – stared out the window of her apartment and across Tokyo Bay towards Odaiba; specifically, her eyes were on BelialMyotismon. Her long, shoulder-length hair was light brown in color, and her skin was fairly tanned. Her green eyes were filled with hints of sadness; it fit the blue shirt and the dark blue sweatpants she wore. "…"

"Should we help?"

The woman turned around to see a small creature float towards her. It looked like a gear; a gray gear with bronze rimming around the gear's teeth. On its sides were two silver cogs; also, it had an angular mouth, and red eyes peered out of holes in the gear's front. It was Hagurumon. "Well Miranda? I mean, Hiroaki and Joshua live there…maybe we should've gone to help…"

Miranda Akiyama – one of the original Digidestined – shook her head before responding in a melancholy, yet silky voice. "No…this is in the hands of the current generation. Our 'job' as Digidestined ended when we sealed away Demon…" She sighed once more. She rued being old and without a kid to look out for; both of hers had already moved out and started families of their own. As for a husband…well, Hagurumon's presence had made it difficult to have a normal family. Still, she didn't regret anything about her partner…so when her husband had divorced her, leaving the two kids with her, she had gotten him to promise silence on Hagurumon's existence. "Even so…it would be nice to get involved…but it's not our place."

Hagurumon grumbled as he – in his scratchy, mechanical voice – responded, "If you say so."

xxxx

/Apartment, Shinjuku, 9:31 PM/

"Hmm. Busy night tonight," muttered a twelve-year old girl as she stared nonchalantly outside her bedroom window. Her green eyes stared quietly at the three hospitals visible from her room; a number of strange purple aircraft were depositing injured people – along with five helicopters – from Odaiba to be cared for properly. It was sort of unsettling…but then again, after what had happened to Odaiba in the past couple of days, she wasn't surprised.

She got out of her bed and walked towards the door. As she opened the door, a work desk could be seen; upon it were pieces of paper cut out into the shapes of playing cards…and on them were drawings: drawings of Digimon.

As the girl walked out of her bedroom, a nearby lamp illuminated her body. She wore a yellow T-shirt that went down to her knees; it served as her pajamas. Her blonde hair was wrapped into a ponytail by a green band; it matched her eyes. Her skin was light in color, but had a bit of a tan to it. Around her head was green headband and goggles with black rims and white straps were wrapped around them (the first goggle-girl!). Her name was Azami Kikui…well, technically it was Azami Yamaki now. She had been put up for adoption at an early age, and a couple named Mitsuo and Teela Yamaki had adopted her.

Speaking of which, Azami walked downstairs to see her foster mother staring at the window with a figure on her left shoulder. Teela Yamaki was a raven-haired woman whose long, straight locks went down to her lower back. Her eyes were sky blue in color, and her slightly tanned face was rough-hewn, yet gentle when she got emotional. Right now, she was wearing a dark blue bathrobe.

As for the figure on her left shoulder, it was a figure about eighteen inches high. The entire body was colored like milk chocolate, save for light violet markings on the tiny feet, the pudgy torso, and the long, floppy ears. The ears were sort of like wings considering how long they were: two feet long each. Three skin-covered horns protruded from the figure's head, and a black, dog-like nose accompanied the creature's black button-like eyes. That creature was a Rookie Digimon called Lopmon…and she was the partner to Teela Yamaki, one of the original Digidestined.

You see, Teela had actually told her husband Mitsuo of Digimon…and instead of freaking, he had come to acknowledge Lopmon as a wonderful person to be around. So did Azami, although she was a bit more detached than her foster father. She had often been told about the Digital World by her mother and Lopmon…and her way of using the info from her mother's stories was to make cards out of the Digimon.

Azami was a bit of a card player. She played 'Yu-Gi-Oh!'. She played 'Pokemon'. She also liked strategic games such as Go or chess, or even backgammon. All of those pieces of paper on her desk had been her attempts at making cards for the Digimon, complete with stats, attacks…everything, including equipment cards.

Alas, a Digimon card game wasn't possible…yet. Azami walked over to Teela and Lopmon and stared out the window. The two had been staring at Odaiba…and now their eyes were on BelialMyotismon. "Hmm. That's a big one," dully replied Azami, her monotone voice sounding devoid of emotion.

Lopmon nodded. "Yeah. He looks tough…"

"Shouldn't you go out and, well, do your thing?" asked Azami.

Teela shook her head. "No…it's not my place. Besides, I don't think I could do much good anyway."

Azami shrugged as she walked towards the kitchen. "Whatever you say."

xxxx

/Outside Fuji Television Station, Odaiba, 9:34 PM/

"Oh my holy God…" muttered Himuro out of disbelief as he stared at the massive figure of BelialMyotismon.

A large number of Junsas – plus Ackerson, Himuro Ilene, Miyuki, and Macarthur – had gathered outside the TV station upon the coming of this new beast…and they were slack-jawed.

Ilene angrily dropped her energy rifle out of disbelief. "So much for help…how the heck are we going to stop THAT?"

"We can't," muttered Miyuki with a morbid tone.

"Anyone have any suggestions?" asked Inspector Macarthur.

Ackerson sighed as he rubbed his temples. "Simple sir. We pray."

"Sounds good to me."

xxxx

/Bridge, _Great Journey_, Sky over Tokyo Bay, 9:35 PM/

"Hierarchs! Look on the screen!"

"_We can see, commander,"_ muttered Reality. Even from their far position, the sight of BelialMyotismon's new form was a fearful thing to behold. _"Such a terrifying sight…"_

"What of the Digidestined?" asked the commander. "Look." He then pointed towards the small, glowing figure that stood defiantly in front of the dark behemoth. "The Digidestined are here…and they still stand. We should help."

"_Even if it means our destruction?"_ snapped Wisdom. _"If we attack now, it will be the end of us!"_

"**_But we can give the Digidestined time,"_** interjected Absolution. **_"What other alternative do we have? If we do not help, the Digidestined will surely be crushed! If we do, we might give them a chance to break through!"_**

"…_commander. Charge all forward turrets. Only send enough power to the engines as necessary to keep us afloat."_

Vula Tusa'lamee nodded. "Yes sir…what of the humans? Can they help?"

Reality turned towards Nola Kusulumee, who stood to the side of the room. _"Grand Praetor. You have spoken with the humans' commander…he will listen to you. Tell him to attack BelialMyotismon. We must give the Digidestined enough time."_

The Praetor nodded. "Yes noble one."

xxxx

/Flight Deck, _USS Ronald Reagan_, _Tokyo Bay_, 9:38 PM/

"Well don't that just beat all…" angrily muttered the Commandant as he stared through his binoculars at BelialMyotismon's giant figure. "What kind of monster is that?"

"Sir!"

General Wesley turned around to see a naval officer running towards him. "What is it?"

"We've received a communiqué from the alien warship designated as _Great Journey_. The Grand Praetor that spoke with you earlier has advised you to open fire on the 'black beast'."

The Commandant frowned. Such an action was surely suicidal…what was the Praetor's angle? "Did he give reason why?"

The officer nodded. "Yes; he said that it would give the 'Digidestined' time to attack." The officer spoke with a hint of sarcasm; he clearly though all that the Praetor was speaking of was gibberish.

The Commandant knew otherwise. He knew that a display of firepower against a monster that size would be futile; even he knew that.

But the Digidestined…the Echelon team had been very interested in them. He had read the files. He knew that it had been children that had destroyed a gigantic beast four years ago, thus ending the Odaiba Fog Incident. He knew it had been children that had defeated Apocalymon. Perhaps…perhaps the same would happen this time.

"Give the order for all F-16s in the air to turn and fire all missiles at the black beast and nothing else. Do it NOW."

The officer was obviously shocked…but he did as he was told. "Yes sir." He quickly ran back towards the bridge.

Minutes later, 50 F-16s – the total that were on patrol had increased since the fiery typhoon had dissipated – turned towards BelialMyotismon. The Commandant sighed as he stared at them through his binoculars.

_Godspeed, gentlemen._

xxxx

/Ruins of Odaiba, 9:43 PM/

_Why am I still alive?_

Shaun didn't understand. His mind felt sluggish, his body felt like lead, and he felt a deep chill in his body…he had even been bleeding from a hole in his stomach on end for at least three hours now…so why wasn't he dead?

Why was he still alive?

Was it the Armor of Wisdom? It had to be…a normal human would've died by now.

But then again, he wasn't normal. Shaun never had been…not since he had taken it upon himself to go back in time and stop the deaths of the Digidestined from occurring at the hands of Demon.

He had succeeded in that mission. Demon was gone; his soul had been completely destroyed. He would never darken any sky with his wingspan again.

So why wasn't he dead?

Shaun simply willed himself to sit up as he looked down at his hands. The hands of a man over 5000 years of age…yet they looked so young.

He didn't feel young right now, that was for sure.

_I wonder…how they're doing…_ Shaun looked up…and his eyes widened.

BelialMyotismon, utilizing the full power of Huanglongmon's Digicore, stood above the Digiknight. Shaun didn't recognize the Digiknight, nor did he know how BelialMyotismon had come upon this new form.

He just knew that the big, black guy was bad, and the small, glowing guy was good.

_Heh…it never ends. It just never ends…_ Would the pain ever truly end for him? Was he immortal after traveling through Milleniummon's warp? Why wasn't he dead? He should've died…he should've died so long ago…his suffering should've ended by now…

But it hadn't. And he had lived with it. He had lived with the pain…and right now, he had to live with it.

He had to fight. He had no alternative but to fight. BelialMyotismon was a greater threat than Demon…and if he wasn't destroyed, there would be no future to speak of.

_Well…here goes._ With that done, Shaun Kamiya slowly took off into the air, his body coated by a blue aura, and his stomach leaking blood at a slow pace.

xxxx

The Digiknight was frozen out of terror. The power that emanated from BelialMyotismon now…it was too great. Too, too great. How could he face something like that? HOW?

"Heh heh…I can see the fear in your eyes. You've realized the hopelessness of your situation…and the futility of it all." BelialMyotismon then raised his gigantic foot. "Now I shall crush you."

**_CHOOM! _**

BOOM!

BelialMyotismon tilted his head to see 200 Sidewinder missiles – 50 F-16s times four missiles per fighter – and five purple lasers slam into his body, creating a tremendous explosion of violet energy, orange fire, and black smoke. When the haze faded, BelialMyotismon was lightly singed, but nothing more. It was all superficial to him. As the F-16s made U-turns and flew back towards the US fleet, the monster growled, "Weak gnats…if they want death, I SHALL GRANT IT!"

"**BELIALMYOTISMON!"**

The vampire lord tilted his head downward to see the Digiknight, who was glaring at him angrily. "I may not have a chance…but you've just reminded me that I'm the last hope to defeat you! If I can't beat you…no one can!" Then he raised both arms, which converted into large cannons coated with a blazing rainbow aura. All of the Crests on his breastplate glowed in their respective colors. "I am the Digiknight. We are the Digidestined, the Children of Destiny! The good guys are destined to defeat the bad guys…AND LET ME PROVE IT TO YOU! **_CANNON OF DESTINY!_**" Two streams of rainbow-colored energy erupted from the two cannons, streaming towards BelialMyotismon.

BelialMyotismon laughed with glee as his draconic face opened its maw, revealing a swirling mass of pure darkness. "Fool…you don't understand! I am the master of darkness…AND I SHALL PROVE IT YOU BY KILLING YOU! **_GREAT DARKNESS OF THE ABYSS!_**"

A black ray erupted from the draconic mouth of BelialMyotismon; the ray was coated with a white aura, and it was darker than pitch-black, and darker than midnight.

The two rainbow beams collided with the black ray…and BelialMyotismon's attack slowly began pushing the Cannon of Destiny's blasts backward. BelialMyotismon's face laughed as his draconic face continued firing unholy energy. "See? YOU HAVE NO CHANCE!"

xxxx

"Look…" muttered Agumon.

All twelve Digimon watched on in stunned silence as BelialMyotismon's energy ray began pushing back the Digiknight's dual lasers. Gomamon kicked the dirt out of frustration. "Darn it! How the heck are we supposed to beat that?"

"Simple answer to a simple question: we can't!" chirped Tentomon.

Biyomon pleaded, "Now don't say that!"

"Yeah!" agreed Palmon. "Just have faith! They'll beat that icky BelialMyotismon!"

"I hate to be the party-pooper of this little hoedown, but let's be real! Do we have enough juice to beat that monster?" asked Armadillomon.

Hawkmon sighed. "Our armadillo friend has a point. In realistic terms, our chances of defeating that monster are next to zero."

Wormmon whimpered quietly. "Oh boy…I hate it when you're right about stuff like this…"

"So…there's no hope?" asked Gabumon, worry in his eyes.

"Guess not," pouted Patamon.

Gatomon furiously kicked the ground. "Curse that BelialMyotismon…he's always haunted me…" She gingerly touched the back of her gloved paws, remembering the scars underneath. "I guess he'll always get the last laugh in the end…"

"You guys give up too easily!"

Everyone turned towards Veemon, who looked at the Digiknight with his happy-go-lucky smile. Gomamon yelled, "What do you mean? Look at that monstrosity! Even I can't come up with a joke for this situation!"

"Come on! I have faith in Davish! Shouldn't you guys have faith in your partners as well?" asked Veemon.

"I think he's missing the point…" muttered Tentomon as he sweatdropped.

"Veemon…" Gatomon as she stepped up towards Veemon. "I've been combined with you. I know how you think. I know how you look at things with a smile on your face…but let's be realistic here. BelialMyotismon is too strong…even though our partners have all combined into the Digiknight, they aren't powerful enough to defeat him. This battle's lost."

Veemon frowned as he enthusiastically yelled, "I won't accept that! I mean, think about what Darkheart did! He absorbed us…so what about the Digiknight? He could absorb us and he'd get the extra kick needed to whup BelialMyotismon's butt all the way to next Tuesday!"

"Uh, hate to break your parade, but we're only Rookies," admitted Palmon. "What help can we offer?"

"It's better than nothing!" yelled Veemon. He then started pleading. "Come on…let's help our partners! They're the Digidestined, and we're their partners! We help each other! That's the way it goes! They need our help if they're going to defeat BelialMyotismon! So please…let's do what we can to help!"

Silence echoed through the air – well, the sounds of two attacks crashing against each other could be heard in the background, but that's beside the point – as the Digimon let Veemon's words sink in…and he was…right.

They WERE the Digidestined's partners. No matter how hopeless things got, they were supposed to stay with them through thick and thin…no matter what.

"You know, I was right about you," said Agumon with a smile. "You ARE good luck (episode 1 reference!)!"

"He's right!" cheered Patamon as he flapped his wings with enthusiasm. "We have to help them! They're counting on us to help!"

"They're right…we have to help!" said Gabumon.

Hawkmon thought for a few seconds. "Even though the odds are against us…we must do it."

Gatomon sighed as she slapped her forehead. "You guys are idiots…" But then she smiled at Veemon. "But at least you're friendly idiots. Let's do it."

Veemon grinned happily at them all. "I knew you guys would see things my way!" At that moment, all of the Digimon glowed with a bright light…and they burst into data.

The data coalesced into a stream that flew over to the Digiknight…and this data not only held the power of the Digimon…but also the power of their digivolved forms.

Agumon: Greymon, MetalGreymon, and Wargreymon

Gabumon: Garurumon, WereGarurumon, and MetalGarurumon

Biyomon: Birdramon and Garudamon

Palmon: Togemon and Lilymon

Tentomon: Kabuterimon and MegaKabuterimon

Gomamon: Ikakkumon and Zudomon

Patamon: Pegasusmon, Angemon, and MagnaAngemon

Gatomon: Nefertimon and Angewomon

Veemon: Flamedramon, Raidramon, XVmon, Paildramon, Imperialdramon, and Imperialdramon: Fighter Mode

Hawkmon: Halsemon, Shurimon, Aquilamon, and Silphymon

Armadillomon: Digmon, Submarimon, Ankylomon, and Stegomon

Wormmon: Stingmon and Dinobeemon

And the DNA Warriors: Omnimon, Aetherdramon, Goliamon, and MetalAngemon

All of the power of those Digimon was combined into one data stream.

And that stream immediately rushed towards the Digiknight. They were giving everything they had to empower their partners…even if it meant sacrificing themselves for the power boost they were offering.

xxxx

The Digiknight grimaced as BelialMyotismon's Great Darkness of the Abyss attack continued to press further down upon him. _This isn't good…at this rate, I'll be incinerated!_

'_Hey! Need a hand?'_

The Digiknight suddenly gasped as a digital stream merged with his body. He could sense the data of all of the partners immediately. _No…guys…what are you doing?_

All of the voices replied at once. _'Giving you a boost!'_

_But if you do this, your bodies will be destroyed! It might take years for you to get reborn!_

'_We don't care! Just use our power to destroy BelialMyotismon!'_

_Guys…_ The Digiknight fought back tears that wanted to come out on their own. The Digimon knew the stakes. They knew what they had to do. _All right then…let's do it!_ "HEY! BELIALMYOTISMON!" As the power of the Digimon fully melded with the Digiknight, his breastplate opened to revealing a large, glowing cannon. **_"UP YOURS!"_**

The cannon blasted a laser of pure white energy with a rainbow aura, merging with the other two lasers to slam into BelialMyotismon's attack. The initial force of the blast pushed the beam back…but then the advancement stopped. The two were at a stalemate.

Their powers were equal…for the moment.

BelialMyotismon's face laughed. "Ha ha ha! You think a little power boost will help? Your Digimon's strength will run out eventually…but mine is infinite! I'VE WON ANYWAY!"

His eyes caught something. _Hmm?_

BelialMyotismon's face looked downward – his draconic face still firing the Great Darkness of the Abyss at the Digiknight – to see Shaun charging towards him, blood droplets falling from the hole in his stomach. _The thirteenth Digibrat…I thought I killed him. No matter…I'll simply vaporize him with a little eye blast_. BelialMyotismon charged a laser in his eyes-

The Cannon of Destiny's trio of lasers pushed further.

BelialMyotismon immediately devoted all of his power to halting the attack…and then the horror of the situation hit him: he couldn't devote any other power to anything else, lest the Digiknight's attack overwhelm. _But…but this is impossible! I have the power of Huanglongmon…the Digidestined can't be mustering this much power!_

Shaun continued to charge…and then he picked up speed as he curled into a ball: his Speed Spin attack.

He was aiming for the orange Digicore.

BelialMyotismon's eyes widened. _No! If he hits that…the Digicore will crack, and Huanglongmon will break free! But if I try to stop him…then the Digiknight's attack will overwhelm me! Doesn't he know that cracking the orb will prove his undoing? The backlash of power will kill him!_

Shaun increased his speed.

Utter fear gripped BelialMyotismon. If he did nothing, he was doomed. If he did something, he was doomed.

He was stuck between a rock and a very IMPOSSIBLE place. He couldn't do anything now. He could only stare fearfully as Shaun continued to near the Digicore. _No…stay away!_

Shaun slammed into the Digicore…and the surface of the orb cracked.

"**_NOOO!"_** howled BelialMyotismon as the orange Digicore exploded in a flash of gold, sending Shaun flying backwards towards the ground.

"**HAAAAAAAAAAA!"** roared the Digiknight as he put everything he had behind the Cannon of Destiny. White and rainbow-colored energy slammed into the vampire lord as his unearthly scream echoed through the sky…and then the monster vanished in a flash of light.

xxxx

/Sky over Odaiba, 9:59 PM/

He was falling.

And he couldn't stop, nor did he want to.

All he could remember was charging toward the orb, intending to break it. He just knew that it was important…and that it needed to be broken.

The moment he cracked it, a massive wave of power slammed into him, pushing him backwards. His world turned topsy-turvy as the Digiknight's attack overwhelmed BelialMyotismon.

Then he saw nothing but light.

_The light…_

Shaun looked around quietly as he looked down at himself. There were no wounds…and there was no Armor. There was just him. He looked forward…and he smiled.

_It feels…_

In front of him were the faces of the Digidestined as HE remembered them…27 years from now. They smiled happily upon them. He also saw their children: his childhood friends.

Three in particular stood out.

Derrick Kamiya, his older brother.

Hiroto Motomiya, the son of Davis and Kari.

And Elizabeth Ishida, daughter of Mimi and Matt…and his beloved wife.

…_good._

Shaun smiled as (Agumon) materialized beside Elizabeth, a smile on his face. Elizabeth walked towards him with a smile on her face and her hand extended. "You look beat."

"I look beat," replied Shaun with a chuckle. He quietly grabbed Elizabeth's hand with his own.

"…let's go home." Said Elizabeth as she led Shaun towards the others.

…_oh so very good…_

Shaun felt something he had not felt in a long time: contentment.

For the first time since Demon had killed the Digidestined, Shaun felt true ease in his soul. He could not think of anything that could spoil his mood…not BelialMyotismon…not Demon…not even Nega. For the first time in years…Shaun was truly at peace.

He succeeded in his mission…and his reward was peace for the soul.

**_CRASH!_**

In real life, Shaun crashed into the ground.

And then there was nothing.

xxxx

/Ruins of Odaiba, 10:01 PM/

The Digiknight slumped to his knees as he glowed brightly and split off into twelve different figures: the Digidestined.

"Man…I'm beat…" muttered Tai.

"I don't think he is either!" worriedly yelled Izzy. Over two hundred yards away, BelialMyotismon burst up out of the rubble…except now he was in his original form. His gray armor was still broken, revealing his chest…but the Digicore was no longer there. "No…where did it go? Where did the Digicore go?"

"**BELIALMYOTISMON!"**

A thunderous voiced boomed from the heavens as the night sky suddenly shined with a golden glow. The glow dulled to reveal a beast that looked BelialMyotismon had looked minutes ago…except his entire body was made of shimmering gold, and the face of BelialMyotismon wasn't on his forehead. Also, there were twelve orange Digicores running along the length of his back; the first four started at the middle of the neck and ran downward before splitting into two rows of four around the shoulders.

This was Huanglongmon in all of his glory. **"BelialMyotismon…you dare try to use my power for your selfish and unholy gains? I sealed myself in a Digicore to wait for the day my power would rejuvenate, thus allowing me to protect the Digital World as its Guardian God once more! But no…you had to do the unspeakable and pervert my power for the use of evil!"**

BelialMyotismon fell to his knees and pleaded, "Please Guardian God, do not hurt me!" The Digidestined stared at BelialMyotismon in shock; such a powerful foe was reduced to pleading on his _knees_.

Huanglongmon snorted as his four red eyes glared mercilessly at the vampire lord. **"Hurt you? I will not hurt you…I'm merely going to sentence you to an eternity of suffering for your crimes in the deepest abyss of the Dark World: the Lake of Fire!"**

BelialMyotismon's eyes widened; the Lake of Fire was located in the very core of the Dark World…and if one was imprisoned there, there was no escape. It would be endless torture forever and ever…and there would be no reprieve. "No…please…have mercy!"

"**_MERCY?"_** Huanglongmon seemed awed by the apparent gall of BelialMyotismon's words. **"Mercy? A merciless Digimon like you asks for mercy? You arrogant hypocrite…begone!"** His large, draconic mouth opened up, revealing a mote of golden energy. **"SPIRIT DESTROYER!"**

BelialMyotismon cringed as the mote entered his body…and then he howled as he was vaporized in a flash of light. He was transported immediately to the Lake of Fire, where he would suffer forevermore.

The threat of BelialMyotismon was no more.

The Digidestined stared on in silence. Had they just…won? "We won…didn't we?" asked Yolei out of sheer disbelief.

**"Indeed you did."**

The Digidestined turned around to stare at Huanglongmon, who gazed down at them with a gentle expression. **"My return would not have been possible without the blood you have shed in attempting to stop BelialMyotismon…and not just him. You have saved countless lives as Digidestined…and for your service in my absence, I am grateful to you."** As he spoke, four portals opened up; two on the ground, two in the air.

Out of the blue one came Azulongmon, who arrived in a bolt of lightning.

Out of red one came Zhuqiaomon, who arrived in a tongue of fire.

Out of the white one came Baithumon, who arrived in a frigid blast of vapor.

Out of the black one came Xuanwumon, who arrived atop a column of black rock.

Azulongmon stared quietly at Huanglongmon. "…you are the one who created us?"

**"I am."**

"Interesting…always wondered if we had precursors. Guess I know now, eh?" said Xuanwumon's right head.

Huanglongmon turned his attention back to the Digidestined. **"Your world has been ravaged by darkness, and immense damage has been wrought upon this city. We shall fix what we can."** At that moment, the four Guardian Beasts and the Guardian glowed as Huanglongmon said, **"LIGHT OF THE GUARDIANS."**

An aurora suddenly washed over the city…and to the shock of the Digidestined, their home was repairing itself. "Our home…it's being…fixed," muttered Sora out of shock.

xxxx

/Flight Deck, _USS Ronald Reagan_, Tokyo Bay, Odaiba, 10:10 PM/

The Commandant blinked out of astonishment; Odaiba was being…fixed. _All that damage…can those five Digimon really fix it all?_

However, he then turned his binoculars toward the twelve children who stood amongst the slowly self-repairing ruins. _Their profiles match those of the original eight Digidestined from four years ago…and the other four must be the new ones._

He quickly turned around and walked for the bridge. He needed to call a helicopter in.

xxxx

/Bridge, _Great Journey_, Sky above Tokyo Bay, 10:13 PM/

"…_wondrous."_

The Elitemon the bridge could not say a word on response to Reality. The repairing process had been completed. The city was restored, including Palette Town, Shinbashi Station…and even Rainbow Bridge.

And it was night…so the nightlights of Odaiba were on, causing the night sky to glow with their light. It was a sight to behold; they had never seen anything like it.

Absolution held his hands high out of praise. **_"Praise Omniscience! For our efforts, we have been reward with a glimpse at the pristine majesty of the world of reality…and there is still a whole world to see!"_**

xxxx

/Odaiba, 10:15 PM/

The Digidestined looked around in shock. Everything was back to normal. No stone was left unturned.

"Did you just fix…everything?" muttered Ken out of utter astonishment.

"**Sadly, no,"** replied Huanglongmon. **"Buildings are one thing. Lives are another…and it is beyond my power to bring humans back to life."**

Cody was quiet. _So grandpa's still dead…_

**"However, Digimon are another matter. Digimon can be reborn…so for your partners' bravery, their rebirth will be accelerated."**

Suddenly, Digieggs materialized in the hands of the Digidestined. The Digieggs held their partners. Ken gaped happily as he stared at the Digiegg with pink hearts upon it. _Wormmon…_

"All right!" Davis laughed happily as he pressed the side of the Digiegg against his ear. "I think I can hear a heartbeat!"

"Wait…isn't there one more?" asked Tai confusedly.

Kari suddenly remembered. "Yeah! Where's (Agumon's) Digiegg?"

Huanglongmon sighed. **"I am sorry…but BelialMyotismon destroyed his soul. Even if I were to pull his data from Digital Limbo like I did with your partners, he would not be the same. Besides, it would be pointless anyway, as his partner has passed on."**

Silence.

And then Yolei gasped. "Oh no…you don't mean…?"

"SHAUN!" yelled the Digidestined upon realization. Davis immediately burst off in the direction he had last recalled seeing Shaun – which would be harder now that the buildings stood again – as the others turned around.

**"Wait."**

Davis was already too far gone to stop. The other eleven did. Huanglongmon said, **"Digidestined…you have sacrificed much to protect both worlds. The Digital World would be under the cover of darkness had you not fought for it in our place…but take heed, for the Guardian Beasts and the Guardian God are once free. And now, with our combined might, we shall restore the Digital World to its former beauty."**

"After all, those blasted devil towers still stand upon Server, spewing out Black Gears!" roared Zhuqiaomon.

Baithumon then said, "Even though the master of the Black Gears is gone, they are still controlling Digimon. We must cleanse the world of those wretched devices."

"There is also the matter of all the damage wrought by your battles; File Island will need to be repaired, and Primary Village will have to be rebuilt," added Xuanwumon's left head.

"**Now Guardians…we must leave this realm. We have much work to do."** A white portal appeared in the sky: a large Digiport. Huanglongmon was the first to enter. Zhuqiamon, Baithumon, and Xuanwumon ascended upward into the portal. Azulongmon looked back down at the Digidestined and said, "Thank you…heroes of this world. You deserve rest…we shall protect the Digital World now. You need some R and R." Azulongmon then entered the Digiport as it closed.

Odaiba was fixed.

The War for the Real World was over.

BelialMyotismon had been destroyed.

So why weren't they feeling jubilant?

Simple: they were worried about Shaun.

"Where'd Davis go?" asked Izzy.

TK quietly took out his D-3 and set it for 'Detect'. It showed all of their digivice signals in one place…except for two, which were right next to each other.

Davis' D-3. And Shaun's D-3.

"This way!" yelled TK as he led the way, green D-3 in one hand and Digiegg in the other.

xxxx

/Security Room, Fuji Television Station, Odaiba, 10:21 PM/

Oikawa sighed as he stared out the window. _So it's over…_ He turned his gaze to Blackwargreymon. "Do you regret not partaking in that final battle?"

Blackwargreymon shook his head, surprising Oikawa. "No. That was a contest between juggernauts: a clash of the titans. I am weak compared to those two….as well as those five beasts that just left this realm."

Oikawa nodded. "Perhaps." He turned around, facing the number of computer consoles that were used to monitor the TV station's networks and security systems.

They had a network connection.

He could open a Digiport here.

Oikawa sighed as he stared ruefully at his purple D-3. "Blackwargreymon…after the sins I have committed…do you think I am worthy of entering the Digital World?"

"Facing the past as you're walking toward the future will only cause you to stumble," said Blackwargreymon. "I myself am still in the dark as to the dynamics between Digidestined and their partners…and I am eager to find out. But our journey towards understanding will only work if you are willing to walk forward and face forwards."

Oikawa smiled as Blackwargreymon offered a piece of his warrior's understanding. "You are right…I can't let my past plague me." Oikawa sighed as he stared down at the burn mark Soulmon had inflicted upon his chest. It was his form of retribution: the first part of his long path to salvation.

However, it would come in time…for now, he was ready to finally see the world his best friend had promised to him. The world Hiroki had wanted him to see. "Digiport…open."

A bright flash of light erupted from a console monitor, consuming the two. When the light faded, they were gone.

He was finally going to the Digital World.

xxxx

/Intersection, Odaiba, 10:25 PM/

By the time the others had arrived, Davis had been staring at him for several minutes.

Shaun's body lay still on the road, his body covered by the Armor of Wisdom…but the armor's color had dulled from dark blue to a lifeless gray. His skin was cold to the touch…and his eyes lacked the spark of life.

Shaun Kamiya was dead.

Yet…a smile was affixed on his face. He had died happy.

As the others stared quietly at him, Ken said, "Well…he completed his mission…"

"That's why he's happy…after so living for so long, he could finally die in peace…" muttered Mimi.

After staring at the lifeless body, memories were dredged up. Memories of how they had first met Shaun in the Valley of Death…of how he had been so prepared to face everything so early on…of how he had become as helpless as them when everything changed…of how he had told them everything…of how he had fought with them…of how he had laughed with them…of how he had sacrificed with them.

Then, tears began to leak from their eyes, seemingly on their own. Yolei, Sora, and Mimi broke into fitful sobs. Tai sorrowfully caressed Sora's back as tears escaped his eyes. The new Digidestined stared quietly at their comrade, sorrow and sadness gripping their souls. Davis' eyes shed no tears…he merely knelt down and picked up his comrade's body. _Thanks man…for everything._

Matt quietly reached into his pocket, suddenly remembering something. He pulled out an old harmonica; he hadn't used it in a while.

But as he placed it on his lips and played a mournful tune, he found that he hadn't missed a beat. Mimi silently clutched onto Matt Ishida's jacket as he played a sad melody.

Davis turned to the others and said, "Where should we bury him?"

Silence.

Then, inspiration hit Kari. "I know where." She then walked towards the closest shop: an Internet café.

xxxx

/11-110-CHI, 10:40 PM/

The moon shined down upon the plateau, its light mixing with the light of the stars. On a ledge stood the Digidestined, their bodies illuminated by a patch of rainbow flowers. The Digieggs of their partners sat together beside Joe and Izzy. There were also two graves.

The left one was the grave of Elizabeth Ishida. Kari had insisted on covering the name, not even looking at it herself; her reason had been this:

"Because Shaun wouldn't want anyone else to know. Trust me."

The right was brand new. Davis – in his Armor of Miracles – used his finger to etch letters into the tombstone. Finally, he stood up. "It's done."

The right grave held Shaun Kamiya.

Kari had thought this place would be the best spot to bury Shaun; after all, she had seen him cry out in rage after seeing this grave. She knew that he had to have cared for whoever lied here.

And she was right. Shaun would definitely agree.

The Digidestined bowed towards Shaun's grave. "Thank you," they said in unison.

Then, as they walked away, Kari walked by Davis, who still stared silently at the tombstone. "You okay?"

"Yeah…it just hurts, you know? I've never had a friend die before…"

Kari nodded. "I know…" She placed a hand upon his shoulder and said, "Let's go."

Davis nodded as he walked alongside Kari behind the others. Shaun's tombstone was now illuminated by the glow of the moon and the rainbow flowers.

'_SHAUN'_

'_BELOVED FRIEND, PROUD WARRIOR'_

And at the bottom of the tombstone, in small print, were words that Tai insisted on adding.

'…_and a DDR Master'_

Somehow, it just fit.

xxxx

/Internet Café, Odaiba, 10:47 PM/

The Digidestined all appeared as one inside the café. Before they could look around, a voice spoke to him.

"Greetings Digidestined."

The Digidestined all blinked at the sight of a man in green staring at them with keen black eyes. Yolei incredulously asked, "Who are you?"

"My name is General Wesley. I am the Commandant of the United States Marine Corps."

Izzy and Ken blinked out of astonishment. "General Wesley?" muttered both boys out of astonishment. Ken asked, "Why are you here?"

Wesley folded his hands together as he replied, "Although you may not be aware, a US fleet has been in Tokyo Bay for some time now. We came here to help defend Japan from the invasion of Digimon…but you have apparently quelled that invasion…and if you don't mind, I'd like to finish this talk in the company of your folks." He then stood. "Come. We're heading for the TV station."

As the general walked outside, the Digidestined caught a glance of an H-92 SUPERHAWK sitting outside.

/Sphere Observation Deck, Fuji Television Station, Odaiba, 11:22 PM/

General Wesley leaned back in his chair. "And that's the story. A report of everything that's happened here has been sent to the President…and he'll want to speak with the ones who saved Odaiba."

Wesley had finished speaking with the Digidestined and their folks; the moment they had gotten onto the Sphere Observation Deck, the general had explained what the situation was. He had explained that the Grand Praetor had spoken with him, and how the POTUS would want to speak with the Digidestined after this whole incident. The exception was Davis and Ken's parents

Finally, Yuuko vehemently said, "No."

Wesley sighed. "Ma'am, perhaps I wasn't clear-"

"LET **_ME_** BE CLEAR! OUR CHILDREN JUST SURVIVED A HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE BATTLE! I WANT THEM TO STAY HERE WHERE IT'S SAFE! I DON'T WANT THEM GOING SOMEWHERE ELSE AND LEAVING US!" roared Mrs. Kamiya. Tai immediately grabbed his mother from behind. "Whoa mom! Calm down!"

"Mrs. Kamiya has a point though," said Satoe Tachikawa. "I mean, our children…what do they want?"

Mimi actually smiled. "Well mom, think about this though…I mean, it's the president!" After all, she herself had been an American citizen, so she could fully grasp the enormity of actually meeting President Yates.

"Plus, there's no denying that he IS the most powerful man on the planet," said Izzy logically. "The United States is the last superpower after the Cold War; meeting the president is something that can really look good on a resume. Plus, judging from the way the general's talking, it's as if he wants to congratulate us."

The Commandant smiled. "Now we understand each other. The president just wants to congratulate them, nothing more. After all, they DID save this world. It'll be fun."

"Pardon us if we sound sarcastic," muttered Joshua Kido. "Hiroaki and I were Digidestined as well…and after a tough battle, we would crave nothing more than a good home. Being a general, surely you know soldiers who are like that."

The general nodded. "Yes, but-"

"Sir."

Wesley looked down to see Davis Motomiya staring straight into his eyes. "General…we've just been through a lot in the past several days. We're tired, weary, and we want to go home…" Davis sighed as the memory of Shaun's grave returned to his mind. "We're just tired of going everywhere…we just want to stay home."

The Commandant looked into Davis' brown eyes quietly…and he finally acquiesced. "Very well," he said with a sigh. "You want to stay here…I respect your wishes. You've been through far too much anyway. I'll report to the president that you declined his offer." Wesley then walked down the stairwell, feeling slightly disappointed. _Oh well…there's still the Forbidden City Digimon._

As Wesley left, Jun silently embraced her little brother. "Heh…never would expect you to speak like that to a GENERAL."

"I know…I'm just tired…" Without warning, Davis was suddenly lost to his slumber, his arms loosely holding Veemon's Digiegg.

Izzy frowned as a thought crossed his mind. "Now that I think about it…we were trapped in the Digital by the Great Seal last Friday…on the 22nd…and today's the 26th…"

The statement caused all of the Digidestined to gape out of shock. "HOLD THE PHONE!" yelled Yolei. "You mean we've been through all that in only **_FIVE DAYS?_**"

"As improbable as it seems…yes," muttered Ken out of shock.

That was when the fatigue set in. The Digidestined had been through so much in the past five days: the fights with UmbraDevimon and his minions, the search for the new Crests, Puppetmon's sadistic games, the continuous battle against Darkheart, encountering the Forbidden City and the horror that was the Gravemon, the great battle against the Black Generals and Lord Demon…and, at last, the final battle against BelialMyotismon.

It was a lot to take in…and now that their minds suddenly acknowledged it all, they began to feel the mental and physical fatigue set in.

One by one, they all fell asleep on the spot.

Natsuko smiled as she stared at Hiroaki. "Miss the good ol' days now?"

"Har har," dryly replied Hiroaki.

xxxx

/Sewers, Odaiba, 11:30 PM/

Meanwhile…deep below in the deepest part of Odaiba's water system…a seed dug into the wall of a sewer pipe.

"_**Infect."**_

Small, fleshy vines stretched out from the seed.

"_**Spread."**_

The vines grew in size as the weaved around the numerous pipes of Odaiba's sewer system, remaining in the soft earth.

"_**Consume."**_

As the tentacles continued to stretch outward, a small mouth appeared on the seed. **_"This world shall soon experience death…for we are those that are dead. We cannot be stopped…we shall continue ever onward…"_**

The Mind had hatched…and it would wait until the right time to fully bloom. Until then…its tentacles would seep all over the world.

xxxx

/Dragomon's Palace, City of Cthulu, Dark World, 11:33 PM/

"It…is finished." Dragomon sighed as the BelialMyotismon piece was knocked over with the flick of his tentacle.

The Dark Ocean master sighed. The greatest threat the Digital World had ever known had been defeated. _Once again, the infidels have underestimated the light of the Children of Destiny…unlike I, of course._

But still, the reappearance of Huanglongmon…THAT was a problem. Dragomon would be unable to carry out his plan right now…not with the five Guardians at full power.

He would have to wait.

Just like before.

But he didn't mind; his patience had no limits.

xxxx

/Bar, Odaiba, Wednesday, October 27th, 7:30 PM/

Odaiba had been completely fixed…and although it was hard to believe, things seemed to be going back to normal. Most of the schools had yet to reopen, but a good number of businesses had reopened for customers.

Like this bar, for instance. Right now, it was nowhere near as packed as it should've been…but hey, Odaiba had just recovered from a horrible experience. Cut the people some slack.

And right now, sitting at one table, are five familiar figures.

The Junsa-bucho Ackerson.

The Junsa-bucho Himuro.

The Junsa-cho Miyuki.

The Junsa-cho Ilene.

And the Keibu Macarthur.

"So…he actually left?" asked Himuro as he sipped his sake.

Ackerson nodded as he stared into his glass of liquor. "Yep…Dietz jumped ship. Left with that purple warship late last night."

"Heh. Who would've figured that HE of all people would stow away on an alien mothership? I mean, he was a senior!" contested Ilene before taking a long sip of her sake.

Macarthur countered, "He was acting weird though. He was acting…unprofessional."

"I think it is fairly obvious," said Miyuki as she silently sipped her water; she was not one to drink alcohol. "Dietz was becoming disenchanted with his work in the weeks leading up these…unfortunate events. Going with those creatures presented something new for him…ever seen the move _Close Encounters of the Third Kind?_"

"True that," concurred Macarthur. He fingered his mustache as he looked at the men and women sitting before him. They were only police officers…but they had performed above and beyond the call of duty in this whole incident. He then grabbed his glass of red wine and raised it into the air. "I call a toast…to the finest men and women an inspector could ask for."

The two Junsa-chos and two Junsa-buchos raised their glasses and clinked it against the Inspector's glass. Suddenly, Ilene said, "Hey, look! They're broadcasting US President's message again."

"Haven't heard it yet," admitted Ackerson. "Let's listen."

The five police officers turned their eyes and ears toward the bar's TV. The image of Jonathon H. Yates, the President of the United States, could be seen.

You see, the President had given a special speech at 7:00 PM Eastern Standard Time…which meant it would be 6:00 AM in Odaiba. So it was airing multiple times. Why? Because it pertained to the Digimon invasion of Odaiba…as well as the coming of the Forbidden City Digimon, and Digimon in general.

"**My fellow Americans…and my fellow humans all over the globe. The matters that I am about to speak of will sound strange. They will sound odd…and they are most certainly phenomenal."**

He paused. Then his voice adopted a slightly humorous tone. **"I'm certain some of the citizens living in the Washington D.C area have wondered why an alien starship is hovering over the White House. In a few minutes, you'll be speaking with some of the creatures on that ship."**

His tone became serious again. **"That is the reason why I have prepared this speech…because we are entering a new era. An era where humanity has finally discovered that it is not alone in the universe. And these new entities are a lot closer than you think."**

You see, several hours after BelialMyotismon had fallen, the _Great Journey_ had arrived in the airspace in Washington D.C…and the Hierarchs had wanted to speak with the POTUS. Yates had agreed…and – combined with the last report from General Wesley regarding the information he had gleaned from the Grand Praetor – as a result, he had learned much about the Digital World and Digimon.

He had wanted to let the world know what he now knew. **"Keep in mind that what I'm about to tell you is fact. Even if it seems unreal and fictitious…after what has happened in the past few days to the Odaiba district of Tokyo, Japan, I believe that what I'm about to say is the truth…and truth is often stranger than fiction."**

After taking a small breath to compose himself, Yates spoke again. **"There is a world, similar to our own, that is made out of nothing but missing or broken pieces of data. It is a world that came into being as the first computer networks came into being…this world, which is made of digital data, is called the Digital World. The creatures that inhabit this plane of existence are called Digimon…and it was Digimon that appeared in our world four years ago. It was also Digimon that appeared in Odaiba a few days ago."**

He paused to let the information sink in for a few moments. **"Now I'm certain that many of you are having first impressions of Digimon: I'm certain most, if not all, are negative. However, do not forget that it was a group of Digimon that saved Odaiba…on both occasions. Were it not for Digimon, Odaiba would be in ruins. There are good Digimon, and there are evil Digimon. In a way, that makes them like us: they have the capacity to do good, and the capacity to do evil."**

He then smiled warmly at the camera. **"I have, however, had the distinct pleasure of speaking with a group of Digimon: the Digimon that have come on the ship that is now hovering over the White House. They are smart, knowledgeable, and they possess a sense of honor that I admire. They are among those that fought to free Odaiba from the evil invaders that leveled the district."** He then paused before staring straight into the camera. **"Before I let them speak, take heed: we are about to enter a difficult time. Integrating the existence of Digimon into our society will be difficult…but I know that through perseverance, we will come to regard them as fellow organisms…and, hopefully, as dear friends. Some Digimon will not want our societies to integrate, and some humans will be like that as well. However, I believe that we will move forward…and that in time, we will be able to coexist peacefully."**

He then smiled again. **"Now allow me to introduce the three Hierarchs, rulers of the Digimon onboard the starship _Great Journey_: the Prophet of Reality, the Prophet of Wisdom, and the Prophet of Absolution."**

President Jonathon H. Yates then stood up as three figures floated from the left side of the screen: the Prophets of Reality, Wisdom, and Absolution. The president shook the hands of the three Digimon before he stood to the side; Reality then stared into the camera.

"_Greetings. I am the Prophet of Reality…and my comrades beside me are the Prophets of Wisdom and Absolution. The president has been a gracious and understanding host, and I wish to extend my graces to him for his understanding. Now that is out of the way, allow me to explain our reasons for coming to this world."_ He paused to formulate his words. _"Many years ago, our precursor prophesized that we would travel to the world of reality – this world – on a Great Journey. That prophesy finally came true…but we did not know why we were to come to this world in the first place. Now, I believe I have an answer to that question."_

xxxx

/Atop Pikes Peak, West of Colorado Springs, Colorado, Thursday, October 28th, 2:30 PM/

The _Great Journey_ hovered silently over Pikes Peak, the snow-capped mountain to the immediate west of Colorado Springs, Colorado. Right now, twenty Shadows had gathered on its peak…and the three Hierarchs were gathered out there, as were a multitude of Elitemon, Gruntmon, Jackalmon, and Huntermon…and a certain stowaway.

_("When we came to this world, we witnessed a terrible cataclysm occurring.")_

"**_Are you sure you want to leave?"_** asked Absolution. Behind him stood Kuvo Hutalamee, the Chief Honor Guard. **_"Look around! Such crisp, clean air…and mountains covered by a blanket of forests! You wish to leave this pristine paradise?"_**

Wisdom nodded. _"Yes. The world of reality holds no appeal to me…and a number of Elitemon have agreed with me. We are returning to the Forbidden City…after all, we are still under an oath to prevent the Gravemon from escaping."_

_("The district known as Odaiba was under attack by evil Digimon that would want nothing more than to conquer this world.")_

Reality nodded. _"Then do as you will fellow Hierarch…you have our blessings."_

"_And you have mine as well,"_ responded Wisdom. The Prophet of Wisdom then entered the nearest Shadow – filled to the gills with Honor Guards – before all twenty of them took off. Reality then turned to see the Spec Ops Commander. Huvo Nuvonaree nodded as he spoke into his com-link. "Open the portal Commander Tusa'lamee."

"Roger that."

Moments later, a white mote of light erupted from the forward turret of the Great Journey. It grew into a wavy portal that the Shadows immediately entered.

Wisdom and 400 Elitemon were returning to the Forbidden City.

The rest were staying here.

_("We used our great might to help the humans fight back the invaders. We even cooperated with the American fleet, under the command of General Wesley, to strike against a foe so great in strength he could've destroyed the world. Our strike allowed a special Digimon called the Digiknight to destroy the beast."_ Reality said that the Digiknight was a Digimon…because he knew that the Digidestined would not want their identities revealed.)

Meanwhile, several dozen yards away, a group of Elitemon stood near the rim of Pikes Peak. Nola Kusulumee, the Grand Praetor, sniffed the crisp, clean air with vigor. "Ah…such a wondrous paradise. This country's president was certainly gracious enough to let us use this site for our new city."

Near the rear of the group, a black Elitemon named Roto Jyusinaree gazed down at his new friend. "Are you ready to help us build?"

Dietz smiled…even though his teeth chattered. After wall, it was 14,111 feet over sea level: well over two miles high. "Yeah…I would like a coat though."

xxxx

/Yamaki Apartment, Shinjuku, Friday, October 29th, 4:03 PM/

_("However, after the fight ended, we did not know what to do next. For most of our existence in the Digital World, we had carried out life by defending our home, and little else.")_

Azami Yamaki sighed as she entered her house. Now she wore a yellow tank top and brown shorts made of tough denim. Yellow sneakers with white shoelaces covered her feet…and she still wore her goggles. As she entered the living room, she saw her mother staring out the window – with Lopmon – towards Odaiba. "Well, school was particularly uninteresting. After what's happened, I mean."

Teela nodded. "I know…and after the speech that the Prophet of Reality gave, I can't help but feel compelled to try and do something to make Digimon more accessible to the public. I mean, with Digimon about to go mainstream…we need something to try and get people to understand the dynamics involved."

_("But as it turned out, we managed to obtain an audience with the President of the United States…and as it turns out, we both share a common vision.")_

"Why not get dad to help? He works at the station. He can pull some strings to get a show produced, or something like that," said Azami.

Lopmon blinked as she stared at Azami. "A show?"

The girl nodded. "Yeah. In fact…" She quickly walked upstairs and walked back down a few minutes later, her arms filled with her Digimon cards. "Tie a card game in with the show, and release a trading card game in the future. The show will have generated enough interest that the card game will be a hit."

Teela Yamaki blinked…and then she gaped. "Oh my God…Azami…this is pure GENIUS!"

The girl rolled her eyes out of slight annoyance. "I've pitched this idea to you for months, and NOW you think it's a good idea?"

Teela sweatdropped. Lopmon added, "She's got you there!"

xxxx

/Yamaki's Office, Fuji Television Station, Odaiba, Sunday, October 31st, 12:05 PM/

_("We both acknowledged that the latest series of events would undoubtedly make the introduction of Digimon to your world inevitable. That was a fact.")_

Mitsuo Yamaki smiled as he stared at his wife. His blonde hair was about several inches long, and it was spiky, but it didn't go straight up; gravity actually affected it (GASP! Hair that defies anime laws?). He wore a white shirt and black khakis with black dress shoes, and his black jacket was slung over his chair. His brown eyes glanced upward at Teela as he asked, "So, is he almost here?"

Teela nodded. "Last I called, yeah." It was a mini-reunion of sorts; the original Digidestined – after being called by Teela – were to meet in Mitsuo's office…and they were to bring their Digimon, no matter what anyone else thought. Of course, Teela, Mitsuo, and Lopmon had been the first ones to come. Miranda Akiyama and Hagurumon were next, since they lived closer. Next came Joshua Kido and DemiDevimon, much to the surprise of Lopmon and Hagurumon.

Finally, a familiar figure darkened Mitsuo's doorway. "So, to what do I owe the pleasure?" asked Hiroaki with a smile.

"That would be our daughter," said Mitsuo with a grin.

_("What was not assured was what would happen once Digimon were fully introduced to society. We didn't know if the result would be bloodshed, peace…or a mixture of both.")_

Hiroaki stepped inside, followed by Futa Ishisamee…and then Natsuko. "Yamaki, Akiyama; I'd like you to meet my wife Natsuko."

Miranda smiled as she extended a hand. "A pleasure to meet you Natsuko." Natsuko nodded as she shook her head.

Teela smiled as she extended her hand. "Hi! Nice to meet you; Hiroaki said a lot of nice things about you!" Natsuko couldn't help but flush silently. "Has he now?"

Hiroaki coughed – a tad forcefully – before saying, "Moving on…"

DemiDevimon chuckled as he flapped his wings, floating above Futa, Lopmon, and Hagurumon. "Well well! The Bozo Brigade is once more in order! Pardon me if I don't want to partake in any acts of idiotic camaraderie."

Lopmon and Hagurumon blinked. The former asked, "Has?"

"His 'unique' sense of humor changed? No. Neither has his rudeness," curtly replied Futa.

Hagurumon smiled. "All right! He hasn't changed either."

DemiDevimon sweatdropped. "Bozos."

_("So it was agreed upon that we would have to work hard to make it all happen. Nothing can be constructed in one instant. Our city took years to build, but we got it built…and it has lasted to this day, and will continue to do so. I believe a relationship between our two species will be the same.")_

"So…what was Azami's pitch?" asked Miranda.

Mitsuo chuckled. "Tell em' honey."

"Okay…here's the thing. With Digimon about to go mainstream and whatnot, Azami had the idea to make a show and card game based on Digimon…and Mitsuo and I began planning. We've got the whole premise for the show down…we're going to call it _Digimon Tamers_." There was tremendous excitement in her voice. "Oh, it's going to be so exciting!"

"If the higher-ups agree to air the show, I'll finally get the actor spot I've been looking for," said Mitsuo as he suddenly became dramatic. "I'll play the part of the villainous human who misunderstands Digimon, and I head an organization called _Hypnos_ that is only interested in sealing all Digimon away."

"I see you've planned a long way already," said Joshua. "What if you don't get the spot?"

"Don't worry…I KNOW it'll be successful. And once the show becomes popular enough, we'll release a card game!" shouted Teela with enthusiasm.

Natsuko blinked. "A…card game?" Now she was at a loss.

"Don't you think commercializing Digimon is a bad idea? It might be a bit demeaning," said Miranda.

Hiroaki shook his head. "I don't think so…I think the Yamakis have a point. If we increase in Digimon, then people will accept them more readily."

"And we won't sugarcoat anything," said Teela. "Even though it'll be aimed at kids and teens, we will still have the theme of good and evil, as well as other stuff to make it more dramatic…oh, I'm so excited!"

"Calm down. Your blood pressure will get too high," sarcastically muttered Joshua.

_("But I know that the road will not be without obstacles. Some will dissent to the union of our species…but their voices will inevitably fade. A bond of friendship between humans and Digimon, however, will not fade.")_

As Natsuko watched the four Digidestined and their partners converse, talk, and occasionally bicker, she couldn't help but feel…content. She could sense a deep bond – one formed out of hardship and tribulation – of trust and friendship emanating from them. Although Mitsuo and she were only related to the Digidestined by marriage (the former to Teela, and the latter to Hiroaki…well, she's Hiroaki's ex-wfie, but that's beside the point), they were part of the bond…but she was not fully in it yet.

But as she saw them talk…she smiled. She would be happy to be a part of this bond…as Natsuko Ishida. Soon, their families would be one again.

xxxx

/Outside Odaiba School, Odaiba, Monday, November 1st, 7:30 AM/

With the exception of Joe – who worked at an entirely different school – and Ken – who lived and went to school in Tamachi – all of the Digidestined stared at the front doorways of their school from the front parking lot.

The school seemed…alien somehow. After all they had gone through recently, returning to a place of normalcy seemed…well, abnormal. Even though this was the first time that the school had been opened since the fall of BelialMyotismon, they still didn't feel ready to go back.

_("I believe that we were destined to come here for this purpose: not only because we were prophesied to do so…but because I believe we are to be part of the bridge between our two races.")_

"Man…hard to believe it's only been a little over two months since all this began," muttered Tai.

The coming of the New Digidestined had begun on Monday, August the 23rd. That was the day the fight against the Digimon Emperor had begun…and the trials of the New Digidestined had ended on Tuesday, October the 26th, in a tremendous fight against BelialMyotismon.

So much had happened…so much…

Izzy sighed with remorse. "Incredible…once you think about it, you guys have experienced much more than we have when we were in the Digital World…and in a shorter time frame to boot."

Davis just grumbled.

"What's eating him?" asked Yolei out of irritation.

Kari sighed. "Davis called and told me; since both of his parents are dead, and there are no immediate relatives, Jun's going to become his legal guardian…and since Jun doesn't have a job, they were forced to move out of their apartment since they couldn't pay for the rent."

Davis snorted. "Yeah…Jun and I had to sleep in the park last night…" _I thought we were going to freakin' freeze!_

"HUH? Davis…why didn't you and Jun ask for housing?" asked Sora.

Kari sweatdropped. "Because he only called me this morning."

"Pardon me, by why didn't you ask for help last night?" asked Cody with a logical tone.

"…I didn't think about it," admitted Davis.

Yolei facefaulted. "Typical."

_("This is the beginning of a new era…for both Digimon, and humanity. I do not know all of the answers for what trials may come in the future…but I know that we will find answers when the questions are asked.")_

"Speaking of Jun, she hasn't hounded me at ALL since our last fight," said Matt.

Davis glanced back at Matt quietly. "Didn't you know? Jun's got a boyfriend…so you're Jun-free now."

Matt blinked. Then, he whooped. "YAHOO! I AM FREE FROM HER SHACKLES! And now that I have a girlfriend, I can tell the other girls I'm off-limits!"

"Ahem."

Matt turned around to see Mimi Tachikawa; she wore a school uniform like Sora's. After all, now that her parents were going to be living in Shinjuku now, she could come to this school with her Digidestined friends…even if it meant waking up early, and not being able to dress the way she wanted to anymore. But meanwhile, she stared angrily at Matt. "Am I just a ticket to keep girls off your back?"

Matt suddenly stuttered. "Uh…n-no! I mean, of course not! I j-just…uh…"

Mimi giggled. "I'm just kidding around with you!"

TK sighed good-naturedly. "At least our partners are okay."

As they were; their partners had hatched…and all of their partners – save for Joe's and Ken's – sat upon the school's rooftop: DemiVeemon, Poromon, Upamon, Patamon, Gatomon, Koromon, Tsunomon, Yokomon, Tanemon, and Motimon.

Davis sighed as he readjusted his goggles. "Don't worry…Jun said she's got something planned. We'll be okay…" He then glanced back at the others. "So…shall we go to school?"

The Digidestined nodded…and then they entered the school.

But after everything that had happened…nothing would ever seem the same again.

xxxx

/15 Years into the Future/

/ER, Hospital, Odaiba, 9:35 AM/

"Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Kamiya. It's a boy."

_("Some people will not be comfortable with the changes that will have to be made…but change is now inevitable.")_

The 30-year old Tai Kamiya smiled happily as the doctor handed them a boy, wrapped in a bundle of blue blankets. "…a boy…" He gingerly handed the boy over to the 30-year old Sora Kamiya, who looked weary and tired, yet happy…after all, she had just given birth.

Sora smiled happily. "So…a boy…what do we name him?"

"We already talked about this," said Tai as he stared quietly at the little boy. "Shaun…we'll name him Shaun."

Sora smiled. "Yes…of course. Hi little Shaun…"

_("But one thing is certain…")_

/27 Years into the Future/

/File Island, Primary Village, 5:21 PM/

Gennai watched quietly as the children of the Digidestined played and frolicked amongst the baby Digimon; Elecmon was nearly losing his head over trying to keep things in order…but that was impossible. Not with so many kids.

Gennai was now old…and he had been waiting for this day.

After Shaun had did what he had done, Gennai had been waiting to see if everything he had done had been worth it. He had waited to see if Shaun would go to 01-000-ALPHA to free Demon…

And he hadn't.

Shaun was with the other children, looking for a Digiegg that would hold his own partner.

The future had been changed.

_("What has happened has happened…")_

Gennai sighed. Shaun had succeeded…but had it all been worth it?

Even though the Digidestined had been saved…so much suffering had been caused in the process. So many things had changed…and so many people and Digimon had suffered…all that had happened after the great battle against BelialMyotismon...

So…had it all been worth it?

Gennai sighed. Worrying about it wouldn't do him any good. After all, Tai and Sora had fallen in love and married out of genuine affection, even though they knew of Shaun's future. He couldn't change anything.

It brought to mind one of his favorite quotes from Reality's speech 27 years ago. "What has happened…has happened…"

_("…and what will happen…will happen.")_

xxxx

_It is finished._

_The New Digidestined have triumphed over BelialMyotismon._

_The end has finally reached us…_

_But the end…is also a beginning._

_Even though this tale is over, there are still things left to be told…_

_The changes that Shaun's return to the past has wrought are widespread…_

_And those changes…are the subject of future tales._

_So if you wish to see those changes…then come along for the ride._

_Come…if you dare._

xxxx

**_THE END_**

xxxx

Author's Notes: Heh…instead of Adventure being the show in Tamers, it's the other way around! And UKHoneyB's character gets special credit for introducing it. ;P

But anyhow…

It's over.

Zero 2 has ended…but it is also the beginning of the future.

Read on…for previews…of more stories in the Zero 2 timeline...

**_Housemates_**: The Motomiya children are now homeless…but Jun has an idea…and her idea is to move in with her friend Momoe. But this means that Davis and Yolei…will be living under the same roof, becoming housemates! How will they cope? Will the two rivals be able to stomach the other's presence? Will the fearsome Prank War consume all? Read and find out!

_**Battle of the Shinobi**_: After Housemates, Yolei's partner has been issued a challenge by three Digimon: Ninjamon, master of ninjutsu! Taijamon, master of taijutsu! Genjamon, master of genjutsu! Those three want to face Shurimon in a duel to the death! Will the Shinobi of Sincerity accept? And if so, will he be able to defeat masters of the shadowy ninja arts, the physical taijutsu arts, and the mental genjutsu arts?

**_The Comeback Tour_**: Etemon has been reborn! But since the five Guardians are currently protecting the Digital World, he has to set his sights on the Real World…and to completely dominate the world, he must first conquer the music industry! But he must do two things. One: actually improve his singing! And two: if he does improve his singing…he'll have to fight the Teenage Wolves for Odaiba!

_**The Digital Deception**_: An American ambassador is assassinated. The Grand Praetor is murdered. The humans blame the Digimon. The Digimon blame the humans. But what has actually happened is an ingeniously crafted plan that has been devised for only one goal...and the Digidestined are the key.

**_The ODs_**: 'OG' means 'original gangster'. 'OD' means 'Original Digidestined'…based on the Zero 2 timeline, behold Hiroki Hida, Hiroaki Ishida, Joshua Kido, Teela Yamaki, and Miranda Akiyama's adventures into the Digital World. Behold as the face everyone from Apocalymon to Demon!

**_Shadows of the Light_**: Four years after the fall of BelialMyotismon, Dragomon finally makes his move…and he aims to finally consume Kari Kamiya, the Child of Light. However, someone will step in to stop him…and it'll be quite the shock…

**_Past Journeys_**: My huge mega-fic, Past Journeys chronicles the major – and some minor – events from Shaun's time in the Digital World's past. From his arrival…to the fight with Milleniummon…to the coming of his three friends…to the hardship with Nega…and finally to where he first met the New Digidestined (will begin after FFX-3's completion).

Of course, there are some mystery fics yet to be revealed… ;)

Thank you all who have read and – or – reviewed this story. I hope you've all enjoyed it as much as I have. And just for the record, what was your favorite and least favorite episodes?

Oh, and for the record (as requested by Dark Qiviut)…

Episode 60: The End of All Things (24,190)

69 pages. Longest chapter ever.

So long everyone.


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